Mics clipping inputs even at lowest volume
Home > Home Recording Forum > Recording Techniques > Mics clipping inputs even at lowest volume
Posted on Jul 18, 2006 11:44 am
suprchuck1
Member Since: Jul 18, 2006
Hey all, this is my first post on homerecordingconnection.com.
I'm running a Tascam US-122 2 channel usb recording interface from my laptop (IBM 1.7 Gigahertz, 512 mb ram). I use 2 CAD gxl 2200 large diaphraghm condensers to record.
When I try to record drums of any kind (a set, congas, djembe, etc.) they clip the input on the Tascam unit even at the lowest volume setting.
The mics don't have a -10 or -20 db pad on them, and I'm thinking that might be the problem. Does anyone have any advice for me to be able to record drums with these mics?
One Idea I had was to run the mics through a mixer with phantom power. the equilizer knobs on each channel of most mixers can bring it down to at least -15 db. my only concern here was that it would still be clipping the input of the mixer, thus only reducing the volume of the "already-clipped" signal.
also, can I get a db pad for the mics? do some mixers have a db pad? what is my best solution?
thank you all for your help in advance, for this question's troubled me for a while.
thanks!
~Chuck
[ Back to Top ]
Jul 18, 2006 11:58 am ick....there's no way your mics should clip the tascam with them knobs all the way to the left (line) that's physically impossible (well almost) mics simply can't produce that much signal. something is amuck here, does the clip light on the tascam light up? or is it in your software? speakin' of, when you do clip, does your recording app show clipping aswell? what about when recording other sources like vocals? when recording percussion, you generally gotta have the gain set pretty low to allow headroom for the transients, which usually means a quiet signal. you're phantom power is on right?
if you're tascam's gain is set all the way to "line" (down) and it's still clipping on input, i'm gonna guess you've got a faulty product...it simply shouldn't do that.
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jul 18, 2006 01:31 pm My Yamaha MG mixer has really hot preamps as well, and there are certain sound sources I can't record because it'll clip the preamps even with the gain all the way down. We had an SM57 on a snare and on really hard hits, even with the gain all the way down, it would clip.
Same with trying to use my MXL990 on my guitar cab. Mine doesn't have the -10 dB pad switch so a loud cabinet it just too much.
There is such a thing as a pad that you can put inline with your microphone to attenuate the signal by a set amount. The Rapco Pacifier is one, although with tons of Googling I can't seem to find the ones that I had in mind.
Jul 18, 2006 02:31 pm Thanks for your replies.
The clip light on the tascam is lighting up, and when I hit record in Cool Edit Pro, that clips also. When recording other things, the mics work great... great for vocals, guitar, etc. it's just the drums and really loud situations that clip them (like being close to loud PA's, etc.) Phantom power is on on the tascam thing. If I turn phantom off, it will only pick up the really loud hits, and pick up nothing in-between.
I am looking into getting a mixer. Have you heard of any that have -10 db pads on their inputs? or are there any other solutions..?
thanks so much for any replies.
Chuck
Jul 18, 2006 03:29 pm hmmm i can't say i do know of a mixer with pads on the pre's.....y'all got me stumped, only solution i can think of is to back the mic up a bit further away form the source, or use a totaly different mic....
sorry man.
wyd
Jul 18, 2006 04:07 pm Does anyone know if db pads would interfere with phantom power getting to the mics? any new solutions or suggestions would be awesome too.
Thanks!
~Chuck
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jul 18, 2006 09:45 pm Do you have a compressor that you can use. Or a multichannel limiter. A pad will only help ever so slightly. What you need to do is really go with a compressor/limiter which will help pump up the low level drum hits and tame or limit the really loud ones.
What I honestly would suggest is setting your levels to record a good input signal that does not clip. Then once recorded into your software you can add a compressor pluggin to pump it up and level everything off.
Noize
Jul 19, 2006 07:52 am Noize2u, that's a good suggestion.
Would it work alright even if the only way to record without clipping would be to back the mics away from the drums? When I've recorded drums in the past, I've put a mic in the kick drum, and close miked the snare, also using 2 overheads. The only way I can reduce the volume of the drums might be to move the mikes away from the set, and this will de-localize the sound, making it harder to mix, and maybe getting too much room reverb...? Any thoughts?
Thanks again!
~Chuck
Jul 19, 2006 07:58 am Moving them back from the drums was going to be my suggestion, it certainly can't hurt to try.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Jul 19, 2006 09:25 am I'm wondering if you're clipping in the mic itself. Maybe the diaphragm is bottoming out, or something is clipping in the circuitry of the mic inside it.
Also, i'd think that if you clip the us122 with the input gain down, then you'll probably clip on the input gain of a mixer as well.
But, like WYD said, it's pretty odd that you can clip with the input gain down, when recording conga or djembe. That seems like the mics may be askew.
Maybe get a different mic from someone, to test with, or go to someone's place that has a few mics, that you can test with.
I'm kinda thinking like Tad here too, i have a MG mixer too, and the preamps are hotter than the ones on my us122, in my experience. I've not recorded a lot of close stuff with my us122, but the outdoor stuff i did, i had to keep the signal up pretty high, and still got a small signal, that I had to boost up in software.
Jul 19, 2006 01:35 pm Sweet! Thanks for all the input. Good idea about the diaphraghms bottomming out... that sounds plausible. My buddy's got a pair of audiotechnica small condensers which I'll try to use for overheads. I think the inputs of a mixer would clip too, since the us-122 is clipping. I'll also try moving the mics away from the drums and see if I get a decent recording. Does anyone have tips on room-miking a drum set?
Thanks for all your help, I can't wait to start experimenting with these options.
~Chuck
