Creative Tracker Pre line-in volume issues. Help?
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Posted on Jan 08, 2009 01:06 pm
serfrock
Member Since: Jan 08, 2009
Hi all, first time poster here. Sorry to trouble you with lame troubleshooting questions, but here goes...
I have a Creative E-MU Tracker Pre with Cubase LE 4, and I'm having some volume issues. Despite having turned gain up as far as it will go without clipping, I'm still only getting barely audible signals in Cubase. Last night, for whatever reason, it seemed to be transmitting at a somewhat reasonable level, but then after playing around with some effects in Cubase (and I don't know if that had anything to do with it) the volume ended up going back to barely-audible status, perhaps even lower than before. The direct monitor is plenty loud, but it seems as though Cubase just isn't receiving the same input volume. I'm sure this is a pretty basic question that gets asked a lot, but having looked around on this and other forums I can't say I've come up with anything really helpful... Any suggestions greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance,
Robert
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Jan 08, 2009 02:04 pm How does it differ (if at all) when using mic in or line in?
It appears to me that each channel can take a mic or line, which indicates there may be some sort of switch to change it from one to the other, if I am right in that assumption...eh, having just seen the back view of the device, there isn't a switch, scratch the previous statement.
Is there any toggle in the software between the two input levels, because mic in and line in are very different...
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Jan 08, 2009 02:05 pm What type of instrument are you recording?
I am leaning towards DB's direction, wondering if the input is on the correct setting for the instrument\mic.
Jan 08, 2009 02:45 pm I've been recording bass guitar, though I also have a microphone which tends to come in pretty faintly as well. I'll take a look at the software and check if there's any kind of toggle, but I haven't come across any thus far, and unless I've overlooked something, I don't think there's a mention of it in the manual. I'll definitely double check though.
Jan 08, 2009 02:49 pm make sure you have the most current driver version too...
Jan 08, 2009 03:28 pm Many thanks for the advice - downloading the driver. Have to head to work, though, so I'll keep you all posted later on.
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Jan 08, 2009 05:18 pm After reading the manual, it looks like the switching is automatic from what I can tell.
How are you monitoring the recorded tracks? Do you have active monitors coming out of the E-MU or are you listening through the headphones?
Jan 08, 2009 10:21 pm Downloaded and installed the driver from the Creative site, turned out I was up to date, but installed anyway. No change! Damn.
Anyway, I've been doing all monitoring through headphones.
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Jan 09, 2009 12:22 pm Well, when I record things they are definitely quieter than my monitor levels. Can you give us an idea of what levels your recorded signal are upon playback?
When I record my tracks usually play back around -12db or less (sometimes much less). This is where compression (especially on bass) and makeup gain comes in.
This is not a bad thing in regards to headroom, you can always compress\use makeup gain, or simply turn up that track.
Jan 10, 2009 02:29 pm My apologies for being a huge noob, but where might I find such info (recorded signal levels)?
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Jan 10, 2009 03:32 pm When you play back a recorded track, what are the meters reading?
Jan 11, 2009 01:56 am Well, from what I can tell it looks like it tends to max out at like -17dB, usually. I don't know, maybe this is normal after all and I'm just being picky! If this is normal, I can't really find a way to turn the volume up adequately... I've turned up the volume on the channel but that seems to do very little.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Jan 11, 2009 08:12 am if it worked OK for a bit, then is now not working correctly, then I'd focus on intermittent issues, like a bad cord, or maybe the jack in the device is suspect. I've seen cords do this, and jacks on amps do this as well.
If there's two channels, try the other. Try different (known good) cords, maybe spray some jack cleaner in the jack.
Maybe sacrifice a soundblaster card to the recording Gods =)
Jan 11, 2009 05:45 pm Hmm. Well, the cords are fine it seems and both jacks in the unit produce the same effect.
I've found that just turning everything up in the track's EQ will get my instruments to an appropriate level, but is this frowned upon? Seems to me like I shouldn't have to resort to this, but for all I know this could be common practice.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Jan 12, 2009 05:57 am Although that will give you higher level, it's certainly not the appropriate method.
I'm re-reading this thread, and thinking on this again.
You say the gain is up high 'before clipping'. Is this 'before clipping' in reference to the PRE itself? If you're getting clipping on the clip light, then the signal is plenty strong enough at the pre, and you can remove the pre from the equation.
And, you say the cords are known to be good, but I'd still suggest a test of some sort. This test will (hopefully) remove both the output jacks on the PRE, and the cable.
Find another device that receives LINE level signal. A home receiver stereo inputs would work (not phono). Something like aux or tape inputs. If the signal coming from the tracker pre is making good, then the volume in the receiver (and out the speakers) should be decent, closely matched to regular signals (CD, Radio, ETC).
If the signal is very weak, then you can point to the cable, or the output jack on the tracker pre.
If the level is good, then lets remove the cable and output jack from the equation.
Now we've removed the tracker pre, output jacks, and cable. This leaves only the PC, and the program.
Oop, just thinking, you'd be using USB, wouldn't you. So that removes the cables and output jacks from the equation already, so disregard the test above.
Anyway, in some cases, an audio interface will install a control panel for the device. Often it's using ASIO as the audio interface driver. If there's a control panel for the tracker pre, then go into there and see if there's a gain, or input volume associated with the two inputs. I know that on my interface I can change all sorts of inputs and outputs, plus digital gain, so it's possible that yours is doing that too.
As another thought, also go into the windows sound applet (control panel, sound devices, audio tab) and see that windows is using your device. Click the 'volume' under the recording section, and see that the setting isn't way down.
Now, if all this is OK, then you can test by trying a recording using something else, like maybe sound recorder.
If you can record using an alternate program, then it all leans to cubase.
I don't know beans about cubase, but hopefully if you can eliminate all other possiblities, then someone here can help you figure out why cubase is acting up. You say you changed some FX and the levels dropped again. That certainly leads me to think something is cubase is the culprit.
If you're inclined, you can DL reaper, and try that. It's small (3.4mb) and non-invasive (doesn't load anything in registry) and see if that works correctly. Reaper is pretty easy to load and get running in 5 minutes. www.reaper.fm
If reaper works, then you know for sure it's something in Cubase.
Feb 09, 2011 02:35 am Hi All,
I also have the same problem.
I have tried recording from different sources using different cables, using different drivers (asio4all, emu 1.3) but experienced the same problem.
The level on recording is about -15dB. In addition I noticed that recorded signal get clipped BEFORE the red led starting to indicate clipping, I can hear clipping distortions on recorded signal and I can see the limited signal on graph in Cubase. There are no distortions on headphones monitoring output. So, it suggests that signal limiting occurs at digital stage, near the output. The strangest thing is that the level when the limiting occurs is far below 0dB (approx. -12dB). Out of the box I did not experienced this problem, however I cannot remember exactly the circumstances when it started behave this way.
If I record at lower levels (-17dB) no audible clipping on the record.
I asked support, but all they replied was a suggestion to change driver, cables and so on, that I have already tried...
Any thoughts?
Thanks
