Volume loss through di when recording

[Bjazzman]

my bass and keyboards go through a radial jdi duplex where they get splitted into my mixer and my recording device. my mixer then puts them into my effects then into another di for my dirty signal. The dirty signal is fine with volume but both the keyboard and bass(especially) are not loud at all. I tried putting the gain and levels up on my mixer(tapco blend 6) up all the way. Do i need a gain pedal or small amp for boosting the signal? The recording strip(motu 828) has level controls but some of channels share a volume knob.

[anderbass]

Originally Posted by Bjazzman

I tried putting the gain and levels up on my mixer(tapco blend 6) up all the way.

Looks like your mixer has two channels with mic pre's, two with instrument-level inputs, and I'm assuming the remaining two channels have no actual gain boost, (only a level cut knob). If your not already, I got a feeling you'd get nice levels by using one of the mic pre channels on your Tapco.

[Bjazzman]

im actually using the first two channels which are mic pre's.

[anderbass]

Have you got the Radials pad switches turned off?

[Bjazzman]

yeah. i tried pressing different combinations of different pads/switches. one engineer i spoke to said that with ableton live, whatever source you send it, that is the volume you get. I cant really increase the volume in live and i got the volume in every place i can.

[anderbass]

Are your recording levels allot higher by simply skipping the radial jdi duplex?

[Bjazzman]

yeah i tried unplugging the jdi and it gets a little better in terms of volume but not much. when im playing with the band through the head phones, the only way to compensate for this is by having everyone turn down so i can turn up. But that doesen't come out too well in the recording.

My issue would be when i want to use the jdi in a live setting where i want to put my bass and keys through it, then split the signal to my mixer(for the dirty effects), then to my recording strip and other splitter.
I will run into the same volume loss i have now when trying to record.

So am i answering my own question when i should get a power amp? And if i do need one what is one that wouldn't be overkill in terms of price and power?

[Bjazzman]

im also wondering how i could get a power amp between the jdi and my splitter box? Since im using the mixer as imputs from the splitter and running that signal to my effects to a dirty di.

Im only going from bass and keys into the jdi into the recording strip and is it safe/possible to insert some sort of power between these sources?

[Bjazzman]

now I'm thinking I need a 2 channel preamp. any suggestions on a good low cost one?

[joelc1319]

Originally Posted by Bjazzman

now I'm thinking I need a 2 channel preamp. any suggestions on a good low cost one?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...amp?sku=184132

I don't have any experience with it, but I've heard pretty much nothing but good things about PreSonus products.

[anderbass]

Your mixer channels should already have the capability of giving you over 70 DB of gain boost per channel. You shouldn't have to boost the mixers input or output levels unless something here is seriously wrong.

Adding most any preamp equipped for line/instrument level operation should help bring your levels up, but I'd only consider this option a band-aid type fix at this point. With all your levels maxed out, I'm guessing your already experiencing excessive hiss/noise artifacts with this setup and adding another preamp as a band-aid remedy may end up producing even more.

Unless something in your signal chain is simply defective, I keep thinking some part of your elaborate routing method is somehow connected (or possibly adjusted) wrongly and all this gear connected together is simply loading down your input/output levels.

Originally Posted by Bjazzman

yeah i tried unplugging the jdi and it gets a little better in terms of volume but not much.

This seems to confirm my suspicions. Your signal shouldn't be loosing any strength through a quality DI like that unless something else is seriously wrong and overloading it further on down the signal path.

Originally Posted by Bjazzman

my mixer then puts them into my effects then into another di for my dirty signal. The dirty signal is fine with volume but both the keyboard and bass(especially) are not loud at all.

I keep thinking your issues are stemming from your connection method through the mixer. Are you using any hard-wired Y-splitters anywhere in your signal chain? If so, Id start by figuring an alternative routing method and eliminating them.

As a test, I'd also find out if any one item in your entire chain can be eliminated where you find the rest of your levels suddenly back to normal.

[Bjazzman]

im only using the mixer after i split the signal. the mixer is just for taking in the signals then routing them to my effects.


I think that presonus dp looks like a good option since im having the volume issues stem from just plugging in my bass/keys. They don't even go to the mixer yet, thats after the split.

Hopefully, with the presonus i can use both the output channels so i can run one to the split and one to the house. That would eliminate my need for the radial and solve my volume issues at the same time

[anderbass]

Cool, I'd be interested to hear how it ends up working out for ya.