just a question...

[scorpionldr]

I really don't like to go crazy with software, so i'm using a decent setup for recording my band. I've been experimenting with my Yamaha MG10/2, and while I've been recording analog (to a tascam), and no matter what I do, I still get some crackling in the mix. I was wondering if it was possible to get a better sound by recording into the tascam at a low volume, then recording into Windows' Sound Recorder, and increasing the volume by 25% a whole bunch of times. Do any of you guys think this might be a solution to get a good clean sound from my recordings??

 

[fulcrum]

I really don't like to go crazy with software, so i'm using a decent setup for recording my band. I've been experimenting with my Yamaha MG10/2, and while I've been recording analog (to a tascam), and no matter what I do, I still get some crackling in the mix. I was wondering if it was possible to get a better sound by recording into the tascam at a low volume, then recording into Windows' Sound Recorder, and increasing the volume by 25% a whole bunch of times. Do any of you guys think this might be a solution to get a good clean sound from my recordings??

That's a recipe for disaster. What you're doing by recording at a low volume is losing bit resolution and therefore fidelity. What you would be doing by taking that signal and raising it the way you suggest is repeatedly making low-fi audio louder.. to say nothing of the tape noise also coming up in volume. (Yes, I know that in some circles low-fi recording is a Holy Grail... but trust me, no one wants this kind of low-fi.)

Check your signal chain and your gain-staging. Are you possibly clipping anywhere else along the line before you get into your recorder? Do you need a pre-amp perhaps to keep you from clipping at any of the stages before your recorder? You eventually want to be hovering somewhere around -5 or -6dB VU.

 

[scorpionldr]

well i know the volume level of the MIXER is around -7 and -10, so that shouldn't be a problem. The Tascam, however, has always been giving me trouble as far as the little "level" switch it has to control the input. While thats part of the problem, it's only half, considering that volume levels from certain instruments (drums carry that problem because the hits come out at certain volumes) are never really consistant. I'm really thinking that i should try and set the volume on the tascam to hit -10, but it might be too soft.