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preamp distorting, volume level low

LarryO

LarryO

Apr 4, 2004
1,014
13
50
#1
Hello. I haven't recorded at home for a few years and decided to try it again, only get a little more into it. I used to plug my active bass directly into the soundcard of my old compaq presario 7462 and record with cool edit. My newest cpu is an emachines t5026. I can't get a strong sinal from my instruments because my guitars and basses are all passive now, so I run the instrument into a fender frontman 25r and use the audio out jacks to go into my soundcard. I get a signal but it is impossible to get the right volume level without the signal distorting. I have Nuendo on this new pc but the learning curve for that program is steep. I'd love to start simple. I have all the software I need (except a good drum machine).


Has anyone encountered a similar problem? how did you fix it? any advice? anyquestions? please help
 
#2
I find that it helps to put your computer's input level as low as possible then turn up the amp until you're hovering around -6 dB in the loud parts.

Realistically, you're not going to get a huge amount of volume out of the computer speakers unless you either turn them way up or apply some compression to lower your peaks. Such is the nature of digital recording: you have to keep the sound below clipping, no matter what.
 
#3
I appreciate your response but I have tried so adjusting every possible gain, volume, input level....etc, in every possible combination. I am convinced this cpu just isn't ideal for thatapplication. My old compaq worked fine it just had low ram. I may pull it out of the box and try using it again before I run out and buy an mbox
 
#5
I am sure that no one is too concerned but I dug out my old compaq presario 7462, bought a kvm switch, installed cool edit, deleted unnecessesary programs, plugged in my guitar and started recording......I guess vintage computers have better tone too:rollno:
 
#6
LarryO said:
I am sure that no one is too concerned but I dug out my old compaq presario 7462, bought a kvm switch, installed cool edit, deleted unnecessesary programs, plugged in my guitar and started recording......I guess vintage computers have better tone too:rollno:
Click to expand...
It's true! Remember the Sound Blaster 16 with its OPL FM synth? Probably not, but there's a reason I've been spending my days programming the thing. :bassist:
 

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