How to gain stage your mic pre and interface

Greetings,

I was directed to this thread from a thread I made about this problem I'm having. The issue that I have is that whenever I speak, rap, etc. into my microphone(Shure SM7B), it's great as long as I don't raise the volume of my voice. When I raise the volume of my voice, I can hear a drop out in my headphones. I have to run a test to see if the mic actually stops recording when that happens, but it sounds like the mic/ audio interface just goes dead for a second whenever I raise the volume of my voice. For your information, the audio interface I'm using is the Roland Quad-Capture. And all that I have is the mic and the audio interface. There's no other hardware to speak of in the equation(except my computer).

Is this problem familiar to anyone?
 
Great thread for revisiting the basics, or for referencing the basics to share with others. Thanks to OP and other posters. Bookmarked this one.
 
Hey Morning Star,
I have an Mbox 3. When bringing a beat from my MPC1000 into Pro tools 10, I usually go in pretty hot but never light up the red lights on my Mbox that indicate "clipping" My signal usually teeters around 0db on the full scale meter when going in and I don't notice any clipping. After reading this thread I decided to put a BF essential meter on one of my tracks to see if I was going past 0db on the vu meter and sometimes it does. Why would my Mbox tell me I'm not clipping if I really am? Also, when tracking a line level signal, is it good to have the -20db pad off with the knobs turned all the way down (the signal comes in super hot with not much output from the MPC) or is it good to put the pad on and turn the knobs up a little bit? Is there a difference sonically due to the Mbox's gain "coloring" the sound?
 
This is a quick run down of setting up your mic and mic pre to properly work with your interface to get the highest quality and best recording. I'm posting this because I see so many problems with this.

If you are using Sonar, Cubase, Nuendo, Reaper or FL Studio to record vocals first go here and download PSP vintage meter. There is even a AU version for mac.

http://www.pspaudioware.com/plugins/vmeter.html

If you are using ProTools then you can use the stock BF Meter Bridge.

Now load up your recording software and create a new audio track to record to. Make sure the gain on your mic pre is turned all the way down. (Remember that if you are using an external mic pre that the output needs to go to line in of the audio interface and not the mic input.)

Next make sure that the fader for your channel for recording vocals is at 0db. Now load the PSP Vintage Meter in the first slot. (BF Meter Bridge if using ProTools). Now click on the PSP logo on the plug-in to view the back. Make sure you change the 0vu refer level to -18dbFS. Now click the label to view the front again and make sure that the meter is on VU with the switch in the middle.

(for protools make sure the meter is set with the -18db button pressed in and the switch on peak)

Now while doing a mic check raise the gain knob of the mic pre until the PSP vintage meter reads close to 0db but never over. (BF Meter Bridge for ProTools) Leave it there for your vocal recording. If you change vocalist adjust the gain on the mic pre until you get the same signal in the meter. Enjoy clean vocals. If using a compressor make sure it's bypassed for this tutorial.

Hey Morning Star,
I have an Mbox 3. When bringing a beat from my MPC1000into Pro tools 10, I usually go in pretty hot but never light up the red lights on my Mbox that indicate "clipping" My signal usually teeters around 0db on the full scale meter when going in and I don't notice any clipping. After reading this thread I decided to put a BF essential meter on one of my tracks to see if I was going past 0db on the vu meter and sometimes it does. Why would my Mbox tell me I'm not clipping if I really am? Also, when tracking a line level signal, is it good to have the -20db pad off with the knobs turned all the way down (the signal comes in super hot with not much output from the MPC) or is it good to put the pad on and turn the knobs up a little bit? Is there a difference sonically due to the Mbox's gain "coloring" the sound?
 
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VU meter is an average reading, therefore going over 0VU is not a sign that you are clipping: 0VU is not the same as 0dbfs, more like one of 3 leels -20dbfs, -14dbfs, -12dbfs

How far past 0VU you go is far more telling as to whether there is any clipping or not!
 
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