Old 12-04-2006, 01:24 PM   #1
arwe
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Default Track Record Level Question

Hi, I've just installed Reaper recently and am excited to use it. I am puzzled by the behavior of the record level meter. No matter how high I turn my inputs (M-Audio MobilePre USB), both on the MobilePre itself and on the MobilPre's record level utility, the record level meter does not exceed -5.5 dB, so I really don't know when my signal level is too high.

Is this a Reaper settings issue?

Thanks

Arwe
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Old 12-04-2006, 05:32 PM   #2
arwe
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Since I haven't received a reply, perhaps I've phrased my question unclearly. There can't be this many Reaper users who do not understand how the input level meter works.

How should I set record level when the record level meter will not indicate clipping regardless of how high I raise my input gain?
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Old 12-04-2006, 05:54 PM   #3
Diogenes
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Since I don't own nor have I used an M-Audio Mobile-Pre or any other M-Audio product, I can't say I am familiar with their drivers and/or control panel app. With my EMU card, there are a couple of ways to affect the signal BEFORE Reaper recieves it. So I'm shooting in the dark here... Are you using WDM or MME drivers? If so, the Winblows mixer applet could be hosing your signal before Reaper gets it. Follow the signal chain from input jack all the way to the Reaper record Vu meter. Something is affecting it.

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Old 12-04-2006, 06:16 PM   #4
Alistair S
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Out of interest, what is going into it? Microphones? Condenser or dynamic? What cables? A guitar? Directly in?

Are there any switches to set on the TRS inputs? I think those are meant for instruments, but I don't know the box well enough to say for sure.

It doesn't sound right. While you probably don't want to record that hot anyway, having to jack the gain all the way up isn't ideal from what I understand.

Do you hear clipping on what you record? Or do you think that meter reading is accurate?
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Old 12-04-2006, 09:41 PM   #5
arwe
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Thanks for your replies.

I'm feeding the MobilePre with MXL 990 and 993 condensor mics (one at a time)via XLR - which on the Mobile Pre are for mics - connectors. I don't think the meter reading is correct because I can get to -5.5 dB without being very loud, and when I yell into the mic, there's no increase above that on the meter.

Because I haven't figured out the meter problem, I haven't tried to record yet.
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Old 12-04-2006, 10:00 PM   #6
malcolmj
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arwe View Post
I'm feeding the MobilePre with MXL 990 and 993 condensor mics (one at a time)via XLR - which on the Mobile Pre are for mics - connectors. I don't think the meter reading is correct because I can get to -5.5 dB without being very loud, and when I yell into the mic, there's no increase above that on the meter.
The meter will only reflect the levels being fed to it by your audio device.

Have you used this combination successfully with another audio program?

Do the "clip" lights on the front of the Mobile Pre come on when you yell into the mic?

Is the phantom power switch on the Mobile Pre engaged?

Cheers,

Malcolm.
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Old 12-05-2006, 06:25 PM   #7
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I think I remember that you can crank the pres on the mobile pre to infinity, but it will only record as high as you have it set in it's control panel ... I could be wrong, but it might be something to look into anyway

I also found it to be quite a bad idea to turn up the pres on the mobile pre too high .. those things hiss like a cat being sprayed with water ... I kept it at around line level (bit higher since the room is naturally noisy/untreated) for recording. Any higher and I could start to hear the hiss from the pres as well as the 16-bit noise floor as well as the room noise ...
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Old 12-17-2006, 05:34 PM   #8
arwe
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Sorry for the late response to your replies and thanks for the help. I have now found that the recording level will peak in the red as high as 0 dB. I don't know why I couldn't reach this before. Now I'm trying to figure out how to import .wav files as tracks.

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