Poor recording quality

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lesleylotto
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:38 pm

Poor recording quality

Post by lesleylotto »

Hi there. I am a news reporter. While recording into my MacBook with Amadeus Pro, I will intermittently get a horrible, audible, sound over my voice. Part of the recording will be fine, but then on playback it will begin to sound awful (like a trial version of a program that you have not bought!). I use an Alesis Multi 8 USB mixer into the Mac with a condenser mic. HELP! I have unhappy radio station clients!! :shock:
Lesley Lotto

rfwilmut
Posts: 255
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 1:19 pm

Post by rfwilmut »

What happens if you connect something like a cassette recorder to the line inputs and record - do you get the same problem? If not, then there may be a problem with the microphone or its lead.

Can you describe the sound in more detail? Is it a noise, or distortion, or breakup>

Incidentally, make sure when using a mic that a) play-through is not enabled in Amadeus, and b) that the '2-TK to MIX' button isn't pressed.

heaton
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 6:18 pm

Poor recording quality

Post by heaton »

What happens if you connect something like a cassette recorder to
the line inputs and record - do you get the same problem? If not,
then there may be a problem with the microphone or its lead.

Can you describe the sound in more detail? Is it a noise, or
distortion, or breakup>

Incidentally, make sure when using a mic that a) play-through is not
enabled in Amadeus, and b) that the '2-TK to MIX' button isn't
pressed.
I don't believe you are asking me :), but I connect my cassette
recorder to the line inputs and record to Amadeus with no problem.
CP
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rfwilmut
Posts: 255
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 1:19 pm

Re: Poor recording quality

Post by rfwilmut »

heaton wrote: I don't believe you are asking me :), but I connect my cassette
recorder to the line inputs and record to Amadeus with no problem.
Well, as you correctly surmise I was asking the OP, in order to try to isolate where the problem is: if a cassette machine into the mixer works OK then the mic, its leaad, or the mic channel may be at fault. If the cassette recorder doesn't then there may be a problem with the output stage of the mixer, or with the interface into the computer. It would also be useful to test with another interface. In the absence of any more info (or knowing what the problem sounds like) one is left casting about with guesses to attempt to diagnose it.

lesleylotto
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:38 pm

Post by lesleylotto »

I cannot connect a cassette, but I do use the mixing board and mic on my PC as well with no problem. I can send whoever a copy of the sound as it degenerated. It was fine to start, then degenerated into static. sounded terrible, I could or had to, re-record. This is a sporadic problem, but VERY problematic when on deadline. Thanks!!
Lesley Lotto

rfwilmut
Posts: 255
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 1:19 pm

Post by rfwilmut »

Sounds like digital breakup, which can be caused by the computer simply not keeping up with the incoming signal. The computer itself will be well fast enough to do audio, but you should probably try closing every other program to free up the processor, and if you are connected via a USB hub you should bypass it and go directly into the computer.

lesleylotto
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:38 pm

Post by lesleylotto »

not connected via hub, no other programs had been open except for a text reading program because, as stated earlier, I'm a reporter, so I was reading into mic from a script.
Lesley Lotto

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