This is what happens when I do 2700.
What the frog…?
Koz
It’s not your fault. Forget everything you have learned on this Post/Thread. Your problem is with mic placement combined with your noise floor as well as your db input for a mic that has been discontinued.
I’ve uploaded the original raw.
forum test clip 3.wav
(1.62 MiB) Downloaded 2 times
That’s not the original raw test clip. That clip has been processed already.
db input for a mic that has been discontinued.
Having an old microphone doesn’t explain why one sound clip fails for some people and not others. That could be an Audacity problem.
Koz
@mangosteen
I think we’re going to give you a “Stump The Band” prize. Would you like a tasteful memento/trophy for your mantle?
Koz
I think I’m going to round up a Senior Forum Elf. The tools are just not supposed to do this.
Koz
One quick note. “LF Rolloff for Speech” and “Low Rolloff for Speech” are the same program with a different name. LF Rolloff is the earlier development name. They both do the same thing and I tried both.
Koz
I graciously and humbly accept my prize!
Unfortunately after making an acceptance speech the reality of my accomplishment sets in…
Perhaps I don’t have my settings correct in Audacity. Is there a forum post you can point me to about setting things up BEFORE recording? Are there adjustments that need to be made?
I also have access to an ATR2100USB, but I thought it had lower quality when testing my mics than the other.
Oh! Also just realized I should check how old my Audacity is. Remember how I accidentally had two versions installed? Well, the one I deleted was 2.1.3. So for these most recent tests, I was using 2.1.2.
This could be the solution?
I’m redownloading the program.
The correction suite requires Audacity 2.1.3 or later. That might do it. RMS Normalize doesn’t work on earlier Audacity versions.
Koz
Now having trouble re-installing. It won’t install all of the extras, like the folder where I need to put .ny plugins.
And it says March 8 as the install date, even though I completely uninstalled previous versions.
I know you said you’re not familiar with Mac, @kozikowski. Maybe someone else knows?
I’ve been google searching but can’t seem to find someone else with the same problem.
Agh, more troubleshooting…
Go (top of desktop) > Go To Folder.
Once there, root around in the audacity folder and find the Plug-Ins folder.
After you put stuff in there, you still need to activate the tools in Effect > Add / Remove Plugins.
Koz
This is all I’m getting from Application Support:
That’s the software to make fresh MP3 files. This is what I have.
Close Audacity. Take that audacity folder from under Application Support and drag it to the trash. Restart Audacity 2.1.3 and it should rebuild all those files and folders. You are on 2.1.3 now, right?
See what happens.
Koz
Hold on! I think I’ve done it…
OK, we have liftoff on Audacity 2.1.3 with plugins.
Will work on a new recording test to limit noise floor
Will work on a new recording test to limit noise floor
Don’t go in expecting all sorts of exotic problems. Set your voice so the bouncing sound meters are about -6 to -12 or so and read for the test clip.
As way above, I set the sound meters broader and deeper than factory default.
Audacity > Edit > Preferences > Interface > Meter Range: -96dB > OK.
Then grab the two handles of the meters and pull them the whole way across the Audacity window. The other tools and icons should scurry out of the way.
Control-Click anywhere in the recording meter > Options: Gradient > OK. that will give you the colored meters that get redder and angrier as you get higher. Stay away from full-on red.
Koz
This person had the same problem you have. Is truly is hauntingly similar, right down to your operating system. This is how the discussion went 17 months ago. The link below is a person that uses a preamp to help hit the magic range. If moving closer to your mic does not work, you may have to invest in one. Again, you must be able to keep your noise floor softer than a -60dbs while still being able to record between a -6 and -12dbs. This is what the preamp is for, to supply more gain than your mac can supply on its own. https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/recording-levels/41803/13
https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/recording-levels/41803/13
Some caution here. The hardware, microphone and soundproofing notes are valid, but the AudioBook Mastering Suite 4 has only been on-line since about the middle of June. Any projects posted before then are using the old system for sound correction. That was the technical equivalent of blood-letting, leeches for common ailments and a brisk trade in fresh girls.
Before Suite 4 we had no way to directly set RMS Loudness and there was no defined pathway, so difficult corrections tended to go for pages. Don’t get caught up in the process.
I still don’t know anyone with a Scarlett Solo, but I have never heard any complaints. USB Preamps seem to be missing the famous data whine sound that USB microphones can have. That used to be a death sentence, but we’re much better at getting rid of that now, too.
Koz
“Some caution here. The hardware, microphone and soundproofing notes are valid, but the AudioBook Mastering Suite 4 has only been on-line since about the middle of June. Any projects posted before then are using the old system for sound correction”.
If you can not meet the proper input requirements, then you will need to fix that problem first before you can even attempt to use the new Audacity mastering features. It is no different than any other audio input requirement. If you can not meet them then you will have to over process your audio which defeats the entire process of producing quality audio. Less is more. Step 1: Input Audio. Step 2: Process Audio.
My reference above had nothing to do with mastering your audio, simply what was used to bring the proper input levels into Audacity and this person also uses the ATR 2100. When I use my ATR 2100 via USB into Audacity running Windows 8.2, my Noise Floor is around -68dbs and my input level, (gain) is maxed out. This is not the proper way. When I use my Tascam 16x8, (Preamp) to bring my ATR 2100 into Audacity, I use 50% of the gain and my Noise Floor is around -79dbs. This IS the proper way.
The Focusrite Scarlett Solo cost $99.00 and has a 4.5-star rating out of 11 reviews. It is very simple to set up. You can view more information here if you decide to go this route. I hope you can get this figured out as I think you would do well in the Audio Book Industry. Good luck! 
Alright, take no. 4.
I can’t seem to pass for everything at once, and RMS levels are giving me the most trouble. If I pass for the lower limit, my peaks are too high. Peaks below -3db give me the opposite problem. I’m not sure how to rectify this in the studio. I have played with mic placement, height, how far I speak from it, etc. and this is the closest I can get.
Is the Focusrite Scarlett Solo something that would help with this?
Cheers guys, thanks again for all the feedback, I think I’m getting closer.