recording with distortions

[GBS]

what is the maximum range of sound which can be recorded on audacity without distortion. i m using windows vista/ audacity 1.3x beta/ Tascam MC-VT1 , Tascam USB-100.

I am finding that the only sound which i can record without distrting the margins of sound (peaks and trough) is a momonotonous speech. Singing is almost getting screwed every time.

Thanks

[steve]

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "the maximum range of sound", but in slightly technical terms with that equipment you should be able to record frequencies in the range of about 10 Hz to 15 kHz and a volume level from a whisper to a loud shout. You should be able to record both speech and singing with reasonable sound quality.
If the recording is distorted then you need to turn down the recording level.

[GBS]

Thanks Steve.
decreasing input volume or output volume either on US-100 did not seem to help.
Audacity was already automatically set to 0.2 at input volume, did not help going down further. increasing input volume at audacity though definitely increased distortions.
also why i am not able to listen back my recording without using GAIN fxn. (which might be the reason for distortion).
Also I need to move the pan fxn to left or right to hear back the recording, which is not possible keeping it at zero. (can it might be one reason for distortion)
Thanks again.
GBS

[steve]

decreasing input volume or output volume either on US-100 did not seem to help.

What happens if you turn down the "Input" level on the US-100 to minimum (all the way to the left) and turn the Audacity input level all the way to the left?

What do you mean by "GAIN fxn."?

[GBS]

Dear Steve,

taking both us-100 and audacity input to left side or zero give zero output.. a flat blue line.. in fact taking either of these fxns to zero gives no out put.. when i take them both back to original place i.e usb iput at midway between min and max input, and audacity to 0.2 , i m able to hear back the recording which i was getting initially...

Regarding the gain fxn.. on the left hand side of the blue colored wave form there are two lines.. one says PAN--which i think is related to the left and right speakers, and other is called GAIN.. ie when i add 20 decibels to my recorded voice i can hear it back, otherwise even with original settings which i am using earlier.. the output is zero.. is it possible to hear the recorded voice without adding artifcial decibels in this line..

thanks again

Gbs

[steve]

I'm having difficulty understanding what the actual problem is.

Could you make a recording that demonstrates the problem, then select a couple of seconds of the recording (click with your mouse and drag along the track so that the selection is highlighted) then from the File menu select "Export Selection". Export the selection in WAV format and upload it to the forum (the Upload buttons are in a tab below the "compose message" box).

[GBS]

Dear Steve,
Somehow I am not getting distortions now, even with loud speaking.. seems like i was having an acclimatisation problem in the beginning..thanks a lot for the support..

but i have one more question to ask.. how can i get maximum volume of the sound after exporting from audacity....seems that my recordings in the mp3 or wav... format are pretty low in volume..also i am not able to create the high and equal volume for both speakers .. i can get good volume only for either side.. left or right..while trying to keep both speakers in equal volume .. the output is even lower..
thanks again..

[steve]

how can i get maximum volume of the sound after exporting from audacity

Use the "Amplify" effect before Exporting (you will need to leave the "Gain" slider on the left side of the track at the default "zero" position).

i can get good volume only for either side.. left or right..

As you are recording a single mono microphone, set Audacity to record in mono
"Edit menu > Preferences > Devices: Channels => 1 (mono)"
The recorded mono track will play through both speakers.

[GBS]

yes, the amplication trick did work well.. thanks!!

regarding, the mono vs stereo setting.. my audacity is already set at mono..however the settings in my computers control panel were at stereo..but when i changed the settings of control panel recording device to mono instead on stereo, and now i try to record the music the audacity says, " Error while opening the sound device. Please check the input device settings and the project sample rate."

How to manage this issue.

Regards,

GBS