Input Max Recording Level

[raineri4]

I am recording vinyl from a standard turntable that is connected via pre-amp to my line-in port on my Soundblaster Live sound card. I recall when I used to record on my older XP computer using the 1.2.x version of Audacity, I used to set my input levels somewhere around .7 out of 1.0 and still could increase the input level on older vinyl to get maximum sound input. I used to always set it so that the recording bar was almost hitting the distortion level but not over. Now I am recording on a windows 7 machine with the same set up and with the 1.3.x(Beta) version. I have the input levels set to max and the meter bar barely gets to the max recording level. By memory, I think my max gets to about 10 db from 0 db recording level. I have all my soundcard levels maxed out on the input as well. I used like having the control of my input so that I could get my recording as close to distorion without going over. Does this 1.3.x (Beta) version have some kind of limiter programmed into it so that I can't do what I used to do with the 1.2.x version? I can live with the way it is since this software is great for this but I am more curious. If there is a work around on my end please let me know.

[kozikowski]

Does this 1.3.x (Beta) version have some kind of limiter programmed into it

No, but Windows does.

-- Windows Conferencing Services
http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 79&start=0
http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/FAQ: ... hancements

Koz

[waxcylinder]

I used to always set it so that the recording bar was almost hitting the distortion level but not over. Now I am recording on a windows 7 machine with the same set up and with the 1.3.x(Beta) version. I have the input levels set to max and the meter bar barely gets to the max recording level.

Settings like that are likely to give you an over-hot signal and may get you into clipping.

If you are using Audacity in 32-bit float (its default setting) the you would be much better off maxing out the waveform at around 50%, which corresponds to -6 dB on the meters (which are by default set to show in dB).

This will give you a perfectly good signal to work with for editing and as your last step before exporting you can then use Normalize or Amplify to bring the level up. I normally use a max level of -3 or -2 dB which is plenty loud enough. This is to provide a little headroom as some players don't like playing files that max out at 0 dB.

You might find this workflow from the manual useful: http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/Samp ... gitization

WC

[waxcylinder]

Oh, and I prefer to control the signal level from the hardware gain control on my phono pre-amp

WC

[raineri4]

Normalize did the trick. Exactly what I needed. All other feedback was very usefull as well. Thanks alot!