Audacity Forum

Hi,
I've used Audacity for years and a while back, I believe after I updated some drivers on my Scarlett 2i2, the recording volume into Audacity got really low and the waveform is tiny. I have the recording volume all the way up and my gain is up pretty high on the Scarlett. For the record, I get much more normal looking/sounding waves in Studio One. I have just been using the amplify feature for a while now to fix this, but I just got a Sennheiser 416 and when I do the amplification, I think I'm amplifying too much room tone (vs when I was using a Blue Mics Bluebird, which I feel is less sensitive). Any advice on how to have my volume level in Audacity be at the right spot without having to amplify every time? Thanks!

kmarcin wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 16, 2019 5:11 pm

and my gain is up pretty high on the Scarlett.

Set the gain on the Scarlett first. Turn up the gain level until you can just make the LEDs turn red, then back it off a fraction.

For the record, I get much more normal looking/sounding waves in Studio One

If you record in mono from one input with a stereo interface, the level will be reduced by 6dB (cut in half) to "'leave room" for the other input. The software doesn't know that you're not using both inputs and if you combine the two, you can get clipping (distortion) without the LEDs on the interface showing clipping on either input individually.

If you record in stereo you should get a higher signal but after recording you'll have to delete the silent channel to make true-mono file, or duplicate the signal in the silent channel, etc.

Most multitrack DAWs handle this differently and Studio One is probably recording mono differently (recording from only one input into one track without mixing in real time).

Unfortunately, that interface doesn't have meters so you only know if you have some usable signal (green) or clipping (red).

but I just got a Sennheiser 416 and when I do the amplification, I think I'm amplifying too much room tone (vs when I was using a Blue Mics Bluebird, which I feel is less sensitive).

Microphones are linear. A more-sensitive mic will pick-up more signal and more noise but the (acoustic) signal-to-noise ratio is not affected. A highly-directional mic should pick-up less noise (which generally comes from all directions).

The frequency response of the mic can make some noise more or less noticeable.

If you can re-position the mic or otherwise get a louder acoustic signal into the mic, that should help all-around. Or, maybe you can make the environment quieter?

Electrical noise from the preamp is a different story. A strong electrical signal from a more-sensitive mic will improve the signal-to-noise ratio (relative to the electrical noise).

The head amp inside a condenser mic also generates some noise and some mics are noisier than others. Again, a good-strong acoustic signal will help to "overcome" that noise.

Any advice on how to have my volume level in Audacity be at the right spot without having to amplify every time? Thanks!

The digital-to-analog conversion is happening inside the interface. Some software (probably Studio One) can boost the levels during recording but Audacity simply captures the audio data that comes from the drivers.

Technically it's the same thing, and you generally want to leave some headroom during recording anyway (to avoid the possibility of clipping) so usually you have to boost the levels after recording anyway.

Pros often record at -12to -18dB (at 24-bits) so technically there's nothing wrong with somewhat-low (digital) levels. But, you'd probably get better results if you can get a stronger acoustic signal and a good-strong electrical signal from the mic into the interface.