Distortion without clipping

[Mogodon]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help. I’m using Windows 10 with the updated version of audacity, and I’m narrating using the zoom H5 as my interface. The problem is that I’m having trouble with a lot of distortion here in there. Not horrible, but enough to be noticed, but I am not peeking or clipping at all. in fact, my levels are very safe around -12 to -6. What am I doing wrong? Thanks!

[steve]

Please post a short audio sample (5 or 6 seconds) in WAV format (see: viewtopic.php?f=49&t=72887)

[kozikowski]

Does it work a lot better if you record on the H5 stand-alone and then transfer the completed sound file to your computer?

Koz

[kozikowski]

Literally disconnect the H5 from everything else and run it by itself. You may have to hunt up a couple of AA batteries. If you've been powering the H5 from the computer, that may be one of the problems.

You don't have to do that forever, but that's the desperation method if nothing else works. It will tell you which device or system is broken.

Koz

[Mogodon]

Thanks Kozi I’ll try running with batts. The sound seems better when used as stand alone btw. The problems seem to be when I transferred to the pc

[Mogodon]

Hi
When I record, audacity ‘pre limits’the signal to -6db. When I go through the ACX chain, it sounds distorted at -3. What can I do and how can you turn this set limiter off?
Thanks