Recording sounds hollow

[allenz]

Hello

I recently used my Audacity 2.0.3 to directly record off an internet radio station. Settings was 44.1 32-bit float. I've done this before and it came out great but this time it sounds 'hollow' like its in a can. Don't know how to explain it but the HiFi is jut not there.

Normally when I'm adding a string of songs for a CD I'll normalize the timeline so all the volumes match. I tried it on this clip to no avail. The clip is 1 hour long and I will cut out the commercials and small talk and put it on a CD to listen to in the car.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can make it sound good?

Thanks
Allen

[steve]

There are several things that can cause a "hollow" sound.

The first thing that I would check:
If you are recording on a laptop computer, you may be recording from the built-in microphone - that will not sound good, To test that, try tapping the computer case while recording and see if the tapping appears in the recording (if you have a separate web cam, tap that as well).

[allenz]

Hi
No I recorded on my iMac direct.
Thanks
Allen

[billw58]

Hi
I recorded on my iMac direct.

How did you do that? In Audacity Preferences, what is your setting under Devices, Recording.
-- Bill

[allenz]

Devices: Host Core Audio. Only choice there
Playback: Built-in Output
Recording: Built-in mike
Channel: 2 Stereo

Recording: Overdub is checked.
Latency Audio to buffer 100
Sound activated recording not checked

Basically I opened Audacity, went to my internet radio station played and hit record on Audacity. Didn't change anything in preferences because I've done this before and it came out great.

Maybe the quality of that program wasn't good. I'll try another web broadcast and see if it's the same

Allen

[billw58]

You are recording from the built-in microphone, so of course it sounds hollow.

See this page for how to record streaming audio on Mac:
http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/User: ... ming_audio

-- Bill