sound quality question

Randall Bigham · Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007, 19:09 (GMT) Post subject: sound quality question

when i listen to other peoples' tests using the CAD M-177 microphone (raw signal) it sounds so much better then mine? i am wondering if it is my booth?

my foam is only about 1 inch thick accept in a corner where the 2 foam sheets overlap. i was speaking into that corner at the time of this recording.

thank you for your time. Very Happy

Colin Campbell · Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007, 19:27 (GMT) Post subject:

I don't think your foam is a problem. Mic sounds pretty good to me. You can tell it's raw. Are you sure the others with the same mic are not processing it? Also, what audio interface are you feeding it into?

Randall Bigham · Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007, 21:37 (GMT) Post subject:

thank you very much for your quick reply! Very Happy

i am using an "m-audio mobile pre" and going directly into my computer through USB and using adobe audition 1.5 to record.

i must admit that when i do process after i do my initial recording i blindly raise and lower levels on the 10 band equalizer feature on the program until i "accidentally" produce something that i think sounds better, but there is no method in my work as of yet. if there is a way for adobe audition to process the audio and dynamically compress it AS i was recording, that would be great too.

Colin Campbell · Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007, 22:15 (GMT) Post subject:

No way Adobe can process while you are recording. You may want to consider a mic processor. Most economical I know of is the dBx 286a, about $200.

Todd Ellis · Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007, 19:06 (GMT) Post subject:

Randal you might try some of the dynamic processing in AA - Effects > Amplitude > Dynamic Processing. There are several presets as a starting point. Play with them til you find one you like - then save it as a custom. That way you can get the same effect every time.

J.S. Gilbert · Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007, 20:19 (GMT) Post subject: Bass response

I would suggest simply rolling off everything under 120 Hz by 3 - 6 db. That should improve the recording significantly, adding warmthe and brightness to the recording. If that doesn't do it, you might want to try bumping up around 2 -3k very slightly. I don't generally recommend compression for about 100 reasons, most of which have to do with actual degredation of the sound file itself. I would suggest working with and learning the plugins in Audition.

Randall Bigham · Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007, 23:52 (GMT) Post subject:

thank you all for your replies. i am learning more about AA and hoping that i can try some of the suggestions you all have mentioned. i have tried dynamic processing but that also seems to raise the volume of the space between my sentences and it sounds really bad.

Keith Jedlicka · Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007, 15:58 (GMT) Post subject: Re: Bass response

Chuck Douglas · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007, 04:02 (GMT) Post subject:

Something in your rig is adding noise. This file, although really super undermodulated, had a noise floor of nearly -30 db! Way too high for any kind of work. Check that mic, box and card to see where the buzz is.

Colin Campbell · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007, 04:15 (GMT) Post subject:

The noise floor in that recording is from electronics, not acoustics.