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Sound Issues

 
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MelissaVoicer
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 6:17 am    Post subject: Sound Issues Reply with quote

Ok, techie people....have at it! Smile What would you do about a) the noise floor on this file (I'm recording in a booth for pete's sake!) and b) the general eq/levels...FMR compressor is currently at -15 threshold, 7:1 ratio, .6 attack, .3 release and the gain is up to 8 on the compressor, 45 on the (Presonus Eureka) preamp, and straight up and down on the master side of the pre. I'm using Adobe Audition (1.5 or 2.0 both available) and a Presonus Firebox interface. I welcome your thoughts and opinions! Here's the file:
http://melissavoiceover.com/AudioFiles/RAWsample.wav
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Yoda117
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Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Posts: 2362
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

quick question

are you using the RNC/RNLA in post, or during tracking?

(yes this does have something to do with the topic)

next two questions

what mic are you using & what shockmount (again, it's weird, but go with me here)?

what cables, and how old are they?


This ought to make things a little clearer with this information.
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MelissaVoicer
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Yoda, assuming RNC is the FMR...then it's in the chain...not in post. I just replaced cables trying to eliminate noise...just got a new TUBE mic (Rode NTK) which seems louder than my old AKG c4000b... I don't know how to describe the shock mount. It's a big bungee cord lookin' thing... cables are tipped with all the lines people always ask about if that's what you mean Smile Thanks!
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Yoda117
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Joined: 20 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

while all valve based mics generate distortion of one sort or another, you shouldn't be having an issue like this.

FMR produces a leveling amplifier (think of it as a crude 1176) and the RNC (really nice compressor), so I was asking which of the two... it's all good.

stock shock mount, though from what little I've heard (not in studio right now), it's a non issue.

the cable issue is what's getting me here. Is everything going into the Firebox XLR (that is, the big three prong terminal) or TRS (looks like an oversized stereo jack).

If you've plugged this thing directly into the XLR preamp on your firebox, I'm willing to bet that's the issue, especially considering the design of the firebox. Try using a line input from your compressor to the firebox, which will might deal with the issue (never tried this on a tube mic without also having a 2nd preamp in the line before, but the symptoms sound the same).

When I get out of work and get home after watching Harry Potter: The Quest for More Money, I'll run this through something better than the built-n PC speakers and see what I can find.
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MelissaVoicer
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Unfortunately, I'm TRS from the pre to the firebox...I'm xlr from the pre to my Telos Zephyr ISDN codec...but that can't matter. I'm inserted into the RNC.
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davidmonteath
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Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 755
Location: Buckinghamshire, UK

PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 12:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is it just me or does anyone else just love technical talk?

Laugh
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TheVoiceOfBob
14th Avenue


Joined: 05 Oct 2006
Posts: 1411
Location: Pittsburgher in the Carolinas

PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 12:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Melissa,
What does it sound like when you bypass your preamp and plug directly into your PreSonus Firebox, either inputs 1 or 2?

When using your preamp, are you plugged into inputs 3 or 4, thus bypassing the Firebox's built in preamps?
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Lance Blair
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Joined: 03 Jun 2007
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Location: Atlanta

PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I probably should start a thread about this, but the Firebox isn't a true 96/24 box. It has a flaw where it is actually 48/24 and doubles it, which leaves one with an impure slightly distorted 48/24. Presonus has just been called out on it this month, and is now working on a downloadable firmware fix for owners:

http://www.presonus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1834

I found my sound greatly improved by using the 3/4 line inputs on the Firebox thereby avoiding the preamps in the 1/2 mic inputs. I find sound is always colored by the final stages. If you take a great mic through a great pre and then send it into a bad pre, you've ruined half of the deliciousness of your other gear. It's almost like throwing a fine meal into a blender and then drinking it: it won't taste as good.

And yes, viva la gear-talk!
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Lance Blair
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Joined: 03 Jun 2007
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Location: Atlanta

PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 10:22 am    Post subject: Re: Sound Issues Reply with quote

MelissaVoicer wrote:
Ok, techie people....have at it! Smile What would you do about a) the noise floor on this file (I'm recording in a booth for pete's sake!) and b) the general eq/levels...FMR compressor is currently at -15 threshold, 7:1 ratio, .6 attack, .3 release and the gain is up to 8 on the compressor, 45 on the (Presonus Eureka) preamp, and straight up and down on the master side of the pre. I'm using Adobe Audition (1.5 or 2.0 both available) and a Presonus Firebox interface. I welcome your thoughts and opinions! Here's the file:
http://melissavoiceover.com/AudioFiles/RAWsample.wav


Okay, the noise floor I'm hearing is ambience, not gear buzz. Your compression is forcing the Eureka to work too hard. I never set gain above 40 on a pre.

Your compression seems to be an issue. The Attack and release are reasonable, but try a threshold at -10 or under, and a ratio at 2:1-4:1. Your current compression rates are part of the reason why you are using +8 gain on your compression. Now you're at +53 gain which is just too high for a condensor mic.

Live with a compression that doesn't light up more than 4 on the gain reduction meter, and keep your compression gain at +3 or lower. Your compressor is nice, so less is more. That compression could be leading to a pumping that increases the noise floor when it gets quieter. Try a longer release to avoid that pumping, and perhaps a slightly longer attack (10ms attack, .5-1 sec release). Compression is like anything else: once you notice it, dial it back.

I also ran the sample through an analyzer, and there is a lot of rumble below 80Hz, so I ran it through a 80Hz high pass filter, and it took away a bit of the noise.

good luck.
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steveanthony
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Joined: 30 Aug 2006
Posts: 247
Location: Western Massachusetts

PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 7:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

With the RNC, I'd push the SuperNice button and leave it at that.
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