Topic: Does this sound like mic overload?

[yltfan]

Short 3mb sample:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/fccc7c

I'm hoping that someone can tell me what's going on with this one part of a recording I did a few weeks ago. I'm guessing it was too much for the mics, but the show didn't seem that loud too me, and I wasn't that close, but I was in a pretty much direct line from one of the stacks, maybe 25 feet back. Also, this is the only distortion on the entire 2 hour tape. It's possible that this was coming from the stage, but I don't remember hearing anything so noticeable.

It was recorded with at853's (4.7 mod)>ca9100>iriver120 (rockboxed)
The pre was turned up about halfway, and the the iriver was set at +10.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

[fmaderjr]

That's strange. No way it should be too loud for 4.7 k modded mics and the wave form looks normal. Is there any chance that that's really what this part of the recording sounded like? Maybe a problem with the band's equipment before the signal reached the monitors?

[yltfan]

Yeah, definitely possible. It was early in the show, so they could have been still setting levels--I just don't remember hearing it like that. Thanks for taking a look and sharing your opinion.

A friend is borrowing the rig for a loud metal show tonight--that should be a good test.

[fmaderjr]

I'm guessing there's nothing wrong with your setup and things will be fine tonight. Good luck!

Remember that it's possible for the ST-9100 itself to distort if turned up too far at a very loud show (it does have a clipping light to warn you). Chris Church says you should be able to turn it up to 80% even at a metal show, but make sure your friend doesn't have it 100% open unless he knows how to check the clipping light. At loud shows, I usually set my ST-9100 conservatively (at around 50% like you did) and have never had a problem with distortion.

[runonce]

Wave looks far from normal...zoom in

Looks like you have the level too high on the pre - or too much gain to the recorder...

[bugg100]

I've always preferred to get all gain from the church pre and not from the iRiver.... so 0dB there for me and then 11:00 on the 9100 which is unity (0dB) and then go up on the pre... If that 20dB gain isn't enough, only then add gain on the iRiver up to 24dB.  After that is digital gain, same as raising in post.

The REAL issue here is that the bass sounds like crap! Right? Mids and Highs are sort of ok sounding, to me.

From my past experience, your pre-amp battery is low but not dead. Get out your Digital Multi-Meter (DMM) (Here is one for less than $3us, less than a battery, don't pay more than $10 http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=98025) and check the voltage of the battery you made your sample with.....  I'm betting that it is BELOW 7.99 volts. 7.5 and lower is when I got the mushy bass tone heard here.... My pre (now sold) was version 2 and yours may be a newer version, hence the different minimum voltage. Later versions put out more plug in mic power, around 9 versus the 4.5ish of v2 pre-amps.

Good luck,
Joe

[yltfan]

Thanks for all the advice!
I'm afraid that battery might have been used again already--so either there's more mushy bass, or I chalk that up to the sound in the room, which is never very good. But I agree, this recording came out much worse then others with the same rig. I have a crappy battery meter, but I'm going to my local harbor freight to pick up the one you recommend asap.