Topic: Is this distortion from overloaded mics? Can it be analyzed?

[Carrera2]

There is a certain amount of distortion in this recording.  Is it possible to analyze the source of the distortion?  How would that be done?

Recorded with SP-CMC-4 > 12v BB > R-09 line in. 

According to Audacity, there is one and only one point where the track clipped.  I'm guessing overloaded mics, but I would like to know for sure if that is possible.

Thanks.

AlanK

[Gordon]

I hear no distortion at all.  I hear the sax peak in the mix but that's it. 

[Carrera2]

What I am hearing is associated with bass drum kicks, primarily.  Seems unstable, quivering, rattling.

[china_rider]

I don't hear any bass distortion to my ears, however, I think if anything it could use a little more bass.  Keep in mind I'm coming from the world of 480s that eats bass like fried banana sandwiches

Overall the recording sounds pretty decent to me... The mids sound slightly muddled together and the highs could be worked with a bit.  But from the sample I would say it is quite listenable.

[1westkc3]

If I listen with some cheepo Sharp cans, I hear what you're hearing but with the Sony MDR V700s, it's clear.  I had the same experience when I first used the AT853s and a BB w/o rolloff.  Never hear a hint of it when I use the CA ST-9100 w/ them.

[Brian Skalinder]

FWIW, sounds okay to me - don't hear any overloading distortion.

[Carrera2]

Wow.  I swear I heard distortion in the sample.  This is from a 2.5+ hour show, and there are spots that have made me cringe.  So I'll try listening with different cans, and quite possibly post another sample.

Thanks for the reactions and guidance.

AlanK

[Carrera2]

I don't hear any bass distortion to my ears, however, I think if anything it could use a little more bass.  Keep in mind I'm coming from the world of 480s that eats bass like fried banana sandwiches

Overall the recording sounds pretty decent to me... The mids sound slightly muddled together and the highs could be worked with a bit.  But from the sample I would say it is quite listenable.

Thanks for the comments.  I normally keep the EQ on my playback system flat, completely defeated.  I engaged bass last night, and I must agree, sounds better!  Must begin to tinker with software EQ now!

[Carrera2]

I did listen to my original sample and other material off the same recording a number of times, including actually boosting the bass during playback (I am accustomed to listening flat on playback.)  The "objectionable sound" was less apparent using either of my Senn headphones, one pair open, one closed.  However I still hear something that bugs me.

On this second sample, right in the middle, the band does a syncopation in unison that is louder than the material before or after.  On that syncopation, I hear something annoying.  Am I nuts here?

Thanks for listening.

AlanK

[1westkc3]

I still don't hear anything.  In the past I have had a similar sensation when I listened to the recording immediately after a show or the next day when my ears haven't recovered.  By the way, is this a Sons show from The Mystic Theater recently?

[Carrera2]

pm sent

[Church-Audio]

There is a certain amount of distortion in this recording.  Is it possible to analyze the source of the distortion?  How would that be done?

Recorded with SP-CMC-4 > 12v BB > R-09 line in. 

According to Audacity, there is one and only one point where the track clipped.  I'm guessing overloaded mics, but I would like to know for sure if that is possible.

Thanks.

Hi Alan I have to admit I do not hear any distortion ether, it sounds pretty clean. I think you might have heard something from the kick drum that is not really part of a natural drum sound something like sympathetic resonation. Or a harmonic, but it sounds pretty clean. It seems to be lacking bottom end, as one of the other posters said. I would think if there was distortion in the low end there would be an over abundance of it and that's not the case with this recording.

I wonder what the value of the caps your using in that battery box it would seem to me there should be more low end coming out of the AT mics that you have then is evident in this recording.
PS.. did you get my email?

Chris Church


AlanK

[Carrera2]

I now seem to remember that I had questions about not knowing how to use the DIP switches for the various bass rolloff frequencies on that BB (which I no longer have.)  It's been almost four months since I made the recording and I was just now beginning to work with it.

THAT'S WHY THE BASS SOUNDS SO THIN!

God it is hard losing one's memory one gray hair at a time.

NONETHELESS, I still thought I heard some distortion. 

Chris: Yes, I got your email and I am running tests right now with the HPF on.  I will run a number of them before I get back to you.

AlanK

[Karl]

just so you don't think you're going mad...I definitely hear the distortion you're talking about.  It is when the bass drum plays.  Sounds like some type of brickwalling.  I have had similar distortion problems when I ran my AT-853's without a batt box, or if I ran the same mics at a really loud concert with a batt box.  FYI, I am using Sony MDR-V600 headphones to sample the mp3.  And maybe another reason the distortion is so obvious to me is because I have been playing (and recording) drums for so many years it's easy for me to pick out the distortion sounds on the bass drum.  Hope all this helps.

[Church-Audio]

just so you don't think you're going mad...I definitely hear the distortion you're talking about.  It is when the bass drum plays.  Sounds like some type of brickwalling.  I have had similar distortion problems when I ran my AT-853's without a batt box, or if I ran the same mics at a really loud concert with a batt box.  FYI, I am using Sony MDR-V600 headphones to sample the mp3.  And maybe another reason the distortion is so obvious to me is because I have been playing (and recording) drums for so many years it's easy for me to pick out the distortion sounds on the bass drum.  Hope all this helps.

I stand corrected. I can now hear the distortion too with my sony v600 headphones. It sounds like it could be the mics but it also sounds like it could be a problem with room acoustics or some sort of resonation how were the mics mounted? also what were your levels like going to your recorder? I am sorry to say I did not hear this distortion when I listened thru my speakers. but thru cans I can hear it big time. during the first bar I can hear it on the bass drum and snare drum then for the second bar I only hear it on the bass drum not the snare drum strange it almost seems to change on its own because the level of the snare shot is louder during the second bar you would think that would drive it further into distortion but it does not.

Interesting need more facts about where and how you captured this recording where you were in relation to the sound system and how you mounted your mics.


Chris Church