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Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: JoeRay on September 15, 2010, 12:25:07 AM

Title: Need Help with master audience CSN recording with Neil Young content
Post by: JoeRay on September 15, 2010, 12:25:07 AM
Greetings Fellow Tapers,
     I recorded CSN in Cleveland at Time-Warner Amphitheatre on 9-14-2010 with my matched pair of Schoeps MK 4, my NBOX preamp and my Korg MR-1 using the 1 Bit recording level at -15db. 
     I sat 4th row dead center.  The side columns did not have any affect on my recording.  Neither did the stage instruments and amps but the speakers placed infront of the stage had an exceptionally strong bass signal playing through for those of us in the first 15 rows that were not affected by the side columns. The guitars , piano and drums were equally balanced with the strong 4 part harmony.
     When I reviewed the recording after the 2 1/2 concert, I hear a bass clip sound on the loud rocking songs but no clipping on either the acoustic songs or the soft electric songs.  The loud songs where I noticed the clipping sound, the meters registered between -6db to a 0bd.  I try to keep my recordings about -12db. 
     Can any of you wonderful tapers give me some advice how to cure this clipping sound.  Please keep in ming it is not a distorted sound from loud guitar, vocals or drums.  I get a ripping sound that seems consistant with the loud bass.
      I'd be willing to send a copy of the recording to anyone who has a studio and the appropriate software to fix this recording.  For the Neil Young fans, both Stills and Crosby introduced their favorite Neil Young song for the night and proceeded to go into several lines of "Pants On The Ground..." before performing Long May You Run...
      Please email me off line at:  joeray@alaska.net
Title: Re: Need Help with master audience CSN recording with Neil Young content
Post by: Scooter123 on September 15, 2010, 01:31:58 AM
Highpass filter would be my first choice. 

I typically start at 60htz and go up from there.  You might need up to 80 or 90 to remove this rascal. 

Do it incrementally. 
Title: Re: Need Help with master audience CSN recording with Neil Young content
Post by: beatkilla on September 15, 2010, 08:09:34 AM
Is it possible that sound was actually produced at the venue?I recorded a show once that had a ripped speaker and sounded like my recording was clipping on bass peaks.I was wearing earplugs as always and was aware of this speaker issue at the show.If i hadnt been wearing earplugs i never would of known of the speaker issue and thought my tape was clipped.
Title: Re: Need Help with master audience CSN recording with Neil Young content
Post by: page on September 15, 2010, 10:19:35 AM
Is it possible that sound was actually produced at the venue?I recorded a show once that had a ripped speaker and sounded like my recording was clipping on bass peaks.I was wearing earplugs as always and was aware of this speaker issue at the show.If i hadnt been wearing earplugs i never would of known of the speaker issue and thought my tape was clipped.

Ditto, Phish at Indio night 1 comes to mind, Gordon's bass wanted to clip on the attack for the first set. Otherwise I'd look at my tape and go "wtf!?!"

Highpass filter would be my first choice. 

I typically start at 60htz and go up from there.  You might need up to 80 or 90 to remove this rascal. 

Do it incrementally. 

Also agree, I'd start at 40, but the theory stands, roll off the lowest bass first while moving upward and see if that takes care of it. Maybe some gentile EQ above 100hz if it doesn't cure it by then (cause doing a standard HPF above about 100-120hz decimates your woof bass in my experience)
Title: Re: Need Help with master audience CSN recording with Neil Young content
Post by: JoeRay on September 15, 2010, 01:57:15 PM
     I sure appreciate all the great suggestions to my problem of the clipping (ripping) sound.  I am still in Cleveland but will return to Alaska tomorrow where my MacPro/studio is set up.  I feel there was no ripped speaker at the venue... I play music myself and would know if I heard a ripped speaker .  Nevertheless, I suspect it could have resulted from something I didn't hear but I guess I won't know.
     Most importantly, the bass sound was clearly up front in the mix and most noticible in the rockin songs like "Woodstock" "Long Time Gone" and "Almost Cut My hair"...  Ironically, Crosby's voice was very strong and so was Stephen's guitar...yet no clipping from either of them... JUST FROM THE BASS. 
     I hope this extra info sheds more light on this problem.  Any More Thoughts???  Peace,  Joe Ray
Title: Re: Need Help with master audience CSN recording with Neil Young content
Post by: fmaderjr on September 16, 2010, 01:16:32 PM
Your recording clipped during the very loud parts because your MR-1 needed to be set below -10 dB to keep the meters from going over 0 dB. According to guysonic's tests, setting the MR-1's record level below -10 to keep the meters from hitting 0 dB will not prevent clipping. For the future, since I think the NBox outputs a fixed signal that can't be adjusted by the NBox, don't set the MR-1 below -10. If the meters go over 0 dB when it is set to -10, you will need to move away from the source or add an attenuator between the NBox and the MR-1.