Salvaging a distorted DAT recording

[tapeworm48]

I recorded a show on DAT many years back that came out all distorted. The issue was that the recorder got switched to High Mic Sensitivity accidentally. Is there a way to salvage this in post-processing? I'm on a Mac and the only software that I have access to currently is Audacity.

TIA!

[u2_fly_2]

I recorded a show on DAT many years back that came out all distorted. The issue was that the recorder got switched to High Mic Sensitivity accidentally. Is there a way to salvage this in post-processing? I'm on a Mac and the only software that I have access to currently is Audacity.

TIA!

I am sure there´s some folks out there that can help you improve your recording. I had the same issue for about 2-3 recordings but to totally remove the distortion can be tricky. Wishing you the best of luck!

[papabliss]

That distortion is probably severe clipping which will be hard to repair on an DAT recording.
In Audacity you can try things like
1. Clip Fix
2. Applying the compressor and then limiter
3. Applying a - dB amplify
4. Using EQ to cut the high frequencies

[nulldogmas]

It really all depends on what's causing the distortion. There are some other tools in programs like iZotope RX that can address some of these problems, but sometimes it's hopeless — can you share a sample?

[tapeworm48]

It really all depends on what's causing the distortion. There are some other tools in programs like iZotope RX that can address some of these problems, but sometimes it's hopeless — can you share a sample?

I will have to do a quick transfer to share the WAV but happy to do so.

The distortion is due to the mic sensitivity being set incorrectly. They were Sonic Studio mics (incorrectly) set at high sensitivity for a rock show. I was standing under the stack too, which won't help this situation. But it happened to me at the next show too, where I was at a bar, a bit further back. 

[tapeworm48]

here is the sample: https://downloads.tapeworm48.com/sampleAPCdistorted.wav

[tapeworm48]

bumping in case anyone has thoughts after listening to the sample.

[grawk]

I'd call that one a goner, honestly.

[nulldogmas]

Yeah, that's a bad one. I have a couple of similar recordings from when I ran mics in way too high-SPL environments, and I never found a way to salvage them.