volume not high enough [SOLVED]

Post by **Availle** » September 24th, 2019, 5:22 am

Since Doris has just submitted a test with 93.4 dB in volume, it appears she has managed to fix the volume issue.

tovarisch · Post by **tovarisch** » September 24th, 2019, 8:27 am

Did it sound like it was recorded via a condenser mic? (I'm too lazy to go look it up

)

lurcherlover · Post by **lurcherlover** » September 24th, 2019, 8:45 am

It sounds fine now - pretty loud in fact.

However, it would appear from the details supplied with the test that it was a USB mic. No mention of it being a condenser (capacitor) mic. If it's USB it would be running on 5 volts and fairly low current. So has the mic been changed? It's all a bit mysterious and frustrating ...

tovarisch · Post by **tovarisch** » September 24th, 2019, 1:38 pm

I just thought of a possible reason. (My memory is not what it used to be.

)

Doris, try turning the gain knob on your FocusRite almost to the max (i.e. the 3/4 will not do it). I've had the same behavior with a PreSonus. The gain was not sensitive at all until you hit about 95%, then it jumped. And, like Peter suggested, make sure the phantom power is on. (or am I repeating what's been said already? sorry...)

Post by **TriciaG** » September 24th, 2019, 1:41 pm

Doris' volume is high enough now, according to her test recording thread. I'm marking this as "solved" even though she didn't come back and tell us what she did.

lurcherlover · Post by **lurcherlover** » September 24th, 2019, 11:51 pm

tovarisch wrote: ↑September 24th, 2019, 1:38 pm I just thought of a possible reason. (My memory is not what it used to be. )

Doris, try turning the gain knob on your FocusRite almost to the max (i.e. the 3/4 will not do it). I've had the same behavior with a PreSonus. The gain was not sensitive at all until you hit about 95%, then it jumped. And, like Peter suggested, make sure the phantom power is on. (or am I repeating what's been said already? sorry...)

Very good point, and why did I not think of that! Some of those gain knobs are very odd and work in a very non linear way.

On another point, after all the help from many of us, it's a pity people who have registered problems and get our help, do not come back and say what happened. Makes me want to give up.

Post by **annise** » September 25th, 2019, 1:09 am

It is slightly frustrating, but what I was trying to say to both you and tovarisch, is that the first thing you need to know is what they have done so far. Not quite down to did you plug it in but what do your sound waves look like. I still fall into the same trap with the LV emails I answer, I assume I know what they are asking and to find an answer. As an example when I get complaints about downloading, I assume they are downloading from our catalogue and I check all the files and download them but I should always ask for the URL, or the page they see because quite often they are downloading from an app or someones web page and need to ask there

Anne

lurcherlover · Post by **lurcherlover** » September 25th, 2019, 2:29 am

annise wrote: ↑September 25th, 2019, 1:09 am It is slightly frustrating, but what I was trying to say to both you and tovarisch, is that the first thing you need to know is what they have done so far. Not quite down to did you plug it in but what do your sound waves look like. I still fall into the same trap with the LV emails I answer, I assume I know what they are asking and to find an answer. As an example when I get complaints about downloading, I assume they are downloading from our catalogue and I check all the files and download them but I should always ask for the URL, or the page they see because quite often they are downloading from an app or someones web page and need to ask there

Anne

I realise that many procedures when using computers are hard for a lot of people, especially when learning a new set of programs as with recording and uploading to LV etc. It is always a good idea to upload a picture of the wave file on Audacity or from elsewhere, but many people have no idea how to do it. I have a free program called grab which allows one to mark off a part of the screen and even the whole screen and it makes a file which can be uploaded. (jpeg file). The uploading part may be the hardest for many, but I'm sure there may be a Wicki page somewhere that explains how to do it with the LV website. This one may help.(https://wiki.librivox.org/index.php?title=Recording_Troubleshooter)

Many of the problems (such as not enough volume) are often hardware related and this is an area which is hard to fix without being able to manipulate the equipment - and hard to explain to someone who may not be able to follow the procedure and may be inexperienced with leads, mics, interfaces etc., etc. Those of us that strip down equipment and have a good working knowledge of how it works are few, and I sometimes have to ask questions on technical websites, as most of us do at some point.

For new recordists it is useful to know that the mic is the first link in the chain - connected with a lead of various sorts, and this goes into an interface which may just be a plug on the computer, or a USB connection. Or this lead could go into a stand alone box which again could be a plug/USB connection, and then the box may connect to the computer in different ways.

Then some mics (condenser/capacitor) need phantom power (usually +48 volt) whereas others such as passive ribbon mics and dynamic mics may not, although some do as they have built in amplification. So it's a bit of a minefield. That's why it's important to have all the microphone specifications and user manual handy.