Low mic output and Replygain plugin issue

richiehayden · Post by **richiehayden** » January 26th, 2024, 10:16 am

Hi all,

I'm getting set up to record some 1 min tests but have encountered a couple of issues. I've checked through the forum and found some suggestions but no definite answers so far. I'm wondering if someone can offer further advice.

Setup: AKG p420 condensor, Audient ID14 AI, Audacity, desktop PC.

The first issue is that I'm getting low output from the raw recording. If I normalize it looks pretty good, with peaks around the 0.5 db level as described in many 1 min test posts, but the raw recording levels are not much greater then what I get from an unamplified MXL 144 ribbon mic. The mic is 'hearing' even the smallest background noise but not giving the output I expected. I've switched inputs, have the gain at 7 on the AI and the selector knob raising the levels to -12/-18, phantom power is on, and the output slider in Audacity is right up. Is it normal for the levels to be this way pre normalization or do I have an issue here? Thoughts/suggestions welcomed.

Also, I was going to use Replaygain to test my levels, followed the instructions (placed the files with the other plugin files, refreshed Audacity's view, etc) but it's not seeing the plugin. Has anyone else had this issue?

Thank you in advance.

Winnifred · Post by **Winnifred** » January 26th, 2024, 3:25 pm

richiehayden wrote: ↑January 26th, 2024, 10:16 am Hi all,

I'm getting set up to record some 1 min tests but have encountered a couple of issues. I've checked through the forum and found some suggestions but no definite answers so far. I'm wondering if someone can offer further advice.

Setup: AKG p420 condensor, Audient ID14 AI, Audacity, desktop PC.

The first issue is that I'm getting low output from the raw recording. If I normalize it looks pretty good, with peaks around the 0.5 db level as described in many 1 min test posts, but the raw recording levels are not much greater then what I get from an unamplified MXL 144 ribbon mic. The mic is 'hearing' even the smallest background noise but not giving the output I expected. I've switched inputs, have the gain at 7 on the AI and the selector knob raising the levels to -12/-18, phantom power is on, and the output slider in Audacity is right up. Is it normal for the levels to be this way pre normalization or do I have an issue here? Thoughts/suggestions welcomed.

Also, I was going to use Replaygain to test my levels, followed the instructions (placed the files with the other plugin files, refreshed Audacity's view, etc) but it's not seeing the plugin. Has anyone else had this issue?

Thank you in advance.

I'm not sure about the mic issue. You should be able to crank the gain settings up to a level that makes your output too high, so that doesn't sound right. Are you absolutely sure that the mic is set as the input source rather than the computer's built-in mic? Sometimes that can cause this kind of issue.

Not much help, I'm afraid. There may be others on here who are familiar with your mic and can give you more detailed information.

About the ReplayGain, in an earlier version of Audacity, I found that there were two different places I could store the plugin file, and the one I chose changed where it showed up in Audacity (of course, I'm on a Mac, but maybe this applies to PC as well). Check under Effects (scroll down quite a bit to see it there), or under Analyze. In 3.4.2, that no longer seems to be the case; there's only one place and that's Effects.

I assume you closed Audacity and reopened it rather than just refreshing the view? I found I had to shut Audacity down completely after installing the plugin or it wouldn't see it.

Cheers,

richiehayden · Post by **richiehayden** » January 26th, 2024, 8:14 pm

Well you helped me with the plugin issue - I found a second plugin folder (the first might be from an old installation). So that's one of the two solved. Well done

As for the volume, I'll tinker some more this weekend. I could crank the gain on the AI but I think it gets a bit noisy up super high. Mic is definitely the input source... I'll update if anything changes.

sjmarky · Post by **sjmarky** » January 27th, 2024, 8:59 pm

There is no reason for low input with an Audient interface. I use one, and it has plenty of preamp for a condenser like the AKG420. I use an ID4 with a Sennheiser 416 with no problem at all. My guess is that the level is being set lower in your system settings. Being a Mac and not a PC guy, I'm only guessing, but Audient interfaces have lots of preamp. You don't have the -10db pad switch on the mic on by accident, do you? I've done that. Make sure it's on zero.