RECORDED SOUNDS TOO LOW

I had some problems connecting my mic, but eventually I got an old mixer and I managed to get my mic work! But the problem is that it records too low and I can't use the stuff I record... how might I solve the problem? Thanks,

Boris

p.s. I use a professional mic (at least they passed it off as it), a Sennheiser e822 S.

You didn't specify your interface, so I'll assume you're using a generic audio card. If you're using an external (USB or FW) converter, you may just have the input gain set to low on the converter.

If that's not it, then the level is probably just too low coming out of your mixer.

Some mixers have a mic/line switch that selects the input gain. Some have a button, which might be labeled "+10" or "+4". Some have a trim control. All of these affect the input gain on the mixer channel. Figure out which one applies and make sure you have enough gain. Set the mixer's channel fader to about 70-80% of full scale and adjust the master volume while speaking into the mic and watching the meters in SONAR (arm the track to see the input levels). You should be getting signal up to about -12db FS or higher. If not, you'll need to fiddle with the mixer some more. If you are getting good levels showing on the track meter, but the track sounds too quiet on playback, then there is some other problem, like your master bus is turned down or something.

Hi Boris,

The Sennheiser e822 S is a dynamic mic so you don't need phantom power.

1st figure out if it's the mic and/or the mixer or mixer settings.

Does your mixer have a headphone output and is so can you hear the mic clearly through the headphone out?

What kind of mixer do you have?

NOONE KNOWS???

Boris,

Open up the M-Audio mixer screen (double click on the "M") and make sure the faders on the input are set to 0 db (at the top). Make sure to select stereo link as well. Sonar doesn't need to recognize the mixer, it only needs to recognize the audio card. For some reason, the M-Audio program loads with the faders set at the bottom of the range and not unity gain (0 db).

I can't find your mixer on the web, so I'm not sure what the outputs are. But you should have the outputs connected to the left and right inputs on the M-Audio card. If you only have one output, connect it to the left input of the card.

Scott