Why do I always have to increase gain or normalize my tracks? [SOLVED]

Hi and thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
 
When I track, what I end up with is very low volume. I was using a UA-25ex (and I am now on Sonar version X1). I switched to a Roland Quad Capture thinking that the auto-sens might help but it didn't. I always have to process those tracks with gain or normalize, but then I get distortion. This happens with guitar and vocals but my biggest concern is the vocals. Imported loops are fine and do not have this problem.
 
Can anyone tell me what is happening here? It doesn't seem to be a common problem so it makes me think that I am doing something wrong, like I am missing something fundamental about how sonar works; maybe there is some sort of input adjustment within sonar that I am not aware of.
 
Thanks very much,
Michael
 
 

ultralight
Hi and thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
 
When I track, what I end up with is very low volume. I was using a UA-25ex (and I am now on Sonar version X1). I switched to a Roland Quad Capture thinking that the auto-sens might help but it didn't. I always have to process those tracks with gain or normalize, but then I get distortion. This happens with guitar and vocals but my biggest concern is the vocals. Imported loops are fine and do not have this problem.
 
Can anyone tell me what is happening here? It doesn't seem to be a common problem so it makes me think that I am doing something wrong, like I am missing something fundamental about how sonar works; maybe there is some sort of input adjustment within sonar that I am not aware of.
 
Thanks very much,
Michael
 
 

You need to be sure your levels are up enough going into your sound card. You can check your levels with the meters in Sonar. Make sure you do not adjust the faders when you are in record mode. They must be at unity to give you an accurate reading.  Adjust the input level of the Sound card, that is the hardware. Never try to adjust the level while recording within Sonar. It wont give you a true level if you do that.

How low is "low"? When you play a track all the way through, what does the peak level for the meters indicate?

It's barely more than a line in the track window.

Really its very simple you do not have enough gain in your signal path. It seems clear that you may need a pre amp to augment your quad capture.  For the guitar are you using Hi Z?  

ultralight
I got a pre-amp, hoping that it would fix the problem but it didn't. I can have the input to the point that it's clipping and the result in sonar is still way too low.

That makes no sense. Something is not right if that is the case. I am stumped! But I wont stop thinking about it. 

Sounds like you have a hardware problem somewhere. Sonar cannot have a 'input gaining' issue with its coding.
Check your input selects to make sure something is not properly assigned.
Mono? Mono cabling? Stereo? Stereo cabling?
Input echo ON/OFF.
Your Output assigned to Master Bus or direct to audio card........

On page 38 of the user manual of the Quad Capture it has a section on trouble shooting low level audio coming to the computer.

tKx5050

Is this just a waveform display issue?

This is what I was trying to say!!

Did you try to replace the USB cable? If you use the same cable on both interfaces I would at least try another cable. Also try another USB port. Preferably one on the back, just to rule certain things out.

If the previous audio interface did not use a USB cable, let us know.

Both interfaces went into the same usb port?

Do you have another PC.to.try the audio interface out on? If you do try that and see if it works with that PC.

Just trying to offer suggestions to help trouble shoot the problem.

What about the Windows mixer? Have you looked at it?

Steve is right!

Have you checked the settings on your interface's mixer applet?

Different interface. Same problem. It has to be the PC I feel.
 
Have you disabled the onboard sound?
control panel / sound / recording / disable all except the quad capture.
 
Also disable the onboard mic. That caused me some grief on my HP laptop.
 
Someone will come up with the right answer if you supply full details as said above.
 
Cheers / Dave.
 
 
 

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