Mic distorting in saw, but not in RME total mix

[PaulH]

after investigating this for a while (I sent my mic back to manufacturer twice, and also got my rme fireface 800 looked at), i'm thinking, is there some DB level adjustment in saw that i missed, or hit the wrong button.

my vocal mic gets distortion when it records in saw. but in the rme total mix it doesn't sound distorted. the meter goes quickly into the red in saw. and even when i set the level low on the mic, the wav file still has distortion.

i adjust all kinds of levels and connect the mic to the fireface in different ways. direct to fireface. through an external tube preamp into the line in of the FF, into the front on the FF w the knob of the FF turned off (and using the knob of the tube pre), but in all cases it goes in hot in sawstudio.

i have a win 7 machine and i'm using saw v5.8a

out preload buffer 4
in etc 6

asio protocal 32 bit LSB.

i hope it's some simple setting because i'm not able to figure it out.

you're welcome to call if you want and have an idea.

thanks,

Paul
347-526-5795

[UpTilDawn]

after investigating this for a while (I sent my mic back to manufacturer twice, and also got my rme fireface 800 looked at), i'm thinking, is there some DB level adjustment in saw that i missed, or hit the wrong button.

my vocal mic gets distortion when it records in saw. but in the rme total mix it doesn't sound distorted. the meter goes quickly into the red in saw. and even when i set the level low on the mic, the wav file still has distortion.

i adjust all kinds of levels and connect the mic to the fireface in different ways. direct to fireface. through an external tube preamp into the line in of the FF, into the front on the FF w the knob of the FF turned off (and using the knob of the tube pre), but in all cases it goes in hot in sawstudio.

i have a win 7 machine and i'm using saw v5.8a

out preload buffer 4
in etc 6

asio protocal 32 bit LSB.

i hope it's some simple setting because i'm not able to figure it out.

you're welcome to call if you want and have an idea.

thanks,

Paul
347-526-5795

What mic are you using?
Even though it doesn't sound distorted in totalmix, what does the meter show?... Is it also in the red, as it is in SAW?

Does your mic have a pad? Have you tried engaging it?

What are you recording with the mic?
Is the source sound overpowering the mic?
Can you move the mic further from the source to see if the distortion and the peaking meter changes (in a good way)?

The first time i ever recorded a nylon-string guitar with a good condenser mic, i almost sent it back, because of the distortion......... turns out i tried to mic the guitar too close and too close to the soundhole.....
Could the problem be that deceptively simple?

If all is clean, but records too hot in SAW.... you might try lowering the attenuator setting at the top of the channel strip...

[mr_es335]

Paul,

Have you tried another DAW?

The sole purpose of my mentioning is...that we have had way too many people recording with mics in SAW - and ALL without issue!

Audacity is very popular, as is Reason. Please give these a shot...and then get back to us. We ARE here to help!

Hope this helps?

[cgrafx]

the meter levels in SAW should exactly match the levels in total mix, unless you changed the input gain at the top of the channel strip.

maybe the clock is not properly synced between SAW and your RME interface, that would cause some nasty audio artifacts.

make sure both SAW and the RME interface are running the same clock rate. the RME interface should also be set as the master clock and the other audio interfaces should be synced to the RME clock.

[jmh]

Assuming you are plugged into one of the inputs in the front of the fireface 800, keep both totalmix and saw at unity gain (0 dB - that is to say the input attenuator in saw's input module - there is rarely a reason to have this set to anything but 0) while recording in saw, turn that input channel's knob (on the fireface) counterclockwise until the very highest peaks (on saw's record meter) are about -15dB.

Now playback.

[jmh]

but in all cases it goes in hot in sawstudio.

Do you mean the record meter goes to red (and stays there) while recording?

If so Cgrafx's suggestion about clocking is probably on target. If you search through the manual for Samplerate, that will give you some guidance. But it is in the multitrack pulldown that must match with the RME.

Is the distortion you are getting kind of musical - or just noise?