Recording question, again...

[Brad Weiss]

Ok, so I've been using my H2 now for a few weeks. #The set up I like is: I record a backing track straight into the H2 as a WAV file, upload it onto my MacBook, and load it onto Audacity. #Then, play the file on Audacity, while I record the lead into the H2, and repeat > MacBook > Audacity. #Then, synch the files, add some EQ and reverb, and compress into an mp3 for uploading onto Soundclick.

It works fine, but I'm not sure it really represents any great advance over straight recording into the MacBook with an internal mic, really. #If you compare Secret Love (http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=5989644&q=hi) just recorded this way (shout out to Mr Stiernberg for his inspiration), and this (http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=5877224&q=hi) little Harold Arlen number made straight into the MacBook, I'm not sure either one is really a#better sonic experience. #Both record too much hiss, I think, and background noise - what can I do about this?? #Any recommendations- short of laying out hundreds of dollars on more recording equipment- are appreciated.

[PaulD]

I'm a newbie when it comes to recording... but I was doing some multi-track recording with my H4 last week and the only problems I had with the sound quality were related to bad playing. I don't think the H4 can fix that! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

I am curious as to whether you've tried to nail down the point at which the hiss/noise is introduced; for example, is it there in the original .WAV file? Can you hear in when you play back on the H2? How about if you convert to MP3 without the EQ and reverb? Do you have current versions of Audacity and, probably more importantly, the LAME MP3 encoder?

I don't hear hiss or other noise when I record directly to the H4, but I have yet to do anything sophisticated with the recordings on my PC because I haven't recorded anything yet that I think is worth putting much more time into. I still need to get a handle on recording. I did record a stereo track of performers at a folk festival a couple weekends ago and I don't seem to have any extraneous noise. In fact, the recording was a lot cleaner than I expected. I inadvertently recorded in .MP3 format, then loaded the file into Audacity on a PC running WinXP.

I know I'm not offering up any solutions, but I am curious about where the noise is being introduced and I hope to learn something from your thread.

pd

[foldedpath]

Assuming it isn't something environmental like computer fan noise, then hiss is usually a result of the mic preamp gain being set too low. You're not getting enough signal into the analog/digital converter. When you raise the volume in your computer audio software to "normal" listening levels for an MP3 or audio CD, you're boosting the noise floor along with the low signal, and you get hiss.

Solution: record as "hot" as you can.

The H2 has only three preset gain settings for the mic preamp, using the slider switch on the side. Use whichever setting gives you a recording level just below the clipping point. Move the recorder physically back and forth to fine-tune the gain, since your settings are limited. Ignore the "level" setting on the front panel -- leave it set at 100 -- because that doesn't do anything you can't do on the computer (it's post A/D conversion). If you set that below 100 you can actually degrade the recording.

When you transfer the file into the computer, delete any loud spikes from handling noise, then normalize the file with enough headroom so you can still do some volume editing (especially if you're multitracking). Normalize is on Audacity's effect menu, after you select a range. Start with Audacity's default setting for normalize. There are some other tricks for final mastering volume levels, but start with this. With optimal gain into the recorder, you may start to hear ambient noise like computer fans, air duct noise, dogs barking outside. You can deal with that by finding a better recording location, but at least you won't have noise floor hiss.

On the question about the Mac vs. the recorder... I don't know for sure, but I'd be surprised if the mic quality, mic preamp, and A/D conversion in the Mac isn't a step or two lower than what you can pull out of the Zoom with optimal gain staging. Laptops use fairly low-end components for sound, compared to what you can get with dedicated equipment.

[Brad Weiss]

Thanks for the insights, foldedpath. #I think the main problem is exporting from Audacity. #I've posted In TheWee Small Hours (http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=5992758&q=hi) here using no reverb, no nothin', just into Adactiy, synch the tracks, and then export as an MP3. #Still noisy, and I really did eliminate most computer noise. It's better, but there's a tangible difference between the quality of the WAV before exporting and the WAV (not just the mps3) exported...

Maybe I need something other than Audacity for mixing... #Thanks, though