Faders

[Di Ba]

Could someone please confirm that the faders on each track do not affect the input signal when recording ? ie up or down make no difference to what is being recorded on the track that's being recorded on...?
Thanks I'm troubleshooting a problem .. I'll explain in my next post ... just a couple of things to confirm first. DP 24 SD

 

[Saxomohawh]

Yes, that is correct.

 

[Di Ba]

Great Thanks! Next question is does the DP 24 SD have problems with Linux operating systems ...... I'm using Linux Lite .....
Once I've eliminated as these potential problems I'll explain .... thanks for being patient and just answering the questions I ask for the time being ! Thank you!

 

[Saxomohawh]

I don't know about Linux, you would have to try.

 

[-mjk-]

The DP-24/32 SD models are standalone. USB is only used for file transfers. Anything that presents a standard USB protocol connection will work.

You can always take the SD card out of the DP machine and use a card reader.

 

[Di Ba]

Ok thanks! Now to the problem ... I've ruled out pre-amps, faders and operating systems... I can now also rule out upgrades as I upgraded to the latest today.

I have been recording using ribbon mics with Triton Fetheads through pre amps + 1 condensor through pre amp - then to the Tascam ..... all levels correct nothing over loading .

3 tracks in total . 1 Ribbon + 1 condensor on guitar....... then a separate vocal using a Ribbon .

On playback ... everything sounds great..... after mixdown everything sounds great.

I then export to my computer ( I have dual boot with Windows 7 and Linux and have tried both)

I use an online mastering service - Emastered and have already done 2 albums and various odd tracks with them for a couple of years now using tracks that I have recorded on my old Tascam DP01 - so never a problem there....

So I'm getting distortion on the downloaded tracks in mp3 and 24 bit HD wav..... the mp3s uploaded to my server for me to listen to on various computers and Wav burnt onto a Cd.

The first thing I thought was maybe the online service was responsible - but no .... the same problem when I just normalised the tracks first in my DAW and then on the Tascam itself.

I have tried just using condensor mics straight in...... taking pre amps out of the story changing vocal mics ..... changing operating systems in case it was linux.... and the problem of distortion remains ......

It's not the pre's, not the mics, not the online mastering, Tascam updated, what's left.? seriously considering selling this and going back to the old DP01.......

 

[Di Ba]

The dealer I bought it from here in France said it sounded like an "export" problem and suggested the upgrade to try and fix... which I did ...... also have used the USB cable and tried taking the card out and using a card reader....

 

[Saxomohawh]

You write that your mixed stereofile sounds good. Played on the Tascam? After export, listening on the computer does it still sound good? It should be the exact same file, so if it does not sound good here you have a problem with your play back system.
If it sounds good played from the computer, then the "mastered" file is bad. Either master yourself or send it to someone else. Good mastering by a skilled mastering technician costs money and is an art form in it self. It is better to not master at all than to do a bad mastering.

 

[Saxomohawh]

Interesting read:

https://www.hippocraticmastering.com/whatismastering.html

 

[Di Ba]

I think I mentioned that I use an online mastering service and have already made two albums recorded on my DP01 and used this service with excellent results .

I also sent the un mastered and un mixed files to a studio I know here to have a listen and he told me that the levels were all correct and that he could find no "saturation" as it's called here except perhaps some on the vocals that he put down to the ribbon mic .... so I re recorded the vocal using a condensor .... he sent me his mastered copy and yes, it was far better but still some distortion.

But yes, I totaly agree that getting a studio to master is the better option.

I also mentioned that even not mastering but just normalising the mix there was distortion even though the un normalised track sounded clean........... I've never had these problems before , I didn't even know there was a problem until I started the mastering process.. evreything sounded great .... but like I said just normalising both on my Daw and on the Tascam without mastering gave the same distortion .... I've already recorded 10 tracks for an album so a bit worried that I'll have to start from zero..

Assuming I've done everything correctly could there be a fault on the machine? Most likely I've done something amiss but can't figure out where........

 

[Saxomohawh]

Once again, pure logic:
If the mixed stereo file sounds good outside of the Tascam unit, then there is nothing wrong with your recording or your Tascam. Right?
If the mastered file sounds worse than your origuinal file, then it is a bad masterjob.

 

[Di Ba]

But just normalising on the tascam isn't mastering or is it..........? Like I said I'm having the same problem whether I send it off to be mastered or if I just normalise the mix on the Tascam or in my Daw..........

 

[Saxomohawh]

I don't think I can help you more. I am just saying that if the mixed file sounds good, and master bad then something is not good in the mastering process. I have never used the mastering or normalize function in the Tascam so I can't help you there.

 

[Di Ba]

Yes I understand, and that's my dilema ... it doesn't appear to be the mastering as just plain normalising gives the same result ...... Thanks for taking the time to try and help, it's much appreciated

 

[-mjk-]

Please post your mixdown file where we can download it and analyze it.

 

[Di Ba]

Hiya here's a link to one of the tracks .. thanks! www.dikbanovich.fr/Walk_On_Boy.WAV

 

[-mjk-]

Thanks @Di Ba. I will be back in my studio on Monday. I'll start with RX8 Advanced.

 

[Di Ba]

Thanks MJK

 

[Noto]

Why is the volume of the WAV so low? I have to turn my monitors all the way up to hear it.
Is this the premastered file or the mastered file?
I just pulled the song into REAPER and it peaks at -24 db.
I raised all your levels and it sounds okay to me except for occasional boomy-ness on the vocal from overtones of the guitar.
Could it be your computer media player causing distortion?
Nice singing and guitar work.

 

[Di Ba]

Hiya Noto, MJK asked for the mixdown file... so that's the one before mastering ......

So how we work is to record a few tracks - go back do a first mix - then a master to hear how it sounds on various systems ... go back do another mix to iron out any problems like the one you mentioned .. master again and so on. We never got further than the first master because of the distortion problems I've mentioned.

I considered the computer media as a possible problem but other tracks I have on my website from previous years recorded on the Tascam DP01 and mastered with the online service Emastered play just fine... as well as all other youtube,soundcloud you name it tracks.

So I don't know... appreciate all the help and thanks for the compliments... I just hope I'll be able to use these tracks I started recording this album in November on the DP01 and went over to the DP24 sd at the end of November when I bought it....... so the problem could very well be lack of experience on my part......