IMO you should NOT be clipping at the input stage.
There are typically several places you can boost the signal later, none of which should be clipping eitherā¦
This will depend entirely on your software you are using
IMO you should NOT be clipping at the input stage.
There are typically several places you can boost the signal later, none of which should be clipping eitherā¦
This will depend entirely on your software you are using
So, if doing something like a community open micā¦I have just had my interface as the āaudio inputā for Zoom. I love the simplicity of it, but it leaves no option for boosting the signal.
Do I instead place a DAW in the middle? I havenāt tried that but certainly could.
open mic/zoom isnt something iāve done but yeah I think you will need something in the middle to control levels etc?
Just to close the loop for anyone else who stumbles along this topic.
There is another topic in the open mic forum that addresses just this, though it does mean a more complicated setup with a DAW in the middle.
Iāve only done a few recordings. A few collabs.
The person I collabed with taught me a couple of things about clipping.
Just a thought. Donāt even know if itās applicableā¦
Dale
For OMs you donāt need to go down the DAW route, it gets pretty complicated. As easy win is to send the audio and video to OBS. You can do AVOYP recordings there or send the audio and video to Zoom for OMs. The audio input capture sources can be boosted by adding a gain preset but also a limiter to avoid clipping.
I also use a Loudness Meter (Youlean) so you can get to the optimum levels for YouTube. But Zoom seems to lose about 2db on any input (at least) so you can push it further from OBS.
Check out the OM Tech threads on set up. There is one that cover OBS use for OMs.
These may help
Thanks Toby,
The last OM was the first time I tried OBS - and I thought I had looked into audio boosting - but probably didnāt spend too much time on it. I want to grab that loudness meter for other reasons as well - so Iāll start there.
Appreciate it!
If you need advice on the OBS audio ātweaksā just shout. Or you can just boost the output on the OBS Audio Mixer.
Iād been meaning to post a similar question, but this seems an appropriate place for my twopennāorth. I have a cheap chinese focusrite knockoff that cost me Ā£25 (Brand new) off ebay, which Iāve started to think about replacing. Iāve been wondering if a real focusrite* would give me huge improvements, or if I might as well stay with what Iāve got.
First problem is noise, the AI itself introduces an absolute shedload of hiss into the signal on both channels. My workaround for the OM was to route the signal via OBS, with an instance of Reafir-standalone in subtract mode on each channel, which successfully gets rid of the unwanted noise.
Second problem is clipping. On the gain dial for the guitar channel, the 0 stop is at 6 oāclock. I canāt move the dial much past 8 oāclock without horrendous clipping! Workaround for that is to start at zero, edge the gain dial up to nearly 8 oāclock and then fettle the levels with a gain plugin and the Youlean loudness meter in OBS
So, focusrite* users, if I upgraded to a real focusrite*, would I be able to use it directly as the input to zoom without sounding like Iām playing in a nest of snakes? And would I have a usable gain control on the AI?
Thanks in advance
*(or other reputable make of AI)
Make sure this isnt your guitar. But I dont get unexpected noise on my 2i2.
This is one of the things a good AI is supposed to not doā¦
My gain knob on the 2i2 is set just past the mid position tho, I could prob push it more but no need, it doesnt amber clip on thrashing a guitar.
Itās not unless itās a problem with all 6 guitars
for the Ā£25 it cost, Iām surprised it works at all!
These comments reinforce my hankering to get a genuine focusrite or similar. Thanks Rob
Tbh I know there are a number of similar AIās around with different specs (some betterā¦) but going with the popular option here for me was a smart choice itās great
Ian ā I did a Focusrite 2.2 (1st Gen!!) direct to Zoom on the advice of our good friend @TheMadman_tobyjenner and it worked a charm on Saturday. It was much easier than what I had tried to do initially and it sounded ok using both channels. I never had to worry about the dreaded āred zoneā. . .I am happy with my Focusrite and I believe that the old adage that ya get what you pay for is still largely true. . .my advice would be to look at lots of reviews of the focusrite you want and then decide if itās suitable for your needs. Happy hunting!!
J.
Hi Dale I think there is a key bit here missing from all the discussions held on this particular subject - what is very important IMHO is what level is your volume knob on AI, also what is the volume level on your laptopās OS, and one you donāt have influence on - how others have dialed in.
I think best way to handle clipping is to make sure your both dials you have control on are set to about 50-60%. Then you play with the volume on your amp/guitar. And that is usually a key for me when I am not doing an overcomplicated setup myself.
Hey Adi,
My AI knobs are at about 50%. Iām still playing around - but Iām getting decent recording levels in both windows and OBS. So I think my issue is somewhere in Zoom land.
I had previously set up my Zoom input to be the audio interface, as for some reason I wasnāt (and am still not) - able to get the OBS audio into Zoom.
But currently experimenting
Have you checked your mic levels on zoom end in audio settings, if itās not too high or too low? There is a bar in there as well.
As for OBS to Zoom itās always a tricky challenge for me and only way I was able to get it working without sync issues was by using ReaRoute plugin. Any other method just wasnāt working for me for some reasonā¦
Yeah, that one is set almost full. BUT - I think I have a lead.
If I change my zoom audio input while in a meeting - the level seems to drop.
I do this often in OMās - because I want to use one headset for listening and cheering.
But then I switch over to the AI before performing, allowing me to use my in ear monitors and microphone.
As I said, still experimenting. Iāll likely try to get OBS audio to go through as it would be nice to have a bit more control anyway
If you switch audio input over in zoom are zoom levels changing and going to default every single time? Or maybe original music needs ti be enabled on each time you swap over your input and when you forget to do this it goes more quiet? Just a few thoughts
Thoughts are much appreciated!
Original Music does indeed seem to switch back ( not the master switch in settings - but the 'in-window one). But regardless, even after switching that back, it seems to drop the level. No idea why yet.
I did manage to get OBS audio working. Needed to change audio monitoring to āMonitor and Outputā so thatās one thing sorted. Which is great - because Iāve had enough fiddling for one night
What kind of sync issues were you getting? I have it technically working - but only as a proof of concept and havenāt tried to make any kind of real life recording. sO Iām wondering what else I should look out for.