DI tracks/ Input clipping consistancy on Profire

[Element77]

Yo,

Im having a bitchy-bitch of a time with my tracks. When I record my guitar tracks thru my Profire 610 I usually keep the knob at zero (I have actives) and get a decent signal, but something tells me this is the incorrect, so I've been upping the gain as of late.

But if I go anything past a quarter turn, I get a decent signal, but if i palm-mute, it clips. Or at least the red light turns on, and on the mixer, that's for shit, the signal flies into the red, although it doesn't even sound remotely close to clipping.... but...

the DI signal that's coming into Sonar is not clipping, and is maxing out at about -5. What am I to believe? Or am I losing some gain coming into Sonar, or is the mixer off? ...I hate that thing.

EDIT: Can the brand off Firewire PCI Card make a difference? Even though it's a TI chipset, it wasn't the most expensive, could this be a factor?

 

[Tamarocker88]

Seems to me that you are likely clipping. If the clip LED on your profire is lighting up, then you're clipping.

It depends which channel you are using on your profire to record DI. If it is an instrument channel, I believe the channel's gain is being amplified and this would be why you can get away with having the knob at zero. I have guitars with only passive pups and I can record them DI through my FirePod using one of the two instrument channels with the channel's gain at 0, guitar volume all the way up, and the input peaks at -5dB with palm mutes.

 

[arv_foh]

it can clip on the preamp before clipping in the DAW. you can definitely believe the interface. get one of these

http://www.fullcompass.com/product/230459.html

 

[Virgil.]

I usually keep the volume on my interface at a level that isn't clipping when I hit the strings as hard as I can. I never touch the fader in my DAW, which translates to me tracking at somewhere between -16db and -10db. Doing so leaves enough headroom for compression and running it through any amp sim and cab sim, etc. Usually compressing the guitars will fix some level issues (if done tactfully) between quiet notes and notes you hit really hard... it tames the peaks a bit. Volume can always be added. I think people get in the habit of tracking or mixing at the same levels they are used to hearing completed mixes. Your raw tracks and overall mix should be considerably quiet. You get loudness during the mastering stage with compression, limiting, eq, clipping, etc

 

[Element77]

Arv, On the Profire, you can pull out the knob for a -20db reduction, but never understood the purpose, although now it kind of makes sense...

Ubsyntx, if I put no gain on my Profire, In Sonar I register about -7/-8 without touching the fader. I wonder if that's an issue, because when i run any amp sim, I have to turn the amp sim output down almost all the way, or I'm screaming...

 

[Virgil.]

My Radial Pro DI box has a -16db pad that I always have on for guitars with active pickups because they run so hot. That allows me to turn up my mic-pre without clipping the signal and yet keep it at a very low input volume.

 

[deLuther]

If DAW does not show 0 db levels (and it`s input level), but interface reports clipping, someone can record some short clip and examine strong peaks for any distortion or clipping.

 

[necrosector]

I think it's a simple ground loop issue.there's huge amount of quick fix articles out there.