Mic is constantly peaking RODE NT1-A, HELP!

[RandyShreds]

i record using a rode nt1-a mic and its going through my m-audio firewire SOLO interface and for the life of me i cant get it to stop peaking. i mostly record screaming vocals and the kid im recording right now is off the charts. am i missing something here?

gains all the way down
limiters on
and the vocalist is backed away from the mic. which makes it awkward. i want them to be able to be "all up on dat shit"

help me out!

 

[-Noodles-]

Are you connecting via XLR and not line in?

NT1-As are mics I've always found to be pretty hot.. I like to use 'em on acoustic guitars and distant room mics. Rarely used them as vocal mics because of it.

 

[Trevoire520]

Tbh it's probably just down to the fact that neither your mic or preamp on your interface has a pad. You could try getting an inline pad to put between the mic and preamp but if the mic is actually being overloaded then you're kinda fucked...

 

[006]

Yeah I use mine to mic Hi-Hats, sometimes vocals, always having to pad the input though on my interface. Get one of these and you should be good to go. May be able to pick one up at Guitar Center, etc.

 

[dani]

it peaks with the gain all the way down at zero?! i don't understand how a mic can overload the pre with no gain, i have a feeling something stupid is going on here (are you setting the right gain control, for instance?)

i can't even count the number of times i thought i'd broken something, but it was just my own stupidity in the way.. aha

thanks,

 

[Trevoire520]

Keep in mind that some mic preamps add gain even at their lowest setting. For example the old Focusrite Octopre LE adds 13db of gain at it's minimum setting.

Also condenser mic's tend to have quite a high output. My AT4040 basically never has the pad out unless I'm mic'ing a very quiet source.

 

[greyskull]

it peaks with the gain all the way down at zero?! i don't understand how a mic can overload the pre with no gain, i have a feeling something stupid is going on here (are you setting the right gain control, for instance?)

i can't even count the number of times i thought i'd broken something, but it was just my own stupidity in the way.. aha

thanks,

You've obviously never recorded drums with a condensor and an api 3124 then!

 

[Fragle]

with my nt1a even the loudest singer i've ever recorded needed around 14db of gain (based on the fireface panel) to get around -6dbfs. and that was an exceptionally loud singer. most of the time i find myself applying around 20 db of gain.

there's something seriously wrong

 

[amarshism]

Nt1a's ridiculously hot. Get a pad.