why are my DIs clipping???? help!

[Fragle]

just noticed the weirdest thing....

seems as if my DIs are clipping real hard at times.
my signal chain looks like this:

guitar (ltd with emg81/dean with dimarzio tonezone)
HiZ input (fireface 400 instrument in, studio project vtb1 hiz in, sansamp psa "thru" just for the sake of this test)
interface: fireface 400

well, i have a really heavy right hand, so i guess that contributes to the problem, but still...this shouldn't be the case?
i have all my levels set very conservatively...for these demo's, the FF hiZ in had the pad engaged and was set to instrument in, gain all the way down - it's still peaking around -3db or so, although this is the lowest you can go gain wise, the vtb1 had zero gain and just enough output to get the track peaking around -10db (!!), sansamp was straight through, around -3db i guess. i don't normally use the sansamp, i was just checking whether it happens with this one too.

my thought is that i'm clipping the A/D converter. if you look at the waveforms you can see that there are some peaks that are chopped right off.

it's not as bad with the dean, but still clipping.

check out these files....as i said, e.g. the vtb1 one is peaking around -10db, so there really should not be any clipping at all:
http://files.getdropbox.com/u/1296348/FF dean.wav
http://files.getdropbox.com/u/1296348/FF esp.wav
http://files.getdropbox.com/u/1296348/sansamp esp.wav
http://files.getdropbox.com/u/1296348/vtb1 esp.wav

i played really hard for these to exaggerate the effect, but it's also happening when i'm not hitting THAT hard....i'd have to back down quite a lot too keep it from clipping. of course, this is a possibility, but then again, the sound is just not the same, seing how important a heavy right hand is for getting *that* tone...at least when playing through an amp


anyone got an idea why this is happening??? input sensitivity on the FF is set to low gain btw, but it doesn't really matter, it's also happening at +4db, and obviously at -10db too.

 

[Uncle Junior]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA mine toooooooooooooooooooo!!! AAAAAAAAAAAa

Seriously dude... mine peaks are clipped too...I don't know, maybe it's the wood or maybe the country I live in

 

[Machinated]

its normal for EMG's

 

[Fragle]

seriously? wtf, haha.

but, one thing.....as i said, it also happens with the passive equipped dean - although it's not as bad with that one....

 

[Machinated]

yeah, not really heard of it happening with passives, but i guess it depends on them too - i have always had it when tracking emg's, its nothing to worry about its the way they are.

18v mod helps it a bit, but tbh its a case of 'sounds good, is good'.

 

[Soundlurker]

+1 Don't worry about. Try the 18V mod ( http://home.comcast.net/~mgollihur/emgmod.html ) if you want but regular EMGs are great for heavy music.

 

[Melodeath]

So EMGs create a clipped off signal even if you don't clip your input or A/D?

 

[Metaltastic]

Yup, at least at 9v (it's the internal preamp clipping)

 

[006]

I actually have been meaning to take a screenshot of the DI's I've tracked just recently with my EMG equipped Explorer. No clipping here... Will try to get a pic up tonight when I get home.

 

[Metaltastic]

Yeah, it's not so much visible as just slightly audible to me, and then, only when the pickups are pretty close and you pick pretty hard

 

[Kazrog]

I did a DI shootout recently (I'll post it if anyone is interested, just something I did for myself) between the integrated DI in my (newish) FireFace 800 and my Radial J48 active DI. The Radial definitely sounds better, but it clips, whereas I can get the Fireface to take the EMG 707 or EMG 85 signal from my guitars with actives (9v) without clipping.

In other words - the soft, analog clipping that occurs with the J48, along with the overall superior sound of the J48 result in a much fuller, more pleasing tone. FWIW, every guitar or bass tone you guys have ever heard from me on this forum went through the J48, regardless of what interface I was using at the time.

 

[java]

Yes, Kazrog, post it. please,
I have the same issue with my J48...

 

[digitaldeath]

Yes, Kazrog, post it. please,
I have the same issue with my J48...

He just said it wasn't really an issue and gave him a tone he actually likes...
+1 for posting the shootout please!

 

[Eschatologist]

I have the same issues with my FF400, actives (EMGs) clip it really easy. I can get it down to -2 RMS with the instrument/pad engaged (9v standard), but for some reason the 18v mod INCREASES the clipping with these same settings engaged...should that be happening? Sounds like a similar prob to the OP...

 

[Metaltastic]

Yeah, running an active at 18v increases the headroom of the internal preamp in the pickups, but also increases the output, which can potentially cause clipping in the preamp/converters

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

I hit the -XdB on my digi001. It sucks some of the tone because the 001 pre is cheap but oh well.

 

[Eschatologist]

Yeah, running an active at 18v increases the headroom of the internal preamp in the pickups, but also increases the output, which can potentially cause clipping in the preamp/converters

Yeah makes sense, more voltage = moar output!!


I am still not convinced that it makes that much of a difference...I've done my own A-B tests, but hey, my ears ain't pro....

 

[Metaltastic]

Well FWIW, the differences IMO are far more substantial when the pickup is as close to the strings as possible (and of course, when directly A/B'ing recorded clips ). Dunno if you saw my Blackout vs. 81 thread, but there are clips of each pickup at 9v and 18v, and I find the 81 at 18v to have its higher and especially lower register extended and the upper mid/presence spike (which is really what contributes to its "sterile" sound IMO) softened; in other words, it becomes the greatest pickup I've tried thus far! (still kinda curious about the EMG89, which allegedly sounds like a cross between an 81 and 85, but I'm happy with the 81 at 18v so I don't have a burning desire to spend the cash!)