Background noise!

[davekershaw]

I'm trying to get the best level when recording, but when I get it to the level I want I get noise - white, pink, brown I don't know!I'm going through a Firebox.Happens with guitar and mike.I know you will get some noise whenever you set the levels too high,but I'm not going into the red.It's coming out on the recordings, so it's not the speakers or headphones.Anyone got any suggestions please?

[aimusic]

hey Dave,Yeah hope it aint brown noise coz I've heard that's supposed to get the bowel movements going... I get the same as you, I use the Firebox and whenever I turn that sucker up - that little hiss comes in... the problem is we're not achieving a decent level going in. I've heard that a nice D.I. box should help with that... but then again I could be wrong.Take CareB

[aimusic]

Oh and make sure you plug the guitar into the 2nd port....

[mojobone]

Could be the slight hiss inherent in Presonus' preamps is the letdown you're experiencing, but first let's have a little more info about yer recording chain. It could be a level or impedance mismatch of some sort. Am I understanding that you use a mic and the guitar's internal pickup? If the guitar pickup is magnetic, is it a single coil or humbucking? Try turning your computer monitor off while recording? Maybe try moving the interface to a different spot in the room, could be fluorescent lighting or a rheostat (doesn't even have to be in the room, could be somewhere else in the building) is giving the PreSonus a fit. Could also try moving the interface farther from the 'puter.Barring any of the above, you may need to simply get your mic closer to the guitar.

[davekershaw]

Sept 26, 2008, 4:01am, mojobone wrote:Could be the slight hiss inherent in Presonus' preamps is the letdown you're experiencing, but first let's have a little more info about yer recording chain. It could be a level or impedance mismatch of some sort. Am I understanding that you use a mic and the guitar's internal pickup? If the guitar pickup is magnetic, is it a single coil or humbucking? Try turning your computer monitor off while recording? Maybe try moving the interface to a different spot in the room, could be fluorescent lighting or a rheostat (doesn't even have to be in the room, could be somewhere else in the building) is giving the PreSonus a fit. Could also try moving the interface farther from the 'puter.Barring any of the above, you may need to simply get your mic closer to the guitar.Thanks Mojo.It's the same whether I plug a mic in for vocals, or my Fender Strat straight into the box.In fact it's there if I just plug a lead in without anything the other end!

[milfus]

dave, write up your signal chain and put up a sound file?Ill tell ya whats goin down

[mojobone]

Do you get more noise with switch positions 1,3 and 5 on the Strat? Maybe a ground loop between the interface and the 'puter if they're not plugged into the same circuit/socket. Might try an RFI filter on the AC.

[aimusic]

I do think he's talking about the general hiss you pick up from the pre in the firebox... I think anything over 12 starts to generate a hiss, the louder you get, the louder the hiss becomes, that's why I think he's gotta try and establish a decent level without having to boost the gain on the pre....

[davekershaw]

Sept 26, 2008, 7:44am, milfus wrote:dave, write up your signal chain and put up a sound file?Ill tell ya whats goin downThanks Mojo & Milf.I recorded a segment with just the jack plugged in,and was going to post it.The noise was there on the DAW computer!I put it onto the internet computer, and there's no sound at all!The wave form just shows a straight line.So the noise isn't being recorded. It's obviously something to do with the Firebox output.Trying to fathom it at the moment, and any suggestions welcome.Thanks Brad. Just seen your post.

[milfus]

yeah, sounds like you have either emi or a loose connection with your speakerswhich is awesome, cause its a lot less workfor emi, see if you can move em away from power cables, make sure the wire isnt looped, and if all else fails, 10 dollar pack of ferite beads for the wireloose connection, i would just physically unplug and replug everythingif its a gain staging thing with the pre-amp or the out, turn down the console some and turn up the speakers till your signal to noise ratio is better