Low audio level when recording through microphone

[Bob Peterson]

Vegas volume controls are for playback. They do not affect recording. If you want to boost recording levels, you can do so using Windows’ sound controls. Depending on the driver for your sound card, you may be able to adjust the microphone recording volume.

Personally, I control my recording volume using an external preamp and an M-Audio Profire 610. The preamp output goes to the Profire which then, among other things, sends it to the line-in on the computer’s sound card. The Profire is not necessary. The volume adjustment function can be handled by the preamp.

[Carlos Silva]

Hi Bob,

I have realized I need a more robust record solution. I caught your equipment suggestion. Thanks for that!

For now I am trying to deal with the mentioned USB headset microphone. In Windows the mic level is set to max.

What seems to be a workaround is to increase the low level mic record by applying the “normalize” function (mouse right click on audio event / switches). After “normalizing” the wave form was increased, as I attached in the image=> mic_volume_normalized.png

I am not confident about the use of the “normalize” function. Is it a feature to be used often? I mean, if this be recommended in the low level mic situation, it seems I will use it very often…

Best,
Cadu

[Steve Rhoden]

I concur with the advice Bob gave you, and as an added note,
i would advise you to do your recording in a dedicated audio
software, such as Soundforge, Audition etc, and do your
edits there, its worth the investment if you are serious
about the art.

Steve Rhoden
(Cow Leader)
Film Editor & Compositor.
Filmex Creative Media.
1-876-832-4956

[John Rofrano]

[Carlos Silva] “I am not confident about the use of the “normalize” function. Is it a feature to be used often? I mean, if this be recommended in the low level mic situation, it seems I will use it very often… “

Normalize is a “fix” for a “problem”. The objective is to eliminate the problem and not require the fix. Normalize raises everything including the noise floor! You want to record with good levels in the first place. You’re problem is that windows is not recording loud enough. This is a windows problem since you are using the default sound device (I assume). I use an M-Audio Firewire 410 audio device so I haven’t had to deal with the windows control panel for many years and it seems that it have changed significantly in Windows 7 from XP. (I assume you are using Windows 7)

Open your Windows Control Panel switch the view to Large Icons and select the Sound option.

Select the Recording tab, select your microphone and press the Properties button.

Select the Levels tab and adjust your microphone recording level there. This is what determines how loud your recording is in Vegas if you use the default Windows audio device.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Carlos Silva]

Thanks everybody for information!

After checking, in Windows 7 the mic level was already in max level. It seems the mic record level is low by default.

a) Even low, the recorded sound is clear. Would be possible to record in this way and increase the volume (or normalize) in Vegas? Or the low level could cause any problem when increased?

b) I also found in Creative Cow information about Levelator. I made some tests and the volume was increased + same level applied to whole record. Would Levelator be recommended to solve this case of low level recording?

c) I tried Sound Forge Studio 10 to record using same mic. The level still low. I realized that in Sound Forge is possible to choose recording either in 1 channel (mono) or 2 (stereo). I couldn’t find this option is Vegas. Does Vegas provide this record option?

Cheers,
Cadu

[John Rofrano]

[Carlos Silva] “a) Even low, the recorded sound is clear. Would be possible to record in this way and increase the volume (or normalize) in Vegas? Or the low level could cause any problem when increased? “

If that USB mic is all you have to work with then I guess you’ll need to use normalize on all of your recordings to make them louder. The down-side is that it also makes and background noise louder as well.

[Carlos Silva] “b) I also found in Creative Cow information about Levelator. I made some tests and the volume was increased + same level applied to whole record. Would Levelator be recommended to solve this case of low level recording?”

No. Levelator is used when a recording is uneven, e.g., where one person is loud and another is soft. Levelator will bring them both within the same level. You don’t need this because all of your audio is low. Just use Normalize.

[Carlos Silva] “c) I tried Sound Forge Studio 10 to record using same mic. The level still low. I realized that in Sound Forge is possible to choose recording either in 1 channel (mono) or 2 (stereo). I couldn’t find this option is Vegas. Does Vegas provide this record option?”

To the right of the ARM track for recording button there is a record input button, open the record input button and select “Mono (Left Only)” or something similar to that depending on your recording device. Vegas will then record mono which is what you want for a voice over since you only have one mouth. 😉

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Carlos Silva]

Thanks again John!

Just a couple of issues to conclude my learning about “normalize” usage:

a) In Preferences/Audio the “normalize peak level” is set as – 0.1dB. I am not sure if this default Vegas peak level should be the best one. Is there a better/recommended peak level as reference?

b) After normalizing the mic recording I have realized a little electronic “hiss”. I applied a “resonant filter” on audio and set frequency to 8,000 (low pass / filter order second). I didn’t change nothing of the other parameters. Then the “hiss” disappeared. What I did is correct?

Cheers,
Cadu

[John Rofrano]

[Carlos Silva] “a) In Preferences/Audio the “normalize peak level” is set as – 0.1dB. I am not sure if this default Vegas peak level should be the best one. Is there a better/recommended peak level as reference? “

It’s really up to you. If you want the audio to be as loud as possible then leave it at -0.1dB. You could set it lower if you want but you can always lower the volume on the audio track as well. I have never cahnged it from the default.

[Carlos Silva] “b) After normalizing the mic recording I have realized a little electronic “hiss”. I applied a “resonant filter” on audio and set frequency to 8,000 (low pass / filter order second). I didn’t change nothing of the other parameters. Then the “hiss” disappeared. What I did is correct? “

If the hiss went away… it’s correct. 😉 Whatever filter it takes to reduce the noise is fine as long as it doesn’t alter the audio you want to keep. This is the disadvantage of using normalize, it makes everything louder including the background noise. You really want to find a better recording solution so that you don’t have to treat your audio every time you record it.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Dave Haynie]

[Carlos Silva] “For now I am trying to deal with the mentioned USB headset microphone. In Windows the mic level is set to max.”

Check that the mic itself doesn’t have an external volume control. What you’re getting, at least based on your picture, it a very low level recording. That’s going to result in more noise and a lower quality signal even if you do normalize/amplify it.

[Carlos Silva] “I am not confident about the use of the “normalize” function. Is it a feature to be used often? I mean, if this be recommended in the low level mic situation, it seems I will use it very often… “

It depends. Normalize is a usual function, it’s simply a smart volume adjustment. The simple form that Vegas does is that it scans the clip for peaks, and then boosts volume to put the peak at 0dB. The problem with this approach is that your peaks tend to be fairly random, particularly if there’s any background noise.. so normalizing won’t adjust adjacent clips the same way. Using an audio editor like Sound Forge, or maybe some plug-ins in Vegas, you can normalize based on RMS (a weighted average level, also called the quadratic mean), which will be more consistent, sample to sample.

The real issue with using a normalize or even just an amplitude adjustment is your sample’s resolution. There’s nothing you can do in the digital world to salvage much from that sample…. it’s like a video or photo that’s 2-3 stops underexposed. Looking at your initial levels, if this is a typical 16-bit sample, you are lucky if you’re actually getting 8-9 bits of signal in your recording. If you have a log-scale available (again, you can get this in Forge), see where you peaks hit. It’s one bit per 6dB in the signal… a full-scale 16-bit signal has a maximum 96dB resolution, a full-scale 24-bit signal has a maximum 144dB resolution (ignoring noise, of course).

If this is really the best you can get out of that mic, I suggest getting a better mic. You don’t necessarily need something like my recording rig (I have a 16-channel interface which can take 12 mics and two line-level inputs; also in the same mobile rack are two dual-channel tube pre-amps… and I have a choice of two-dozen mics), but you definitely need the ability to record a full level signal. You’re going to want something with real analog-world gain control. And of course, even before you swap gear, try moving the speaker closer to the mic if possible

-Dave

[Carlos Silva]

Hi Dave,

Thanks again for your clear explanation.

I am an enthusiast, looking for better equipment as possible, but that fits in my low budged. Do you have any suggestion about what could be a good mic to be used at “home”, to record voice over/narration?

Recently I bought a ZoomH1 and the recorder has the feature of act as an USB mic. But so far, after tests, I couldn’t obtain a good audio from the USB feature, but as a recorder, the ZoomH1 deliveries a good audio. Maybe I could use it (attached to an lav mic) as an reasonable workaround. What do you think?

Best,
Cadu