[digiology]

Since I bought an iMic and started using Pro tools I've been getting poor quality sound in OS9 within Pro tools and the sound control panel(when testing through my speakers) I am using an electric guitar with an effects pedal which has an audio output (for an amp or headphones) when I plug it in and record the quality is poor, it lacks the depth I get when I listen to it through headphones or directly through my stereo (which is what my computer is outputing audio through). But I notice in FinalVynl for OSX I get clear sound.
In Pro tools when I make a new audio track its set at Input L, Output L & R. Does this mean it is only inputting the audio from the left channel and outputting it to both channels. This would cause some quality loss, as some effects tend to change volume slightly from left to right quickly.
Is there anyway of inputting stereo sound in Pro tools?
I noticed also that when I use the drum machine on the pedal when recorded sounds great in fact almost perfect, why is this?

I would be greatful if anyone could help me.

[tr]

wait, are you plugging the out from the pedal right into the iMic? i don't think that the signal coming from your guitar through the pedal is a line level signal. do you have to boost the levels on your mac to get decent sound when doing this? i wouldn't plug straight from the pedal, maybe you could plug into a mixer first, then out to iMic, or if you have an amp with a line out, plug that into the iMic. but don't plug the output from the pedal right into your computer or your stereo. i don't know what finalvynl is, but i'm guessing from the name that it can be used for recording the output from record players. record players do not have a line level signal (just like your guitar), so i'm guessing that it does some sort of amplification or something to get decent sound.

in protools, when you make a single new audio track, you are only making a MONO track. so, what you are saying (only inputting the left channel, and outputting to both) is correct.

to record in stereo, create two mono tracks first. set one to input L, the other to input R; if i remember right, you can output to both channels (L&R), but to hear just the left or right, pan the mono tracks to the proper location (all the way left for the L-input track, all the way right for the R-input track).

the drum machine is different than the guitar. remember, the signal straight from your guitar is not amplified. have you ever tried plugging headphones right into the guitar? you can't hear anything! the line out from the drum machine is most likely line level, so the signal going through the pedal is line level, and the signal coming out is close to line level (there could be some amplification or something, i don't know what kind of pedal it is).

tr

[digiology]

About the output on my pedal, it says in the manual it is suitable for stereos and headphones, I asumed this is the same kind of signal that would come out of a walkman or simular. Would I still need a mixer for it? About the drum machine, it is built into the pedal (Zoom 707II) so its the same signal as the guitar is I asume? It could have just been fluke that I got good sound, I mean sometimes I get ok sound from the guitar with some certain effects. One other problem I have is that sometimes lower notes are considerably louder and on the verge of clipping so I cant turn up the volume or gain of the guitar too much. Can I add an equalizer that will solve this on just the track itself, there is a plugin that does it but doesnt seem to work at all or has no noticable difference.

I also found that if I use a signal doubler (like the ones you use to put two sets of headphones in a walkman) it makes the signal lower. I know its doubtful but is there any way of stopping this?

[digiology]

I just got another problem, I figured out a few weeks ago what my latency was in milliseconds so I could align tracks to compensate for it.
Today when I recorded something today with 7 tracks and two of which I was recording on, I noticed the tracks weren't in sync, I don't know it could have been my fault when playing maybe I didn't listen to the other tracks properly when I was playing. Its just a hunch that maybe latency varies depending on how much is going on in the background? I didn't have any programs running in the backround, but I get my usual latency of 122ms with two, three, or four track with only one recording at a time, does it depend on how much is going on within Pro Tools?

[tr]

i didn't know you were using a zoom 707, so i don't know what's up with your poor sound. it could be the effects you are putting on.

the eq on the track should do some good, but if you recorded cliipped signals, then there's no way you can eq that out. if yo ukeep getting clipped signals, reduce your input volume when recording, and just boost the track later. at least that way, you'll get a clean signal.

latency: that's pretty big. what machine are you running? you can check your CPU usage, there's some menu option that brings up a CPU monitor, but i can't remember what it is called

anyway, if you are out of sync, you should be able to move/slip your tracks back into sync. the beauty of protools!

as for the headphone splitter attenuation, yep, that'll happen. it's physics. you can't split up your signal, and have no loss at all. the only way around this is to amplify the signal.


tr

[fisherKing]

latency is a bitch!
imic is better for getting audio out than in, because of it.

this is supposed to be a fix...but i just got it, and have not yet gotten it to work *sigh*

u may need what i am thinking of, an usb-audio interface, like the duo by m-audio, or one by edirol (examples of inexpensive units)

they take the audio from your mac AND your input (ie guitar)...and you monitor from the interface, ie no latency.

if you want, check this out in the meantime:


http://www.usb-audio.com/faq.html


good luck!