Any way to adjust input levels?

[John Link]

Previously I reported that the ouput from the Harman/Kardon TD420 is about 7db more than that from the Walkman. I've made some further comparisons and have found that the output from a Yamaha KX-390 is about 5db more than the Walkman and that from a Sharp RT-10 (inexpensive, definitely not pro electronics) is about 6 db more than the Walkman. My guess is that all four of these decks are of the -10 variety, although they show variations, and that anything above 0 on any of the analog decks is possible trouble for Mac input.

Does that seem like the correct conclusion?

John

[ronev]

How 'bout inserting the compressor/limiter plug-in in the channel you're recording into?

I've done this, and even with very mild compression, you can control the level of the incoming signal.

And I didn't get a clipped waveform. Be careful with external pads as they can color the sound.

[ronev]

Also, John Link, how did the music sound even with the clipped waveform? I ask this because I'm not sure I trust PT's levels, either displayed or actual sound. I have experimented with PT's output levels trying to get the maximum signal onto a cd, and found that with the master levels bouncing into the red vitually all the time, I'm getting the same level as most commercial cd's, with no distortion.

-10 and +4 levels are certainly important, but ears count also.

[ronev]

John Link, does one of your decks have a headphone jack with a level control? You can use that to get the signal out. Some H/P signals aren't much hotter than line out even with the level cranked all the way up.

[SoundWrangler]

ronev, it won't make any diff. what plug-ins you insert on the rec-enabled audio track. Remember: on audio trks, the input source is recorded directly to disk (not passing through Inserts first, or being affected by the track's Volume fader). So if your physical input is overloaded, the signal is distorted, period. Likewise, in this situation it wouldn't do any good to use an AuxIn track as the front end for the audio track (assigning its output to the same bus assigned as the input for the audio track, & using the AuxIn's vol. fader to lower the output level). Even though the audio trk would no longer show clipping, the signal would already be distorted at the AuxIn tracks input in exactly the same way.
In John's situation, the only solution is to reduce the signal level BEFORE it hits the Mac's audio input: pads, mixer, output level control on the tape deck, etc.

[ronev]

Thanks, Wrangler, for that explanation...I stand corrected.