avoiding clips without compressors

[mcconnellsteve]

i use a focusrite platinum pre-amp which has an optical compressor in it that i use at a pretty slight level to avoid clips. but i found an interest tip on a website that suggested the following for vocals:

Record vocals on two channels; one hot and one backed off 12db. This will allow you to switch between the two when mixing and avoid having to use massive compression to protect against overs.

this raises a few questions for me:

1) so lets say i'm recording 2 tracks at the same time -- track 1 is at unity, track 2 at -12db, both sharing the same input source (say the xlr input from channel 1 of the 002). if track 1 clips, where does that happen? won't track 2 also be distorted no matter how low the fader is? if the signal is clipped (without an external preamp), it's clipped in the 002, yes?

2) let's say i wanted to record stereo acoustic guitar using the same principle, but instead of using the digi's inputs or the focusrite, i used a mackie mixer for its preamps. this time, tracks 1 & 2 are at unity and 3 & 4 are at -12db. if the mackie doesn't clip but tracks 1&2 do, then tracks 3&4 should be fine, yes?

does this question even make sense?

thanks,
steve

[where02190]

If you're splitting the preamp and the level on it is set too hot, it's gonna clip, no matter what setting the faders are at.
I do different dynamic level vocals on different tracks, or punch in, doing first the one dynamic, then the other, setting the preamp accordingly.

It's your preamp output that clipping the PT input, not the fader level.

[Dave M.]

I've noticed, observing an external VU meter on my mic pre, that PT has 4-5db of headroom after the apparent red "over" on the recorded track. Also, after I've recorded, on playback there are no overs even though it may have went into the red when I was recording.
In the end if you hear distortion then it's distorted, esp. with digital signals.

[mcconnellsteve]

thanks, where. let's say track 2 was +12db and track 1 was still at unity -- i suppose then it's possible to clip track 2 (not clipping on the input, but because i've driven too much signal to track 2) and have a "clean" track 1.

i guess i'm asking because i liked what i thought i understood of the tip provided, but wondered where the distortion was actually happening.

the other example was using an external mixer (without compression) -- again, if it doesn't clip on that mixer, but clips on say tracks 1/2 (stereo mix) in ptle, but not 3/4, then i suppose tracks 1/2 were just driven to hard at the fader?

gotta do some signal chain research...

thanks guys,
steve

[mcconnellsteve]

dave -- i've even had tracks with no "red" indicator that still sound distorted -- go figure...

steve

[Dave M.]

As Where said, you may be distorting at the preamp before you even hit PT or you have a defective cable or something like that.