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Re: Digital Distortion

Subject: Re: Digital Distortion
From: "Bill Mueller" <>
Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2003 13:04:22 -0000
Walt,

What has been your experience in the use of the limiter on the HHB
Portadisc?  I recently recorded a thunderstorm and realized that I
would end up clipping the big boomers without the limiter.  I found
the portadisc limiter to be very effective where unknown sound
levels are expected and ocassionally occur.  I am aware of the
distortion that limiters introduce, however I also have seen the
distortion that clipping creates.  I feel that limiting should be
used with care not to introduce pumping the sound levels (similar to
agc) and instead used just to prevent clipping unexpected loud
sounds.

I am used to studio limiters that contain a great deal of control in
the attack, release and ratio of the compressed sound levels,
however the portadisc seems to work effectively in capping things
like thunderstorms, firework displays, and the such.

Bill

--- In  Walter Knapp <>
wrote:
>  wrote:
> > In a message dated 6/29/2003 11:04:21 AM Pacific Standard Time,
> >  writes:
> >
> >
> >
> >>What's the point of using stereo input with two different
volumes if you
> >>record on mono? Or am I being thick? I ask in all humility
because my new
> >>Portadisc has just been delivered by my friendly local
contrabandista and
> >>I'm getting to grips with how to use it.
> >>
> >
> >  I record at different volumes so that if I "clip" (overrecord)
on the higher
> > one the lower one still gives me a good signal.
>
> I use a stereo input for stereo, I almost never record in mono
anymore.
> So such a setup is not much use for me. And I set the gain with
enough
> headroom for what I'm recording. I typically set the Portadisc
reading
> peaks between -10 & -14. But may set even more headroom in some
situations.
>
> If you are having to go to the 2nd channel very often, check your
gain
> setting technique. As we have discussed you may be setting like
analog.
>
> Walt
> 



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