Record/Playback Distortion Problem

Installation & Configuration Mac OS X
#1

I’m stumped.

I’m using a USB microphone setup (Zoom H4 running in simple USB I/O mode where it functions only as a USB stereo-pair mic). I have experimented with all sorts of different input gain combos.

I have carefully configured an Aggregate Device in Audio MIDI Setup. I have checked the boxes to include the H4 and built-in output. Sample rate for everything is 44100 Hz. I have set JACK to use the aggregate device and set Ardour’s Audio input screen to do the same.

When I record I get a very low to non-existent signal input level in Ardour no matter where faders are set. I have to Normalize the signal to see anything at all. And here’s the prob: the normalized signal plays back thru headphones/speakers fine until it gets loud and the frequency of the input pitches is “high”, i.e., 1760Hz or above. Then I hear major “ticking” distortion going on. Obviously I wouldn’t want to export to an MP3 with things sounding like that.

Can anyone explain what I’m not getting right in the order of my configurations?

BTW the other “A…” DAW software works just fine with the H4 and the config took about 1 minute… I have spent days trying to get it right in Ardour. Any help on this will be much appreciated.

Msnandover

#2

What linux/unix flavor are you using? If using Ubuntu, you can can click on the sound button on the upper right side and go to properties and make sure that your USB mic has the volume increased. See if that helps…this is not necessarily Ardour issue.

Also you can try to use another recording software such as audacity and see if the volument is normal there on the recording in.

Rony P.