Recording levels keep dropping out

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
January 26, 2025
1 reply
222 views

Ok, Adobe Noob here. I have been using Audacity and was looking for the more robust features of Audition. I am a voice artist who is working on some audiobooks currently. I have a Mac Airbook, running Adobe Audition 2025. I have a Rode NT1 and a AI-1 that I run through a DBX286S into my Mac via a USB to USB C Adaptor. I have completed 3 chapters with no issues. On the fourth chapter, which I actually recorded 1st, at about 8:00 in the recording level drops significantly. I tried clearing the cache, restrting the computer. unplugging the DBX286S and plugging it back in, also tried unplugging and plugging the mic back in. I have looked for any kind of compressors inheirent in the software that might cause the levels to drop in teh middle of recording but can't locate anything. Does anyone have any suggestions? I need to get these projects done.

davescm

Community Expert

It is not clear whether you are recording live using Audition, or working on pre-recorded audio clips. If live, are you using the compressor or expander/gate in the DBX286S? Is there something in the content at that point that might trigger either to reduce the level?

Dave

W

Whimsical_Charm8664Author

Participant

This is during live recording. Basically an audiobook/web drama. The dbx settings are fixed, the recording starts out fine, but somewhere between 7-9 minutes the levels drop almost in half. No other programs running except a pdf reader. The really wierd part is that it last for about 5 minutes and the levels pop back up. I only noticed this because I recorded a 30 minute segment of audio and when I went in to clean and master the file I noticed the drop off. Then I started paying attention throughout the recording process and I still haven't seen it happen in real time, I am able to catch it early enough to stop. I tried punch and roll over it to keep everything level, but no luck. I either have to restart the computer (which is new within the last couple months, or shut it all down, unplug the DBX and restart everything all over. It's crazy. The next step is to bypass the DBX and do all my processing in Adobe. At least that will tell me if it is the DBX or Audition or my computer. When I used Audacity, I had no issues like this. I had other issues that have been eliminated but not this issue. Hope that helps.

davescm

Community Expert

That sounds like a sensible trouble shooting approach. Try and isolate it to the component, be that hardware or application, that is causing the issue then take it from there.
What are you using to convert from analogue to digital? You mention using a USBC connection but when I looked at the DBX website it did not show that the DBX286S has a USB out, it only showed analogue out? Is that USB connection in the DBX unit you have, or is there another component involved in the chain?

One final thing, if you are using USB check your PCs power configuration to ensure that it is not shutting down power to the USB ports when it thinks they are idle. It could explain a change after x minutes. Unfortunately, I use Windows so I can't point you to where to look for such a setting on a Mac. In Windows it is in advanced power settings.

Dave

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