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Focusrite Saffire Pro 14
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Focusrite Saffire Pro 14

FireWire audio interface from Focusrite belonging to the Saffire series

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Low input levels with Saffire Pro 14

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Topic Low input levels with Saffire Pro 14
Hey, all. I've got a simple home setup for doing voice recording and some music. An MXL 990 (XLR) condenser going into a Focusrite Saffire Pro 14, into firewire (a PCIe firewire card).

It all "works", but the audio quality just doesn't seem right. The input levels are really low and I have to turn the gain up on the Saffire to about 7-8 to get anything usable (the gain only goes to 10, so this is very high gain). I can get a decent sound but I have to do a lot of noise removal and it easily spikes to an unusable level if I barely raise my voice. Phantom power is on (otherwise I'd hear nothing). I've turned up all the system level volume controls that I can find that might be related to the line in volume, but somehow it just feels like the actual signal going in is way too weak and I'm overcompensating with a ton of gain on the Saffire, leading to a blown out sound. And it's not related to the DAW as far as I can tell, I've tried multiple with the exact same result. I don't mess around with the Saffire MixControl software as it confuses the hell out of me... that's all pretty much set to default though I've looked at it and don't see anything that would effect this.

Any idea where I'm missing something?
2
Good afternoon,

Sorry to hear that you're having some issues.
It's quite normal to have your gain control up around 7-8 for a vocal conducer mic, this is down to the type of taper on the pot and the sensitivity of the mic, see our answer base article here:

https://global.focusrite.com/answerbase/i-have-to-set-the-gain-high-to-get-a-good-input-level

You mention that you've tried 'multiple with the same results', do you mean you've tried multiple microphones? Or multiple XLR cables?
Do you get the same results when testing both inputs 1 and 2 on the Saffire?

Let me know how you get on.

Simon // Focusrite Technical Support
3
Hey, Simon. Thanks for the response.

To clarify, I was referring to trying multiple audio programs. Audition, Audacity, etc. so I was just ruling out any settings on the software side. Though I have also tried multiple XLR cables with no change.

I'm not great with audio stuff, so I'm flying a bit blind. I look at other people recording with condenser mics with their mouth even 2 feet away from the mic and it sounds fine. If I try it that far away it sounds like I'm in another room. So I get right up on the mic but end up with a lot of popping and it easily blows out the sound if I raise my voice too much (I do have a pop filter).

It's certainly possible that it's an issue with the mic, but I don't have another one to swap out as a test so I'm trying to make sure to rule out anything else before I go buy a new mic. Since I don't really know what I'm doing, it seems very possible that I just haven't set up the Saffire correctly.
4
Oh, and yes I've tried both inputs 1 and 2 on the Saffire with the same result.
5
Hi Gabe,

It is possible that the issues you're experiencing are just down to setup, however we wouldn't want to send you away simply assuming that, and so as you say, best to try and test all the variables.
Your microphone is one of those variables unfortunately, so to try to isolate whether this is an interface/cable/mic problem, it would be very helpful to test the Saffire with another Mic. I would suggest trying to borrow one to test though, simply so you don't end up purchasing something that you may not need.
Also, what kind of room are you recording in? This can be the biggest factor in achieving a good vocal sound. It also somewhat depends on what kind of vocal you're attempting to record, something with a lot of dynamic volume changes may require multiple takes between sections to setup the mic gain/room to accommodate the vocal, or at the very least, a solid mic technique in order to manage the volume differences.

Best regards
Simon // Focusrite Technical Support

[ Post last edited on 03/19/2015 at 08:04:12 ]

6
Okay, thanks. I'll try to find another mic somewhere that I can try.

I'm just recording in a standard bedroom with wood floors. Not the best acoustically, I know, but I'll dampen the room once I actually get a decent input volume/gain.