Resampling and converting question, sound quality

[buminbeer2]

I have played with this board for about 4 months and got some decent tunes I want to record unto CD, now comes the issue.

The board sounds great coming through the speakers on playback from mixer mode. It still sounds good when I resample the whole mix. Now when it gets transferred to the computer, the issue occurs. I know the volume is about 1/2 of what it was. I go into Audacity to normalize it to -3db (the only choice). At this point I start losing sound quality. When I save it as a wave, I lose even more and then the Mp3 is the worst.

Now since I don't have a standalone CD recorder to record straight from the Keyboard, I want the sound quality as close as possible to what I hear straight out to speakers. I DO NOT mind paying for a program that can do this better the Audacity (it's free). The final help I need is for the world to hear, the best possible MP3 sound quality and how to get that as I know anytime you convert anything you lose something. Also, are there any mastering tools on the synth to help out?

Thanks all once again.

[dbijoux]

This is a complicated issue. However, since you seem to realize there are mixing and mastering processes involved maybe you also realize you may be asking a lot to simply output a .wav, normalize, and be ready for publishing.

The first and probably too obvious question, are you using different speakers/amps from your computer?

It's hard from your description to tell exactly what might be wrong, but I suspect a wide combination of things.

You are right tho, .mp3's will thrash your signal, especially if it is poorly mixed. For what it is, Audacity is a decent program.

I would suggest taking a look at some of the books on mixing and mastering mentioned around here. There are also many resources on the net. To put into perspective, people make whole careers devoted to each of these.

[buminbeer2]

Everything runs though Bose speakers. I have the sound from the computer and all my keyboards run through a mixer and to the speakers. Also, as a side note I have sent demos (MP3's) to friends and heard it through thier setup and it sounds worse really. I was just looking for a way that I can record my sound unto CD the way I hear it straight fro the keyboard will as little lost quality as possible. Thanks and hope for more input as I'm sure there are many out there that have figured out better ways to do it.

[emenelton]

send the digital out of the fantom to digital in on you computer

[Nik_]

send the digital out of the fantom to digital in on you computer

.Record it into Audacity. .Normalise it and export as .wav files.
Burn those to CD either as .wav or as a audio CD.

Now you have on the CD exactly what was coming out of the keyboard except that the volume on disk may be lower. So when listening to it, turn it up!

The problem with listening to this mix elesewhere is that you have Bose speakers, which have a unique sound that is far from neutral.

[buminbeer2]

Thanks Nik and Emenelton. I don't have a digital in on the computer as the sound board is directly on the MB. I am not sure I agree that when I normalize it in Audacity and export it as a .Wav it is the EXACT same other then volume. It still seems to lose a lot of punch or EQ or something even turned up.

I understand the Bose setup is not ideal as a monitor, but I also have some Boss monitors as well and the sound seems close on either setup. I'm just looking for that Studio sound that I get when I hear it straight to speakers. It's like I hear it in CD form, but sounds more cassette when played back as a .Wav after converting. Maybe my ears are wrong on this, but I don't think so. 30 years of playing tells me better

[lordelix]

Indeed this is a very complicated issue. First and foremost, your ears are not lying to you . I can see several ways things can go sour in your setup but the one that jumps out at me is the onboard sound on your computer. Luckily I am a computer builder so I will elaborate.

The onboard sound solutions on computer motherboards are not intended for professional audio capture. Its all about the quality of the converters ( D/A , A/D ) and most computer motherboards are far below the standard of even a cheap add on audio card. I am willing to bet that this is the issue you are having. M-audio Delta 44 is a very cheap but great sounding solution. You can find them for about $150. Just be sure you have a free PCI port on your PC.

[dbijoux]

I don't think your ears are wrong. There is a similar thread in Juno-G forum right now.

My suggestion, not to discount your experience, is to consider purchasing a proper sound card/audio interface and setting up a DAW.

That will give you a start to many more recording options. You already have a mixer and, if it has effects sends, you're only a few steps away from serious recording.

It seems to me talking about .mp3 conversions at this point is way ahead of the game. With everything in place, that should be the least of your worries.

[dbijoux]

@lordelix (nice timing, good advice too

Problem tho, I don't think OP is even using his onboard soundcard. Rather, relying completely on Fantom and exporting final mixes as .wav.

[lordelix]

That would be an issue lol...... he did say he was using Audacity to normalize the file so I am assuming there is a computer being used somewhere in there...and again reincoding the file to .wav and .mp3 (eww) lol. My bad if im wrong!!

[Diametro]

Not sure what the problem is ... I do this all the time on my Fan-X7 and have never had issues with the quality of my exported .WAV files on a computer ...

[lordelix]

I think his exported .wav is fine ( please correct me if I am wrong ) other than being low volume. He is using Audacity to normalize the file and then saving the resaulting file as a new .wav file. Some computer motherboards have very nice D/A & A/D converters that can serve just fine.... but their are a great many that use lower quality components to keep costs down. Doing audio processing on these can give you a very degraded or flat sounding file.

[emenelton]

buminbeer

How do you get your mix from the fantom into your computer?

[Diametro]

seriously ... if you're not using a good audio interface ... you shouldn't even really be having this discussion ...

I use a MOTU 828 mkii and amazingly -- still can't figure out why exactly -- it sounds better AFTER recording ...

You have a professional workstation ... don't cheap out on the computer end ...

[buminbeer2]

Well, great things I have heard. I figured a computer was well a computer. So if most of you are implying that the sound card has something to do with it (never would have thought that) the sound card is built in on the motherboard. Diametro, you would be very correct if that is the issue as I put a ton of money into my studio($10,000+ in gear), but have a $400.00 computer off Ebay.

If this is the big difference, the audio card or lack of, then I have a very serious issue for sound quality. I thought digital to digital, was well high quality. So, I suck. Lordelix says, "Some computer motherboards have very nice D/A & A/D converters that can serve just fine."

I have no idea what that means, so again I suck. Please give me some setup options that will help as I take my music very serious. I'm hoping just to record, I don't have to spend as much as I did with 6 synthsizers, the Bose system, plus my guitars and rack gear I'm willing to put money into a better sound or would it be cheaper to buy a stand alone CD recorder and record straight to it? Maybe the sound would suck as well, I don't know..

Thanks all, great conversation!