How do I increase the overall loudness of a CD once it has been burned

I have just completed recording a CD using the MR16. At each stage I followed the written instruction, adjusting the EQ and TRIM levels, then mixing to tracks 15/16, achieving clear recording levels on screen and through headphones. I converted this signal to WAV, and, in the 2-Mix playback mode, once again achieved high levels of volume. However, when track was burned to the inbuilt CD recorder the resulting loudness was only about 60% of that of commercial discs. How can I increase this level? I have tried to remedy this by using the on-board mastering controls, but this has had no effect. Thank you.

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Grubhead

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Posted on Apr 16, 2017

Grubhead

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Joined: Jan 21, 2009

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What you need to do is find an option called "normalise" this makes the sound at the same level for all tracks on the CD. However I should point out that even some commercial discs are recorded at much greater levels then are needed. In otherwords they are loud!

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Anonymous

1 Answer
Posted on Mar 25, 2008

SOURCE: fostex mr16 eq/presets

In short - No. The Eq menu is the only way to affect the frequency levels on the inputs, but if you select stereo buss and listen to the inputs, you can hear the effect of each Eq on the relevant input.

Anonymous

189 Answers
Posted on Dec 15, 2008

SOURCE: record, playback problem

Hi Nick,

The fuzz/white noise is a little confusing and it seems to be saying that you are recording something vs trying to record incorrectly and getting nothing at all. Anyway, despite that, I would try going over your recording steps first.

First off make sure your Hi-Z input is not set to the Hi-Z or guitar setting. It is possible your that MicroKorg is overloading the input and distorting. You should however have heard that in the headphones too, so I'm not so sure that's the problem. The next thing to check is to make sure your input is assigned to the track you expect to be recording on. (Press the input's button to check this. The select/record button over the track should flash).

Next make sure your track is armed for recording before you press 'play+record' (Record button above the track should light steady when recording).

Hope this helps.

bd.

Anonymous

189 Answers
Posted on Jan 26, 2009

SOURCE: Low volume on finalized songs.

There's not really any magic fix to this as far as I'm aware. I usually don't burn CD's from my Tascam directly, but export the mix to the PC and do final touches and burn from there. I don't typically normalize though and the levels are what has come out of the Tascam. I do however use compression on many of the tracks (and sometimes on the whole mix) before exporting which will squash the peaks and lows together and thus give you an overall higher volume with your level meters peaking in the normal place you're used to.

There are other factors like EQ without which a mix can sound too loud and perhaps cause you to lower the levels when really things in the mix just need to be allowed to sit in different EQ bands.

Compression is the key though. Unfortunately even well recorded instruments and vocals naturally contain wide fluxuation in terms of lows and highs and these need to be smoothed out in order to obtain anywhere near the volume of a commercial CD. With compression alone the result may still fall short as the use of pro quality mastering effects can really make a world of difference to overall percieved volume as well.

Hope this helped

bd.

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