Recording and gain staiging problem

Hello everyone, i have an issue when recording. My current set up is
mpc 2k midi out -> akai s950 -> mackie vlz 1604 -> tascam dr 22wl recorder
I am broke right now so that's why i am not using an audio interface. So the problem is i can't get a nice level on the recorder and i am always clipping. After some search i read that it's better to record from the mixer as hot as possible so,on my master level meters the peaks are maximum on +7. On the tascam recorder i have the input gain at 0. When setting levels ,the trim knob on each of my chanels is on U and each chanel peaks hits +7 or slighty 10(if i want to boost something a use the s950). So how i am going to get a clean signal to the tascam, lets say at -6bu?
Thanks for your time

l don't even know where to start. I do gain staging but lm strictly inside the box, no middle this or that.

Im going to go line by line.

1. It seems to me from your post there isn't any PC involved. Am l correct?

2 from the looks of it you're running four pieces. Is there any reason you're running the MPC through the S950? Grit?
I say take the S950 out of the chain. Take the Mackie mixer out of the chain, l'll explain in a moment.
At the moment it should be MPC MKII directly into the Tascam recorder.
You could do all your leveling in the MPC and watch the master fader on the Tascam. Make sure on the Tascam it should be at -0.

3. If you do add the Mackie for its gain knobs l understand.
Moc+Mackie + Tascam.

4. EQing is a must for this setup on all instruments because you have ild analog Equipment that have hum noise and need to be EQed out. Going for the no noise floor.

Danoc wrote::Sigh: l don't even know where to start. I do gain staging but lm strictly inside the box, no middle this or that.

Im going to go line by line.

1. It seems to me from your post there isn't any PC involved. Am l correct?

2 from the looks of it you're running four pieces. Is there any reason you're running the MPC through the S950? Grit?
I say take the S950 out of the chain. Take the Mackie mixer out of the chain, l'll explain in a moment.
At the moment it should be MPC MKII directly into the Tascam recorder.
You could do all your leveling in the MPC and watch the master fader on the Tascam. Make sure on the Tascam it should be at -0.

3. If you do add the Mackie for its gain knobs l understand.
Moc+Mackie + Tascam.

4. EQing is a must for this setup on all instruments because you have ild analog Equipment that have hum noise and need to be EQed out. Going for the no noise floor.

Thanks for the reply!

1. You are correct there is no pc involved

2.I do the chopping on the mpc and then i resample my sounds on s950, then i use the mpc with midi for the sequence. I am going after that 12bit 90s sound so the result is pleasant.

3. I add the mackie for a simple mixing. (Level balance, eq etc)

So my question is how i am gonna get a clean recording from the mixer to the tascam 22wl recorder?

Are u suggesting another workflow?
Thanks for your time

To get a clean recording from the mixer to the Tascam is EQing and cutting out those hums out from the frequencies if each sound.
You have a lot of connections in between. There's no other workflow.

One reason l went absolutely inside the box. I use VSTis in the computer so thete us no cables and no chance for hum noise. I have no noise floor.

klosk wrote:Hello everyone, i have an issue when recording. My current set up is
mpc 2k midi out -> akai s950 -> mackie vlz 1604 -> tascam dr 22wl recorder
I am broke right now so that's why i am not using an audio interface. So the problem is i can't get a nice level on the recorder and i am always clipping. After some search i read that it's better to record from the mixer as hot as possible so,on my master level meters the peaks are maximum on +7. On the tascam recorder i have the input gain at 0. When setting levels ,the trim knob on each of my chanels is on U and each chanel peaks hits +7 or slighty 10(if i want to boost something a use the s950). So how i am going to get a clean signal to the tascam, lets say at -6bu?
Thanks for your time

On the Mackie vlz 1604, keep an eye on the master meters and keep it under -4. If not you're going to overload the Tascam DR 22 because it's maximum input level is −4 dBV. The weak link in your chain is the Tascam recorder, so you need to be very careful with the input levels.

Danoc wrote:To get a clean recording from the mixer to the Tascam is EQing and cutting out those hums out from the frequencies if each sound.
You have a lot of connections in between. There's no other workflow.

One reason l went absolutely inside the box. I use VSTis in the computer so thete us no cables and no chance for hum noise. I have no noise floor.

Thank you

CharlesRandolph wrote:

klosk wrote:Hello everyone, i have an issue when recording. My current set up is
mpc 2k midi out -> akai s950 -> mackie vlz 1604 -> tascam dr 22wl recorder
I am broke right now so that's why i am not using an audio interface. So the problem is i can't get a nice level on the recorder and i am always clipping. After some search i read that it's better to record from the mixer as hot as possible so,on my master level meters the peaks are maximum on +7. On the tascam recorder i have the input gain at 0. When setting levels ,the trim knob on each of my chanels is on U and each chanel peaks hits +7 or slighty 10(if i want to boost something a use the s950). So how i am going to get a clean signal to the tascam, lets say at -6bu?
Thanks for your time

On the Mackie vlz 1604, keep an eye on the master meters and keep it under -4. If not you're going to overload the Tascam DR 22 because it's maximum input level is −4 dBV. The weak link in your chain is the Tascam recorder, so you need to be very careful with the input levels.

Thank you

klosk wrote:Thank you

The sweet spot for the Tascam is between -6 and -2. So set the Tascam to manual and make sure the meter on the Tascam is not going pass -2. So on your Mackie, the meter can hit 0 DB or more, but on that tascam just make sure the input levels doesn't pass -2.