• basim
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  • Registered: 2017-12-18
  • Posts: 8

Topic: My Babyface maxes out its "In" volume while recording w a mic

This doesn't seem to happen when I'm tracking instruments with both channels, but when I use my mic and cloud lifter on channel 2 to record vocals - the flashing lights always go all the way to the top of their own volition while I'm recording. I always have to stay vigilant to turn the circular knob on it down. Not sure what setting it's enabled to do this....

Any ideas?

2 Reply by breun (edited by breun 2020-08-15 11:34:23)

  • breun
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  • Registered: 2020-08-01
  • Posts: 54

Re: My Babyface maxes out its "In" volume while recording w a mic

What kind of mic are you using? The Cloudlifter is a preamp designed for low-output mics like passive ribbon mics. You're now using two preamps in series, which might cause you to hit the maximum headroom quickly indeed.

I see three options:


  • Use both the Cloudlifter and the Babyface preamps, but keep their gains low enough to not clip, like you already figured out.

  • Don't use the Cloudlifter, but just plug into the Babyface preamp directly. Maybe this mic doesn't need the extra gain from the Cloudlifter? The Babyface preamps offer quite a bit of gain on their own.

  • Switch the Babyface to not use its preamp on that channel, but to treat the incoming signal as a line level signal. You could also use input 3 or 4 (which don't have a mic preamp in the first place), and free up input 2 with the mic preamp for another mic.