If your microphone audio sounds distorted or clipped, even with the sensitivity or gain set to its lowest level, the issue may be caused by the sound source exceeding the microphone’s maximum Sound Pressure Level (SPL).
Every microphone has a maximum SPL rating, which refers to the loudest sound level it can capture cleanly before distortion occurs. If this limit is exceeded, the microphone capsule can become overloaded, resulting in clipping or distorted audio.
This type of distortion occurs before the signal reaches your recording device, meaning lowering the microphone sensitivity or input gain may not resolve the issue.
Common Causes
- Recording loud instruments such as drums or guitar amplifiers
- Microphone positioned too close to the sound source
- Shouting, screaming, or high vocal SPL
- Using a microphone not designed for high-SPL environments
How to Reduce Distortion
- Move the microphone further away from the sound source
- Reduce the volume of the source where possible
- Use a pad/attenuation setting if your microphone or interface supports it
- Use a microphone designed for higher SPL handling
- Monitor audio levels with headphones while recording
To achieve clean recordings, it is important to balance both the recording level and the sound pressure level reaching the microphone.
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