Direct recording levels too low

[fancynapkin]

I'm trying to lay down a few guitar tracks by using the xlr direct out on my tech 21 trademark 10 amp into one of the in's on my EMU 0404 soundcard (left mono), but with the amp volume at 12:00, there is almost no input level. I've worked around this by pluging in a dummy speaker cable on the amp and then diming the volume, while also adjusting the level center in Reaper for +12 dB. This doesn't seem like the solution.

Any ideas?

I can't seem to find anything out of place in the Reaper setup, so Im wondering if I need to mess with my soundcard settings.

[GuitslingerTim]

You need to turn up the preamp gain in the soundcard mixer.

[fancynapkin]

You need to turn up the preamp gain in the soundcard mixer.

Is there another name for that? I have 2 aux settings, and a level setting (in dB's). BTW this on the "PCI In L" strip.

[countandduke]

You might even try getting a direct box which may help boost the signal. I actually have the same problem with my presonus firepod in that I can stick a sm57 in front of my speaker cabinet and barely get any signal into the computer. It seems to prefer mics that need phantom power as the sm81's pick up the drums perfectly........

Good luck.....

Chris

[fancynapkin]

You might even try getting a direct box which may help boost the signal. I actually have the same problem with my presonus firepod in that I can stick a sm57 in front of my speaker cabinet and barely get any signal into the computer. It seems to prefer mics that need phantom power as the sm81's pick up the drums perfectly........

Good luck.....

Chris

You mean like going from the direct on my amp out to a direct box, then that direct out to the sound card? So pretty much just amplifying the signal a bit more?
I actually have a few headphone amps that could something like that (one is 2 watts btw).
I still get the feeling there is something wrong in my setup. I mess with the soundcard settings.

[countandduke]

Yes, although you may want to check to see if there's a direct out volume on the amp itself that allows you to turn up the signal on the direct outs but yes, essentially you need to find a way to increase the signal coming into the computer. It may be as easy as clicking the speaker icon on your desktop and adjusting the incoming signal.........should be something easy. Check with tech support before spending more possibly unnecessary money on gear.

Chris

[GuitslingerTim]

Is there another name for that? I have 2 aux settings, and a level setting (in dB's). BTW this on the "PCI In L" strip.

It's hard for me to tell where the actual gain adjustment is, but the interface is called PatchMix.