AP8 Volume

[davisgraveyard]

I am trying to get a sound effect as loud as possible on the AP8 but no matter what I do it isn't very loud.

I record on the LO  setting.   I have the PC volume and WAV volume to max.  I am using the Media Player to play the MP3.  I am playing out the headphone jack on my laptop.   

I can adjust the volume on the AP8 and switch to HI but the sound just isn't very loud.  I am using one of the speakers that Jon recomeneded in another thread.  If I adjust the volume too high on the AP8 it distorts the sound.

What can I do to maximize the volume level.  This is a 1second footstep sound effect.

Should I be thinking of sending this to an Amplifier and then out speakers?  Should the AP8 be able to produce a sound that people can hear 10-15 away from the speaker?

[JonnyMac]

The AP-8 doesn't care about the volume setting (P1 or P2) when recording; but it does care about the volume -- sounds like you're overdriving the ISD chip which is why the sound is bad when you turn it up (the AP-8 is not distorting the sound, the recording process did).  You'll have to experiment with your PC a bit to get the "right" settings, but once you do you'll be fine on that PC.

Start by using Audacity to Normalize your audio to -1 dB.  No, play the audio wearing a set of headphones so that the level is comfortable to listen to -- not overbearing.  This is just a starting position.  Download it to the AP-8 and play it back as loudly as your system (AP-8 and speaker) will allow.  If the sound is clean and without distortion, you can increase the volume out of your PC; if it's distorted then turn it down.  Once you find the sweet spot that will work for all of your AP-8 projects that you normalize to the same level.

I've used the AP-8 in friends haunts with just speakers and even when competing with all the other noise of the haunt they were plenty loud, especially with the spacing you suggest.  You can of course connect the AP-8 to an amplifier, but I wouldn't take that step just yet.