In simple terms, a pad is a volume switch. What you experienced is that by using the pad, you no longer were hearing all the background noise because what you were hearing was 20dB quiter than before you used the pad. If you turned up the gain to compensate for the pad, you would have the same result.

Depending where the pad is, if on the mic, mic pre input, mic pre output, pre or post transformer, external inline adapter pad, it can or will affect the tone. Some use this capabilty to obtain tone such as overdriving the preamp or saturating a transformer then using a pad to reduce the gain within the cirucit or on the output or on the input of the next device in the chain.

I find that interesting because normally when you pad something your noise floor would rise accordingly. Because you have to turn up the input to compensate for the pad you should have more of an airy background when the singer stops. It's interesting you experienced the opposite. Your not using a gate or compressor are you?

Thanks fellas.

As I said, I *was* compensting for the pad by increasing the gain and, yes, I was using a very little bit of compression.

I was surprised by these seemingly counterintuitive results--hence my post to make sure there wasn't some kind of pad secret I never knew about.

I'm going to have to do a little testing now to isolate the cause of my...success, which
I hafta say is way better than the usual need to isolate problems!

Maybe I'm just good. ;)

.nick

I bet the compressor had more to do with it then you think. That's why I asked... Play with it more, but remember write down the settings you have now for future reference, since there so good.

Hi Nick,
I have come across the similar issue in my home setup. I get the preamp/mic to the point where the signal sound nice and open. At this point there is usually a substantial amount of ambient noise, as the room I record in is def. not ideal (10X15X10, lower portion of room concrete foundation, upper wood, DAW Mac and all other rec. gear in the soom)including hum from the amp itself. I then engage the 20db pad, and the ambient noise floor improves greatly, and using the gain knob I can get an adequate singal into the DAW, but the tone of the material changes substantially, loosing definition and becoming darker in contrast to the original signal...

maybe some of the more knowledgeable heads around here can help us with some solution to the aforementioned dilemma?

Sonic-

What gear are you using?

.nick

The basic recording setup is as follows:

Pro Tools 001 Le v.6.1
Sebatron VMP 2000
Presonus Digimax 96
Joemeek VC6Q
FMR RNC

and a variety of other FX Processors and mics.

The issue seems to be the same no metter what set of pres is used. The last time I set up, it was vmp->rnc->digi 001 for guitar tracks.

I was using a sennheiser e609 silver right in the grill and Studio Projects B1 farther back.

I tried this on both an Orange AD 30 and a Vox AC15 both set to light breakup volume.

Yeah, but it's those compressors I'm wondering about, now!

I'll get my settings tonight and post them tomorrow.

.nick