audio distortions after recording

[Bill Fox]

Gert van Santen wrote:
> My friend Hans (former music-bar) has recorded some live 
> classical music with a Powerbook 1,5 GHz, 1 GB RAM (I suppose) 
> and a Focusrite Octa Pre. He finds parts of his recordings are 
> distorted.
> I advised: extra RAM, fast external Hard Drive, newest drivers 
> for OctaPre.
> What else can he do to prevent this in the future?
>   
When I a make a stereo recording, I tend not to use any computer.  I use 
an M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 (the original one) and then blow it into the 
computer via USB.  Less gear, lighter weight, smaller footprint, easier 
to use error free.  Unless I'm multitracking, a handheld digital 
recorder is the best recommendation that I can make.

The distortion in the attachment you provided is unfamiliar to me.  Did 
the musicians get louder half way through the performance and Hans 
failed to notice?  Nope.  Importing the file into Audacity shows that 
the signal is nowhere near clipping and the distortion happens even at 
lower signal levels.  Where the audio leads parallel to power or data leads?

Your advice seems to be what I'd recommend at this time.  Good luck.

Groetjes,

Bill