Output Levels
 

I was wondering if it was possible to change the settings for the output levels. I know when you bounce to disk protools output is comparable to -18db but i was wondering if that could be boosted in any way. I looked in the manual and couldnt find anything. I'm not talking about mastering, just increasing the output volume so i can give a better idea to clients as to what the cd will sound like so they don't have to jack up the volume to ridiculous levels. Nuendo has a much better output without mastering. Any reason for this? thanks

Re: Output Levels
 

You're a bit confused. that -18 figure is for the 001 and M-box referencing to 0dbu where -18dbfs=0dbu, and for the 002/002R -14dbfs=0dbu.

If your mix levels are too low, you need to mix hotter, or you have miswired your montiro connections. The PTle interfaces are capable of outputting levels of +24dbu, enough to blow your speakers right off their magnets.

Re: Output Levels
 

My mixes are plenty loud enough coming out of my monitors. I understand that my mixes must be mastered to bring them to a higher level, but i was wondering if there was a way to change that
-18db = 0db to say, -3db=0db or something along those lines.

Re: Output Levels
 

The 001 specs are -18dbfs=0dbu. This has NOTHING to do with the relative volume of your mixes. If youa re trying to compare mastered commercial CD's to your bounced mixes and get them to be equivalent in level wihtout master, it's not going to happen. If the specs of the 001 were changed to , -3dfsb=0dbu, the max output of your 001 would be decreased, not increased, since 0dbfs is the maximum usable output level in digital audio. You would have only 3dbfs of headroom vs the now available 18dbfs.

Perhaps some reading on the process of recording, relative levels, studys of dynamics is in order so you can better understand the process of recording. search this and otehr forums for recommended books.

Re: Output Levels
 

Where, sometimes your responses really get on my nerves, but i respect your opinion and your consistency. I am going to try doing something to make a master: hook up a dat recorder to the outs of my 001, then hook up a CD-R to the dat and make a cd that way, and see if the recorded levels are higher. we shall see what happens. i'm not sure if the CD-R directly hooked to the outs of the 001 will work. Someone else gave me this hint as a way of getting around using the proprietary design for the cd-r on a roland 2480. I think it's worth a shot. now, i just have to get my hands on a CDR and a DAT. one.

Re: Output Levels
 

Mark, you really can get the levels as high as you need in ProTools, using bounce to disc, and going through all the extra gadgetry isn't necessary just to raise the levels.
Perceived loudness is a different thing, the mastering thing, but not what you're talking about with the DAT and CDR.

Get Elemental Audio Inspector. It's FREE. Run it on your master fader. Play your song through. It will tell you how much headroom you had at the highest peaks in the song. You can raise your Master fader by that amount (minus about .1 db or so) without clipping. If your master fader doesn't make it, you may need to raise the levels on all your tracks (mix hotter).

You can also do this without Inspector, use ProTools to track the peak level on the Master fader. Same thing, but I think Inspector is handy.

Basically, this is like peak normalizing, which you can also do to your bounced track, except getting the levels right in the mix stage maintains resolution a bit better. (hehe, a 'bit')

Re: Output Levels
 

Sadie has 0db in/ 0db out. even on bounces. why is this not possible in protools? can this be changed in any way. what if i do not want the extra headroom for mastering? anyone have any clue? maybe i'll drop all my digi stuff and head to sadie, it's editing capabilities seemed easier.

Re: Output Levels
 

Hate to get on your case.. but where is right.. you need to understand this topic better before you make ridiculous statements like you've made in this thread. Every digital system is calibrated either by the user or at the factory to a reference to zero VU (1.228Vac) with a 1 kHz tone. This is defined as the reference level of the unit - some manufacturers choose -14dBfs = 0VU and others choose -18dBfs = 0Vu and others choose -20dBfs = 0Vu. Obviously if you take signal from a unit calibrated at -14dBfs and transfer it to a unit calibrated -20dBfs there'll be a difference in gain.

Pro Tools gives you unity in and out at the specified reference level as documented... just as every other DAW does.

Rail

Re: Output Levels
 

IF your max level of your mix is 0dbfs, then you will get 24dbu out of protools, and your resulting digital signal will be 0dbfs. IT all depends on the levels of your mix, and has nothing to do with protools 0dbu reference levels.