Fast Track C400 - sound is clipping

[donjepski]

Hi
I have a problem with my Fast Track C400. Newest driver.
When I play guitar through Guitar Rig over a backing track, the volume is "clipping". I have the exact same problem on my laptop.

It doesn't clip when I only hear music (even though my guitar is plugged in and Guitar Rig i running), but as soon as I take a chord, the sound i clipping. And it doesn't clip when guitar is the only sound.
I've tried everything. Can anybody help?

Thanks!

[JoelG]

Hmm, well start off with the obvious (sorry if this suggestion is insulting :) ), have you turned the gain down to an appropriate level for your guitar input? You should just be hitting a bit of yellow in the meter on the C400. There is a pad button you can turn on if it still peaks even with the gain turned down. Try different patches in Guitar Rig to see if that changes anything. Also, make sure you don't have the fader for your guitar input maxed in PT too.

"Pad Button
Each analog input channel offers a Pad button. If your input signal is too high or “hot” even
with the Gain knob at a low setting, press that channel’s Pad button to reduce the input signal
by approximately 20dB."

Joel

[donjepski]

Hi Joel

Thanks for your reply.
Yes, I'm aware of the pad button, and the level bar only goes to yellow at max.
The input gain i GR is set to 0dB. As I mention the problem only occurs when I play guitar while listening to something else. I just found out I can decrease the amount of clipping by turning the volumen down i the right corner of Windows to ~75%. Therefore I think that the output somehow gets overloaded. Can you make something out of that?

[Darryl Ramm]

I have no idea what is happening, but lets throw out some ideas and questions that knowing answers to may help....

We cannot guess what you mean if you are not clear in your descriptions. e.g. What "level bar"? Do you mean the track meter in Pro Tools--which one? The dry guitar input or Master Fader? Or meters on the interface--if so what one? Dry guitar input or Output? Would be better to describe all the meters levels, or better include a screenshot of the Pro Tools ones if you can.

What version of Pro Tools are you using?

What session format? (24 bit? 32 bit float?)

What is the master fader showing as an ouput level?

What headphones or monitors/amp are you using? How is the gain set/staged on the output of the interface, and the amp/monitors? If you are using monitors have you tried headphones.

Are you using pre or post fader metering in Pro Tools.

What exact signal routing are you using? Can you try this as absolutely simple as possible like with a single stereo audio track with a backing music on it? And a single mono dry guitar track/mono wet guitar output from your amp sim. No busing or other tracks or other plugins besides the guitar amp sim. And post a screen shot of the Mix window/meters showing what is happening, in post fader metering and pre-fader metering and showing all IO and inserts in that mix window

What guitar and pickups? Going into what input on the interface?

Remember that your plugins/inserts are pre-fader. For a guitar amp sim the input signal level usually need to be very low-level. It might be something as simple as you are playing the guitar harder when playing along with a backing track. You might want to use a send from the dry guitar track to get to your amp sim plugin so you can manage the input level on a fader. What is the clip indicator on the plugin showing?