|
Avid Pro Audio CommunityHow to Join & Post • Community Terms of Use • Help Us Help YouKnowledge Base Search • Community Search • Learn & Support |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Low Input Levels on my 888/24
Why are the input levels so low on my 888/24? I've tried recalibrating and using the suggested -18db head room and the input levels are still to low. I connected my synth directly into the 888/24 via analogue and the synth output was at maximum. The input level was not even touching the yellow on the 888/24 and/or in the aux strip that I assigned in protools. The same thing happened when my friend brought over his summit. I thought maybe a preamp would be the solution to my proglem, synth -> summit -> 888/24. When we cranked the summit, the sound got distorted but the input level on the 888/24 and aux strip in PT didn't budge much. Any ideas?? [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]
|
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Low Input Levels on my 888/24
Have you checked all of your cabling? Maybe you have some sort of unbalanced to balanced cabling problem that's cutting and distorting your signal. If you take 2 good XLR cables and connect one from the summit to the 888 and the other from a microphone to the summit, can you get good level from the mic? Is it all of the inputs that are low or just the first one?
|
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Low Input Levels on my 888/24
Quote:
Your synth almost certainly is a -10dBv output. Run into an 888/24 which is +4Bu, you're gonna see some low levels. I suggest a Line level shifter such as Ebtech's Line level shifter or a Matchbox...then I think you'll see happly levels. -Todd A. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Low Input Levels on my 888/24
Shawn,
Yes, I made sure I used high quality balanced cables. I'm having this problem across all input channels. I've even tried switching the 888's channels 7-8 internally to -10 via the jumpers and after recalibrating, the input signal seemed to be a bit louder but not by much. I even tried turning the input signal pan pots on the 888 all the way up and I still got the same result, maxium input barely touched yellow. I'm curious, is this how the 888 is suppose to be when you connect a synth directly into its input? Have you ever tried this before and got the same results I have? |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Low Input Levels on my 888/24
how low is it ??? -18 dbfs may seem low , maybe you gonna recalibrate the interface if you just using synths . the -x dbfs calibration idea is to give you an ammount of headroom . if you would connect your synth to an " analog mixer " and you would level it to 0dbvu your interface would show -18dbfs ( which isnt even in the yellow zone of the 888s meters ). the output circuit levels the -18dbfs digital signal back to 0dbvu . ( if used with an analog mixer ) . i guess wrong " balanced " soldering may cause another lack of 6db . i cant remember eitehr the in or the outputs have to be " bridged " to have a balanced signal flow . ( its in the manual ) .
heres how i calibrated my interfaces : sinus tone 1khz to a analog device with vu meters . the 1khz tone needs to be +6db that the vu meter shows 0dbvu . i calibrated the inputs to -10dbfs with that signal . so if a signal recorded with 0dbvu , the interface shows -10dbfs and the output to my analog mixer shows 0dbvu . thats how it works for me. the bad thing bout that idea is if you wanna do a 2trackmixdown . f.ex working with a analog console : your mix shows maybe +4 db on a peakmeter . so your still ~12 db away from a full scale signal . either you lose now resolution or you have to raise the master fader on the board ( which might distort ) . so i make sure if have 2 inputs calibrated to -4dbfs . same thing with sample cds . those signals are already mastered ( whyever ??? ) . 0dbfs and you will have +18 dbvu on your console , you gotta move the PT faders without having WW3 on your monitors . andandand , good luck p.s i dont think the summit should distort by raising the level 10dbs . let us know what your " levels " are . but i guess i know what you mean , digital can be a little confusing . |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Low Input Levels on my 888/24
What you need is to open the 888 and change the jumpers to get a -10dbV reference level. See 888 manual for this.
If you try to drive a 888 near 0db full scale with the reference level set at +4db, you are asking your source to deliver levels in excess of +20 db ! Most of the time this will result in distorted signals. |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
C/24 input levels | 67es335 | ICON & C|24 | 0 | 09-04-2011 11:26 PM |
Input levels on HD-1 96K | BHeller | Pro Tools TDM Systems (Mac) | 2 | 06-05-2002 12:39 AM |
low input levels 2 | sadhits | 003, Mbox 2, Digi 002, original Mbox, Digi 001 (Win) | 3 | 02-26-2001 08:23 AM |
888/24 input levels | 3james | Pro Tools TDM Systems (Mac) | 5 | 07-25-2000 01:31 AM |
Input Levels | bugsy | 003, Mbox 2, Digi 002, original Mbox, Digi 001 (Mac) | 1 | 05-18-2000 05:31 PM |