Track Meters Vs. Master Meters?

[antiphase]

I was messing around with the Vintage Meter last night. I made an Aux with a signal gen set at 1k with the vintage meter following it, and then stuck another vintage meter on the stereo master fader. I noticed that the master meter was lower by 2.5 db on the VU switch, I guess it would be a -2.5dbV difference? Anyways....... the track is a mono source and the Master is stereo. I have to set the master's vintage meter to -14.5 for it to match the aux's meter @ 0dbV. What is causing the difference? Does it have something to do with the mono signal being split into two outputs ie: the master out? If this is true, I should be able to make a mono master out and the two meters should match without any adjustments. As I just tested this, it is not true....... the signal is still lower by 2.5dbV.

Something is obviously affecting the signal within PT's.......... what gives? Anyone?

[where02190]

For the 002/002R 0dbu=14dbfs. feeding the 002a 0dbu signal would result in the output meter reading -14dbfs.

[antiphase]

ya that's nice........ but 0dbV could be = to anything really depending on the source, what I want to know is why the master fader is outputing at 2.5dbV less?

[sdemott]

Do a search, there was just a big discussion about this. Then read the Digi documentation about the summing bus and master faders in PT. It will help clear it all up. There's nothing wrong with the levels in Pro Tools, even though it seems there is an issue. Things are as they should be. In fact, the info on the summing bus/master fader was very enlightening and is something every PT user should read.

And for the record, Where: it's -14dBFS = +4 dBu not dBV. dBV is referenced to 1.0v, while dBu is referenced to .775v. dBV is used for "consumer" level gear (usually rated at -10dBV), while dBu is for "pro" level gear. You made the same errors in the other post on the same subject.

[where02190]

Typos on my part, post corrected, thanks.