DA can't handle -0.1 dBFS?

[Bryan Cook]

i am using pt 7.2 with apogee ad16x and da16x with the option card installed for them to show up as a 192.

issue is, if i have hot recording that is *not* clipping inside of PT, just has a limiter on it to be -0.10 dBFS, one of the DA converters clip if the playback fader is at 0, i have to bring the playback fader down. other weird thing is only one side distorts (output 1, the left side in this case) and the output 2 (right is fine)

this hot file plays fine if i burn it to CD, etc. i know the distortion is not on the file and is purely a playback, fader volume thing only on one output of the stereo file.

weird?

[minister]

your analog outputs may not be fully calibrated. they rarely are coming from the factory.

your reference level (-14, -18, -20...) should be out putting 1.228V from a 1kHz. sine wave.

one out put could be hotter than the other.

suggest you get a multi-meter with enough resolution to tell you this.

[ThomasPMusic]

What is the appogee connected to?
The da16x comes from the factory with a really hot output. Try trimming the outs (you just hold a series of buttons on the front) down, and the sound gets sweeter too!!
Depending on your calibration needs. When cranked open, those outs can be as hot as +26db!! ouch!!
Could be crunching whatever is after the da..
good luck.
tp
www.thomaspmusic.com

[Steve MacMillan]

Some times you will hear inter sample levels clip your converters even though all the digits are legal. If one legal digital value represents a transient on the way up, and the next the transient on the way down, the resulting peak could be 2db louder once converted.

STeve

[Bryan Cook]

the da16x is connected to a quad8 pacifica console. the level doesn't look that hot on the quad 8 vu meters. and the clipping sounds like digital clipping anyway... i'm a bit baffled/stumped on this one.

we had da16 connected to the same console on an os9 rig with no problems. with the new hd osx rig, i have to pull the playback fader down almost -15dB to not hear distortion... its not a subtle thing. it doesn't sound like analog distortion - it almost sounds like clocking error, but all of my clocking connections are setup correctly (validated this with apogee) and all of the lock lights are fine. when i lower the playback volume a lot the digital sound distortion goes away. maybe i will play around with the calibration of the ad/da... but it doesn't sound like an analog gain staging issue.

[TVPostSound]

the level doesn't look that hot on the quad 8 vu meters

You're measuring peak with your Apogee, and VU on the Quad8, there will be a big difference depending on your dynamic range.

[Bryan Cook]

i'm well aware of the difference between peak and vu, but thanks for trying to help.

since a hot, limited mix has a lot less transients and dynamic range, when that is reading conservative on a vu meter (-3vu or so)even more support that its not analog distortion i'm hearing.... when i pull the hot mix playback down -15dBFS it no longer has that digital distortion sound, and its very low on the vu meter. on the old rig we could pin the vu meters and start to drive the analog components, i know the difference in that sound. this is something different, very digital-y.

[Bryan Cook]

for anyone who is interested, the problem turned out to be a dirty switch on the console. i moved the same outputs to other channels and it was a-okay!

ahh, the pains (that are worth it IMHO) of analog gear....