Setting output levels in Fast Track Ultra control panel.

[Gus Audio]

Hey guys.

I've been using my fast track to record audio with no problems but I have never been able to figure out how I should set my output levels on the control panel.

I'm a bit confused with the software return levels and master out levels.

They give different readings so I was just looking to Make sure I was setting the outputs correctly to show what is coming out if the system.

I use soundforge as my mastering program.

Any help would be welcomed.

Best from Chicago!

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by Gus Audio

Hey guys.

I've been using my fast track to record audio with no problems but I have never been able to figure out how I should set my output levels on the control panel.

I'm a bit confused with the software return levels and master out levels.

They give different readings so I was just looking to Make sure I was setting the outputs correctly to show what is coming out if the system.

I use soundforge as my mastering program.

Any help would be welcomed.

Best from Chicago!

You have exacty what interface? Fast Track? Fast Track Ultra?

With what powered monitors (or power amp etc.)? In what type of room?

I'm not sure why you care about the output metering in the interface control panel, to the first order it's just a volume knob. Who cares what a meter there says. What you more should be watching is the output (and bounce output) levels in Pro Tools or output of SoundForge. That tells you what you are actually doing with the digital output--"what is coming out of the system".

It's so uninteresting its not worth worrying about what the control panel output metering says, I have no idea what units they reports for an output level.. the control panel meter levels are not even labeled are they? So what are you even looking at? Hopefully not the arbitrary meter "LED colors". if you want to undertand/check that start with a 1kHz sine wave test tone at say -20dBFS in Pro Tools and follow the signal path and reported metering levels through the interface control panel metering and work out what is going on. And pay attention to what metering in Pro Tools is actually set to/displaying.

Certainly calibrating your whole playback/monitor system to a target SPL makes sense. If you want to do that you can find lots of information online about using a SPL meter and pink noise generator in Pro Tools to do that. And you have to be realistic there what you are monitoring with, you can't get say 80 or 85 dB SPL and sound good with say low-end small monitors. And then the only reason I'd look at output meters in an interface control panel would be to change monitor levels or reset them back to a previously known calibrated level

But I'm not sure that is what you are asking.