How do I know if I'm -10db or +4db?

[[email protected]]

The title is the question. I'm running PTLE8 on OSX 10.5.8 If I'm at -10db, would switching to +4db make my mixes louder? Is this advisable/possible? What are the positive/negatives?

[jrtme]

Your mixes louder? Why do you need your mixes louder first of all?

You should be mixing to 0 dbu.

[Larold]

+4 is a Pro level, usually balanced, that make the signal less prone to hum and long cable length signal degradation. -10 is a hobby level, unbalanced, usually on RCA jacks, with cables never running more than say, 18 feet.

It has nothing to do with how loud your mixes are. That's like saying if you turn your stereo up louder it makes your mixes louder.

[samplaire]

In other words you mixed 2 different things. The ones about -10db and +4db are about phisical electrical connection between devices. What you want to achieve is that your mixes sound louder from your speakers in comparison with other commercial mixes. The maximum level of digital equipment that you can achieve is 0dbfs (Decibells Full Scale) - that said you can't go further than 0db in this scale. To have your mixes louder you have to use eq + compression + limiting with appropriate ratio and calibration. Simple and complicated in one go :) There are dozens of mastering equipment for such tasks. There are strictly hidden techniques engineers have. The fastest way (not the best but fastest) is a careful use of Maxim plugin which is free with PT8.

[[email protected]]

My studio is a home studio, but I am striving for pro level quality sound. Should I be at +4 then? How would I go about knowing/changing this?

[flommer]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

My studio is a home studio, but I am striving for pro level quality sound. Should I be at +4 then? How would I go about knowing/changing this?

You still don't understand...

+4 or -10 is about the connections between your gear/hardware. It has nothing to do with the level of your mix..

So what are you having problems with??

What interface are you using? What are you connecting to it?

[emorganproductions]

I'm assuming you have a 003 and are referring to the +4/-10 buttons on inputs 5-8, yes?
This sums it up quite well...
http://www.futureproducers.com/forum...ad.php?t=44383

"these are the two dominant 'line level standards.'

"Pro" gear is is typically calibrated so that 0 dB VU = +4 dBu. (pro gear often uses the more secure and solid XLR connector and 'balanced' lines for line level signal connections, in addition to using them for mic level connections.)

"Semi-Pro" (home recording) equipment is usually calibrated so that 0 dB VU = -10 dBu. (semi-pro gear often uses unbalanced lines for line connections, although it also uses XLR for mics, typically.)

sound cards and audio converters sometimes allow you to kick in a -14 dB pad to accommodate +4 dBu (pro) connections. so the 003 accepts either unbalanced TS 1/4" or balanced TRS 1/4" in the same jacks and allows the user to set the unit for +4 or -10 operation (essentially kicking in the -14 dB pad when it's in "+4 mode")

This has nothing to do with the volume of your mixes and everything to do with your gain staging and headroom.

If you're trying to find a way to make your mixes louder, for the love of all that is holy and good within music, please send it to a professional mastering engineer!!!

[001tony]

Try not to worry about -10db or +4db (I guess there will be plenty to explain this stuff on google)

What you need to be concerned with is optimising sound below 0db or more correctly 0dbu (unity gain)

If mixes need to be perceived as louder then this is done with compression,

Simply put:
compression is attenuation (turning down of gain level)
at a threshold (set by you)
to a perticular ratio (from gentle compression all the way up to brick wall limiting)
Make up gain is generally then used to optimise the audio (up to 0dbu)
Take care not to over do it, easy to fix if a little quiet but the reverse isn't true.

I do appoligise if this is veering off point and over simplified, but good freinds of mine who do good work still struggle with this basic knowledge after many years of successful recording.