No input control

[CowboyNeal]

I'm trying to record a new track and for some reason my gain knob has been disabled. No matter how I adjust the gain up or down it has no effect on the input level within ProTools. The meter on my Mbox IS showing changes in input levels. Also, the recorded sound quality when I try this fixed setting is very poor. There must be a setting I'm missing. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

[sw rec]

1. Define poor, please. Too low? Distorted?
2. Use the gain know on your Mbox to set record levels, not the track faders in Pro Tools. I'd also recommend unchecking "pre fader metering" in your options.
3. What version of Pro Tools? What OS, MAC or PC?

[CowboyNeal]

Thanks for the response, sw rec.

I'm running: ProTools 11.1.3, Mbox Pro, Mac OS 10.9.3, 27" iMac, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i7, 8GB 1600 MHz DDR3.

1. Poor quality means like 8-bit sounding, "smeary," badly compressed. Not distorted or too low.

2. The gain knob on the Mbox appears disabled within PT. The meters on the Mbox show that the gain is being affected when I adjust the level but in PT the signal does not get louder or softer. It remains at a set level no matter the knob twisting on the Mbox.

3. See above.

It's a crazy problem and I'm pulling my hair out.

Thanks!

[PD-John]

If the Mbox meters are showing input level when you turn up the gain then the gain pot isn't the problem - it's the Mbox's communication with PT.

Have you tried disconnecting and reconnecting the Mbox from your computer?

And it may help to try selecting another Playback Engine and then reselecting the Mbox.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by CowboyNeal

I'm trying to record a new track and for some reason my gain knob has been disabled. No matter how I adjust the gain up or down it has no effect on the input level within ProTools. The meter on my Mbox IS showing changes in input levels. Also, the recorded sound quality when I try this fixed setting is very poor. There must be a setting I'm missing. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

What are you trying to record - something from a mic or line level? And which inputs on the Mbox? If one of the rear ones, especially inputs 3 and 4 you have separate mic and line level connections which are selectable by front panel buttons. Make sure you have the right one selected.

There's no way PT could disable the gain knob on the Mbox.

[mesaone]

Originally Posted by CowboyNeal

2. The gain knob on the Mbox appears disabled within PT. The meters on the Mbox show that the gain is being affected when I adjust the level but in PT the signal does not get louder or softer. It remains at a set level no matter the knob twisting on the Mbox.

The gain knob affects signals going through that hardware channel into Pro Tools. It does not affect the level of audio that is already in your session.

[CowboyNeal]

So here's what it was. In the Hardware setup, both Mbox Pro and Built-In Microphone were checked to use as the audio device. As a result, when recording with a condenser both the Mbox line in AND the iMac built in mic were picking up signal, hence the bad sound. Also, for whatever reason, this setup disabled the gain control from Mbox to PT.

Thanks for taking the time to help figure this out.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by CowboyNeal

So here's what it was. In the Hardware setup, both Mbox Pro and Built-In Microphone were checked to use as the audio device. As a result, when recording with a condenser both the Mbox line in AND the iMac built in mic were picking up signal, hence the bad sound. Also, for whatever reason, this setup disabled the gain control from Mbox to PT.

Thanks for taking the time to help figure this out.

Good you figured it out but I don't see how the gain knob on your Mbox got disabled from PT.

[sw rec]

I'm thinking that the internal mic was picking up enough signal that it didn't matter WHERE the gain know on the Mbox was set. Agreed, I'm unaware of the software having control of the hardware in this instance. But. You're up and running, and that's a good thing.