Avid Pro Audio Community

Avid Pro Audio Community

How to Join & Post  •  Community Terms of Use  •  Help Us Help You

Knowledge Base Search  •  Community Search  •  Learn & Support


Avid Home Page

Go Back   Avid Pro Audio Community > Pro Tools Software > Tips & Tricks

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-12-2015, 08:35 PM
bryced87 bryced87 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 410
Default Metering Classic vs Sample Peak

Does it matter what Metering I have it set to? I have read that some people use Sample Peak while recording cause it helps them from not getting the signal to hot. I always have recorded with the Classic setting and my level has been somewhere between -10 and max is -12. If it goes over that I gain reduce it
__________________
Macbook Pro

Mac OS 10.10.3
Mbox 2,
Pro Tools 11
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-13-2015, 09:28 PM
bryced87 bryced87 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 410
Default Re: Metering Classic vs Sample Peak

Does anyone know about this?
__________________
Macbook Pro

Mac OS 10.10.3
Mbox 2,
Pro Tools 11
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-13-2015, 10:07 PM
Darryl Ramm Darryl Ramm is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 19,510
Default Re: Metering Classic vs Sample Peak

I'm not sure I follow the question or why you are asking if things are working Ok now? The differences between the two types you are looking at are just ballistics/decay times.

The meter behavior is briefly described in the Pro Tools 11 Reference Guide. Just play with them and see what you prefer.

If you are not clipping and the signal is some reasonable level (like it is) you don't have a problem. And just don't worry about trying to chase up your levels any higher than now.

By "gain reduce" I hope you mean turn down the preamp gain, not use clip gain?
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-13-2015, 10:17 PM
Darryl Ramm Darryl Ramm is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 19,510
Default Re: Metering Classic vs Sample Peak

BTW besides just flipping between meter types to see, you can put one meter type on a standard audio track and the other on a master fader, just track with or playback that single track with no signal change at all into the output bus and compare the behavior of the meters side by side.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-14-2015, 09:07 PM
bryced87 bryced87 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 410
Default Re: Metering Classic vs Sample Peak

Quote:
Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm View Post

By "gain reduce" I hope you mean turn down the preamp gain, not use clip gain?
I mean using a trim plugin to reduce the input in prefader metering option
__________________
Macbook Pro

Mac OS 10.10.3
Mbox 2,
Pro Tools 11
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-14-2015, 10:11 PM
Darryl Ramm Darryl Ramm is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 19,510
Default Re: Metering Classic vs Sample Peak

Quote:
Originally Posted by bryced87 View Post
I mean using a trim plugin to reduce the input in prefader metering option
NO! That is what preamp gain is for. Your need to stop your input converter from clipping. And be far enough below 0dBFS that the transients don't clip. If your converter is already clipped the signal, then it's damaged/gone forever, you can't magically recover those missing digital bits by trimming it with a plugin.... and you don't really need to pay ultra close attention to any levels after that, e.g. when mixing because everything infernally now processed or mixed at 32 and 64 bits floating point, so lots of headroom. You only need to obsess again about levels when you output to a DAC or file (although a 32-bit float output again means you are not likely to clip).

Last edited by Darryl Ramm; 03-14-2015 at 11:21 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-15-2015, 12:40 AM
JFreak's Avatar
JFreak JFreak is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Tampere, Finland
Posts: 24,853
Default Re: Metering Classic vs Sample Peak

What he said.

First consider that a 24bit fixed-point wav file has 144dB theoretical dynamics. Then take a close look at your converter specifications. If it says it has 124dB dynamics (that would be a good one), then you lose nothing if your levels PEAK at 124-144=-20dBFS which would be a nice headroom for occasional transients higher than the meter ballistics can show you.

Yellow is the new red.
__________________
Janne
What we do in life, echoes in eternity.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-15-2015, 02:59 AM
bryced87 bryced87 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 410
Default Re: Metering Classic vs Sample Peak

Then why do tons of video tutorials say your recording levels should be in the yellow? Also Paul Draper from in the box series explains how you use the trim plugin in prefader to lower the input if you've recorded to hot.
__________________
Macbook Pro

Mac OS 10.10.3
Mbox 2,
Pro Tools 11
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 03-15-2015, 07:18 AM
Chief Technician Chief Technician is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 6,981
Post Re: Metering Classic vs Sample Peak

Quote:
Originally Posted by bryced87 View Post
Then why do tons of video tutorials say your recording levels should be in the yellow?
I don't know. You would have to ask the people who produce those videos. Gain structure can be a whole chapter in some audio books.

Quote:
Originally Posted by bryced87 View Post
Also Paul Draper from in the box series explains how you use the trim plugin in prefader to lower the input if you've recorded to hot.
While inserts on audio tracks are pre-fader, you cannot undo recording too hot by using a trim plug-in on the input of a channel. Any distortion that exists from recording too hot will still exist after the audio is processed by the trim plug-in. The distortion could be lower in volume, though it will still exist.
__________________
Jonathan S. Abrams, CEA, CEV, CBNT
Apple Certified - Technical Coordinator (v10.5), Support Professional (v10.6 through v10.10)
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 03-15-2015, 08:38 AM
bryced87 bryced87 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 410
Default Re: Metering Classic vs Sample Peak

but distortion doesn't exist in the yellow. Also when I record below the yellow In pre and then move the fader up to raise the volume I hear noise. The only way to get rid of this when I turn up the fader is to record in the yellow.
__________________
Macbook Pro

Mac OS 10.10.3
Mbox 2,
Pro Tools 11

Last edited by bryced87; 03-15-2015 at 08:43 AM. Reason: Changed text
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Peak Over Metering never light in 24bits record ppm Pro Tools M-Powered (Win) 0 07-23-2009 11:33 PM
7.3.1cs3 Incorrect Peak Over Metering Matt_G Pro Tools TDM Systems (Mac) 1 06-29-2007 04:11 PM
Interesting metering software (with peak logging) postprosound Post - Surround - Video 11 03-20-2007 02:36 AM
Metering Average/Peak Levels chateau Tips & Tricks 5 07-01-2003 12:35 AM
Can someone explain the Difference between Peak and RMS metering TriAxis 003, Mbox 2, Digi 002, original Mbox, Digi 001 (Win) 4 02-27-2003 06:28 AM


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 05:30 AM.


Powered by: vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited. Forum Hosted By: URLJet.com