From Andrew Horton Sent Thu, Dec 27th 2018, 01:23
From Andrew Horton Sent Thu, Dec 27th 2018, 01:23
Set all synth self volumes to maximum for best s/n and gain. Set sustained/a= verage levels to -18 - Peaks can go higher. Most ADC=E2=80=99s are calibrate= d so that -18dbfs =3D =E2=80=9Canalog zero=E2=80=9D on a traditional VU Mete= r and are designed to sound and operate best at -18.=20 Sent from my iPhone > On Dec 26, 2018, at 7:14 PM, Brian Willoughby <xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx> wr= ote: >=20 > This is a tough question to answer, partly because I think there are two a= spects to the answer. >=20 > 1) Avoid distortion from clipping; maximize signal-to-noise. >=20 > 2) Postpone adjustments for loudness until the final mixing stage. There=E2= =80=99s a difference between optimizing per-channel S/N and adjusting the lo= udness for a good mix. Don=E2=80=99t confuse the two by trying to handle the= m at the same time with a single control. >=20 >=20 > On the first topic, I would hope that every synth/drum machine would have b= een designed so that it will not clip its own mixing stages. However, we can= not rely on this because many audio circuits over the years, even from well-= respected brands, have included design mistakes that are less than optimal. T= herefore, it seems that you will have to determine whether each of your synt= hs/drum machines clip internally when the master volume is at maximum, and i= f so then you=E2=80=99ll have to discover the amount that the volume needs t= o be reduced until there is no distortion (unless, of course, this distortio= n is part of the sound that you=E2=80=99re trying to record). >=20 > Part two is whether your =E2=80=9Cmixer" input can handle the maximum volu= me of each synth/drum machine. In my experience with the MOTU 896HD, the inp= ut levels can only be boosted, not attenuated, so there were many recording s= ituations where I needed to reduce the output level on the sending device be= cause it was otherwise too strong for the 896HD to handle. Analog mixers ten= d to have switchable pads, and my Metric Halo Labs interfaces have programma= ble Trim that can reduce excessive input levels. If you don=E2=80=99t have t= his option, and if any of your synths/drum machines are =E2=80=9Ctoo hot,=E2= =80=9D then you=E2=80=99ll need to reduce the master volume. >=20 > Personally, even when I have the option for Padding Line level inputs, I r= arely boost a device=E2=80=99s output level if it means that the mixer will n= eed to be Padded. Those pad resistors can add a little noise, so it=E2=80=99= s better to reduce the send level so that the Pad can be disengaged. The res= ult will be cleaner. Of course, it=E2=80=99s generally true that more signal= level on a cable is better for S/N, but once you=E2=80=99ve reached the lim= its of a +4 dBu Line Level input (which is about +26 dBu!), then you already= have more than enough S/N. Boosting above this, to the point where you need= Pad resistors, is not going to improve anything at all. >=20 >=20 > Finally, you don=E2=80=99t want to sacrifice the signal-to-noise performan= ce of an individual channel by turning it down to adjust its loudness to mat= ch anything else. Psychoacoustics research tells us that there is a differen= ce between the level of signal as measured by voltages and meters versus the= loudness perceived by the human hearing system. Since noise gets worse as y= ou turn things down, I recommend avoiding the temptation to match loudness b= etween synths/drum machines, and just maximize the channel S/N. Once you hav= e a mixer full of channels that have minimal noise, you can mix based on lou= dness and retain the option of making some devices louder than others during= part of a song, while other devices might be louder in other parts of the s= ong. >=20 > Looking at the above from a different point of view: If you=E2=80=99ve alr= eady maximized S/N for every channel, then you no longer have the option of t= urning anything up. Thus, balancing loudness means turning some things down,= which just makes the noise worse. Loudness adjustments should be a creative= step, possibly automated, and certainly dynamically changing during the pro= gression of a piece of music. >=20 > Another issue to keep in mind here is that the presets on any synth or dru= m machine will vary drastically from one selection to another. If you try to= adjust levels to match loudness across devices, that balance will be lost a= s soon as you select a different sound or a different bank of sounds on any o= ne or more synths/drum machines. Instead, if you adjust for maximum signal-t= o-noise, as described above, then your mixing process will be most successfu= l at matching (or mismatching!) loudness, as appropriate for the art. >=20 >=20 > Bottom line: These questions are all part of the general topic of =E2=80=9C= gain staging=E2=80=9D - which is very important in a recording studio. There= =E2=80=99s a lot to learn. I recommend Bob Katz=E2=80=99 =E2=80=9CMastering A= udio: the art and the science=E2=80=9D as one starting point. It won=E2=80=99= t cover all aspects of recording studio gain staging, but it certainly cover= s all of the technical basics that you=E2=80=99ll need. If anything, Bob=E2=80= =99s book is probably more appropriate for your situation, where you have a d= igital MOTU interface. >=20 > Brian Willoughby >=20 >=20 >> On Dec 26, 2018, at 3:22 PM, Boniforti Flavio <xxxxxxxxx.x@xxxxx.xxx> wro= te: >> Hi all. >> I've now almost finished wiring all my devices' audio outputs to my "mixe= r". It's made of: >> 1x MOTU 828 MK3 Hybrid >> 2x MOTU 8pre >>=20 >> Now I'd like to know how to best "calibrate" the volumes, so that I don't= have instruments which are "too loud" compared to others. What's the recomm= ended/best procedure to achieve this? >>=20 >> My first point is: I would set the master volumes *on* the synths/drum ma= chines at maximum. Is this already a wrong starting point? :-/ >>=20 >> Thanks for your hints and suggestions! >> F. >=20