[LAU] Audio Levels with your delta 1010

[Ectropic Harmony]

On Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 9:10 AM, Mark Rufino <157audio at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>> On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 12:22:24AM -0600, Ectropic Harmony wrote:
>>
>>> I haven't had a chance to test the entire set-up of multiple
>>> connections just yet (see message below for what I'm thinking about
>>> trying, I don't know if it'll work) but I have managed to get a basic
>>> recording going with mics into mixer into delta interface into
>>> computer.
>>>
>>> One issue right now -
>>>
>>> Levels.
>>>
>>> Really low levels.
>>>
>>
> I'm not sure if, from that, I can determine whether or not I need a
> separate mic preamps type device.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Hopefully it's just a matter of me incorrectly setting levels. :-\ But
> if I need a preamp device I'll definitely get one.
> When you saw low levels, how low? If you are using a mixer into your delta
> 1010 then you have mic preamps. If you are plugging a mic into your delta
> 1010 (which I assume you're not- that is only 1/4" inputs, right?, then
> those are line inputs and your mic needs amplification. Also, for your
> condenser mics you do have phantom power, right? Just checking, without that
> they will not make much, if any, sound.
> However, assuming things are working correctly, what level are you shooting
> for? digital 0 and analog 0 are not the same thing, different scales, so
> shooting for 0 on your mackie then shooting for 0 in ardour is not going to
> work- ardour ideally should be peaking around -18, maybe a hair higher once
> in a while. That is called 0dbfs (0 decibels below full scale). "Full scale"
> is calibrated to something analog, and -18 is one standard (people calibrate
> to different things depending on the situation), so 0dbfs in that case would
> be +18dbv (I think dbv is the scale, maybe dbvu? doesn't necessarily matter
> though). So if you are recording at +18 analog, that means your mackie is
> red lighting everything, and a mackie most definitely is not going to sound
> good at +18, and your delta 1010 inputs aren't designed for that either, so
> you're going to get some ugly sound.  Just something to think about, it may
> or may not be your issue.
> So when you are gain staging, you want each piece in your signal chain to
> operate where it is meant to operate efficiently. In your mixer, if you max
> out your channel gain then lower the fader, that's not really what you want
> to be doing- the gain is not a "volume control" really, it is meant to bring
> the operating level of your mic to its correct spot. Same thing with your
> channel faders, you don't want them all up high then the master fader down.
> However, inside ardour, this is different, you can have your faders up and
> your master down, to a degree. Ardour's internal headroom is much much
> higher than any analog component, so you're not clipping ardour inside, but
> then as you send sound out too loud you're clipping your converters, which
> can be done with some converters, but not something on the m-audio level (me
> either, I have a phonic mixer, probably made in the same factory as the
> mackie). So keep your levels conservative and you'll get a better sound.
> If there are inaccuracies to what I've said please correct, but for the most
> part I think my info is correct.
>
> --

Thank you for the info.

I recently posted some info about my current connections/level
settings ("Questions on New Recording Gear" subject).

Here is the bit from that referring to Delta 1010 current settings &
Envy24 levels:

Default button settings on back of Delta 1010 (buttons out, allowing "+4")
Software connections via JACK
Envy24 running, with levels maxed out (ins and outs).
Ardour (no current changes in Ardour's mixer's levels, using default).