AudioBanter.com - View Single Post - Someone says "anything over -10db in digital video is distortion" and y

In article writes:

IOW, if the user manual says that the direct outs or
inserts are +4, then I set the input sensitivity on the
computer digital audio interface to +4 . . . . .

One of my all-too-often points is that many computer digital audio
interfaces have no way to set the input sensitivity unless you do it
externally. "External" could be an output level control on the mic
preamp, or, if you have no other choice, the input gain of the preamp.
But that only works if you have to turn the level to the converter
down, not up, to achieve the desired amount of headroom.

It can all be workable, and I know that you have the understanding to
make it work. But most of the time when people are faced with this
problem, they don't have time to learn what's happening, they work on
instinct (or just turn knobs until the meters read right, not
listening to what's being recorded) and then ask on r.a.p. after the
fact what was wrong with their mic preamp.

If your direct outs or insert points are running at the same
nominal level as your digital recorder's input sensitivity
is set for, then adjusting the mic preamp to make the
digital recorder happy automatically ensures that the rest
of the console will be happy, too.

But that "if" isn't universally true. If there was in interface
standard to which the industry adhered, we'd have an easier time with
this, but marketing pressures more often that not at least on gear
that might be somewhat lacking) cause this to be moved around for the
sake of the best advertiseable numbers.

Where did I say *anything* about meters? I hate meters.

Meters are good, but you have to know what they're telling you. I
woudln't want to be without a meter bridge on my console because it's
a quick look at what's working and what needs some attention.

That's one reason why I tell people to set levels based on
the individual channel display(s) at full magnification in
the DAW software.

I can't think of a program that allows you to do this in real time
though. It takes a test recording (or several), and faith that the
setting you've established during your test will represent what
happens in an actual take. Leaving 20 dB of headroom is usally safe,
but on a graphic display, that just looks like a skinny wiggly line. A
waveform display is really only useful when you're close to the limit.

Keeping a watchful eye on the meters allows you to make adjustments in
real time if necessary. But then this is a skill that you have to
develop, along with others.

--
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