Levels, Levels, Levels...Help!

[snicka]

My setup consists of a Presonus Digimax 8-ch mic pre, a Presonus ACP-88 8-ch compressor and a MOTU 828mkII.

The mic pres have gain adjustments, the compressors have gain adjustments and the MOTU has gain adjustments.

What is the best way to set all of the gains for the optimal sounds?

What I did was set all of the gains on the compressor to 0dB and all of the gains for the MOTU at an arbitrary -10.2 (somewhere in the middle). Then I used the mic pre's gains to adjust for level. Was I way off base?

Any input/advice is appreciated.

By the way, I strictly use this setup to record drums.

Thanks.

[builder]

If you don't have much experinece with compression, I would skip it going in. But if you are going to use it I would put it across the OH's and have the gain reduction be no more that 3db with a fast attack and mid fast release (adust so you do not hear the compressor working.

As fo the 828, I assume you are using the light pipe from the Digimax. The adjustments ont he 828 are for monitoring only they shouldn't affect the recorded volume. I would have the inputs on -10 (The buttons should say +4)

Have the gain come strictly from the presonus

[snicka]

Thanks for the tips!

[jaffi]

I wouldn't compress while recording unless it is absolutely necessary or if you're trying to capture the tone of a really sweet compressor. In the latter case you would be barely compressing the signal at all. As far as levels go, make sure your preamps don't clip. If you are recording 24bit, you have plenty of dynamic range, so use it. You don't need to push all the levels to just under 0Db. Let the levels breath a little. With that in mind, I like to retain the dynamics of the performance while tracking. That way I have more options at mix down.