Recording levels - what am I doing wrong?

Ultrabra · Post by **Ultrabra** » Wed May 02, 2012 11:32 pm

I am using Sonar X1, playing back several tracks of MIDI instruments. Master bus levels are around -6db.

I set up one track to record audio (using Ultralite Mk3). I set input as MOTU Return 1 (is this correct way?). The recorded WAV had a level around -27 db.

Shouldn't the level be same as the Master, -6db?

Can anyone suggest what I might have wrong with my set up.

crduval · Post by **crduval** » Thu May 03, 2012 3:59 am

You can set up trims and gain on your ultralite or from within cuemix. I suggest launching cuemix and seeing how input trim and overall gain is set up in the channel you are recording.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ultrabra · Post by **Ultrabra** » Thu May 03, 2012 9:14 am

Thanks for the reply - but I don't see anywhere in CueMix any levels for Return.

Is that controlled by the Monitor level? I have the monitor level set quite low, as using my near-field monitors, also set quite low, its still very loud. I can increase the monitor level to maximum when using headphones, as I can lower the headphone level on the Ultralite.

crduval · Post by **crduval** » Thu May 03, 2012 9:56 am

I'm not sure what you mean by return. I have the same interface. If you are running your signal into any of the inputs 1-8, then you can adjust input trim/gain from the "inputs" tab on cuemix. Make sure to press the "focus" button for the channel you are using. Be sure to bypass eq, compression etc The meters should tell you the story.

Then make sure the same channel is set to 0db on the mixes tab. It should work! I get plenty of gain running a passive bass into mine!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ultrabra · Post by **Ultrabra** » Thu May 03, 2012 2:23 pm

Thanks for the reply. By "Return" I was meaning the audio track input as Stereo MOTU Audio ASIO Return. I should of course be selecting the input as whatever the my synth is going into - in this case Stereo Analog 7. Same result actually ... a quite low signal, although now I can adjust the trim of the Analog 7-8 as you mentioned. It does help - but it also introduces a significant crackling sound. I don't get this at all with the SPDIF. If I could get rid of that sound, then I think the levels are good enough.

I guess its a different issue now - the crackling - but, any ideas? I guess raising the trim shouldn't add any crackling sound?

crduval · Post by **crduval** » Thu May 03, 2012 4:15 pm

No, the trim is quite clean for me - it is clean until you overload it.

Is there any chance that the synth is still set up to send spdif even though you are using the analog out? I have a kurzweil K2500 and I have to explicitly assign I/o type to get what I want. I have had problems that sound like what you describe when I try to use spdif - I've never been able to sync it right for some reason.

Can you feed the synth output into a mixer and verify that it is what you expect?

One last idea, kind of a basic one, the inputs on the ultra lite are TRS - any chance the cable is not plugged In all the way?

I hope you have some luck figuring it out, I'm out of ideas for you.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

MOTUnation.com