Quote:
Originally Posted by KRStudio  You are correct in keeping your recorded signal around -18dbfs. Not just for the plugs either! |
this "-18" figure is confusing people.
If you don't put a value on the dB reading, it's just a gain ratio. So you can add 6dB of gain, but not have a level of 6dB - it needs to be relative to something, eg dBFs (which has to be digital), or 6dBVU.
Now... -18 is used in music recording as a link between the analogue and digital worlds. A common lineup for interfacing converters with mixing desks is that -18dBFs = 0VU. ie when a signal reads 0VU on the mixing desk, sending it at unity gain to the DAW gives a reading of -18dBFs (-16 and -14 are also in use regularly).
Which means that a lot of the time, if you apply good gain staging so that your levels are hitting 0VU on the console, sending to tape WILL give you a level of around -18dBFs. Essentially, all you're doing is leaving sufficient headroom. It's not like -18 is this magical figure to aim at.
If this is confusing to anyone, the wikipedia article on decibels is quite good. Essentially though, don't add to the confusion by throwing around "-18dB" without qualifying what you're referring to.