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copperx · 9th November 2005

Hi, I've seen multiple threads on "optimal" recording
levels when recording digitally in 24-bits. Many of the posts
say "calibrate your converters to -18dBFS". What does
that mean on a project-studio level converters that
can't be calibrated? That is, when tracking stuff, should I
watch the meters in my DAW so that the average
level does not exceed -18dB? or should I watch
peaks not to exceed -18dBs? ... I've made several recordings
with lower levels (previously I was hitting almost -3dB on
all tracks) and they sound significantly better, especially
when using some plug-in processing after the fact.

Basically I want to record with lower levels to leave more
headroom to the plugins and to not distort my preamps,
and I want to do this without losing resolution. Is the approach
I mentioned sound?

9th November 2005	#1
copperx Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ciudad Juarez, Mexico Posts: 530 Thread Starter	Digital tracking levels question Hi, I've seen multiple threads on "optimal" recording levels when recording digitally in 24-bits. Many of the posts say "calibrate your converters to -18dBFS". What does that mean on a project-studio level converters that can't be calibrated? That is, when tracking stuff, should I watch the meters in my DAW so that the average level does not exceed -18dB? or should I watch peaks not to exceed -18dBs? ... I've made several recordings with lower levels (previously I was hitting almost -3dB on all tracks) and they sound significantly better, especially when using some plug-in processing after the fact. Basically I want to record with lower levels to leave more headroom to the plugins and to not distort my preamps, and I want to do this without losing resolution. Is the approach I mentioned sound?