Quote:
Originally Posted by Ethan Winer  In the days of analog tape, "nominal operating level" was set where 0VU equals the magnetic flux at some number of nanowebers per meter: From 15 MilliMaxwell to 1,200 NanoWebers
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That's the thing. There is no single "optimum" level with digital recording. Some people like to keep the average levels around -15 or even lower, some push as close to Digital Zero as they can get without clipping. Either approach works fine and sounds fine, so it's a matter of personal preference. At least that's how I see it.
--Ethan |
There is still "headroom" in the electronics surrounding the tape machine. Typically, the console would have around 20dB of headroom above the nominal operating level (0VU=+4dBm) so as to be clear and above the tape machine. So the max output level of a pro console should be no less than +24dBm.
This still holds true in digital since we have plugins that process the audio and some if not many (especially the vintage emulations) are designed with a nominal operating level in mind. If you hit the input of an La2a (a fake one such as UAD) with a really hot level, the sound is different that at a normal level. Even if you do not exceed 0dBFS, the plug might not sound like its real world equivalent if the input level is too high.
A good starting place is -20dBFS average level for digital. In a 24bit system, there is plenty of room above and below this and many plugins will be happy with those sorts of input levels.
Anyone using outboard analog gear must pay attention to operating levels in the real world, eg voltage. Especially as inserts on DAW mixer channels. Slamming the outboard gear might not be the best idea. Then again, it might be the best idea ever....
-bassman