Caibrating converter to run a hot analog mix

[nickynicknick]

hey guys...using an apogee rosetta to convert mixes running through a console that wants to be pushed pretty good (at least I like it that way...kinda like a car that wants to be driven hard)....gimme any thoughts or concerns about calibrating down 5-10 db to compensate (obviously to avoid digital clipping). this seems to make sense to me in order to capture whatever character I think a hot (analog) mix is adding... anyone do this? why? why not? all opinions welcome......BTW I'm not doing this as a pre mastering technique (just a mix vibe). I always want my mixes around -12 in the digital world. Cheers

Nick

[Windtaken]

It's not a bad idea. API preamp outputs are pretty hot so you'd want to avoid clipping at the conversion stage of things. You could try inline attenuators (Shure A15AS or A Designs Atty/Atty 2'd). This should be avoidable with a console though. That's the whole point of faders...

It's possible that you like the sound of the conversion as it is reaching digital zero. In that case, it can't be avoided if that's what you're going for.

[nickynicknick]

It's possible that you like the sound of the conversion as it is reaching digital zero. In that case, it can't be avoided if that's what you're going for.
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....approaching digital zero is ugly to me....plus 4 to plus 8 and beyond analog is exciting to me....depending on the console it can add a nice aggressiveness....thanks for your thoughts

[Plush]

Calibrate so that your 0VU tone is coming out of your converter at -18dBFS.
I think that your idea of peaking at -12 dBFS is too conservative.
Move that up to -6 or -4dBFS and youse in bidniz.

[Andrew Kinsey]

If you like the sound of your console when pushed there are other ways appart from trimming the converter inputs.

I wouldn't use any kind of attenuator mentioned above as i have found that they can degrade the signal. You would be better to use resistors, 10R or less, on the console output cables, that would attenuate the signal in a very passive manner. Alot of people run the output of the console to a compressor before printing, this way you can also turn down the output from the compressor if your mix is quite hot.

However as stated in the previous post it may be that you also like the sound of the converter when its being pushed.

Different consoles, and different converters will obviously give a different sound which means that you shouldn't base any descision from what others are doing. If you were using a Lavry Gold AD for example you may actually want to push the converter quite hard, most people do.

I would advise you to try it in different ways and only then make up your mind based on what you personally prefer for your mixes.

[nickynicknick]

However as stated in the previous post it may be that you also like the sound of the converter when its being pushed.

...compressor idea very cool....didn't even think of it....and no I don't like the idea of pushing a coverter at all...thanx for the good info

[Jay Kahrs]

I usually calibrate converters so -18dBfs is equal to 0dBVU at +4. Never had a headroom issue even when pushing big desks or tape machines... usually ends up peaking around -3 or -4dBfs.

If it's still a wee bit too hot I'll back the compressor down by a dB or two. I try to keep that even, what goes in comes out without a big level change...

[nickynicknick]

thanks everybody...good stuff