Pre-Amp clipping DAW at -10dB!

2012 · 16th March 2006, 11:33 PM

002R clocking to M-Audio Octane via ADAT.

The Octane's dB meters shows the signal to be around
-20 to -10 dB but the Pro Tools input meter shows it clipping badly.

And, listening to it, it is clipping badly.

I have to keep the signal at -20dB or below on the Octane's front panel to avoid clipping within Pro Tools.

Can someone help me understand why this is happening?

much appreciation!

ToroRojo · 17th March 2006, 12:02 AM

Is your 002 set to -10 or +4?

Try flipping the operating level switches on the back to match the preamp.

2012 · 17th March 2006, 12:24 AM

the pre-amp is connected via lightpipe (ADAT) so it's bypassing the 002 converters/pre-amps completely...

**Geert van den Berg** · 17th March 2006, 12:52 AM

Does it sound good? That's the most important.

What meters are on that thing and at which point do they measure the signal?

It's usually not a problem if you still got some clean headroom on the preamp, it means you've got plenty of gain for soft sounding sources.

2012 · 17th March 2006, 12:58 AM

the pre-amp has 3 LEDS for each channel.

-20dB (green)
-10dB (yellow)
0dB (red)

Pro Tools input meter shows clipping (and there is upon listening)
when the pre-amp is showing only -20 to -10dB.

The signal never even gets close to the 0dB clipping indicator on the pre-amp.

So i don't understand why it would clip if the meter on the pre is showing a -10dB to -20dB level.

Jonboy79 · 17th March 2006, 01:31 AM

Is it doing this thru every channel? If you don't get any decent answers here try duc.digidesign.com.

Cojo · 17th March 2006, 03:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2012

002R clocking to M-Audio Octane via ADAT.

The Octane's dB meters shows the signal to be around
-20 to -10 dB but the Pro Tools input meter shows it clipping badly.

And, listening to it, it is clipping badly.

I have to keep the signal at -20dB or below on the Octane's front panel to avoid clipping within Pro Tools.

Can someone help me understand why this is happening?

much appreciation!

I'm just thinking here... can it be adat sync problems that is "clicking and popping" that you hear as clipping?

/Cojo

**Geert van den Berg** · 17th March 2006, 10:27 AM

Hmm, those leds indicate a digital level, as 0 is red/clip. Maybe the reaction time is slow as a VU? But not very likely.

Try this... Put a constant signal (1Khz tone is fine) on the line input and increase the gain on the Octane till the -20 is just lit. Try this later for -10 too.

For this you can use the signal generator from PT. Put it on an insert of an Aux channel and route it to a different analog output than your monitor outs. It doesn't really matter now which digital level the signal generator outputs (-20 is fine), it's just to check the relation of the led meter on the Octane and the digital level which goes into PT and you can use the gain knob to increase the signal level.

Then record enable a channel in PT and command click in the black section underneath the fader, this will show you the digital input level which gets to the track. Be aware that it has a peakhold, so click it after you adjust your gain setting.

Your reading should be close to -20 or -10 or else something is definately wrong.

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16th March 2006, 11:33 PM	#1
2012 Gear addict Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 393	Pre-Amp clipping DAW at -10dB! 002R clocking to M-Audio Octane via ADAT. The Octane's dB meters shows the signal to be around -20 to -10 dB but the Pro Tools input meter shows it clipping badly. And, listening to it, it is clipping badly. I have to keep the signal at -20dB or below on the Octane's front panel to avoid clipping within Pro Tools. Can someone help me understand why this is happening? much appreciation!

17th March 2006, 12:24 AM	#3
2012 Gear addict Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 393	lightpipe the pre-amp is connected via lightpipe (ADAT) so it's bypassing the 002 converters/pre-amps completely...

17th March 2006, 12:58 AM	#5
2012 Gear addict Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 393	clipping the pre-amp has 3 LEDS for each channel. -20dB (green) -10dB (yellow) 0dB (red) Pro Tools input meter shows clipping (and there is upon listening) when the pre-amp is showing only -20 to -10dB. The signal never even gets close to the 0dB clipping indicator on the pre-amp. So i don't understand why it would clip if the meter on the pre is showing a -10dB to -20dB level.

17th March 2006, 10:27 AM	#8
Geert van den Berg Mac Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Amsterdam Posts: 2,583	Hmm, those leds indicate a digital level, as 0 is red/clip. Maybe the reaction time is slow as a VU? But not very likely. Try this... Put a constant signal (1Khz tone is fine) on the line input and increase the gain on the Octane till the -20 is just lit. Try this later for -10 too. For this you can use the signal generator from PT. Put it on an insert of an Aux channel and route it to a different analog output than your monitor outs. It doesn't really matter now which digital level the signal generator outputs (-20 is fine), it's just to check the relation of the led meter on the Octane and the digital level which goes into PT and you can use the gain knob to increase the signal level. Then record enable a channel in PT and command click in the black section underneath the fader, this will show you the digital input level which gets to the track. Be aware that it has a peakhold, so click it after you adjust your gain setting. Your reading should be close to -20 or -10 or else something is definately wrong. Last edited by Geert van den Berg; 17th March 2006 at 11:11 AM..

17th March 2006, 12:02 AM	#2
ToroRojo Gear interested Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 15	Is your 002 set to -10 or +4? Try flipping the operating level switches on the back to match the preamp.

17th March 2006, 12:52 AM	#4
Geert van den Berg Mac Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Amsterdam Posts: 2,583	Does it sound good? That's the most important. What meters are on that thing and at which point do they measure the signal? It's usually not a problem if you still got some clean headroom on the preamp, it means you've got plenty of gain for soft sounding sources.

17th March 2006, 01:31 AM	#6
Jonboy79 Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: St. Louis MO Posts: 2,202	Is it doing this thru every channel? If you don't get any decent answers here try duc.digidesign.com.

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