API A2D superclock questions

[mickrich]

Can someone (peeder maybe) explain the gain staging on the a2d for me.
The input gain LED goes to +27. Should I be peaking a 0db or push the pre way into the +s. When hitting 0db on the mic gain the AD section was putting out -18db when turned up full.
For a clean sound without peaking the pre this level is very low.
I am used to my focusrite isa where I usually peak the pre at 0db but the output level can push it up. This doesn't seem to work on the A2D.
Thanks
Michael

[peeder]

Originally Posted by mickrich

Can someone (peeder maybe) explain the gain staging on the a2d for me.
The input gain LED goes to +27. Should I be peaking a 0db or push the pre way into the +s. When hitting 0db on the mic gain the AD section was putting out -18db when turned up full.
For a clean sound without peaking the pre this level is very low.
I am used to my focusrite isa where I usually peak the pre at 0db but the output level can push it up. This doesn't seem to work on the A2D.
Thanks
Michael

-18db is what the converter's are calibrated to as a nominal level. Printing at -18db is fine, if the clean sound is what you want. Many mastering engineers have been worked up into a froth arguing you should always track at -18dbFS, but I think they're just too bored in their mastering suites and want to get in where the action is. Most people pay out not for cleans but for good breakup, which the A2D makes easy with the nice attenuators.

So go ahead and record at -18dbFS if you want cleans. With your focusrite too.

[peeder]

Originally Posted by mickrich

I can confirm the wordclock mod is direct from API. Got my a2d today and it has the same in/out board with the text done in felt tip pen.
Looks like an afterthought but works fine.
All my questions re superclock are now irrelevant. It is clocking fine from my mutec clock at standard 44.1 clock rate.
It seems API have seen the light regarding the stupid superclock only thing.
The modded one has standard WC in and out as well as the superclcock in so is much more useful.
They should let the masses know about this because I am sure they have lost lots of sales because of the superclock issue.
BTW it sounds wonderful. It arrived just in time for laying guitars on a metal album I am recording and it sounds way better and more aggressive than my ISA220 or Digi Pre.
Hopefully someone from API can confirm that this mod is now standard, because they initially told me it was a $400 "upgrade".

Well they added a PLL to allow word clock sync. And that may mean the converter isn't as high quality. Or it might mean the converter is better quality. However it is more of a challenge to produce a converter with a PLL. And in any case, it would be better to run it on internal sync if it's your most important converter pair and your other converters have good PLLs/jitter suppression.

[mickrich]

Thanks Peeder. It amazes me how you find the time to post so much helpful advise on gearslutz.
I will have to experiment with the gain and see what works.
The AD sounds really good. I recorded guitars and vocals today and the tracks sound really forward and punchy. Exactly why I wanted the API.
The only problem is now I want another one!
I have it going into the spdif in on my 01v96 so I have compression and EQ before I hit logic.
I can't decide whether to use the A2D on kick/snare or overheads for a kit.
I mainly record heavy bands so the kick/snare is usually mixed with triggers so I think overheads may be the way to go.

[Roc Mixwell]

Yea.....its standard now.....