Optic vs.analog

[Shana]

I bought an optic cable so I could mix down to my cd burner completely digital yet I found the volume to be much lower. The sound was clearer but lower. Can anyone can tell me the difference? (I know must of you CAN but WILL you?? Of course you will,, )
Thanx
Shana

[Gidge]

What Cd burner do you have?.....standalone or computer?....

[Shana]

Standalone. Is there a difference?

[Gidge]

just wanting to see what type of input plug it has...what make/model is it?..do you know for sure that the input to the burner is optical?...

[MONTE]

The also important question is "What are you mixing down FROM?" Whatever the case may be it's likely that your peaks are not at 0db. I'm just guessing without all the pertinent information, but I'd guess that you have some sort of metering in the analog domain (either the meters on the board, or a record level on the burner). And you may not have control of input levels in the digital domain because whatever you feed the burner is what it will record. If your using software, you'll need to normalize the tracks before you burn. If your using a digital board or something, you may need to compress or limit the output a little to get your levels where you like. Can you post more info? What kind of burner? What are you sending to the burner (output of a board, pc, etc.)Need more info!

[Gidge]

Im pretty sure she has the Boss BR8.....

[Buck62]

The digital output delivers a better, clearer signal, but it does not receive any boost whatsoever from a commercial cd burner.
You have to rely on a properly recorded source in your BR-8... using your individual faders and master-out, in order to get to the desired 0-db level on the burner.

If the music you recorded on your BR-8 peaks out too low (say, around -3 db) then chances are you won't be able to get it up to standard Redbook level.

There are 2 ways to get around that, though.... if you have these options available to you.

CD burners like the Tascam CDRW-700 and the CDRW-5000 have a built-in "db-boost" that commercial burners don't have. That would do the trick for you.

(OR)

If the BR-8 has a "global" type setting that would allow you to put some gain in the output signal... then that would also work. I'm pretty sure the BR-8 doesn't have that option, though.

If neither of these suggestions would work for you, then you can either go analog-out (which doesn't sound quite as good.... but still pretty close).. or, you can record the song optically into the cd burner, feed it back out digitally to the BR-8 (putting it on to the stereo channels at a hotter level) and then feed it back out optically to the cd burner at the "hotter" level.

At that point, you'd also be able to tweak the song a bit (if the BR-8 has a built-in parametric eq and/or a compressor).... basically, in effect, "mastering" the final mix.

[Shana]

"If neither of these suggestions would work for you, then you can either go analog-out (which doesn't sound quite as good.... but still pretty close).. or, you can record the song optically into the cd burner, feed it back out digitally to the BR-8 (putting it on to the stereo channels at a hotter level) and then feed it back out optically to the cd burner at the "hotter" level. "


That's brilliant but the BR-8 which I hate now does not have an optical IN!!


Go figure.
But I pretty much understand what the difference is now,
Thanx man
Shana



I got

[Gidge]

Im usually not one to promote spending money, but I would get a S/PDIF card such as the Delta Dio 2448 (89.99) to dump the songs digitally to the computer, do whatever editing is needed to get the levels right, and then go out to the burner.....

[darrin_h2000]

most stand alone units like my sony will have a record level knob on them. you can tweek it and get the level up that way.

computer burners are faster. but adding reverb ,aural exciter, or eqing and comping. can only improve things. so theres an advantage to using analog outs to the burner.

good luck