dBFS using Firewire - Help

[sowpunk]

Hey everyone,

I've been doing a bit of research on dBFS and how it should read -18dBFS rougly on my recording software and 0db on my mixer. I have a few questions I couldn't find answers for using the search, wikipedia or browsing

1. Does the 0db on the mixing desk refer to the output of the mixer or each individual track?

2. Does the -18dBFS refer to this

I am pretty sure it doesn't because that would come out awfully quiet wouldn't it?

Everything I read said that your soundcard should read -18dBFS but the system I am using doesn't have a soundcard. I'm using a Phonic Helix 18 FireWire mixing desk.

Thanks guys.

 

[bigwillz24]

I think the number above where you set -18 should read -18. And it should read 0 on each channel of your mixer.

 

[sowpunk]

Awesome

Thanks mate

 

[Massive Master]

You want to be hitting around 0dBVU on your *INPUT CHAIN*

EVERYTHING else at unity except for the preamp gain.

That should equate to around -18dBFS (give or take).

 

[sowpunk]

Awesome thanks Massive

Looking at the board now the 0dBVU level is slightly half way up the meter in the yellow zone, that sounding right?

So as long as it doesn't go above 0 on the mixing desk I should be sweet?

 

[Farview]

YOu are confusing the level of the fader with the signal level.

When you are recording the level on your input channel meter (not the fader) should read (around) -18db.

This has nothing to do with mixing, this has nothing to do with the mixer channels.

The faders on the input channels in cubase should always be set to unity (zero). The meter should be bouncing around -18dbfs or so.

 

[Farview]

Awesome thanks Massive

Looking at the board now the 0dBVU level is slightly half way up the meter in the yellow zone, that sounding right?

So as long as it doesn't go above 0 on the mixing desk I should be sweet?

Are you talking about a a real hardware mixing board, or the one in cubase? A real mixer has VU meters, the one in cubase does not, it has peak meters.

A VU meter will have it's zero point in the middle of the meter. The meter is slow, so fast transients get by it. It reads the average level. The average level needs to be set at 0dbVU.

When you look at the input channel in cubase, you will see that the meter will bounce well above -18dbfs. This is because cubases meters are peak meters. They measure the really fast transients. However, if you are feeding it a signal that reads 0dbVU on a hardware mixer, it will be averaging around -18dbfs in cubase and everything is fine.