Ex-cert from Delta 1010lt manual

[Tremaine]

I copied this from my M-audio Delta 1010lt <pci sound card> manual.

""{at the delta analog outputs, a +4dBu setting will give you the most headroom for recording. allowing the Delta 1010lt to accept a hotter signal level.""

...this means the device sends a hotter signal, therefore the +4dBu setting is cut or has less gain compared to a 'consumer' <-4dB> or -10dBV signal?

 

[TimOBrien]

There are 2 types of signals in recording studios:

+4dbu is pro-studio grade and sends a bit over 1volt down the wire.
-10dbV is consumer grade (cd player, etc) and sends about 1/3rd of a volt down the wire.

You want to use +4 whenever you can.

Line level - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Bristol Posse]

Or to be more precise you want to use the appropriate levels (voltages) depending on what the next piece of equipment is expecting

sending a +4 dBu signal to equipment expecting -10 dBv levels could cause distortion, clipping maybe even damage as you are sending way too much voltage in
The other way around wouldn't be as bad although sending -10 dBv levels to a device looking for +4dBU would be a very low signal
You want to calibrate your soundcard/converters based on what level of signal your analog gear will be sending/receiving

 

[Tremaine]

thanks dudes, and i appreciate the warning.

-10dbV is consumer grade (cd player, etc)

so would this be any regular home stereo gear, like amps and eq's?

 

[diggy_dude]

so would this be any regular home stereo gear, like amps and eq's?

Yep. All that stuff is designed to work together without the user setting levels on each device.