How hot when running +4 balanced signal?

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Nutdotnet

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I got my Rode NT-1 running to my JoeMeek MQ3 Mic Pre. From there my MQ3 runs to my Delta-44.

Just curious since the JoeMeek has balanced (+4) outputs and having +4 turned on for that channel in the Delta-44 how hot should the signal be in my multitrack program?

I remember someone saying -6, but I also hear that I should run it as hot as I can....

Any help would be great, thanks!
 
Here's a question for ya....

If I send a signal to my board using a -10dbv throughout the path, so that the meters read 0 db - what will the meter read if I were to switch the entire path to +4dbU?

The answer is, of course, 0db...........

You want to be keeping your gain structure uniform throughout the signal chain, so if your mixer only accepts -10dbV - then you don't want to be sending it a signal that's 12.1db hotter (ie, the +4dbU signal.)

Now if your mixer and recorder can accept either level - and you keep the gain structure consistent, then whether you use either one, your meters will read the same.

Bruce
 
Right, I understand what you are saying about keeping the signal path uniform.

Are you saying that if everything in my signal path is +4 I should still record close to 0db in the mulitrack program's mixer?
 
Blue Bear I dont quite understand what you are saying, how I understand it your saying. That if I have everything at -10 and on the Delta Control Panel have it set to accepct -10 and have that at 0 DB, then if I hit the button in the Delta Control Panel to switch it to +4 it should still read 0 with out having to turn any gain up or down? That doesnt sound right.
 
Nutdotnet said:
Right, I understand what you are saying about keeping the signal path uniform.

Are you saying that if everything in my signal path is +4 I should still record close to 0db in the mulitrack program's mixer?
Click to expand...
What I'm basically saying is that if your gain structure is consistent, then you can record at levels you normally do either at -10 or +4....

If your signal is peaking into the upper 6db range, then you are using the full word size for a 16-bit converter -- whether or not that's a good thing depends on the converters, and what kind of level coming back into the mixer (if it's outboard).

Independent of gain structure, OdbFS, is usually about 15db ABOVE 0db on a mixer's peak meters, so that's a hot signal.

Bruce
 
Tusin said:
Blue Bear I dont quite understand what you are saying, how I understand it your saying. That if I have everything at -10 and on the Delta Control Panel have it set to accepct -10 and have that at 0 DB, then if I hit the button in the Delta Control Panel to switch it to +4 it should still read 0 with out having to turn any gain up or down? That doesnt sound right.
Click to expand...
No, if you switch settings on one input, but still sending the same signal, you are not keeping the gain structure uniform and you will be dealing with either a very hot signal (12 db above) or a too weak signal, somewhere in your chain.

That is why I stressed keeping the gain structure consistent.

In normal operation, you would not be mixing gain structures because it will play havoc with your levels and your headroom.

Bruce
 
The bottom line is that hot (but not clipping) is better than weak and you always try to get the signal as close to 0db without clipping.

Let your ears make the ultimate decision.
 
Right, right.

I understand recording as hot as possible but the closer we get to 0db a lot more ambient noise appears.

Would recording at -6 (on the multirack program, my mic pre has plenty of input signal) be acceptable? Or should I try hotter?
 
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