Minimum Volume

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aaronmcoleman

aaronmcoleman

The truth is out there!
Ok there's always a lot of talk about input volumes. And I understand -18dbfs is 0 in the analog world.

So two questions 1) is there a minimum volume to keep things above? I record some things around -24 or -30dbfs. Is that too low. 2) if I'm not using any external pres or equipment (ie using the pres built into my Focusrite interface) is there any reason to keep the input volume below -18?

Thanks!
 
I would say that as long as your analog noise floor is above your digital noise floor then you are okay, but it might be more convenient to run things a little higher so you can see the waveforms and the recordings are more in the usable range for your plugins.
 
Are the plugins designed for hotter signal? For example, with a plugin compressor could I just pull the threshold down lower or is it not going to work as well? What about EQ?

I usually use outboard pres so I try to get my average level as close to -18 as possible to keep the pres from peaking. Is that correct? What about sending a signal out from my DAW to an analog compressor, should I keep the output around -18?
 
aaronmcoleman said:
Are the plugins designed for hotter signal? For example, with a plugin compressor could I just pull the threshold down lower or is it not going to work as well? What about EQ?
Click to expand...

Probably most don't care what the level is, but if the threshold is controlled by a slider it can get hard to set at the bottom of its travel. Compressors that emulate analog hardware may treat -18dBFS as 0dBU.

aaronmcoleman said:
I usually use outboard pres so I try to get my average level as close to -18 as possible to keep the pres from peaking. Is that correct? What about sending a signal out from my DAW to an analog compressor, should I keep the output around -18?
Click to expand...

What digital level lines up with 0dBU depends on the converters, but it's usually around -18dBFS.
 
I wouldn't worry about it. I'm willing to bet that you almost can't record too low. I record at extremely low levels and if I need to use a compressor, I just pull the threshold down until I get the compression I need. It's not a problem.
 
RAMI said:
I wouldn't worry about it. I'm willing to bet that you almost can't record too low. I record at extremely low levels and if I need to use a compressor, I just pull the threshold down until I get the compression I need. It's not a problem.
Click to expand...

That's what I do too. Ive never noticed it being a problem, but there is a lot I don't know.
 
aaronmcoleman said:
Ok there's always a lot of talk about input volumes. And I understand -18dbfs is 0 in the analog world.
Click to expand...

Also just as a point of order 0VU assuming +4dBu on your DAW dBFS meter is where ever your converters calibrate it to be

My Profire is calibrated at -12dBFS = 0VU +4dBu
My BLA Sparrow is calibrated at -11dBFS = 0VU +4dBu
My soon to be new RME Multiface is switchable so that it can be calibrated at -15dBFS = 0VU +4dBu or -9dBFS = 0VU +4dBu depending on how mch headroom you need
Lynx and Rosetta converters are user calibrated
Etc, etc

So in any of these cases shooting for -18 dBFS would put me well bellow line level (in some cases as much as 9 dBu below line level) so I am potentially not optimizing my analog front end in terms of signal to noise ratio

So the moral of this story would be "KNOW THY GEAR"

Once in the box and using waves analog emulation plugins as and example: Waves SSL, MPX tape, Pie Compressot etc etc all default to -18dBFS = simulated 0VU at +4dBu. If i shoot for line level when recording a track with an RME multiface calibrated to -9dBFS = 0VU +4dBu and then slap on one of these plugs I will be hitting the plugin with a simulated +13 dBu input and will get potentially a lot of the modeled distortion from hitting a signal processor very hard. Maybe that's what I want maybe it's not and if it happens on every track things could sound pretty awful pretty quickly. So in this case I either need to adjust the calibraton for 0VU on my analog modeled plug in or pull the gain down by 9 dBFS on the plug in input or with a trim plug in ahead of the analog modeled plugin

so the moral of this story is "KNOW THY PLUG INS"

Understanding your gain staging and signal flow is important through the entire process even once ITB

YMMV
 
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Good point.

I notice when the volumes on my Focusrite saffire pro 40 are around 4, and the 0vu lights on my external preamps are hitting 0, the incoming signal is -18dbfs. So I assume 4 on the interface is line level and an incoming signal around -18dbfs on my DAW would then be maximizing my analog gear without clipping anywhere. So I think I know all my analog gear.

As for plugins, I don't use many just reapers EQ and comp, and a couple stillwell EQs and comps. They all seem fine at -18 or even -30. I don't know though.
 
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