Octatrack Input Level Optimisation

[Prinzabu]

So, I have read, and experienced myself that the OT doesn’t really distort recorded samples even though the meters are showing red. In a live situation, when mixing live-sampled audio with normalised pre recorded stuff, I often notice that the live-sampled stuff is just way too low in recorded volume. How do I work around this? Is it best practise just to lower the volume in my whole set-up? I was thinking about getting a stereo level meter in front of my OT Inputs to show optimal level (the levels just before distorsion, since the LED indicators aren’t true).

It seems a hassle to normalise the recorded audio in a live situation. I need the audio to sound continuosly! Cheers!

[sezare56]

@Prinzabu

I was thinking about getting a stereo level meter in front of my OT Inputs to show optimal level

Same for me. My mixer should do the job but I don’t use it for the moment.

I made a test with a 0db Sine :
Send OT Cue Out to Input AB with 2 cables.

Red light with
Cue = 127, Master Cue = 16, Gain =0

Checked Input with OT Noise Gate meter :
Full red light is between - 12.3 db and - 11.2 db

Full red light just before clipping with
Cue = 127, Master Cue = 63, gain = 3
(between - 3.3 and - 2.2 db)

Recorded. No clipping. The sine is very near 0db

Some topics
https://www.elektronauts.com/search?context=topic&context_id=47249&q=Gain%20%23Octatrack%20&skip_context=true

[sezare56]

You can also increase Master Level, Track level, VOL
@Open_Mike has written his settings somewhere. His Master is at +19, IIRC.

Edit : I found it here…

Internal gain stage recommendations

This was originally made in general thread and probably belongs here so we can discuss… This is a config tailored towards external gear and sampling, and maintaining volume while monitoring… (Begin) First the external source needs to be set at a healthy level, which makes the LEDs go orange and possibly flash red here and there, definitely above green. A trick I found is to use the noise gate which gives you a db reading, and crank it up until your signal disappears, this will tell you what…

[Prinzabu]

Dude, some great, helpful numbers @sezare56! Thank You. Will give these numbers a try tomorrow evening and get back!

[avantronica]

some red light thoughts and chat here

Gain aGain

This is a follow up post which perhaps questions a few of the assumptions made in a thread from a few years back … some of the statements have been taken to be a statement of fact (not least because of what is stated in the manual and in terms of how evaluations were thought through originally) I’ve revisited this afresh in a new thread in light of the general frustration with managing levels throughout the OT, particularly for capturing Live (and especially now we know the inputs are easily pu…

[Prinzabu]

That thread helped me immensely! Most vaulable thread on this forum in years, to me personally haha. I will try some of these things tomorrow evening. Would help me for my live sets enormously.