So yesterday I had my first proper rinse on the prime setup I bought.
I USB recorded channel 9/10 in Audactiy windows 10.
The recording level was really low, can anyone think why would that be? I used to record via usb in rekordbox and the peaks etc were up near 1…whereas from the x1800 the recording was at point one area?
Also, the recording is at a slower speed than when I was playing…the set was at 124bpm and the recording comes out at 123… any idea why that would be? Its noticeable, are there settings I can change for this please?
As for the speed difference, that probably the difference in output and input settings. For instance, mixer sampling rate set at 48kHz and recording at 44.1kHz.
With the recording so low in Audacity this morning, I couldn’t use my normal method of finding the quietest part of the mix track, applying a hard limit to the whole mix and then amplifying it all to the same volume (to peak at -.1)…that way all the mix was at the same volume
The biggest annoyance in Audacity is usually just finding the right inputs or even getting them to show up at all since it’s not ASIO. Never heard about volume issues once you get the right inputs.
Not sure what you’re talking about with levels. Perhaps this can help…
The 0dBVu spot on the X1800 meters is nominal average volume, not where your peaks should be. Dynamic tracks should be way beyond that and compressed tracks that are louder-sounding should be up to or just past that. You should never need to hit the limiter in a recording situation if it’s switched on, and in a live situation it should be disabled.
In Audacity, the zero at the top of its meter is the full scale hard limit – 0dBFS. About -18 in Audacity, as Reese mentions, is where 0dBVu is at on the X1800. This is completely normal. 0dBFS on the X1800 is literally the top LED on its meters. Never go that high. Save the LED below that, actually, for safety headroom on even the tracks that need the most boost. Heck, anything over -3dBFS is getting into hairy inter-sample error terratory.
Bounce AROUND the zero on the X1800 meters, troughs below and peaks above it about evenly. But yes, check your output settings on the X1800, too. Put the master at -0 on its options attenuator and not +10. Put the record at its -0 setting, too. Turn the master all the way up so its meter is the same as the channels… granted they’re different lengths/labels. In stereo, they’ll be the same actual level.
Thank you for your response, i’m a bit lost what you mean, I will re read tomorrow.
I haven’t adjusted the master db in the options on the mixer, just the usb rec out.
When I mix, I dont have the master up high, because the speakers are active monitors with their volume on the back, so I use the mixer master knob to control the volume, so unless I’m really going for it… I have the volume pretty low on the master.
I think some outputs might be defaulted to +10. Put them all at zero. Connect your speakers to the booth or something else if you’re wanting to not control the volume on the speakers or amps. You need the master meter for checking levels.
Oh okay, I’ve always had my home speakers connected to the master and controlled the volume that way and just used the levels on the channels to make sure I didn’t ever redline (djm 900nexus)… I guess I never really looked into how I should set it all up when I got them years ago!
The channel meters 1) don’t tell you how far away from clipping the master DACs you are and 2) even if they did, as soon as you have two or more of them open at the same time full blast it’s a hotter summed signal… not to mention master effects. Besides giving you better ability to manage levels, running the master out at unity also maximizes the performance of the X1800 as the master volume is pre-DAC. Your 100dB S/N ratio mixer is now much less than that when you have it turned down on that knob. It’s also a bad habit to get into for live sound and venues. You absolutely do not want the DJ in control of the hard limit of the sound system.
Hooked an x1800 back up. The master and booth attenuation settings for the outputs are from the default nothing (zero) to -15. So change them both to -10, turn the master knob all the way up, and you can put the booth knob at whatever you want with the knowledge that as long as the master meter is not maxing out, you’re fine.