About ideal volume on guitar di track

[Pxz]

I just realized that my di tracks are almost half the volume than the di i checked on here.
I`ll post one example in a minute for you guys to check it out. Im recording the di`s with the xt , i think they a picking at -25 or something like that.

 

[Chris_P_Critter]

I do -18

 

[Charles J]

I do -18

Yup. -18 here w/peaks no higher than -6 (which souldn't happen unless you're going Dillenger-style on your shit)

 

[musickey]

-18? damn why is that?

 

[Dalinkwent48@aim.com]

-18 cuz when you reamp it doesnt it boost it up a little bit?

 

[Sickan]

Peaks at -3 db.

 

[Metaltastic]

Peaks at -3 db.

Yup, that's what always nets me re-amped signals that are roughly as strong as guitar-into-amp signals! (and I have the pad on my Redeye disengaged, with the level knob at maximum, though since it's passive that of course only means there's zero additional attenuation beyond what the transformer does)

 

[Dalinkwent48@aim.com]

yeah i found out the hard way lolwhen i first did it im like ok so i just record at the same level as any other guitar...wrong wrong wrong

 

[BLUElightCory]

I usually just run the DI line-level straight into the converter. That way, the D.I. track is the exact level of the actual guitar when I run it back out to the amp.

 

[16S]

....so is it -18 or -3db?? sorry - confused

 

[musickey]

Peaks at -3 db.

Yeah thats about were im hitting. When i started seeing -18 posted i was thinking, shit thats why my tones suck lol but seems there are other reasons maybe its room treatment.....gotta be room treatment...lol

 

[freddrik]

....so is it -18 or -3db?? sorry - confused

The line level output from your DI should average around -18dbfs RMS so that would be your average tracking-level.

Peaks above -3db can be dangerous.. but really, as long as it doesn't clip 0dbfs you are fine.

 

[musickey]

....so is it -18 or -3db?? sorry - confused

Well what i shoot for is avarage -6, and on chuggy palm mutes it usualy hits around -3

 

[musickey]

The line level output from your DI should average around -18dbfs RMS so that would be your average tracking-level.

Peaks above -3db can be dangerous.. but really, as long as it doesn't clip 0dbfs you are fine.

Whats the science behind that?

 

[AllanD]

Whats the science behind that?

Setting levels correctly to get the best headroom/snr. It's not good to record signals too hot, because it can affect the sound, plus the obvious anything about -3 is almost clipping.

 

[musickey]

Setting levels correctly to get the best headroom/snr. It's not good to record signals too hot, because it can affect the sound, plus the obvious anything about -3 is almost clipping.

Signal to noise ratio huh, makes sense, Thanks
Got a project this weekend, so i will give the -18db a shot

 

[deLuther]

-2 to -3 db at peaks for reamping (reference is 0 dbFS i.e. in DAW), reamper drops around -12 db (maybe dependent on model/manufacturer, I have Radial ProRMP), so finally I`m get around -15 db which is similar to pickup. If I`m recording at -6 db at peaks, then output of reamper is not hot enough (without additional amplification) to recreate original sound.

 

[musickey]

What to do what to do?

 

[Metaltastic]

Setting levels correctly to get the best headroom/snr. It's not good to record signals too hot, because it can affect the sound, plus the obvious anything about -3 is almost clipping.

I'm not quite following - why does recording signals too hot affect the sound? And the hotter the signal, the better the SNR (not sure if you were saying that too or not). Also, bear in mind that because DI's are so absurdly dynamic, peaking at -3 of course doesn't mean that the overall level is anywhere near that hot. And "almost" is the key word there (even if it were to clip slightly on a massive palm mute transient, it's so quick I doubt it'd even be noticeable, similar to clipping a snare)

-2 to -3 db at peaks for reamping (reference is 0 dbFS i.e. in DAW), reamper drops around -12 db (maybe dependent on model/manufacturer, I have Radial ProRMP), so finally I`m get around -15 db which is similar to pickup. If I`m recording at -6 db at peaks, then output of reamper is not hot enough (without additional amplification) to recreate original sound.

Yup, this has been my experience as well

 

[deLuther]

If level of recorded DI-signal in DAW is 18 db, then I will need to boost signal by 12 db after interface.
And... every 6db means one bit of resolution and real resolution of ADC or DAC is lower than 24 bit... so, basically, it seems that at -18 db someone will loose 3 bits.
Where I`m wrong?