Radial X-Amp - output significantly lower when reamping?!

[A Gruesome Discovery]

So I've got my DI tracks recorded; I record at a healthy, not-too-hot level (peaking at -12dB). But my reamps are weak and sad. I did a loopback test to check the reamping levels and found that the signal coming out of my X-Amp 10dB lower than the DI track, and the level knob on the X-Amp is dimed.

Here's my loopback test setup; maybe someone can see something obvious that I'm missing:

RECORDING THE DI TRACK: Guitar ---(guitar cable)---> Groove Tubes' "The Brick" DI ---(balanced XLR)---> Universal Audio 2192 DAC ---(SPDIF)---> Steinberg UR824 Interface.

REAMPING: Steiny UR824 ---(SPDIF)---> UA2192 ---(balanced XLR)---> Radial X-Amp---(guitar cable)--->DI on UR824 @ unity gain

Dig? So by monitoring the both the Brick DI and the Steiny DI, I get a side-by-side look at my direct level as well as the reamping levels. Yup, 10dB drop on the latter.

I've also plugged straight into the UR824's DI to rule it out as the problem, and sure enough, the level is the same with my guitar going direct as it is going into The Brick. So somewhere in all those 1s and 0s, I'm shedding 10dB of level.

What the fuck, forum?

 

[deLuther]

X-Amp as well as ProRMP have significant volume drop by design, ProRMP can be easily modded to have unity gain, just needs to remove voltage divider before transformer. X-Amp is active device, so it can be modded, but it`s far more difficult - at least you need schematics of device.

 

[mva801]

I sold my X-amp and got a Little Labs redeye 3d. Much happier.

 

[deLuther]

Palmer Daccapo could be also not expensive solution.

Usually both X-Amp and ProRMP have around 11-12 db of reduction.
The rest depends on interfaces, UA2192 can have pretty high output level (+23 dbu), with, say 12 db of reduction, you will have around +11 dbu, UR824 have Hi-Z with +10 dbV (+12.2 dbu) maximum input level.
You should check unity gain with the same chain as for reamping and DI recording, because GT DI into UA2192 should give higher maximum input level than UR824.

UA2192 can have equal input and output levels (+23 dbu), so, if such settings is used, output level will be equal to input minus 11-12 db from X-Amp.

 

[A Gruesome Discovery]

Awesome, thanks everyone; I just had that nagging feeling that some piece of gear wasn't working correctly, and that shit can keep you up at night. I'm a little surprised that the X-Amp has such a significant drop; I guess I assumed "active" meant there'd be extra gain available

 

[The-Zeronaut]

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/backline/894126-palmer-daccapo-reamp-box.html

 

[MatrixClaw]

Yep. That's why I sold mine. Using a Line2Amp that I built for like $35 now, and it bitch slaps the X-Amp.

 

[A Gruesome Discovery]

Ordered the Palmer