Multimeter question:

[sayenex]

Hey everyone,

 

I have a question about the multimeter.

 

I put the multimeter on my output 1&2. what is it actually showing me? when I have the output level at 0.0 the output is clipping and it looks like the multimeter is clipping.

 

when I turn the output down to about -8.0 it doesn't clip anymore, but the multimeter still looks like it's clipping. I don't Hear any clipping, but I see it clipping.

 

when I turn "pre-fader" monitoring on the output and all of my tracks are NOT clipping, but the multimeter is still clipping.

 

so I finally lowered all my tracks to get the multimeter not to clip, but now my tracks look like they are really low volume. like peaking at -8 even lower for some.

 

is this what I'm supposed to be doing? I usually got my tracks as hot as possible without clipping post fader monitor and pre-fader monitor. same with the output level, I would just make sure it didn't clip.

 

so....anyway, wondering if someone could explain if I need to use this. or HOW I need to use this.

 

Evan

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[taxiway01]

Your output is the SUM of what's coming from all your channels, instruments, busses, aux, i.e. everything that is routed to a particular output. Therefore, the more signal you add to an output ( or a bus, or anything that sums inputs), the more "level" you have.

Here's the theory: if two channels routed to the same output peak at -6db at the exact same moment, their common output clips. That's because the db scale is designed in such a way that the sound pressure doubles every 6db. Which means that [-6bd] added to [-6db] equals 0db.

 

The multimeter shows you more parameters (frequency spectrum, phase correlation etc) than the peak meter you have on every chanel in the mixer, but it's just that: a measuring tool. It does not affect your audio in any way. Refer to the manual, which is (for once) pretty clear about that.

[Jope]

As any plugin the Multimeter is part of the signal chain prior to the fader. If it shows peeks to, say, +3dB, you would have to lower the fader to -3dB to avoid clipping.

Since you can never control each signal's phase in your mixer, signal's peaks sum up differently for every pass, thus producing peaks here and there. Watch it, single clipping peak samples are simply irrelevant. If you want more control, use a Limiter that can temporarily lower its gain to make peaks 0dB without introducing too many artifacts. The new compressor has two saturation circuits in its extended parameters that can be helpful, too. They do what magnetic tapes did formerly: They round the peaks. This produces distortion but is less obtrusive than digital clipping.

Clipping will occur when Logic's internal floating point numbers breaking through the 0dB wall are converted to a fixed 16bit or 24bit or whatever-bit format of audio files or DA-converters.

Experts suggest peak levels of -3dB to leave headroom for mastering. I usually use compressor (that contains a limiter too) and then Multimeter on the output strip, make sure the limiter won't cut in too often and then attenuate the signal using the fader to -3dB.

[sayenex]

Ok, so as long as no fader is clipping, I'm alright,

 

The reason I ask is because I do a lot of "amateur mastering" we'll say for people that have recorded with me. so far these have been low budget start up bands, friends, etc. They don't want to pay extra to get it mastered, and so I've been doing what I can for them, and they've been happy so that's good

 

Thanks A lot for the help,

 

Evan

[Jope]

Ok, so as long as no fader is clipping, I'm alright (...)

 

It's just the output that must not clip. Within the mixer it doesn't matter whether channel strips go into the red or not, these meters are merely for information/orientation. On the other hand keeping them lower than 0dBFS doesn't mean their signals can't sum up to more than 0dBFS. Just watch the output meter.

And as long as it sounds alright, you can't be too wrong...

Cheers!

 

Jörg

[sayenex]

Thanks a lot!

 

evan