This goes back to basic gain structure. I had a little bit of a hard time understanding where exactly the problem is, but the gain of the individual channel preamps going out to the DAW to be recorded is the same gain that comes back into the board when you want to mix it down (unless you change the gain structure in the DAW).
We multitrack record our inputs and play them back for a virtual sound check. While I don’t have preamp gain control when the tracks are played back, they come back at the same volume level that they were recorded at. If my channel gain structure is correct when I am recording, it will be correct when I play it back.
You should never be setting your preamp gain levels by the volume you hear in your speakers. You should set your preamp gain levels according to the actual level needed to get the channel gain to 0db on the meter next to the screen (you might have to PAFL the input for the meter to show the gain of the selected channel). You should do this without any audio actually going to your speakers because your LR fader should be down all the way.
Once this is done, then you can set your speaker volume by bringing up your LR main output (or whatever fader is sending audio to your speakers) and adjusting the amp volume on the speakers until the “correct” listening volume in the speakers is achieved when the LR fader is also at 0db (unity).
Hopefully that helps.
SteffenR 3 years, 1 month ago.
