Hi Nicola,
After much testing and follow up discussions with Mike, we have determined and isolated the issue I was experiencing. I will create a feature request thread if you would like and elaborate further. The basics of the findings (tested with Audio Precision analyzer) are as follows:
Surface Inputs clip @ +18dBu
Surface Outputs clip @ +23dBu (+22.8 as tested)
Tie Line from Input port to Output port measures +5dBu of gain.
“Insert” assigned to Analogue measures ~0 dB of gain. I cannot seem to figure out what the digital setting does when assigned to analog surface ports.
This leads to the problem experienced – there is no gain across an insert, such as an XLR loop in this case, however when outputs are driven above +18dBu output, they will inevitably clip the insert return. This creates problems where a mixbus may not be clipping anywhere in a signal chain, however by assigning an insert, it immediately clips. I have set the limiter section of my Stereo Buss processing to +18dBu to ensure that this does not happen, however this is not an ideal situation.
Ideally, it would be great for the output ports to “recalibrate” when assigned to an insert path, meaning that now 0dBFS is +18dBu to ensure that input and output have the same clip point.
Thank you!
