• Registered: 2024-09-29
  • Posts: 1

Topic: FF UCX II - Trying to figure out DI settings for active bass

Hey there. I'm trying to record an active bass through the instrument input and I'm having the darndest time trying to figure it out. I don't understand why I'd use the +13 setting over the +19 setting. What the heck do they mean, and how does that correlate to the instrument input?

Also, is the instrument input on the UCX II comparable to something like a Radial DI, or is there still some benefit of getting an external DI? Thanks in advance!

2 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2024-09-29 18:32:21)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,193

Re: FF UCX II - Trying to figure out DI settings for active bass

Your UCX II supports two different reference levels on the analog inputs which change the input sensitivity.
This you can read from the manual.
When switching between the two reference levels, didn't you see the change in the metering?

I would 1st start setting the gain to 0 and to look what sensitivity gives you the best starting point.
You can use the Instr Gain to fine tune the level in a 2nd step.

Do not overload the inputs, you need to stay below 0dBFS.
You can also use Autoset, if enabled it automatically lowers the input gain.
But it can't change the reference level, this has to be done by you.

Line In 3-4, front
 as AD, but:
 Additional digital Gain stage: 0 up to +12 dB
 Maximum input level, +19 dBu, Gain 0 dB: Line +19 dBu, Inst +13 dBu
 Maximum input level, +13 dBu, Gain 12 dB: Line +1 dBu, Inst -5 dBu

I am very satisfied with the quality of my Instr input on the UFX III. I would expect the Instr input on the UCX II not to be worse, although it seems to be a different circuit with a different gain range.

Here a sound sample of a Gibson Archtop (L5 CES) recorded via UFX+ or UFX III (do not remember exactly) Instrument Input. Without any virtual amp, the pure Guitar signal...
From this blog article: https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/Ent … CIe-EN-DE/
Direct link of the recording: https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/attachme … -320b-mp3/

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14

3 Reply by tonpalt (edited by tonpalt 2024-09-30 16:36:39)

  • From: Valencia, Spain
  • Registered: 2024-04-18
  • Posts: 62

Re: FF UCX II - Trying to figure out DI settings for active bass

Hello

deathbyguitar wrote:

Hey there. I'm trying to record an active bass through the instrument input and I'm having the darndest time trying to figure it out. I don't understand why I'd use the +13 setting over the +19 setting. What the heck do they mean, and how does that correlate to the instrument input?

You can work with whatever you want, +13 or +19dBu are options to increase or reduce the input sensitivity depending on the sound source, in this case your active bass, so if at +19 you need to turn up the output of your bass to the maximum (more noise) change to +13 and try it.

In other words, play with the factors Bass Output →+13 vs +19→Gain and stay where you want. A video from RME below, in case you want to delve a little deeper into this matter ....

https://rme-audio.de/analog-and-digital … evels.html

deathbyguitar wrote:

Also, is the instrument input on the UCX II comparable to something like a Radial DI, or is there still some benefit of getting an external DI? Thanks in advance!

I'm not a bass player and I haven't connected any to my UCX2 yet but AFAIK I doubt you'll get any significant improvements using some DIs versus 3/4 inputs, except to avoid hum noise or want/need balanced output, an example ...

https://www.radialeng.com/product/stagebug-sb2

... and IMHO you should investigate deeper if really worth.

Good luck

UCX II FW106/34/104 v1.253 TM1.97 - PC Win11 23H2 / Fedora WS 41 - Reaper 7.27