• Registered: 2018-08-02
  • Posts: 12

Topic: Guitar DI - low level input?

Hi guys

Long time lurker at the forum and decided to ask the intelligentsia here some newbie questions.

I bought the Babyface Pro about a year ago, but have been struggling somewhat with it ever since. My issue is that I think I'm getting an input level for my guitar that's to low.

My setup is simply my guitar (Ibanez RG2550z) via guitar cable to INPUT 3 on the Babyface. When I load my virtual guitar amps BIAS Amp or Fortin Nameless Suite, the output is nothing similar to what other people both on youtube etc and friends of mine get from their computer. I would describe it as just a lack of enough gain or the input level is too low. So I have tried various things to try to narrow down what the problem is:

-changed guitar cable - sounds the same
-changed to INPUT 4 - sounds the same¨
-tried three different guitars - sounds the same
-tried connecting the Babyface to other USB-ports - sounds the same
-tried recording in different DAWs: Reaper, Cubase LE and Cakewalk by Bandlab (which is my preferred one) - sounds the same
-reset Totalmix - sounds the same
-have been through various rounds with customer support over at BIAS, but can't seem to find anything wrong

So I'm pretty much out of ideas. I'm really new to home recording, so I reallty don't know where the problem is. I don't even know if it's Totalmix related, but would be really happy if someone could take a look at the screencapture I did of me strumming my guitar as a total maniac - meaning I play as roughly as I can. Shouldn't the input level be higher?

http://666kb.com/i/dxhoq80jsc8kgj93s.png

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

My rig:

RME Babyface Pro
Intel Core i5-4690K (Socket-LGA1150 Quad Core 3.5 GHz)
Gigabyte GA-Z97P-D3
16 GB RAM
Windows 10

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

Why you not change the +4 dBu button to -10?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2018-08-02
  • Posts: 12

Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

Hi Matthias!

I've tried that more than once, but it dows not alter the input level. Should there be a dramatic difference when changing it ot -10?

  • Registered: 2018-08-02
  • Posts: 12

Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

Hi again

Here's a screencap of me strumming like crazy with the setting at -10:

http://666kb.com/i/dxitknmhwyk1x2lts.png

5 Reply by MC

  • MC
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Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

What is the firmware version currently in the BF Pro?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2018-08-02
  • Posts: 12

Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

I'm at driver version 1.164 and hardware revision 101

7 Reply by MC

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Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

I rechecked and it works as expected. If you are sure that your guitar isn't broken (volume pot, pickup switch...) then you could reset TotalMix FX (Options, Total Reset), and switch input channel 3 from Mono to Stereo and back.

If you have a Stereo to Mono TRS to TS cable (so called insert cable) it would be easy to check the sensitivity of the BF Pro via its own outputs.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2018-08-02
  • Posts: 12

Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

I'll try resetting Totalmix like you said Matthias. I'm away from my computer for about a week, but let you know how it goes. Thanks so far.

  • Registered: 2018-08-02
  • Posts: 12

Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

Hi again

So I'm back home again, did a total reset of Totalmix, but it's not helping. You can see the results for yourself below. This is me strumming like crazy:

http://666kb.com/i/dxpxmu2eo645kydc0.png

Is it just me, or is something wrong here?

I'm picking up the stereo to mono cables at the post office tomorrow, but how exactly do I go about checking the sensitivity of the BF pro via its own outputs?

10 Reply by lebjart (edited by lebjart 2018-10-12 19:18:33)

  • Registered: 2018-08-02
  • Posts: 12

Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

Okay, so I think I might be on to something. I tried your advice, Matthias, to another guy with a similar problem back in 2015:

Re: The official Babyface Pro Thread
Your telecaster should reach 0 dBFS already at +4 with 6 dB Gain. Guirar cable defective? Vol pot turned down? Foot pedal in-between? To check the BF: simply connect the big phones output channels as loop back to the Inst inputs. At +4 dBu with 0 dB gain they will match, nearly same I/O level. If the input is not sensitive enough (defective) you would see a much lower input level.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

So I did the same thing: connected my jack cable from IN3 to the headphones output. This is the result when playing some random audio:

http://666kb.com/i/dxqw44afxvam27eo0.png


Could it actually be that there is something wrong with my Babyface?

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,191

Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

Does the "Gain" control not have any impact when using the instrument DI input?  Never owned an RME interface with a discrete DI input - so I have no clue smile

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  • Jeff
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Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

It does have an impact, but this input only has 9dB of gain, so not a huge change in overall level. Setting the input sensitivity to -10dBv will also help with matching the input sensitivity to the incoming signal.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

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  • Registered: 2017-07-01
  • Posts: 32

Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

Newbie here but Ill have a go at answering this problem: In all the screenshots above the gain pot on Instr. 3 channel is at zero.
If you add gain here it will surely pump up the signal significantly. Voila...

cheers
plank

  • Registered: 2018-08-02
  • Posts: 12

Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

Hi guys, and thanks for chipping in. If I turn the gain knob all the way to +9, it does not add significantly to the input level. It does add some noise though.

The question is really what input level is to be expected when simply connecting your guitar to the Babyface?

Also, is there a descrepancy in the last screenshot I posted of Totalmix? Should the inputs and output levels match?

15 Reply by MC

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Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

1. You should have used the insert cable. Now you short-circuited the right phones output while testing.

2. The input level is perfectly fine, so the problem seems to be your guitar or external cabling.

3. Proper testing would have been done with all faders at unity gain. You lowered the phones output level by 6.3, then 17.3 dB. Fortunately TM FX shows the levels, and -30.7 dBFS output level to -29.3 dBFS input level is absolutely right.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2018-08-02
  • Posts: 12

Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

Your input is much appreciated Matthias. I will try yet another guitar and another cable to locate the problem. But just for the record: assuming that the Babyface, guitar and cables all work properly, what input level should I expect when simply connecting my guitar to inputs 3 or 4?

17 Reply by MC

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Re: Guitar DI - low level input?

I don't have your guitar, and the values/experiences with other guitars were linked above. Some overload even when set to +4 dBu.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website