1 (edited by konek76 2022-07-07 10:33:53)

Topic: Input gain for fireface 400 channels

Hello everyone. Please help me. I have a fireface 400. Can I adjust the input gain of analog channels 1-8 and data channels (adat 1-8) in totalmix or somewhere? I know about the gain input analog 1-2 in the driver. But I need a fine-tuning of analog 3-8 and adat 1-8. Is it possible?
Setup: macOS 10.14.6, FF400, firmware 1.71, driver 3.39, total mix 1.74
cheers

Re: Input gain for fireface 400 channels

No, there is no gain for digital inputs (you'd have to do that before AD conversion) and only level reference settings for the analog inputs (in the Settings Dialog).

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Re: Input gain for fireface 400 channels

So sad to hear that.  I amplify the analog adat preamp in the clipping zone and get a digital signal strongly in the red zone. And I can't reduce the digital input of the RME. If I don't overclock the preamp, the SNR is too bad. And I don't have any ideas
Anyway, thanks for the quick response.

4 (edited by ramses 2022-07-08 05:39:37)

Re: Input gain for fireface 400 channels

If the input signal is not high enough, then you have to check several things.
a) reference levels on analog output of the connected device and on the analog input of your recording device
b) volume settings of the connected device

Do not drive the signal hard to 0dB. Leave some headroom for peaks.
The levels of several tracks add up during mixing anyway and you need headroom for mastering and mastering tools.

After the A/D conversion on your RME recording interface the music signal is completely digitized, there is no waveform anymore, only "zeros and ones" (binary format).
There is nothing like a "analog ADAT preamp".
ADAT is simply a digital port to transfer digital data in either ADAT or SPDIF format.

The manual gives you an overview about the supported reference levels. It depends on the device whether you can set them in the driver settings or in TM FX, click there to the wrench symbol of analog inputs (and outputs).
Some devices have no consumer level anymore, but there you can usually add some digital gain, which results into compareable sensitivity of consumer level, so that not so loud signals come closer to 0dB.

By choosing correct reference levels you will have optimum SNR and Dynamic.
But you really have not to push the levels up to 0dB, it's bad to have clipping ... this is no analog tape deck anymore ...

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

5

Re: Input gain for fireface 400 channels

konek76 wrote:

So sad to hear that.  I amplify the analog adat preamp in the clipping zone and get a digital signal strongly in the red zone. And I can't reduce the digital input of the RME. If I don't overclock the preamp, the SNR is too bad. And I don't have any ideas

Once the signal is overloaded/distorted (at the ADAT output of your preamp) a later digital attenuation (as you want it in the RME) would reduce the 'volume' of the distorted signal, but would not remove any of the distortion. The signal itself stays as it is - distorted.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Input gain for fireface 400 channels

I have studied the difference between analog and digital recording levels. I am watching the display of my analog preamp (adat connection with RME).
- I set a good level for the input of the preamp.  The analog sounds without distortion. I get an overload at the RME input. 
- If I make a peak level of -12 -6 dB in a DAW, the gain on my preamp is at zero.
My analog preamp does not have an output gain change. Therefore, I wanted to reduce the input level in RME.
I'm probably wrong and I still live in an analog world
Thanks for the help

Re: Input gain for fireface 400 channels

Use the correct reference level on your analog input of your FF400.
Why don't you simply switch between the three supported reference levels and observe the result?
You would quickly come to own conclusions, that "Lo Gain" gives you more headroom for hotter signals.
See also manual ch 7.2, 21.1, 29.1

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

8 (edited by konek76 2022-07-08 09:17:29)

Re: Input gain for fireface 400 channels

Yes, thanks. I've already found that. Adat 1-8 inputs are still not changeable )))

9 (edited by ramses 2022-07-08 10:49:23)

Re: Input gain for fireface 400 channels

Wondering that you still do not seem to understand this.
Reference levels you can only find on analog circuits.
ADAT, SPDIF, AES, MADI, ... ports are working purely digital .. lossles transport of digitized audio data .. zeroes and ones .. no waveform. What you can do in TM FX with digital inputs or outputs is to move the TM FX fader up to +6dB, then you can add a little volume, this increases everything on digital level .. volume of audio signal and the noise floor. But this can't fix anything, distortion from a bad A/D conversion will stay in your digital audio data.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Input gain for fireface 400 channels

konek76 wrote:

Yes, thanks. I've already found that. Adat 1-8 inputs are still not changeable )))


For a good reason, which has been explained several times now. You need to fix this before the AD conversion. What kind of preamp exactly is connected there?

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Re: Input gain for fireface 400 channels

RME Support wrote:
konek76 wrote:

Yes, thanks. I've already found that. Adat 1-8 inputs are still not changeable )))


What kind of preamp exactly is connected there?

Behringer ADA8000
All the questions are clear to me.
There are translation losses in my English. Sorry.
Thanks for the help. Best regards, Vik.

Re: Input gain for fireface 400 channels

konek76 wrote:

There are translation losses in my English. Sorry.

Then pls use a translator service

A good one: https://www.deepl.com/translator

Alternatively: https://translate.google.de/

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Input gain for fireface 400 channels

ramses wrote:
konek76 wrote:

There are translation losses in my English. Sorry.

Then pls use a translator service

A good one: https://www.deepl.com/translator

Alternatively: https://translate.google.de/

I have, thx