• Registered: 2024-03-14
  • Posts: 6

Re: UCX II low levels in instrument channel with high gain settings

Just bought a new UCXII with the primary use case of creating and evaluating guitar captures and software modelers and was surprised that the sound was totally different than my Universal Audio or IK Axe I/O (I.e. the distortion level was very weak).  A bit of looking around I saw the hi z was set to +19. Changed it to +13 and it got closer (the Apollo I believe is 12.2) increased 1db of gain but they still don’t match in tone.  Anything else I should be doing? I want something that will match expectations from people using my captures as a reference.

52 Reply by oli77sch (edited by oli77sch 2024-04-06 15:46:02)

  • Registered: 2016-06-14
  • Posts: 1,142

Re: UCX II low levels in instrument channel with high gain settings

Hi
For a dry guitar DI input you should use the instrument setting on input 3/4, not line level and impedance!

Manual page 41, chapter 19.3:
Instrument
The main difference between a line- and instrument input is the input's impedance. Via the option Inst in the TotalMix channel settings, the input impedance changes from 10 kOhm to 1 MOhm (also called Hi-Z). At the same time the input sensitivity rises by 6 dB.
The instrument input operates unbalanced. Please don’t use (stereo) TRS jacks in that mode.

UCX - FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2
  • Registered: 2024-03-14
  • Posts: 6

Re: UCX II low levels in instrument channel with high gain settings

oli77sch wrote:

Hi
For a dry guitar DI input you should use the instrument setting on input 3/4, not line level and impedance!

Manual page 41, chapter 19.3:
Instrument
The main difference between a line- and instrument input is the input's impedance. Via the option Inst in the TotalMix channel settings, the input impedance changes from 10 kOhm to 1 MOhm (also called Hi-Z). At the same time the input sensitivity rises by 6 dB.
The instrument input operates unbalanced. Please don’t use (stereo) TRS jacks in that mode.

Thanks for reply. I am using input 3 hi z. Reading up on the interface and total mix but base on this thread and some others I don’t think I’m doing anything incorrect. Thanks.

  • Registered: 2016-06-14
  • Posts: 1,142

Re: UCX II low levels in instrument channel with high gain settings

KurganQ2 wrote:

Thanks for reply. I am using input 3 hi z. Reading up on the interface and total mix but base on this thread and some others I don’t think I’m doing anything incorrect. Thanks.

In TotalMix hardware input 3 you have selected 'Inst' for sure?

UCX - FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2
  • Registered: 2024-03-14
  • Posts: 6

Re: UCX II low levels in instrument channel with high gain settings

oli77sch wrote:
KurganQ2 wrote:

Thanks for reply. I am using input 3 hi z. Reading up on the interface and total mix but base on this thread and some others I don’t think I’m doing anything incorrect. Thanks.

In TotalMix hardware input 3 you have selected 'Inst' for sure?

Apprently I DID NOT....thanks, that fixed it, though if anything it sounds a hair hotter at the +13 default than my UAD Apollo...but could be perception, either way very close now.

Thanks!