• Registered: 2010-01-23
  • Posts: 34

Topic: Bringing balance to the force...

Hi,
I'm cabling up my new studio, centred around a fireface 800, and want to get the cabling right for optimal levels / quality, (without getting too obsessional smile

The outputs from my synths and samplers are a mix of balanced and unbalanced.

As far as i can tell all the inputs on the FF800 are balanced.

I'm about to do a custom order from a cabling company to get all my patches and leads. I'd read that there are special soldering  connections to be done for cables connecting unbalanced sources to balanced inputs (as far as i can tell, use balanced cable, but alter the connection at the balanced input side to not lose signal strength)

Can anyone from the professional domain advise me on this, as i'm out my depth on this one, and want to do my new gear justice by getting the cabling right.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

  • Gr8h8m
  • AES/EBU artist
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2007-12-20
  • Posts: 157

Re: Bringing balance to the force...

With the greatest respect, I'd suggest giving the FF800 manual a quick skim read:
From 5.2 Quick Start:
"The analog line inputs of the Fireface 800 can be used with +4 dBu and -10 dBV signals. The
electronic input stage can handle balanced (XLR, TRS jacks) and unbalanced (TS jacks) input
signals correctly."

  • Registered: 2010-01-23
  • Posts: 34

Re: Bringing balance to the force...

Thanks,
So i just use whatever cable equates to my synth / sampler outputs and the FF will do the rest.

So here's the follow up question.

-10db and +4db seem to be industry standards for balanced / unbalanced connections, but i'm not sure which way around.

Reading the table on pages 55 and 57 of the FF manual, i can't really get my head around what line level settings i should be using.

The table talks about low gain, +4, -10, dBFS, dBu and dBV, and the paragraph explaining the table talks about headroom available (as i understand it, more headroom, generally better for mastering etc if you want to raise levels with compression limiters etc). The tables on pages 55 and 57 seem to contradict each other (but its probably me not understanding it) as lo gain for the inputs equates to high gain on the outputs.

Am i right in saying that for balanced connections, generally set the line level to -10dB setting, which will then give 12db headroom to play with, but for unbalanced connections use the +4 setting which then provides 12db headroom?

Thanks in advance for your patience with noob questions

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,776

Re: Bringing balance to the force...

Other way round... -10 is the usual level for consumer gear (unbalanced), while +4 is pro/studio level. That said, you can also run an unbalanced connection at +4 (TS plug), if both devices support it.


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2010-01-23
  • Posts: 34

Re: Bringing balance to the force...

Thanks

'if both devices support it'

A few of my synths have 'output gain' control in system settings. Does that mean i could set it to +4db, and set the fireface to the same and expect a nice loud clear signal, or is that effectively boosting the signal by +4 twice, and risking clipping / loss of headroom?

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,776

Re: Bringing balance to the force...

There is no "boost" at the input. Settings should match, +4 at the input refers to the expected incoming signal level.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2011-01-05
  • Posts: 1

Re: Bringing balance to the force...

Hey there, I found this thread to be the closest to my query.   From this I have gathered that as my MV8800 drum machine has balanced outputs,  I should set my RME FF 800 to expect a +4db signal.  Correct?

Also Outputs 1 & 2 of my RME are going to a pair of Genelec 8040A monitors.  Should I set the output gain to +4db or "hi gain"?

Thanks for your help. 

Aman