Axe Fx II Usb levels question

[Guitarjon]

I got my Axe Fx II a couple of days ago and I'm loving it!
Today I made my first song in cubase and I started the mix right after.
When it came to mastering I made sure the levels of the master fader never went over -0.3 db.
I put a mastering limiter on the mix to make it loud, and cubase isn't clipping.
The strange thing is that the Axe Fx's output 1 led is lighting up, clipping.... mostly at snare hits it seems.
I checked the levels again but nothing in cubase is going over -0.3 db.
When I turned the master fader down it still clips with snare hits etc.
Is this normal?
If this isn't good, how do I fix this?
Also what is the best way to control the independent levels for the instrument input vs. the usb levels of my cubase sessions?
Sometimes my patches are to loud vs. the levels coming from cubase but I don't want to record my guitars too soft to achieve the best noise ratio.
The manual didn't seem clear on this to me so help would be appreciated!
Thanks!

[KittyForHire]

I might be wrong, but I think I read somewhere that the AxeFx's meters are set to red at -6dB? Might be that's only for the input level meter, I'm sure somebody else on the forums here know?

[Guitarjon]

No, thats only the input meters.
I tried lowering the axe fx output volume in the Asio usb control panel but when I press output levels I get an error message saying:

TUSBAUDIO_AudioControlRequest failed.
Status = 0xEF000012 (unknown)

I could use some help here since I don't know if I am hurting my axe fx!
Is there some headroom for the ouput clip leds?? or none at all?

[Guitarjon]

Is there any headroom before the led lights up?
If clipping occurs is it supposed to be really audible?
It mostly lights up with snare hits.....

[Poparad]

I would like to know about this as well. I just did some recording in Pro Tools last night for the first time, and I had the same experience where I was getting clipping indication on the Axe but not in Pro Tools.

[Guitarjon]

Is there nobody here who knows what could be wrong or not wrong here?
Like I said earlier, I don't hear any clipping, so maybe there is nothing wrong.
The clipping led lights up though, so I am still concerned that I'm pushing something too far....
To prevent the clipping light to light up I've lowered the Cubase master fader about 1db, but I'm hoping this is a temporary solution.

[jeppekristoffer]

I have no experience with using that USB feature but have you checked here

About clipping

and page 15 in the manual.
Good luck.

[gdgross]

I had always assumed that 0dBFS on the axe = 0dBFS in your DAW...

Have never used the Axe-II as my output device though, so can't speak to snare hits clipping...

[Sten]

Does it sound like it's clipping? Does the finished result sound like it's clipping?

[Guitarjon]

No, i don't hear any clipping....

[aziz]

If i remember right, Cliff said the led lights at -1db. I tried this yesterday, and when reaper output level exceeded -1db, I got the clip light. Also, if you play guitar on top of a loud signal, the output will clip. But that does not clip the guitar you are recording via USB, only the analog output.

Also, do you have a hard limiter on the cubase output so the snare hits dont peak slightly higher?

[javajunkie]

If i remember right, Cliff said the led lights at -1db. I tried this yesterday, and when reaper output level exceeded -1db, I got the clip light. Also, if you play guitar on top of a loud signal, the output will clip. But that does not clip the guitar you are recording via USB, only the analog output.

Also, do you have a hard limiter on the cubase output so the snare hits dont peak slightly higher?

Yes the light comes on at -1db

[Guitarjon]

Thanks for the help guys!
Knowing that the clip light lights up at -1db helps a lot.