FM3 and X32 Gain Staging

Plato67

Plato67

Member
Is anybody running their FM3 through an X32R? How do you have it gain staged? I was running the FM3 output at +4 DB but the signal is pretty hot coming into my X32 rack even at 0 gain. I reduced it to -10 but now the sound coming out of my EV LIVEX speakers doesn't sound as "full" for lack of a better term. They do sound better through my Shure IEM's.
 
@Thirtyandseven - care to chip in? I don’t remember exactly how we have it set.

OP - this is my bass player that I’ve tagged. We use the X16 I think, but it’s the same thing, and he and I both have FM3s.
 
Plato67 said:
Is anybody running their FM3 through an X32R? How do you have it gain staged? I was running the FM3 output at +4 DB but the signal is pretty hot coming into my X32 rack even at 0 gain. I reduced it to -10 but now the sound coming out of my EV LIVEX speakers doesn't sound as "full" for lack of a better term. They do sound better through my Shure IEM's.
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In my experience +4 or -10 can sound exactly the same if you gain stage properly. It’s just a different amount of output.

At -10, if I run the FM3 Out knob all the way up, my x32 channel gain is around +4 to +10 dB or so.

At +4, x32 channel gain is 0.

Both sound the same to me.
 
Thx @chris;

When I run it at +4db my channel clips with the X32 set at 0 channel gain. Would padding my input on the FM3 lower that threshold?
 
Plato67 said:
Thx @chris;

When I run it at +4db my channel clips with the X32 set at 0 channel gain. Would padding my input on the FM3 lower that threshold?
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No. Don’t pad your input because that affects the input.

It’s your output that is loud, so either reduce channel gain, turn the Out knob down, or set it to -10.

Setting -10 vs +4 is basically like turning the Out 1 knob more than full up. It sets an output range. There not more tone or power or fullness. It’s just level.
 
I use a different mixer but still digital. I have my output set at +4, out 1 knob halfway up, gain at mixer set to 8db. The out 1 knob doesn’t have to be all the way up. If you’re using less than 10db of gain at the mixer your signal is plenty hot so noise shouldn’t be an issue.
 
rcm78 said:
I use a different mixer but still digital. I have my output set at +4, out 1 knob halfway up, gain at mixer set to 8db. The out 1 knob doesn’t have to be all the way up. If you’re using less than 10db of gain at the mixer your signal is plenty hot so noise shouldn’t be an issue.
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At +4, output knob at 12:00 on the FM3 and at 0 channel gain on the X32 channel it reaches red.
 
Plato67 said:
At +4, output knob at 12:00 on the FM3 and at 0 channel gain on the X32 channel it reaches red.
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That almost seems like your presets are too hot. When you are playing what are the Analog level meters on the FM3 peaking at (last page of the Home Screen on unit)? If I run my FM3 at +4 into my XR18 with the channel input gain zeroed out it just starts hitting the red if I have the FM3 output knob maxed. My presets are leveled to peak around 0db on the FM3 output meters.

-Aaron
 
Thx for replies. I've reached the desired channel level of -18db on the X32 by setting my FM3 to -10 global output and noon on the output knob.
I'm using a variation of Austin Buddy's Live SV Bass preset as my base tone. Amp gain is 6 and master volume is 7. Overall FM3 preset level is set at -16dB.
 
Plato67 said:
Is anybody running their FM3 through an X32R? How do you have it gain staged? I was running the FM3 output at +4 DB but the signal is pretty hot coming into my X32 rack even at 0 gain. I reduced it to -10 but now the sound coming out of my EV LIVEX speakers doesn't sound as "full" for lack of a better term. They do sound better through my Shure IEM's.
Click to expand...
There is no change in tone from -10 to +4. Any differences are the result of equipment downstream.

I suspect a couple things at play here:

1. Brains think louder sounds are better sounds, even if they're identical.
2. A +4 signal is probably clipping the inputs of your EVs, changing the way you perceive the tone. $20 says the manual specifies -10, or worse yet, don't even tell you what line level sensitivity is.

But in reality:

1: If the red light doesn't come on, and you think it sounds fine, next song.
2: The FM3 has volume adjustments everywhere.
 
Update. My X32 (or probably the S16 its hooked up to) is changing the gain input from time to time upon restart. I had all my FM3 scenes set to +4 and it was great one jam and then too hot the next. Before I realized this, I had reset my scenes to -11 and then the next jam it would be too low. Now I just restart the X32 if the gain is too high. Very odd.
 
Plato67 said:
Update. My X32 (or probably the S16 its hooked up to) is changing the gain input from time to time upon restart. I had all my FM3 scenes set to +4 and it was great one jam and then too hot the next. Before I realized this, I had reset my scenes to -11 and then the next jam it would be too low. Now I just restart the X32 if the gain is too high. Very odd.
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Are you on the newest firmware for the X32? We've had some weird changing of levels on our X32, but it happens under different conditions and sporadically that we haven't been able to chase it down...at first I thought we were just going crazy :)
 
Me too! Could not figure it out until I noticed that sometimes the channel level meter would only go up to 16 rather than the usual 60.
I am on the most current firmware. Like I said I suspect it is the S16 my guitar is hooked up to. I haven't noticed the change on our separate gigrack X32.
 
Update 2 for other X32 rack users who may experience the same phenomenon. If the gain is unexplainably and unusually hot on your channel, click and then unclick the phantom power button for that channel. Has worked every time so far.
 
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