output 1 block showing +10db on bypass preset 383

[Spookeylukey]

Hi all,

I'm a bit of a noob and a bit confused with what the appropriate level to come out from the input 1 block should be.

So I had my guitar plugged into input 1, going straight to output 1 (using the "Bypass" preset 383) and have noticed the output 1 block meters in axe edit are going way into the red, showing 10db even with normal strumming - Is this too high? I'm using the Tone Zone bridge pickup in an Ibanez RG652. As far as I understand, going from input 1 straight to output 1 should be like a DI signal, and I thought the signal should be very low seeing as it's coming just from guitar. I also recorded some DI tracks into Logic through USB and input 5, and the signal is still quite high, showing a peak level of -2.4db in Logic.

My A/D input level is at 9%, where the input LED's on the Axe FX are just tickling the red with hard strumming, so I figure that A/D input level should be fine at 9%?

USB levels are all at 0db.

My input gain setting in the global setup was at 1.000 when the output 1 block meters were going up to 10db, but I've found that lowering the Input 1 gain to 0.15 keeps the the output 1 block meters at around 0db with hard strumming. I just find with this lower setting that my high gain tones sound a bit thin and lose some low end but I guess I could adjust the amp setting to compensate.

I'm still on FW 16.00.

TL;DR I'm wondering what the ideal level/signal should be at the output block, with signal going from the guitar --> input block 1 --> output block 1. Is around 0db ideal, or is going up to 10db pretty normal? Perhaps the Tone Zone's are just too hot, and I should keep that input gain setting down?

Hope this makes sense but let me know if I should provide further details/clarity on anything.

Thanks!

 

[JoKeR III]

I wouldn't use an empty preset to adjust any of the Global Input parameters.

Most players use the Level parameter in the Amp block to adjust the output level of a preset. I use the Preset Leveling tool in Axe Edit and adjust the Level so the meters occasionally tickle the red with normal playing, then adjust -1.0dB. You can use the meters on the Axe Fx III's display as well, just press the ZOOM encoder in the Layout screen.

This works quite well for me to get the volume balanced between presets. I adopted this approach when I noticed that if the meters consistently hit the red, my ambient tones would start sounding like they're clipping. The Amp Level in my presets vary from -18.0dB to -6.0dB depending upon the amp and the amount of gain/drive used.

For what it's worth, my Input 1 Gain is set to 0.770. This helped with cleaning up the effects tails as well.

 

[unix-guy]

You should not need to lower Input Gain in this scenario.

What is the Level on Input 1?

 

[unix-guy]

I wouldn't use an empty preset to adjust any of the Global parameters.

Most players use the Level parameter in the Amp block to adjust the output level of a preset. I use the Preset Leveling tool in Axe Edit and adjust the Level so the meters occasionally tickle the red with normal playing, then adjust -1.0dB. You can use the meters on the Axe Fx III's display as well, just press the ZOOM encoder in the Layout screen.

This works quite well for me to get the volume balanced between presets. I adopted this approach when I noticed that if the meters consistently hit the red, my ambient tones would start sounding like they're clipping. The Amp Level in my presets vary from -18.0dB to -6.0dB depending upon the amp and the amount of gain/drive used.

For what it's worth, my Input 1 Gain is set to 0.770. This helped with cleaning up the effects tails as well.

But he's asking about the Bypass preset that has only Input and Output blocks...

 

[Spookeylukey]

I wouldn't use an empty preset to adjust any of the Global Input parameters.

Most players use the Level parameter in the Amp block to adjust the output level of a preset. I use the Preset Leveling tool in Axe Edit and adjust the Level so the meters occasionally tickle the red with normal playing, then adjust -1.0dB. You can use the meters on the Axe Fx III's display as well, just press the ZOOM encoder in the Layout screen.

This works quite well for me to get the volume balanced between presets. I adopted this approach when I noticed that if the meters consistently hit the red, my ambient tones would start sounding like they're clipping. The Amp Level in my presets vary from -18.0dB to -6.0dB depending upon the amp and the amount of gain/drive used.

For what it's worth, my Input 1 Gain is set to 0.770. This helped with cleaning up the effects tails as well.

Thanks JoKeR III - I'm aware of levelling out presets to 0 in general with the amp block level setting - I'm just curious why my output levels are so high when it's just straight guitar going from input 1 --> output 1. It's leading me to think that maybe I could be sending too much signal to the amp in my other presets and causing extra/unwanted distortion.

 

[Spookeylukey]

You should not need to lower Input Gain in this scenario.

What is the Level on Input 1?

Thanks Unix-guy - The output level on input 1 is at 0db. I'll post some pictures to my settings, maybe it will help. I could just be overthinking things so let me know if everything looks okay.

The Input block: Level is at 0db

Output block: meters are showing 10db (screencaptured mid-strum - just regular strumming, not too hard or soft)

Meters on the layout page of the axe fx

Here's my global input settings:


And global audio settings:

 

[Jason Scott]

@Spookeylukey

The Output block of the BYPASS preset in your images shows the Level at 0.0 dB; however, the original setting for the preset is -18.0 dB. That could account for why you're seeing the Output meters redlining. What happens when you set it to -18.0 dB?

 

[Spookeylukey]

@Jason Scott

Oh okay! Thanks for pointing that out, maybe I changed the level sometime in the past.

Setting it to -18db makes the output meters read more around 0 - Only going over 0 for a split second when chugging hard.

So I guess then the signal from the guitar is fine, just the output level on the output block was too high then.

 

[Jason Scott]

@Jason Scott

Oh okay! Thanks for pointing that out, maybe I changed the level sometime in the past.

Setting it to -18db makes the output meters read more around 0 - Only going over 0 for a split second when chugging hard.

So I guess then the signal from the guitar is fine, just the output level on the output block was too high then.

What guitar are you using? Does it have active pickups?

 

[Spookeylukey]

I'm using an Ibanez RG652AHMFX fixed bridge. Pickups are passive, Air Norton in the neck and Tone Zone in the bridge. The Air Norton is way less hot but I usually use the Tone Zone. The Tone Zone is closer to the strings - about 3mm distance and the Air Norton's about 5mm away.

There's also one more thing I'm curious about - is there any reason why my DI's in logic record so loud? Is it just because the pickups are hot or maybe too close to the strings? I thought DI's were supposed to be very quiet usually, even with hot pickups, but again I'm a noob with this stuff so I'm not totally sure if that's just normal or if there's something wrong. I'll post some screenshots:

The left side of the DI is using the Air Norton in the neck, peaking at -13db


Later in the recording I switched to the Tone Zone in the bridge and here it's peaking at -2.1db.

 

[Jason Scott]

I'm using an Ibanez RG652AHMFX fixed bridge. Pickups are passive, Air Norton in the neck and Tone Zone in the bridge. The Air Norton is way less hot but I usually use the Tone Zone. The Tone Zone is closer to the strings - about 3mm distance and the Air Norton's about 5mm away.

The input seems a bit hot. If it were me, I'd try lowering the pickup height of the Tone Zone to match the Air Norton's.

 

[Spookeylukey]

Thanks @Jason Scott I'll try that and see how it goes.