Please help me with my levels - I'm spending way too much time with it

daacrusher2001 said:
I think it’s more than that - I expect some variation between amp models. I am trying to determine an approach for balancing the volume across the presets considering every block, not just the amp, has levels that need adjusting.
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On this narrow point, my approach to block levels is similar to what I would do with a real life guitar rig: set the output to that it’s at ‘unity gain’ compared to the same block bypassed. The exception would be drives or boosts where I want it to be louder (or even quieter), in which case I adjust it for how much louder I want it. And in cases where I want a drive (or other block’s) output to be higher so it overdrives a subsequent block (like an amp block) and doing that makes the overall scene/preset louder than the others but where I want it to be the same, then I use the leveller to bring it back to where I want it.
 
MrPond said:
I read your first post and so far, everything is right.
i have the exact same setup - except how I level my amp:

because - you can’t use only the out 2 block to measure on how far you can can get because it clips way before 0db.
I have a fix for this: add an out 1 block in your grid, set its level to around -15db.
Then you can use the level tool and the out 1 level view to actually level your preset.
Set your amp level that you hit around 0db at the mentioned out 1 block - with this, you should hit unity gain at out 2 without clipping (because it’s level is around -15db).

i had to play around for months to crack this nut … I hope it helps!
Now, when I level my presets, I only have to look that out 1 is fine.
if it’s fine, out2 works also directly - around unity gain, no clipping and everything works.
i also have the SD PS170 btw
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Soooo - I finally got around to following your steps - seems to work pretty well. I noticed in the level view, once set for output 1, is still a lot lower on output 2, but it doesn’t distort and seems loud enough with the PS170 driving the cab.

Is that normal, that out 2 is lower (set at 0 dB and unity in setup)
 
daacrusher2001 said:
Soooo - I finally got around to following your steps - seems to work pretty well. I noticed in the level view, once set for output 1, is still a lot lower on output 2, but it doesn’t distort and seems loud enough with the PS170 driving the cab.

Is that normal, that out 2 is lower (set at 0 dB and unity in setup)
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Yeah. As far as I understand, unity gain at 0 dB basically means instrument level output, whereas Out 1 is line level output.
 
daacrusher2001 said:
Soooo - I finally got around to following your steps - seems to work pretty well. I noticed in the level view, once set for output 1, is still a lot lower on output 2, but it doesn’t distort and seems loud enough with the PS170 driving the cab.

Is that normal, that out 2 is lower (set at 0 dB and unity in setup)
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Yep, that's normal.

In older firmwares, they were similar - both around 0 db at the out blocks.
I had many threads and posts about that ... they changed it with I think 4.x I think ...
But yeah, now it works - it just looks different.
 
daacrusher2001 said:
I can’t use Out 1 - for two reasons - my power amp does not have an xlr input, and I currently have output 1 going to studio monitors.

I did but will go over chapter 7 again. The preset leveling tool is helpful when adjusting scene levels (at least it helps me) but preset to preset isn’t as easy.
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I use output 1 with the SD powetstage 170. I just bought a $10 xlr to ts cable. No issue at all.
 
I dunno. Just seamed to make more sense since you would use output one to run to an frfr speaker per page 28 of the manual. Manual also shows on page 30 going from out 1 to power amp.
 
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