If my presets are dialed in as recommended, hovering in around the vertical line on the Fractal meter. What output level is recommended for for the balanced XLR outputs? What is the general consensus here?
Turn the Out 1 knob up to what you need to cooperate with the next device. It’s a volume knob so you are allowed to change it during performance if necessary.
I’ve always recommended the range of 9 o clock to 3 o clock. Start at 9 o clock and set your mixer or speaker from there. Need a bit more? Turn up but be sure to not clip the next device with a drastic change. Some who agree with that general method say that 9 o clock is too low of a starting point. That’s fine, but then why are we allowed to turn that low if it was detrimental?
In my solo and other gigs, I use a digital mixer and I use that to control levels, so for ease of use and repeatability from gig to gig, I set the AX8 output at maximum. Then I change the levels only from the mixer. I hear no difference in tone or less noise with this method.
Some suggest turning it all the way up to prevent noise, but in my 10 years of experience with FAS gear specifically, I have never had additional noise or issue when setting it below maximum.
The user manuals mention to turn the Output knobs as high as possible for best signal to noise ratio. This is a general statement for anything in audio really, the concept of gain staging. But some have interpreted that sentence to mean specifically “you must turn it up all the way for no noise.” It’s not what that means at all.
Use your judgment and work with your gear. There really is no standard or single correct knob position to gain stage any gear. And in my experience, any setting of the Output knobs works well with such a high quality device.
(Perhaps one exception is if you barely turn the Out knob up and it’s screaming loud - that’s clearly not a good setup since you have no range on the knob, and this typically means that the next device is set too loud.)
This setting is spread like a virus, really. Makes more trouble than fixing things. You always say it but unfortunately not so many people listen to you...
If you set the master vol in amp section to zero - promise - you won't have any signal ;-) So, means - you need to level your presets, first to not have volume jumps between them and second to send an appropriate level to FOH - usually this is about 0dB or in some systems +4dB. your output level depends on each gain stage within the signal chain - even the level knob of the compressor pedal influences the output level.
