Mr_sampler

Hi there again!
I tried my new audigy 2 ZS platinum pro (wouch! what a lengthy naming) via
Creatives's ASIO drivers at 24bit/96 khz into Nuendo2.

Only problem is that when my mixer peaks at 0 dB, Nuendo says "-6dB",
effectively i'm using only 21 or 22 bit depth -and the wave display is 1/2 it's
full size! (talk about full resolution!....)

Pushing the mixer line out to 6 dB improves Nuendo's reading: it nears around
0 dB BUT!!!! now the sound tends to be distorted ( talk about resolution again!!). As i'm transferring from vinyl I ALREADY KNOW the song's HEADROOM
that's why i want to get those 23 or 24 bit depth -but not at the expense of distortion...

Question is: is there a workaround??:-
-1: do all 24 bit cards have this "inherent mismatch" forcing one to use
a high quality mixer going more than 10 dB?

-2: can a driver update for my card resolve the mismatch?( still waiting
for those KX drivers working at 24b/96k )

-3: anything else?

dj_stick

record at -6dB and normalise if you can

also set the card to 48khz and see if the level is still -6db (also try using a higher quality cable)

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Mr_sampler

Normalising is out of question: i'll be merely normalising a 21 bit file afterall....

using 48khz neither! the CARD would sample at 96khz and downsample on the fly.....

I'll check the cables as u suggest (but i'll be surprised if that would resolve the issue ,but who knows...)

dj_stick

try recording at 16/48 to see if the -6dB issue is still there, and we can work from that

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Mr_sampler

Hello to all!

Following my investigations, i find that manufacturers set their "DIGITAL 0dB"
well below the conventional ANALOG 0dB. Example: most D.A.T machines have
their reference so-called 0dB mark set at -12dB!

The reason they have things set this way is to avoid the dreaded/ horrible
/distorted/ whatever-u-want-to-call-it digtital clipping of > 0dB.

Consequences and implications:
U might be tempted to raise the input level of the soundcard "software-wise" -like playing with the "handy level controls": but IF A CARD DOES THIS POST A-D CONVERSION (most of our cheap cards!), u are NOT improving the bit depth!

As a matter of fact ensure input levels are set at unity gain.


The advantage of using creative ASIO driver is that it by-passes these software level controls to directly route the audio to the sequencer.But then we are left with analog boost: PRE A-D, so to say, but due to that safety margin usually set by manufacturers at -12 dB, u have to really boost the audio, requiring a real good audio mixer!

In conclusion, perhaps my aud.2 zs plat. pro may not have an input problem after all .... But if another user easily exceeds -6dB via CREATIVE ASIO drivers, i repeat CREATIVE ASIO DRIVERS, in a sequencer like nuendo/ cubase sx, let me know for then there could really be a problem with my card!!

POST SCRIPTUM - some cards have some sort of switch to change their gain
PRE A-D, making life easier (the same we find on external fx units) but woops!
creative labs doesn't seem to incorporate that tactic!