Maximum input level? (Travelrec?)

Nappylady · Apr 20, 2005, 11:51 PM

I have lots of sound cards around; a CT4832 Live! Value, 2x SB0220 Live! 5.1, and a SB0160 Audigy1.

My Behringer mixing board claims to operate at +4dBu, and the manual says that the maximum output level is +28dBu balanced, or +22dBu unbalanced. Every test I've tried shows that the Soundblaster cards hit 0dBFS at the same time my mixer reads +4 on the meter (and the mever goes all the way up to +10 before clipping.) Now, I am using the soundcard (don't care which one, really) as an active crossover, and I would really really love it if the clipping point on the mixer matched the clipping point of the soundcard perfectly--so I know *exactly* how much headroom I have without having to think to myself, "now where's the limit on this soundcard again?"

Is there a way to adjust max input level on the soundcard without doing something extensive like building an outboard attenuator just to match levels?

TravelRec. · Apr 21, 2005, 06:02 AM

Hmm, since all tests I made have shown that the card´s input is very accurate for input levels (only 0.5db tolerance on 3 different cards I have), I would suggest, you tweak the peakmeter on your Behringer. I´m quite sure, there are only two resistors to replace or to substitute by a trimmable resistor (if there isn´t one per channel anyway). The soundcard exactly clips (over AC97) when it reaches 0db, so stay a bit below that in any case to avoid distortion, over my external A/Ds the clipping is much smoother, more like a saturation (due to 18 Bits).

Apr 20, 2005, 11:51 PM	#1
Nappylady DriverHeaven Addict Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 257 Rep Power: 0	Maximum input level? (Travelrec?) I have lots of sound cards around; a CT4832 Live! Value, 2x SB0220 Live! 5.1, and a SB0160 Audigy1. My Behringer mixing board claims to operate at +4dBu, and the manual says that the maximum output level is +28dBu balanced, or +22dBu unbalanced. Every test I've tried shows that the Soundblaster cards hit 0dBFS at the same time my mixer reads +4 on the meter (and the mever goes all the way up to +10 before clipping.) Now, I am using the soundcard (don't care which one, really) as an active crossover, and I would really really love it if the clipping point on the mixer matched the clipping point of the soundcard perfectly--so I know exactly how much headroom I have without having to think to myself, "now where's the limit on this soundcard again?" Is there a way to adjust max input level on the soundcard without doing something extensive like building an outboard attenuator just to match levels?

Apr 21, 2005, 06:02 AM	#2
TravelRec. Alternative Audioproductions Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Germany / Sachsen-Anhalt Posts: 1,710 Rep Power: 0	Hmm, since all tests I made have shown that the card´s input is very accurate for input levels (only 0.5db tolerance on 3 different cards I have), I would suggest, you tweak the peakmeter on your Behringer. I´m quite sure, there are only two resistors to replace or to substitute by a trimmable resistor (if there isn´t one per channel anyway). The soundcard exactly clips (over AC97) when it reaches 0db, so stay a bit below that in any case to avoid distortion, over my external A/Ds the clipping is much smoother, more like a saturation (due to 18 Bits). __________________ Always take a look behind.