I think i asked this question before but im not sure. In the Mo Classic > Utility>I/O>Output: you have the LR gain and the Assign gains. My question is about the LR gain. It ranges from 0db to 18db. I played around with all the db settings and noticed that 18 db is way too loud and distorted, so thats out of the question. Im curious to what level i should keep the db setting at ? I know that i can set it to anything i want, but from an engineering perspective, whats the best setting to keep this at? I usually have mine at 12db, but when I turn the motif fader all the way up, my tracks play a little distorted, 0db sounds a little low, but loud when i turn the fader up with no distortion and 6db is somewhere in the middle...Any opinons on this ?

Re: Motifs internal Volume

It all depends on what you are plugging into.

Some gear likes it ‘hot’ and some doesn’t. So the question doesn’t have an easy answer.

The ‘play safe’ route would be to have it on 0dB which should give you a nominal line level. As you have already found though, 6dB is fine for most scenarios too, and 12dB will work too especially if you have the fader off peak. 18 dB is just too hot for all but the toughest pro gear /forums/images/icons/smile.gif alt= (Designed to take a hotter signal)

Hope this helps

Cheers

Re: Motifs internal Volume

I agree with Wellie: 0dB or 6dB. The output setting is an average and as you add tracks or voices to the mix the overall output level will go up and might lead to distortion (as you found). Back in the “old days” levels were set as high as possible because the signal to noise ratio of the electronics was poor and you heard hiss and noise at low levels. The problem with most digital devices (the Motif is mostly digital up to the analog outputs) is distortion when levels are set too high, not noise when set to low. So if 0dB or 6dB sounds too low you might want to crank up the input level on the device you’re sending the Motif outputs to.

Kevin

Re: Motifs internal Volume

ok cool, also i didnt want to post a new topic on this since it is just a basic question but im am curious if the Motif itself is Balanced or Unbalanced...Im getting some hum/noise and i think its coming from my board but it could be that im hooking an unbalanced piece to a balance piece and getting this hum, but im been trying to research this and still cant find if the Motif is balanced or unbalanced?

Re: Motifs internal Volume

Unbalanced is the right answer here.

Balanced would require either an XLR output or a stereo jack socket and to gain benefits of balanced operation you would need to plug into a balanced setup.

The most likely cause of your hum is an earth loop and there is planty of info on this forum and elsewhere as to how to handle that - DI boxes or similar is the solution.

Cheers

Re: Motifs internal Volume

Cool Wellie thanks, I will look into getting a direct box or the Ebtech Hum Eliminator i hear that it was good for eliminating hum and buzz...especially for the motifs.