Controlling the Amount of Default Attenuation the OT Inflicts on Samples?

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

Is there a way to cancel or modify the compression / attenuation that the OT’s audio engine inflicts on samples recorded to recorder buffers?

The manual states that in order to compensate for the attenuation the OT inflicts while sampling (in order to assure headroom), the recorder buffers add 12DB to the track. But when I play the sample back after recording it to the OT it is still significantly quieter than the source material.

When I try to compensate further for this by increasing the ‘gain’ in ‘attributes’ more, it doesn’t sound very good.

Thanks!

#2

Hey Alinka!

First and most important: I don´t know if you can modify that particular behavior :frowning:
Maybe some more experienced users could chip in.

BUT:
You can also change the level of the sample in the audio edit menu. Open the sample management for the track you want to affect [FUNCTION]+[PLAYBACK] and then press [FUNCTION]+[EDIT] (its the bank key), the menu for your audio file should open. You can now use the setup keys under the sreen to flip through different pages, somewhere there you can affect the level of the chosen sample and a lot of other stuff.

ALSO IMPORTANT:
The OT will stretch the sample to your chosen BPM, it will always sound different if you don´t dial in the original BPM. You also can turn that off/on in the menu I explained above.

Everything about the audio editor you can find on page 96 of the OT manual!

Hope I could help a little, and if not… at least I tried :muscle:

Greetings, JX

PS: Be aware how loud the rest of your whole setup is. Sometimes your mind is so tangled up in your thinking that you forget to turn up your monitor speakers/the mixer/whatever you´re using :slight_smile:
Happened to me numerous times!

1 Like
#3

I did a field test where i offered three files

A professionally captured classical performance

The same performance captured within the OT

The same performance recorded to a budget field recorder via the headphone out

Basically there was no consensus on what was what and some preferred this and some that

There were tiny diffrences , but mostly in the feel of the space, stuff at the floor of the recording. Things up in the mix were all fine

Either way. There is probably good reason to stick with the 12db reduction at capture followed by regaining although i would like the option for one off recordings to just capture hotter

In terms of levels after the 12db is added back that is possibly just down to your own gain staging imho

2 Likes
#4

Plus, this is an old topic

Lots to read back on

See link at bottom of his similar thread

#5

This input attenuation cannot be controlled as mentioned

An older thread, one of many

The other thread - without listenable files btw

#6