also the way water gets in to drown you… 
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I haven’t sat down and systematically made sute it’s not the headphones but I haven’t noticed it when I use them with other gear. I rarely use headphones with the OT and I’m never doing anything too critical when I do, so I have just been ignoring it.
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So I checked things today.
Volume on the Zoom, right down - still distorted, whilst through the headphones it sounded fine.
Tried going direct into the laptop via audacity - still distorted, whilst through the headphones it sounded fine.
This was with all track levels at 127, and main volume at 0.
So, instead of fiddling with each individual track level, I brought the main volume right down (to -40) and everything was fine, no distortion. I did notice that after I recorded it to Zoom and then checked the file in Audacity, the overall volume was low, so I boosted it (in Audacity) and it was fine, with no distortion.
So, it remains a mystery to me why through the headphone jack it should sound fine, yet through the main outs (either into Audacity or my Zoom) it should be distorted.
I did manage to pinpoint that it seemed to be the kick drum that was distorting via the main outs, and not the whole track, but again, no distortion through the headphones, only the main outs.
I’ll see what happens with my next creation, checking volumes as I go.
You can lower output with headphones, so it is not surprising to have no distortion with it but it is very weird that you can’t record Main Outputs without distortion with Zoom or Audacity.
Yeah, the only thing I’m thinking is that I didn’t have the headphones at max volume, though I’m not sure if that’s a factor, I’m not about to find out 
Are you using the filter on the kick track that’s distorting? I’ve found that using the highpass filter with a lot of resonance can produce a really surprising amount of really deep sub bass at frequencies that are completely inaudible through my monitors or headphones. Still, I’d be kind of surprised if you were putting out a signal that was hot enough to overdrive the Zoom like that without clipping the DAC or headphone amp too, but the OT can definitely put out a LOT of low end. It’s possible your headphones have some kind of highpass filtering built in to protect their drivers from sub bass.
Just throwing out ideas.
I skimmed through the thread a second time and didn’t see it, but sorry if this has already been asked: MKI or MKII? If it’s a MKI, I have one and a Zoom H5, if you’d be willing to share it I’d be glad to open p your project and see if I can recreate the problem. If you’re using a MKII that wouldn’t be as useful since it has hotter line outs IIRC.
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Seems like you may not be hearing some sub stuff with HPs, which is common, unless you happen to have some really high-end ones, which would definitely align with pushing signal through the mains to distort a recording that you aren’t hearing…could even be a weird inverted polarity of a few non-zero samples somewhere in the kick file?
If you record the kick track (or suspect tracks) into Audacity, generally a clipped/distorted brick waveform due to sub info under 20-40k high passed will look quite different (new peaks, etc.) but still retain much of it’s sound character…you know there was stuff there “pushing” the RMS/level you couldn’t hear.
Thanks for these, and for the offer of analysis.
I’m using a MkII with KRK headphones (flat response.) There is a bit of filter on the kick, but still, it didn’t distort through the headphone output…
On the one hand I would be okay going out the main outs into a mixer, but it’s nice to use the headphone out for simplicity at times.
So my worry is that if I keep using the headphone out, when it comes to hooking up to record from the main outs, there’ll be more crunchy surprises.
My takeaway from this is that it shouldn’t be happening, and I should be able to rely on both outputs as required. I think I’ll need to check things each step of the way when building another track, checking the mains/headphones for any discrepancy.
You’ve all been really helpful so far, much appreciation for the technical response and willingness. 
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I have a question that’s on the same subject! I’ve been thinking more and more of using the live sampling and looping capabilities of OT to further extent, but I often come across the problem that the sample recorded is too low compared to the processed samples that play back already.
These samples are often stems from already finsished songs, and if I for example record a piano bit over that, the volume is too low. I usually prepare by setting the input gain somewhere just before it distorts, but even with a healthy recorded signal, it’s nowhere near my prerecorded material. So I guess a solution is just lowering everything so that when a live sample gets recorded with the lights going to just orange (right before peak/distortion), they will play back at the same level. This will mean lowering all my other gear during a live set (for example AR, A4 and a sub37) of course! So my question is if anyone else is doing this, and do you have any fixed numbers/levels in mind when matching prerecorded material with upcoming live samples? Any ideas are welcome! Cheers!
Ps I don’t have the OT in front of me, otherwise I would do some testing straight away.
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Hi , try using a adapter cable from stereo headphone Jack to LR into Mixer. Compare the Signal. There you will see where to lower the Volume ( into octa) or pre amps of the mixer.
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Well this problem popped up again, when getting ready to record my next composition from the main outs, after putting things together via the headphone output.
What I did notice was that it’s the actual signal coming from the Octatrack that is distorted from the main outs (when it wasn’t distorted from the headphone out).
I knew this because even when I turned the volume way down on the recording monitor (this time the Roland GoMix), it was still totally distorted, even at a super low volume.
My current catch all solution is to lower the master channel volume (track 8), which gets rid of all distortion and allows me to turn up the post-Octatrack volume as high as I like without distortion.
I’m happy with this, but given the previous responses to say there should be no difference between headphone out and main out, it does remain a mystery…
Your headphone out could include cue levels and therefore seem lower…
I’ll check that out - switching across to master in the mixer.
Gotta just mention that the zoom has automatic gain control options. Ensure these are off if not checked already, may as well record 24bit too
Hi, I wasn’t using the Zoom this time, it was the Roland GoMix, which I was monitoring with headphones. Both the volumes were right down and I could clearly hear distortion (albeit quiet), and the ‘peak’ light wasn’t flashing at all.
I just tried switching over to main outs on the octamixer just to see if it caused distortion through the Octatrack headphones socket - nothing except a slight raise in the volume.
All very odd
The Go:Mixer loves to distort* and the monitoring (both headphones and the peak light) is not at all accurate. I’d be trying to record this through a soundcard or an analog mixer to be more certain. Especially if you’re not hearing distortion through the headphones when you’re monitoring only the main outs. Try another sound source into the Go:Mixer to test?
*there was also a fault on early units where the volume is generally very low and it’s impossible to get anything approaching normal levels without distortion - it should be obvious if your unit is affected as you won’t be able to get close to a normal level without distortion.
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Thanks, yeah, I’m going to try this through the Mackie when I get home (in a hotel at the moment - hence Go:Mixer) and see what it sounds like.
I also just got a Go:Mixer. I have also had some trouble getting the levels right. I have chalked it up to me needing to experiment with it more, but it is supposed to be dead simple. I think I have noticed some distortion, way before the read light comes on. The manual says to adjust the gain until the red light blinks a little bit.
The Go:Mixer sucks, frankly. The red light is not a reliable indicator of clipping and neither is the headphone monitoring. You can record something that sounds fine as you record it and when you listen back to it there’s clipping.
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Thanks for that info. I have noticed the exact same issues. I may have to return the thing.
I am thinking about running a stereo out from my interface directly into my iPhone 8 via the Apple headphone adapter.
Do you happen to have any thoughts on that from a sound quality perspective?