Internal clipping with normalized samples?

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#21

Now I am doing more tests, and I might have had a temporary lapse of insanity about all this. Sigh.

I will report back when I know more.

#22

From test below :
VOL = +63 > +12db
VOL = -32 > -12db

New project
Flex playing at 0db sine wave
Fx 1 and 2 set to none
VOL = +63
No clipping

VOL = +63
Attributes Gain = +0.5db > clipping
VOL=0
Attributes = +12db > clipping
VOL=-32
Attributes = +24db > clipping

Sample gain staging order seems to be :
Attributes Gain > VOL > Fx1 > Fx2 >Track Level > Main Level

2 Likes
Gain aGain
Live sampling from CUE - volume question
#23

From other similar tests with Attributes Gain :
Main Level 0 to +63 > +12 db
Track Level 127 to 108 > - 3 db (108 is default)
Track Level 127 to 64 > - 12 db
VOL = +63 > +12db
VOL = -32 > -12db

I’d set MAIN / CUE LEVEL to 0 because it increases SRC3 MAIN / CUE recording Level.

4 Likes
Internal gain stage recommendations
Resampling thread
Live sampling from CUE - volume question
#24

I almost hate to bump this thread, but I feel like I should to:

  1. Express my appreciation for all the help provided - especially from @sezare56.
  2. Let people know that it was basically user error which included misinterpreting the color of the LEDs and other embarrassing things.

I know a lot more about gainstaging the OT from all this.

Thanks again fam!

7 Likes
#25

Thanks for asking! :slight_smile:
Always something to learn, trying to answer.

4 Likes
#26

This thread ended up sending me down a rabbit hole of intersample peak reading and I learned a lot more about it than I even realized there was left to learn, so if anything I should be thanking you!

Among other things, I learned that 8ntersample peaks actually CAN cause problems in the digital domain, not just during DA conversion, although from what I could tell they’re mostly related to metering and resampling and wouldn’t have been relevant here anyhow.

2 Likes
#27

Haha thanks for saying that. It makes me feel better lol.

Yeah, if you can master gainstaging and levels in the OT, than everything else is easy, especially DAWs.

Most importantly, at least for me, I now understand a lot about the importance of gain staging in floating point DAWs. Even when you can’t clip your buses in DAWs, working with compressors and other dynamic effects requires care. The skills gained from wrangling the OT translate nicely in that regard.

#28

Have anyone experienced clipping to the point of audio-drop out? ran some experiments today since i had some problems that i submitted earlier.
Normalized sine wave at AMP 0, no FX. If the VOL goes above 0 i hear digital artifacts, distortion, and then complete silence. What is going on here?

#29

Well if its normalised you’re at 0db already right? Then increasing VOL will internally clip, this means distortion, which basically means squaring off the sine wave, ( you can check that with resampling) i guess you would reach a point where the pulse width hits zero = no audible sound. Thats what I reckon, others might have more knowledge?

1 Like
#30

You are correct. I was using incoming noise and comb filter to create sounds, and the sampled waveform showed a square wave close to zero pulse width.