Anybody else feel that the Rytm has a low output compared to other devices? I have all drum machines and synths plugged straight into a RME fireface, and volume wise the Analog Rytm is performing quite badly… I need to really push the signal to get it to sound good with the rest…
Hello,
I have the same feeling, and i was looking forward to find an answer to this issue…
I guess we’re only 2 in this case ?!
i tried many things, i was firstly with the 4 individual outputs (8 inputs on my interface !)
NB: with the individual outputs you cannot use the master volume !!!
and my other synths playing along were all louder than the AR.
I tried then the 2 master outputs and i could use the master volume, it gave more volume output as the individual outputs but i’m at 100% at the master volume and at the volumes of each sound of my kit ! i’m only at 90% on the other synth and they are a little bit still more louder than the AR.
it’s strange… by the way it’s elektron with the AR that get a penalty to the NAMM by putting the volume too strong !
What’s going on with us ?
Have also recently got a Rytm and have the same experience. Think it’s just the weird gain staging tho - noticed if you turn up the overdrive on a channel it gets loads louder. Obviously don’t want to have to do that on every channel tho, so must be more to it… Have also had problems getting the reverb loud enough to be audible on anything.
Think I need to have a proper sit down and figure out where all the various volume/overdrive controls sit in the signal path. Maybe it also needs the compressor to balance things out a bit too. Not had enough time with it to figure any of this out yet tho - maybe this weekend!
It’s the overdrive’s nature to go louder, it’s gotta be used in conjunction with volume. And I’d avoid relying on the compressor for balancing, because once you change something - you’re in a mess. Sometimes it’s a very pretty mess tho. Also, easy to overdo and flatten your dynamics.
I’ve got a RME Firecace UCX.
Balanced cables will give you some more db. Inputs can changed from +4 dBu and -10 dBV and “lo” (if I remember correctly).
In the Rytm on the compressor page you have a “master” vol you can crank and doing some NY compression you can mix in more gain without getting distortion/overdrive effects.
I approach the overdrive as a means to color the sound, not boost. A small setting might boost it but any further creates a different sonic character.
Are you using the master outs or individual? If master then, yeah, play with the compressor. That’s another level one can’t forget about. If individual…dunno. My AR individual outs are going into a Behringer ADA8000/Babyface and I’m never in want of vol.
Just had a bit of a play around with the various volume levels.
With a newly initialised kit and the main outs into sound card, the default kick peaks at around -30dB on the meters in ableton, which is pretty quiet.
By my reckoning, there’s the following volume controls (not including overdrive/distortion!):
[ul]
[li]Track level[/li]
[li]Trig volume[/li]
[li]Synth level[/li]
[li]Amp volume[/li]
[li]Comp volume[/li]
[/ul]
Turning up all the above gives about an extra +18dB gain in total - by far the biggest difference is the volume on the comp page. Guess there’s just loads of headroom internally so it doesn’t clip even with all voices going full tilt with a bit of overdrive/fx.
Just out of curiosity (cause I’m s noob with mixing and levels): is it a mixing no-no to use gain on line level inputs? I haven’t heard anyone talking about this.
What The F Elektron get it together . Was in love but now I am starting to hate all from this company. I too can not turn my volume up its on max volume and is quiet as f!! but my digitone is loud and my digitakt is loud. Get it together !!! I want a refund for my rytm! Its a p.o.s
Surprised this thread didn’t get more action when it was a live years ago, because there are some unique considerations with the Rytm gain structure that confuse people. The deal, from my perspective, is that the Rytm has a massive dynamic range. Set your system’s gain staging to play initialized drums at a reasonable volume, and you can’t take advantage of the distortion/overdrive/compressor gain, because now you’re clipping. Set your system’s gain staging to take advantage of all of that stuff, and the initialized drums are much too quiet. I struggle with this all the time, and is one of the reasons I’ve been contemplating selling the Rytm. Not because I can’t make it work, but simply because it requires too much fiddling. I generally set my gain staging such that I can max out all the Rytm goodies without clipping my inputs, but of course that means that I’ve got to engage the compressor gain or other gain boosters on every new kit just to bring the volume up to snuff. Trade-offs 
Im baffled by this thread. I’ve never had problem getting my rytm to be loud enough.
You sure this is not user error?
Balanced cables will not add level with elektron gear as its all impedance balanced (ie. not a true differential balancing connection)
Go to fx > compressor page. The volume parameter is the master output level control, active regardless of compresor use. I bet anyone who thinks Rytm is silent has this turned down. On my current project I have it set at 25, meaning I have massive headroom to crank it up if I needed to. Admittedly, it s well hidden there.
My mixer’s line input gain is at unity (0dB). Channel fader at 0dB. The Rytm s volume pot is at 3/4, and that balances well with my other instruments. I set all my instruments and mixer gains so that they even out with channel faders at 0dB. Then while playing I do minor level tweaks with the instruments’ volume pots.
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