Wehn I have a one channel panned center sent through my Mackie 802 VLZ4 or ADA8k into my Babyface my vector scope is showing that it’s an average of 0.4db louder in the left. Same thing when I play a waveform sample on my OT and the Amp bal is 0.
As I have lots of things going in my mixes are always louder in the left. Is this something I should be concerned about or a natural occurrence and it’s up to me to balance appropriately?
i have the same issue on my vlz1642 in combination with the AR. I removed the cables and used unbalanced and everything is at the same level
From the indi outs or stereo of the AR?
stereo
but i am not quite sure if there is a problem with the internal mixer
I’m using mainly unbalanced aside from the main out of the Mackie, which is balanced.
I had the same thought since it happens on my ADA8K too.
Had the same problem. Are you using two separate inputs on the Babyface set to “Stereo” - e.g. two mic inputs? If so, unsplit them and make sure the input gain is set the same - stereo doesn’t change the input gain to match, you need it to match first. My issue was one input was set to autogain and the other wasn’t, so even though the stereo combination of inputs wasn’t, the input behind it was changing it’s gain without my visibility. Bad UI in totalmix, but it makes sense if you consider the stereo pair to simply be a a submix of the two separate inputs.
Yes that’s how I have it. I made that mistake early on myself. Learned a valuable lesson there…
I should probably have mentioned that when I say louder I mean by on average 0.4db
My 802VLZ4 seems to have slight pan imbalances too, but only on certain inputs. If this happens on more than one piece of gear, I assume you’ve tried different channels - but it sounds like you’re saying not every piece of gear has this imbalance even on the same channel on the Mackie, ruling the Mackie out as the possible source?
Yeah I’ve tried multiple pieces of gear through the Mackie but also the same gear through my ADAT and all showing the same results so if this were an issue it would be unlikely due to my Mackie and more an issue with my Babyface (which I cannot imagine, so assume I it’s commonplace…)
Easy way to check that theory, if you can split a mono signal into two and run that into your babyface.
Also, can try using the mono channel on your Mackie to see if it’s output is really “off” - removes the stereo nature of the source and will show you where the imbalance is likely occurring.
Yeah so with my monosynth I run it into ch 1, pan center and its reading louder in left.
Splitting the mono signal is a good idea but I’m not sure I have the cables to do that…
Anyway. For now I’ll do my best to offset it by paying attention to the mix. Thanks for the help!
Oh, I just thought of something, you can record in the left side, then overdub in the right with the same source from the monosynth. Check the relative levels. That will sort out if it’s the output of the Mackie or the inputs on the Babyface. If it’s the Babyface, you can compensate with the stereo split and then rejoin the channels. I’d be surprised if it were, but if you’re using the microphone inputs that might be one tiny offset click’s worth of gain difference in Totalmix. Just a thought.
Either way, yeah, a small compensation would be fine for that, anywhere you see fit to put it.
Or just use the line outs from the baby face back into itself, even. Might be even more repeatable.