Octatrack Mk.2 very loud output

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

Hi everyone, new to Elektron gear here. Got my Rytm Mk.2 last week and just got my Octatrack Mk.2 in today and love both of them, however…

The Octatrack is freakishly loud when the main volume is at 0. I haven’t had this problem with the Rytm or any other piece of gear I have, and I was wondering why this might be. For reference, to get around the same volume as the Rytm at half volume, I have to set the Octatrack to around -42. This is doubly unfortunate as I wanted to run the Rytm into the A/B inputs of the Octatrack, but it’s far too quiet at -42. When I have the Rytm going through A/B and the Octatrack at 0 only using a Thru machine, it sounds correct, with minimal volume loss.

Sorry if this is an idiotic question but I just couldn’t seem to find anyone mentioning similar problems in the forums and nothing in the manual about it being very loud. I greatly appreciate any insights you all might offer. Thank you!

FYI the Octatrack main outs are going straight to the speakers, which are Yamaha HS5’s. When doing the same thing with the Rytm the output levels were as expected. I’m using balanced TRS cables both from the Rytm to the Octatrack and from the Octatrack to the speakers.

P.S.: Let me know if there’s any pertinent information I might be leaving out that would help solving this issue.

#2

Are you using a master channel with your OT? If so then just lower your master fader level on the OT.

IIRC a thru track on the OT is at unity when the AMP page VOL value is set to 40 and track level is at maximum?

I personally always need to have a physical master volume knob on all my gear, so I’ve routed my OT to output all sounds from the cue outs, using studio mode. This way you get to use the headphone volume knob. Has saved me from overly loud bursts of sound countless times already! :diddly:

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#3

Thanks for replying!
I am using a master channel; is changing the volume level there a better way of balancing it than using the [func] + Level method?
I’ll try the method you mentioned with the amp page volume being set to 40.
I’ve just been playing with the presets that come along with it so far, so I figured maybe those are just really loud for some reason? In any case, at least I know I have plenty of db to spare if I need it some day :stuck_out_tongue:
I don’t recall what studio mode is but I’ll dive into the manual again to see what it’s about.

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#4

if using a compressor effect on the OT, be aware the Gain brings a potentially phenomenal amount of volume.

if monitoring the input from an external input, the Gain on the two stereo inputs doesn’t need to be above zero a lot of the time, if the Dir is around 100 or so.

when the individual track volumes are at zero, that means they are neither boosting nor attenuating the volume level of the audio file playing back on that track. (Volume being the Amp page volume for a track, different to the Lev volume for a track).

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#5

Funny I had the opposite issue recently at a club when they had my OT connected to the PA mixer and volume was low no matter how much I cranked up my gain. I had tested mine at home and it was fine but the live event was a disaster. I had to connect the headphone out to the mixer to get enough gain and volume. Any ideas why that would be the case? Now I am looking into getting a mixer to avoid future issues.

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#6

All your parts were saved before the gig and recalled properly?

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#7

yes

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#8

dude no way so you are actually out there doing gigs already?

whoa cool!

as regards the low volume sound i do not think you need to bring your own mixer. find out what the problem was with the mixer at the gig.

maybe the pre-gain on the channel was way low and you didn’t know.

try scoring a soundcheck in the afternoon or day before the gig.

make friends with the sound guy. maybe they thought you were gigging way too early with the Octatrack and were envious of your quick upgrade from panicking with the Octatrack to performing with the Octatrack, and so connected you to a faulty channel of the mixer.

the Octatrack is capable of big volume so it should, all things being equal, not require a workaround for the volume.

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#9


Not always easy. :smile:

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#10

Hey everyone! Thank you all for your replies. I’ve had a week now to mess around with the octatrack and something is definitely up with the volume, though I’m not sure what as of yet.

I’ve noticed that when resampling T8 or MAIN, the master level affects the volume of the resampled audio. This makes sense! What doesn’t make sense, however, is that the resampled audio is significantly quieter than what I’m hearing from my speakers. I don’t have an exact number, but I tried cranking up the gain in the audio editor to +24 (as high as it can go) and it’s still not as loud as my main outputs.

Is this normal behavior or is something strange about this? I would assume that the resampled volume would match the main outputs. This is something of a pain because I need to resample at +0 on my main level knob when recording tracks but have to turn my speakers off every time because +0 is practically jet-engine loud.

I’ve ordered some new TRS cables to see if changing those will do anything. I kind of doubt it but I’m desperate at this point. I love this machine but this is making it so hard to work with!

Appreciate any input and thanks again for your advice!

Edit: I was mistaken, recording T8 produces a recording much closer to the original than recording MAIN. I’ve found that if I increase the resampled audio by +5db in the attr menu it’s indistinguishable from the main output. I guess this is a fix? I’m just surprised that resampling internally would lose any gain at all. Let me know if this isn’t really the correct workaround!

Edit 2: Okay so either +5 in the AED attr menu OR T4 (my resampling track) at +20 VOL is on parity with the master volume. Weird stuff!

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#11

to start with, for now, do not touch your Audio Editor “Gain” settings for a clip. yup, that’s right … just leave it alone. Leave it at “+12” for that is essentially “standard” (i know it seems strange but whatevs that is how it is).

secondly, go read the Merlin manual for the Octatrack.
it isn’t long. if necessary read two pages a day.
then read it again a month later.

as regards resampling … if you resample the Main Output when your Main Level is boosting any gain above zero, then any sample that you get from that is going to be double-boosted when you preview it or trig it on a track.

View the individual Track Volume as a virtual Sound Pressure Level.
A “Gain” pot on a regular mixing desk, if you like.
12’o’clock is neutral; no boost, no attenuating.

View the Track Level parameter as the way to adjust your balance of instruments in your current pattern’s mix, like an engineer.

again:: don’t go touching the Audio Editor Gain at this time.

If you sample the Main Output when the Main boost volume in the Mix is neutral, at zero … then do not touch the Audio Editor Gain (leave it at +12 as the Octatrack samples at -12db and so makes up for it) … and then assign that sample to a Static or Flex machine on a Track with the Track’s level at standard (3/4 high or something i think) and the Volume neither Boosting nor Attenuating (Vol is to be at 12’o’clock, neutral) … then it will be the same volume as what you sampled it at/heard it at.

Try this without using the Master Effects Track, as that is most likely a source of confusion and further boosting at this time.

Oh, and also, if you put the track you sampled onto a Static or Flex machine to play it on a Track, switch off the effects on that track.

Also to avoid volume confusion, do not use the OT compressor effect - anywhere - until you comprehend the scenario of the Gain Pathway more fully, as the Gain on that is ginormous.

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Octatrack adds 12 db of gain to every incoming sample?
#12

Thank you so much! I didn’t realize the Octatrack sampled at -12, so that was really confusing. I started reading the Merlin guide but clearly I need to finish it. I’ll look into how the gain pathway works more as well.

#13

and remember: don’t use the Master Effects track for another month. No compressor for six weeks. No Audio Editor Gain usage for two months. And keep the Master Output at neutral (zero), whilst usually keeping the Vol of all tracks at 12’o’clock or less.

#14

also the Audio Editor Gain is for the Slot, not the Sample, but it will save any Gain adjustment made in the Audio Editor by Save Sample Settings.

if any other recording is made to a Recording Flex Slot, and the slot has a previously boosted or attenuated Gain setting above or below the standard ‘neutral’ 12db, the Slot will automatically keep the setting from before, it won’t automatically default to 12db (zero boost/reduce).

if a new sample is selected for a slot, and it has a 17db Audio Editor Gain setting, it will arrive and tell the slot to set the Audio Editor Gain setting to 17db (five db above neutral 12db). strange, i know. but that’s just how it is.

#15

Audio editor gain is useful for using sample locks on one track and maintaining even volume from different samples without having to plock amp vol for each one…

Also useful if plocks affecting gain/volume are already made on a track and you want to boost or attenuate the track without redoing all the locks, (pre fx vs track level which is post fx)…

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#16

just did this last night, very useful. the Level was already maxed. very simple solution, go boost the Audio Editor Gain on the track from the “neutral” 12db setting up to 16db.

also to mention: if two tracks are accessing the same slot then the Audio Editor Gain change will be noticed for both tracks.

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