Octatrack MK2 and Input gain levels

Can you help me understand gain staging and level controls properly please?

I have an eurorack system, Octatrack and Mixer and I am trying to set the correct levels for my voices, however, Octatrack keeps flashing orange/red even when my input signal is between -25 and -9db. Is that all right? My mixer menu section in OT is set to defaults (0)

Test scenarios:

  1. VCO -> Output attenuator (-20db) -> Mixer ~ -7db (all green and seem to be in the sweet spot)
  2. VCO -> Output attenuator (-20db) -> Octatrack ~ -28db (light orange) -> Mixer -16db (too quiet)
  3. VCO -> Output attenuator (-10db) -> Octatrack ~ -18db (dark orange) -> Mixer -9db (sounds okay as long as it can stay on proper orange LED)
  4. VCO -> Output attenuator (-10db) -> Mixer ~ +3db (too loud)
  5. VCO -> VCA -> Mixer ~ +16db (way too loud)
  6. VCO -> VCA -> Octatrack ~ 9db (red LED) -> Mixer +3db (too loud, and red LED on Octa)

I’ve made a video showing the above results:

Either scenario 1 (without Octa involvement) or 3 are the best options in my opinion. Seem to be on a healthy Ievel with good amount of headroom for the main mix. I just don’t understand why OT LED is indicating ORANGE colour at -18db, instead of green. It looks to me that the mixer says I’m fine, the sound is fine, but the OT says I’m clipping (or just incorrectly indicating it, causing misunderstanding). So I am not sure if I am clipping or not…

What do you think? At what healthy level input signal should come into OT?

Hard to follow your tests, with different parameters changes…:slightly_smiling_face:

Red is the clipping warning, around - 12 db I think (MkI user), but with a sine wave you can go in the red without clipping. Easier to check clipping with a sine.

I’d say an healthy / safe signal would be just under - 12db.

@Open_Mike’s trick : you can check levels with the Noise Gate (Project > Control > Input). Increase Threshold to check input levels.

Octatrack Input Level Optimisation

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