RYTM / OCTA gain questions

Elektron Gear Analog Rytm
#1

Hey guys,

I’m aware of all the other gain staging RYTM threads, and have combed through through them. I’m hoping @sezare56 notices this thread because i feel like he will have the answer to my questions (he always does). I’m running my RYTM into the ins of my octatrack, and the recorded signal is very low. I know the problem is not with my octa recording settings because i ran a test pink noise file out of my interface into it to insure i was passing through with unity gain. On the octatrack i use channel 8’s flex recorder as an “oscilloscope” recording the main outs of the octatrack so I can see the gain and waveforms of my octatrack master. On the octatrack, it is very easy for me to turn up gain at any of the gain stages in order to go way way above the clipping point (which i can visualize on my track 8). When i record the analog rytm (monitoring through the octa mixer with dir at 127 for inputs A+B and every thing else at unity, the signal records very weak. I have the main volume knob fully clockwise, which I know is not how it is designed. If i plug in my headphones to the rytm the signal is hot as hell. Also, i should mention i went into the sampling mode in the rytm to try to replicate what i do in the octatrack (record the main outs to see where my gain is at) and the signal is going above the limits of the sampling meter. I’m wondering if its possible that my main volume knob is broken? Is there any way to disable the main volume knob on the rytm so that it only affects the headphone outs (like it does on the octa).

I should also mention that i have tested this with the compressor on and off, and i’m aware that the volume on the compressor page is active regardless of whether the compressor’s wet.dry knob is on / off. I would think that with the insane amounts of make up gain on the elektron compressors, i should be able to easily max out the gain to extreme levels coming out of the rytm, which isn’t the case.

Thanks in advance for any help.

#2

I could be wrong, but I believe that if you have it set as A+B, as opposed to A B, it does some sort of summing of the signal. ( away from the instrument, don’t feel up to scanning a manual PDF on my phone and not 100% on the topic)
I don’t know if that would cause what you’re describing though…
I’m also not a RYTM user, so I may be kinda useless…
Does it change if you set the inputs to A B?

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#3

I’m unsure why you’d have such a low volume through dir. Have you got the gain knob in the mixer page at -64 rather than center 0? I don’t often use dir to monitor, but i’d check you’ve got your MIX set to 100% Main, rather than main/cue mix of 50/50%, and the gain levels on that page are set correctly.

I usually use thru. If I remember correctly, unity gain for a thru machine is:

Mixer:
DIR: +0 Gain

THRU Machine:

  • Input Page:
    • A B: 0 Gain
  • Amp Page:
    • Vol = 0 -> +63/64, whatever the max is
  • Track LVL:
    • 108 -> 128

There’s a 3db reduction on the track LVL by default, I think it sits at 108 usually.

There’s a 12db (?) reduction on the AMP vol by default, when it sits at 0. Bump it to 64, fully clockwise, and you should be in a much better spot.

If your using a master track, that also has a default gain reduction of it, as it’ll default to a track LVL of 108, rather than 128.

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#4

What is your recording source in REC SETUP 1 ?

Is monitoring with DIR AB ok ?

Which AR outputs do you use ?What cables do you use ?

I suppose @adamlevin87 meant DIR AB, as you can’t set it to A+B.

But if recording source is IN A+B, it can be problematic if cables are wrong.

For Thru I usually increase SRC page VOL to+63 instead of AMP VOL but theoretically it should be same level. But recently I noticed a little loss with THRU compared to original signal, (REC+FLEX monitoring was matching better)
(Max Level is 127)

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#5

I’ve not used my OT for a year… can you even set DIR as an input source for the recorders?

#6

Indirectly, if you record CUE, MAIN, or T8 as Master track.
I’d rather record INAB or INCD firstly for tests.

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