How do you Control SPDIF input levels in Logic Pro using Apogee Ensemble

Not owning an Apogee Ensemble, maybe someone else who does has more definitive info can jump in, but do not confuse the lower level of the SPDIF input with "lesser quality". It's a digital connection, with no analog conversion.

-18 dBFS on a digital scale is the same as 0dB on an analog scale.

I think what you're experiencing, is the fact that so many people think they need to get the meters in Logic closer to 0dB, which is actually NOT what you want (when staying ITB). This thinking is left over from the days of analogue recording, or the early days of 16 bit digital recording.

Turn your other sources in Logic down, and you'll reap the benefits of not overloading the 2 buss, allowing the plug-ins to do their computations without distorting, etc... Then you can bring the over all level of your mix back up, in mastering.

If the Motif is considerably lower in volume than that, you could always insert a gainer plug-in on the audio track.

As to the 15 minutes, that is what Logic has pre-allocated for recording to your hard drive. It "re-sets" each time you go into record, so it's not saying "you only have 15 minutes of record time available". It's saying, "you have 15 minutes of hard disk space allocated each time you go into record, based on your sample rate and bit depth settings". This can be changed in the Audio pathway, but it's recommended to leave this number as low as possible/necessary, to avoid disk fragmentation.

The thing to remember though, is the SPDIF is a digital input. there is no analog signal from which to amplify. Thus, you generally don't see a level control on a digital input.

There may be something in software, so consult your Apogee manual (or wait till an Apogee owner jumps in), but I personally haven't seen anything like that on any of the digital inputs of the gear I've owned. The volume was controlled at the source.

me jump in..
Did you configure the set up in maestro? Check the volume?
I'm not at home; I will check later

yes i configured everything in Maestro. I looked last
night and didn't see anything to adjust volume for SPDIF.

There is no (never should be) any adjustment for in incoming
s/pdif signal. First of all, it would compromise the data.

The whole point of a digital transfer is a bit by bit copy, adding a software volume control will ruin the integrity.

"It's a digital transfer" not analog.

If need be, raise the volume after the transfer.
The better method in Logic and most other DAW's is to not
modify the waveform by normalizing or raising the gain
with the sample editor, but simply upping the mixer level
for that track.

pancenter-

Hi,

If you are feeding from your Motif to your Apogee, why don't you check the output level there?

The SPDIF out of the Motif is most likely AFTER the volume level fader...

Cheers

To amend my previous post.

There is no (never should be) any adjustment for in
incoming s/pdif signal.

There should be no level adjustment period, if there is it's not a direct digital transfer.

The whole point of a digital transfer is a bit by bit
copy, adding a software volume control.

Or hardware volume control, s/pdif transfer should not have "adjustments".

pancenter-

ok..should be home in a hour; i will check how I got mine to work

Hi,

Have you checked the settings for the SPDIF output? Is it +4(Pro) or -10(Consumer) levels?? Is there even any way to change this setting in the Motif?

Also, is there a Global volume setting somewhere in the Motif as well? Is it maxed out?

Just a couple of pence thrown into the pond...

Cheers

Hi,

The difference is simply levels.

+4 pro level is louder by about 12dB than -10 consumer level. the labels "Pro" and "Consumer" level have NOTHING to do with the audio quality. Keep that in mind.

When you press the Apogee from +4 to -10dB, and you are feeding it the SAME signal from the Motif, of course, it will become 12dB louder. this is because you are feeding an exremely loud signal, and then making it louder with the removal of the singal padding in the apogee.

The reason the Apogee has this level difference, is that, when you are feeding it a +4 level, it pads it down to acceptable levels, to match the -10 level. a lot of gear does this, simply to not have to incorporate two circuits to handle the different levels in every channel input. The sound quality will not change.

You should read this, to understand the dB, and it's various ways of representing it:

http://www.jimprice.com/prosound/db.htm

Cheers

I have checked everything. SPDIF is not controlled by the
master fader on the XS, and I have the gain maxed on all
output channels on the XS. So I don't know what else it
could be.

Don't you folks read the posts?
S/PDIF does NOT have volume settings, it's a direct digital transfer. Any type of hardware/software volume control would mess with the bits. You might get some improvement by boosting the sample level in the patch.

The best way to do this is to record the S/PDIF then use Logic's mixer to up the output level. Do not normalize or alter the waveform.

pancenter-