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#433982 - 11/22/03 06:53 PM What Level Do You Set Protools At When Summing?
C_F_H_13
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Registered: 03/30/02
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Assuming that you sum to a console of sorts, and that you use mostly the consoles automation, what level do you set all your tracks to within protools?

0 db, +4 db, -10db, -18db or some other amount?
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#433983 - 11/22/03 08:00 PM Re: What Level Do You Set Protools At When Summing?
BlackScarlet
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Registered: 11/10/02
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I guess it all depends on how good the connected converters can translate levels close to digital full scale. I would never generalize this but somewhere from -6 to 0 should be working.

Regards

Wolfram
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#433984 - 11/23/03 02:32 AM Re: What Level Do You Set Protools At When Summing?
E-Lambo
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I usually go for a peak between -1.0 and -0.5.
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#433985 - 11/23/03 12:19 PM Re: What Level Do You Set Protools At When Summing?
where02190
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Registered: 11/06/01
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Nominal level in PT -18dbfs.
_________________________
Hope this is helpful.

NP Recording Studios
Analog approach to digital recording.

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#433986 - 11/23/03 10:33 PM Re: What Level Do You Set Protools At When Summing?
patrox247
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Registered: 09/14/03
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-18 db's tends to be a good level as it equals very close to analog 0.
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#433987 - 11/24/03 02:32 AM Re: What Level Do You Set Protools At When Summing?
E-Lambo
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Why -18? What's the reason to save 18db of headroom? I could understand -10 if you do audio post for television because that's what the network satellites are limited to, but I'm not familiar with the rationale for -18 in the digital domain.
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#433988 - 11/24/03 03:17 AM Re: What Level Do You Set Protools At When Summing?
patrox247
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The post stated that he was transfering to an analog console. In Pro Tools, -18db's is very close to analog 0. It is at this level which the analog gear can perform at its best. The -18db output only applies to those who intend to use analog gear during summing.
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#433989 - 11/24/03 11:29 AM Re: What Level Do You Set Protools At When Summing?
where02190
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-18dbfs=0dbu. this allows sufficient transient headroom without overshooting 0dbfs, and leaves dynamic headroom for mastering.

If you pin your mixes to 0dbfs, you've left no dynamic headroom for the mastering engineer to work with.
_________________________
Hope this is helpful.

NP Recording Studios
Analog approach to digital recording.

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#433990 - 11/25/03 02:27 AM Re: What Level Do You Set Protools At When Summing?
E-Lambo
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Ah yes, he did mention analog. My eyes jumped past that part, right to the end. -18dbfs out to an analog console makes perfect sense.
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