Is it possible to calibrate the Mix Console 0.00 point to actually be -16db or -18db and so on?
In other words with the 0.00 set to -16db, as long as you set the output of the loudest sound from a Virtual Instrument to peak at, or just under, 0.00 then you will know that your signal from the VSTi will always be at an average -16 dbfs, -18 dbfs or what ever figure you prefer.
I have checked Preferences > Metering-Appearance > Scale
but those presets seem to be add +9, + 18 and so on.
Thatās for actual gain though, correct? Not the ācalibrationā of the meter.
You could simply re-color the meter so that the point you want to be zero is where one color switches to another. Itāll probably be easier to read anyway rather than finding a number.
You can set levels correctly without moving the zero point though. If you look at a meter and it says ā0ā and that means -18dBFS then itās a visual indication to you. If you look at a meter and the line between for example green and yellow means -18dBFS then again thatās a visual indication to you. It accomplishes exactly the same goal so you donāt have to ācalibrate the zero point for correct gain stagingā. The clear shift from one color to another should surely be easier to see as well, rather than having to see exactly where ā0ā is on the meter.
Iād add too that if you reset ā0ā to mean ā-18dBFSā then if you forget that or if you have someone else work on your computer and they donāt know that then the number is just plain wrong. So leaving the meter as it is will limit the potential for confusion. As a matter of fact I think that if this option existed a ton of users would be very confused because they are confused enough as it is and now theyād be looking at a meter that might not really mean what it says.
Very much agree with this advice. But key to this working is you need to set your Meter Colors so they abruptly change and donāt fade from one color to the other. In order for that to work you need to have 2 color āmarkersā for each transition - one for the color above and another for below.
Thank you for all of your replies which I appreciate.
I hope what I am about to say does not come across as rude as it is not meant to be.
I was not not asking for alternative ways of calibrating the meters, I asked if it was possible period using -18 dBFS as an example.
I have specific reasons for needing to do this and any modern professional DAW should allow you to calibrate the meters as indeed many hardware consoles do.
I know many people do not believe in āgain stagingā but when clients are asking for it, as are Mastering Houses, then I need to respond.
I disagree. If anything you should be able to switch meters from one thing to another, if itās available. In other words I really donāt think it would be wise to reset āFSā to āFS minus whateverā. It is no longer āFSā if itās offset. Sounds like you would be better off with an alternate VU meter with a 0VU= -XdBFS calibration. Iād think that would be fine, but itās a different thing.
You can respond to it and gain stage all day long. Most of us who work in Cubendo professionally do. You just donāt need to see ā0ā to do it. You already have ā-18ā and you have color coding to do it.
If your clients donāt comprehend that simple concept then you should educate them.
