cubase 7-7.06 input level problem

Cubase
#1

My input level is over 3db peak louder then the actual recorded track. If I record a vocal track and I have a peak at -14dbfs the recorded playback track peaks -10.6dbfs. Also if the input sound peak over -12dbfs in Cubase I get a nasty distort like sound but the recorded track is not distorted because its level is recorded over 3 db lower.

I checked every possible scenario equipment, wires etc. This is very embarrassing when the client is in the studio. Last night after hours of testing everything with no fix, I pulled up Cubase 5 and set the ASIO drivers to the same converters with every thing set the same as in Cubase 7 / 7.06. I did some vocal test and always working normal with the input level as the same level as the recorded track. Vocal sound was nice clear sounding as normal.

I upgrade box version awhile back and just been working around this as my business has picked up. I also update Cubase 7 to 7.06 with no fix. Going back to Cubase 5 fix the problem.

What the heck can be the problem as I have try everything I can think of to fix this but no luck. I love the new Cubase but need a fix please.

Some one please help me out please !!!

#2

Anyone had this problem after upgrading from Cubase 5 to Cubase 7-7.06. Something must be getting screwed up with c7 upgrade. I’ve been using Cubase since version SX1 and never had a problem with any version until Cubase 7.

I don’t know what the heck could be going on. I’m pissed because I was hesitant to upgrade form c5 to c7 but a friend talked me into making the plunge. First time ever a problem with a Cubase version. I wish someone could give me a clue to whats going on.

#3

Control Room on perhaps?

#4

I tried recording with control room off same problem. I record with control room in Cubase 5 with no problem, Man I have tried everything I can think of. Going back to Cubase 5 things sound great. Something is screwed up with Cubase 7 upgrade.

Thanks jeff for your help. I will be track back in Cubase 5 until I find a fix. I’m pissed cause I paid my money on this upgrade and been fighting this problem for months. I test every piece of equipment in my studio and was on the phone with Avalon service tech and lynx service tech for days. I was for sure it was my lynx aurora 8 control mixer setting but after 3 day of tone testing with the service tech all was good.

Then the only thing that was left was me adding Cubase 7 to my setup. Rolling back to Cubase 5 everything works great as it suppose to.

#5

Sorry you are having this problem.

No. If this were the case, don’t you think that there would be a mass amount of people screaming about this? I don’t see that; this is something on your end.

There are so many variables here, and I dont have the time to help you troubleshoot. In the meantime, where are you? I suggest you contact your local support; if you are in the USA, the support here is very good. Chris and Jeff have been doing this a long time, and are very good at what they do. I cant speak for the support elsewhere.

But while I still have you…

In C7, is your soundcard’s ASIO driver selected in the device setup?

Do this:

Connect a mic (output of mic pre) to your soundcard
Create an audio channel
Record-enable that channel and press the monitor button
Leave that channel’s fader @ 0
Do not put any plugs on that audio channel

You want to see if the level of the input channel is the same as the level on the audio track. It should be. To be able to tell, you might need to choose an instrument that doesn’t fluctuate in level that much . Therefore, vocals may not be the best thing to check; a distorted guitar with a chord ringing out would be a good bet.

Cheers.

#6

Which meters are you monitoring at what settings, during record and playback?

#7

Jeff,


That’s why I said something screwed up on the upgrade since all was working fine in C5 and I upgrade to C7 then I notice this problem. Maybe I should have said when I upgrade to C7 something happen that I cant figure out. Something went wrong in my upgrade (note my upgrade). Sorry I did know you would focus on something like that. I love Cubase like you so I’m not bashing just trying to find the problem.

I did the +4dbu external tone etc etc same problem in C7 but all is fine in C5. I did all that basic stuff you mention.

+4dbu external test tone all meters in lynx routing software is the same, input level in C7 is 3.4db level higher. I also hear sound level different input from playback. I clip gain trim the recorded track 3.4db and the input and recorded track sound the same level.

I roll back to Cubase 5 do the exact same test all level matches and I change no routing /settings nothing on my part.

I’m in the US and will try contacting Cubase support.

Thanks

#8

Could it be your project settings

Volume Max:

The maximum fader level defaults to +12dB

Cubase versions before version 5.5 default to +6dB

#9

peakae,

I notice the maximum fader level defaults to +12dB in project setting. I will try that tomorrow as I have a session to do. I will report back my finding. I hope that’s the problem because working back in Cubase 5 slows my work flow down.

Thanks

#10

I found this thread intriguing and couldn’t resist doing a quick test myself, just quickly recording a mono track of myself snapping my fingers and looking at the input meter peak hold and comparing the resulting output meter peak hold. Like the OP I found a difference of 3db between the two. The input was coming in on the right channel of a stereo pair from my soundcard. I went in to the project setup and changed the pan law from where it was (-3db) to 0.0db and did the same test. Now the peak holds were identical.

Did the same test in C6.5 with the same result.

Just wondering if this is the problem the OP is encountering?

ps. I should have made it clear that this test involved leaving the output channel panned dead centre. Panning hard left or right results in the peak holds being identical, ie: the panning law working as expected… so could it be the OP has his panning law in C5 set at 0db and in 7.06 at -3db and is simply seeing the centre panned attenuation?

#11

@denlig

There’s likely nothing wrong with your DAW. as dickiedrummer pointed out, this is most likely a pan law setting which will give you the results you’ve been experiencing (mono tracks only) on every pan law setting other than ‘0db’. On stereo tracks using the ‘balance panner’ you’ll experience no variance. This changes when you use the combined panner which is effectively summing the L+R and you’ll get an increase in volume as you narrow the field and even more so combined when panning that narrowed field.

#12

Thanks Guy’s for your responds,

I know about pan law. I been using Cubase since SX1. I have run test with the pan law -3,0,equal power and same problem. I do the same test in Cubase 5 all is fine.

Thanks for the lesson on pan law but I learn all that years ago but thanks. I use the same session template I made and been using for years in C5. The test that dickiedrummer done when I do this same test in C7 I get a and distort like sound peaks pass -12dbfs while monitoring at any pan law. The recorded track plays -3.4db lower with no distortion.

Doing dickiedrummer same test in C5 with the exact same setup/settings with any pan law all input is same in meter level, play back and all. I can peak hot with no distortion sound and play back is sounds great. I would think if its something simple as a panlaw it would show its self in both C5 and C7 I would think. The only thing that change in my setup was adding C7.

dickiedrummer and my same test as he did has two different results. The distortion monitoring sound and input level is what’s got me posting this.

I should get the same problem going back to C5 also if I have the exact same setup and setting and pan law as I use in C7 shouldn’t I ? The only this is that I upgrade from C5 to C7. All settings should copy over from C5 to C7 when I upgraded is the correct? My templates is the same and my setup is the same so im not seeing how this can lead to a pan law.
Thanks guys for your help

#13

Could the meter position have anything to do with this.
I’ve noticed that the meter position in Nuendo 6 defaults to “Post Panner.”
I had to set it to “Post Fader” in all my templates.
Right click on a meter to get to these settings.

#14

dickiedrummer,

I ran a +4dbu test tone thru my mic pre line in at 0vu - lynx converters -16dbfs input meter in C7 around -13dbfs or so and recording track meter is -16dbfs. The mixer is lynx software is same input and output -16 on the meters. My input signal should be of the same level and quality as my recorded track with not plugins. I’m not taking about the output bus but input and recorded channel.

This is not so with my C7 but doing the same exact test and changing nothing in C5 the input meter and recorded channel meter is identical in level and tone sound, still not talking about the output. Bypassing the mic pre and going straight into the converter input in C7 I have the same problem but this test is fine in C5. If pan law is the same in both C5 and C7 the meters and the sound quality should be identical.

Another test was done with +4dbu test tone recorded on mono channel one in C7. We played back the recorded tone with on channel one with a same +4dbu tone coming in C7 input mono channel and the input was 3.4db higher then the recorded track no matter what pan law setting as the pan was centered. This same identical test was done in C5 and the input and recorded track was the same and also lynx input and output.

I’m getting distortion on input in C7 but not so on playback channel. In C5 I can peak -3dbfs input with no distortion and recorded track peaks the same and plays back same everything is level match.

I hope I explain my problem where some one can understand that this is not a pan thing.

Thanks

#15

Thanks Rotund,

I already know this I record input monitoring meters when tracking. I’m not too concern about the meters as im about the distortion sound I hear if peak pass -12dbfs. This is not a mic pre or converter distortion as their is no distortion sound when I go back to C5 same setting/setup. The thing that really got me stumped is the same is not happening in both C5 and C7 with the same setting. It has to be something simple on my part but I have run out thing to try. I wish I can figure this out cause it feels weird use C5 after C7. I’m faster on C7 and I been using C5 since it came out.

Thanks

#16

It would seem you have some other problem going on somewhere then. I think maybe a re-install 0f C7 may be a starting point. If the problem persists then I would still suspect it to be some simple setting somewhere, either in Cubase or your outboard gear that is causing distortion.

I have heard distortion on a digital desk recently, where Cubase was set to 44.1khz and the desk had defaulted back to 48khz. Even though it was playing back at the right pitch, there was distortion caused by the mismatched rates. Obviously different gear to yours, but checking all gear for matched sample rates is maybe worth checking, but perhaps you already did that.

Whatever, hope you manage to sort it out. :bulb:

#17

dickiedrummer,

A reinstall was my next step since everything is work great in C5. Lynx and C7 runs sluggish and if I pan using my Tascam us2400 panner in get overload box up. With apogee and C7 it runs a little better but both still have the input level and distortion sound pass -12dbfs.

Both lynx and apogee works great with C5. I setup a hardware monitoring so I can set buffer size high thinking that low buffer setting while tracking was causing the distortion but still no luck with C7.

I will work with Cubase 5 until I find out what’s the problem.

Thanks for the help.

#18

Cubase 7.06 is working correctly tonight. I spent my Sunday going thru every setting I had setup in Cubase 5. I then open up Cubase 7.06 and run +4dbu signal straight thru lynx input channel. I setup the meter to input metering and hold peak. I recorded the test tone to mono track 1 and played back the recorded test tone track and its the exact level as the input tone and its working correctly for some reason without me changing any settings. I recorded 24 tracks of test tone with all recorded tracks matching the level of the input test tone (Great). I did this test for about 30 minutes straight and all was working great.

I close Cubase about 20 times and each time I tested the inputs with test tones and all went great. I recorded vocals takes tru my mic pres for about 30 minutes singing and yelling into the mics as loud as I could and everything level match perfectly ( I will never track vocals that loud). I was distorting any signal over -12dbfs before when I had the problem now I can yell and peak -3dbfs without hearing any distortion.

Last test I did was close down/turn on all my equipment and computer in 5 minute increments about 10 times. All the test I run was successful. My pan on the tascam us2400 controller is also working great without the overload popup in Cubase 7.06 every time I turn the pan nob.

I will test it again tomorrow to make sure it stay working. I’m so happy its working correctly now ( finger cross).
Thanks to all that tried to help me.