Master Meter

Cubase
#1

Hi,

I’m trying to work out what channels to master meter shows readings for please. For e.g. i have 8 stereo outputs set up that are linked to a 16 channel lynx aurora then dangerous summing buss that goes back into a stereo channel in cubase to record my master.

I have been trying to work out which of these the master meter on the right side of cubase is showing me. Any ideas please?

And is there a way of changing which channels it shows please? so i could set it up to show me the input from my master buss chain to into cubase to record my master.

Thanks

#2

There is no “Master Bus” in the normal sense, since you’re going out on 8 separate outs.

You could make a new audio track and monitor its input?

#3

Thanks!

yeah that would def be cool. any idea though on how i then set the Master Meter to monitor that channels input please?

#4

So you’ve used 8 outs to get to the Dangerous…

So you’d make a new VST out (9&10 on the Lynx, I’m assuming) and set the lynx to monitor from that.

Haven’t used a Lynx, so I’m guessing here, based on how I’d set it up on my RME FireFace, that you can tell the Lynx what to monitor via its software / hardware.

#5

oh sorry crossed wires, i was keen to use the nice big Master meter in cubase 8, on the right side of the mixer to monitor my stereo input back into cubase. Im not sure its possible though the change what channel that meter follows.

although to be honest, i cannot work out what channels its actually monitoring!

#6

Ah! Hmm… For me, I’m (almost) always working with one stereo out, so the master meter is always showing that. When you have more then one VST output, the meter shows the first output.

So, in that case, save VST output 1&2 for monitoring, and route to Dangerous through outs 2-10.

Actually…

You could also use Control Room to set up a monitoring bus! Just set up a cue bus, routed to the output of your choice, and send to the cue bus from your audio track you’re using to record from Dangerous.

That way, you can use the big, shiny master meter in the Control Room mixer! :wink:

#7

ok thanks, i think it might start to complicate things a fair bit for me starting to use Control room as i already use a dangerous monitor st and with the multiple outputs via the lynx i think it might be overkill just to use a big shiny meter in cubase! haha

just wish you could route any input or output you like to that big meter, would make it very handy (for old men like me with dodgy eyes!)

#8

I’m not sure if you can or can’t, actually. It was a feature I really wanted back when I was mixing through a big console. Maybe there’s a way. I’ll do some digging when I get in studio tonight. Perhaps someone else knows…

#9

I think the master meter always shows whatever output you have selected as “primary” (or whatever they call it) in the VST Connections - Output tab.

He could create 8 additional outputs of any sort (Stereo, Mono, etc) for his outs to the Lynx. Route his “to be summed” tracks to these.
Then route the return channel to the Main (“Primary”) out.
The master meter will show this.

Hugh

#10

I recently set this up with 2 separate stereo outs and it took me a good 1/2 hour read of the manual to understand how this worked!!! I’d like Steinberg should bring this out onto the panel somewhere because its quite inconvenient to swap quickly at the moment.

Mike.

#11

Hi Mike, how did you set it up please? using the method Hugh suggested? So use the primary setting inside VST Connections?

#12

Yes, that’s the way I did it, in the VST connections window. But I’m on V7.5 and it doesn’t work as I expect it to… Perhaps its a bug because it actually seems to sum a few of the channel outputs and mainly ignore what I set as the Main Mix output. I haven’t worked out what’s going on really, it seems pretty odd!!

Mike.

#13

Yes, master meters are linked to first stereo out and it can be confusing to set up ideal meter monitoring. I got the Brainworx BX meter and insert it across the 24 outs to the desk channels. It’s a godsend and cheap as chips on their Christmas sale.

#14

I use an external console which has a digital output (in fact it has 24).

In Cubase I’ve created a new track that I call Stereo Mix.

In Devices/VST Connections I’ve added a new Input bus for this digital output. I’ve also added any unused output bus. Then I’ve selected this unused output as Main Mix: right click and Set “Stereo” as Main Mix (red speaker) and activate the Monitor button of the Stereo Mix track.

The Source Input of the Stereo Mix track is the console digital output and the output, the added unused bus. The Master meter should now monitor this track, so the Mix.

#15

Hey Outsander, does the BX meter do the new LUFS we’re all going to need or is it just DBFS?

Thanks!

#16

Thanks SteelyDani, i seem to have a very similar way set up as you, but i don’t use a desk (just a summing unit with a master buss chain) and go back into a channel in the same way you mention.

the thing i found though, is that i thought i was monitoring this channel until i muted it and the Master meter kept showing me an inout that was coming from a different Stereo buss out, almost like it was showing a sum of the 8 stereo output i have set up rather than just one stereo buss i has allocated to being the main stereo out.

i just have a feeling tho might be a bug that stein berg might need to check. It would be great if they could just make it so that you can clearly select at the top of the main master meter, which channel you wish to monitor.

#17

That’s what I was getting - a sum of a few of the stereo buses rather than just the one single bus. And as I changed the Main Mix output in the VST Connections window it would sum up more and more of the buses! Unless we’re all misinterpreting how it works then I think its a bug.

Mike.

#18

Mattw: The same problem happens to me sometimes when I start a new project from scratch and follow the procedure I described in my post. The solution I’ve found is to save the new project, close it and reopen it. Then it works fine.

#19

No. It for analysis, the ballistics are extremely accurate, it shows peak and RMS. It’s has various filters and weighting and shows you both mid and side readings (which can be solo’d) it’s extremely useful for tracking and mixing, especially on synths and drum machines, those sort of samples are usually delivered in a stereo format these days and can easily swamp left/right channels which can lead to lots of muddy sounding mixes.