Torpedeo Live Levels Balanced Out

Dr. Marvin Monroe

Dr. Marvin Monroe

New member
Hi all,

a question regarding levels:
I hooked up a Torpedo Live for silent recording today and currently I am trying to find the right settings to replicate
the sound of a ribbon mic into a Chandler TG 2....I am sure this is going to be fun and I' am pretty interested if I can make it happen....:)

Nevertheless, since I don't want to slave my whole DAW setup to the LIVE, I will not make use of the SPDIF output.
This means to use the line out and feed my BURL ADC to convert to my DAW. Now on the BURL the highest setting for the input is -12db
and actually that is exactly the amount that I need to increase the output on the LIVE in order to have a usable signal level.
While that pretty much is logical, the question for me is if there is anything I can do to avoid the need to boost the signal?
What could be an idea to have a different gain staging? Is there any deterioration of the quality of signal when boosted that amount of DB
and how is this boost done. Prior to entering the DA or after it?

Thanks for you input.
The Doc
 
First thing would be to make sure you are using a TRS to XLR male for the line out to the BURL as an unbalanced cable will lose 6 dB.

Are you going line in or speaker in? In either case, you want to get a decent signal on the input meters of the Torpedo. There is then several stages within the Torpedo, these are best viewed and managed with Torpedo Remote connected. There is a patch volume and a global volume along with the option of using the power modelling as an extra gain stage. All these parameters are easily accessed just with the unit itself but the remote allows expanded metering and a wider perspective as you change parameters. Distorted guitar by it's very nature is compressed so I'd leave any slamming the converter techniques (if that's your thing) for drums or vocals and just get a nice level into your DAW. This extra headroom will not degrade your sonics and will allow you the headroom to process (eq, modulate, imaging etc.) as needed without having to gain stage every move.

Andy
 
Hi Andy,

of course I am using a TRS to XLR so that should not be an issue.

The idea when buying the LIVE was to make some use of my vintage non-master volume amps on recording w/o the deafening sound levels
and the necessary facility. So for now I am using the "Speaker in".

I haven't looked a the remote sw for now but surely the next thing for me to do.

As you mention the compression: Of course a distorted guitar is real heavily compressed by nature, but for me the interesting thing to see was
how different a real preamp + ribbon behaves vs. the LIVE. When I look at shape of the recording I can see that the LIVE is not as compressed as
the same guit + amp + cab. There is quite a difference between single notes and powerchords. On the LIVE you can see more of the dynamics
while the same riff played on the miced cab through the Chandler TG2 looks more uniform. While I prefer the dynamics to be intact overall, the mic'ed
cab in this setup has more complex midrange and punch w/o EQ.

Slamming the ADC is surely not always the ticket, but the BURL due to its transformers has some qualities when hit hard.
It really brings in some qualities that remind you of tape that I would not like to miss, anyway the question is how this translates to an source
that already went AD/DA.

Anyway, I am not sure what to make of my first findings for now.
Sure enough I have to spend more time with the unit. I'll keep you posted.
 
The power amp modelling is normally not used when using the speaker input but...there are no rules so you can try engaging that and playing with the levels, tube type etc.. You will see and hear some compression. You could also create your own IR using your ribbon/ TG2 with Torpedo Capture.

Andy
 
Hi Roberto, thanks for sharing your experience. The digital output would bypass essentially 3 parameters, one being the Torpedo's d/a converter and output circuit. The other factors would be the interconnect and analog front end circuits and the DAW's a/d. As Dr Marvin's set-up is top notch, these factors may be not an issue and/or in fact, an asset in the tone shaping process for him.

I personally prefer to get a digital signal into my DAW, again especially to have the option to manipulate the sound via PI-101Wos later. Note that the VB-101 offers complete digital input and output options under external clocking at all common sample rates for the most versatility in studio applications.

Andy
 
I am not sure I understand exactly what's happening here, so I ay ask stupid questions:

- Doc could you please tell me what is the peak level you have on the lIve Input, the volume of the preset and global volume output ?

What is the level you see in your DAW (dB FS)? Is it the 12dB you're talking about?

Most of the type we consider safe to have the peaks around -16 to 18dB on a DAW just to make sure nothing bad happens like a bigger peak sometime.

- Did you consider doing your own capture of your cab + preamp + converter? If you don't have a solid state amplifier you can always try to do it with a tube amp using this setup DAW with BlendIR-> FX return -> as clean as possible power amp stage-> cab->mic->preamp->converter->DAW with BlendIR
 
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