Topic: Is this normal?

The level on right isn't the same as the one on the left.


Is this normal or should I be concerned?

https://imgur.com/a/7CBdlsS

Re: Is this normal?

If you have a stereo signal, then it is usual that left and right have different levels.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

3

Re: Is this normal?

Windows or MacOS? How is Reaper connected to the RME device? ASIO? Core Audio?

I'm not familiar with Reaper, but is there some kind of Monitor control situated between Reaper's two channel Mix or Summing bus, and its final output? Are you sure there was no other signal being added to your signal? No plug-in or other processing? Have you tried making a new Reaper project with only one mono channel feeding a stereo mix? Have you tried any other programs which can output to the RME device?

If there's no other signal or processing between channel 7 and the RME, then yes, I'd say you have a problem. But since the connection between Reaper and the RME device is controlled by software, then I'd suspect that your problem is more likely to be software based or operator error, rather than any hardware fault.

Frank Lockwood
https://LockwoodARS.com
Fireface 800, Firmware 2.77
Drivers: Win10, 3.125; Mac, 3.36

Re: Is this normal?

Guys, thank you for chiming in, my newbieness is surely showing. I will look at all of these possibilities when I fire things up later in the day.

5 (edited by nonconformist 2019-07-05 01:45:45)

Re: Is this normal?

With Reaper, even if you are going in with a mono signal, it will present as 2 channels. There is no 'mono' setting in Reaper at least when it comes to individual tracks.

Windows 10, hooked up to RME device via USB 2.

Look at this image:

https://imgur.com/a/ytAYGdM


Those levels in Reaper are dead even but in TotalMixFX they are not. I am simply going into the first xlr input of the Babyface Pro with a Shure Beta 58 mic.

Re: Is this normal?

And this image:

https://imgur.com/a/IemovL8

7 (edited by ramses 2019-07-05 07:56:21)

Re: Is this normal?

In Reaper make sure that you work with the RME ASIO driver, see preferences in reaper...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gs2o11rd74sjftz/2019-07-05%2008_36_08-%5Bunsaved%20project%5D%20-%20REAPER%20v5.979_x64%20-%20EVALUATION%20LICENSE.jpg?dl=1

I do not know how you come to the conclusion, that in Reaper its not possible to create a mono track. There is this pulldown menu where you can either make a track mono or stereo, see the two following pictures. But this is something that you could also ask in the reaper forum.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1qkhayga93yyzzo/2019-07-05%2008_34_08-.jpg?dl=1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/enm7h269hffsa4n/2019-07-05%2008_34_44-%5Bunsaved%20project%5D%20-%20REAPER%20v5.979_x64%20-%20EVALUATION%20LICENSE.jpg?dl=1

I am not sure why you raised your initial question. Is it really not clear, why a stereo signal has two different levels (L and R)? I really can not understand your question or you asked it in a way that it comes to misunderstandings.
I try to explain again, why a stereo track has different levels L and R:
Because the guy who mixed the track places the different vocals and instruments not in the center, but placed them to the left and to the right, so that the Sound is more structured and has a nice stereo picture / width / dimension. It should be clear that the the total level on L and R is not the same because volume sums up differently on L and on R and not every instrument plays at the same time and with the same intensity.

I hope I could clarify now for you that Reaper DAW of course supports Mono and Stereo channels like every DAW does and why levels are different.

BTW .. assuming you are new to recording and RME in particular I would suggest that you get more knowledge how to use TotalMix FX in the best way for you.

You could have a look at these resources:

A primer that I wrote, it might save you some time: https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … rnal-equi/

Official RME videos very nicely done, doesn't waste any time, they are nicely structured for a certain topic and much to the point without unnecessary bla and redundancy, pure information, very well: https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … al-Videos/

Also the handbook contains a good description how TM FX works and what features it has.

My suggestions is to get a 1st good overview by the RME videos, then go through the steps in my primer and finally read the section in the handbook if you have already a little bit target practice, then its maybe easier to understand, if you know already a few basics.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Is this normal?

I am doing everything that you have shown in your diagrams already (for me, selecting Babyface in the ASIO driver preference, selecting MONO as the input) and it presents as 2 signals as seen in the diagrams I posted. I have watched a couple of the RME videos, plan to watch more and was planning to scour the Babyface manual later today. I should not have said is that there is no mono setting, that was wrong, but I did state that the MONO track will present as 2 channels or what I should state is that it presents as two signals.

Going back to my 4th post image, that is a MONO input signal and it is just a mic, it shows up as 2 signals in Reaper and they are even BUT in TotalMixFX they are not and I am still not sure why given the fact that I have used the MONO setting using only a microphone. Why is the signal in Reaper even but not even in TotalMixFx?

Re: Is this normal?

In reaper it shows up as stereo because the DAW at the end of the day sends everything out to a stereo channel.

In TotalMix FX it will show up at different places.

1. In the Top Row under HW inputs, because there you see the input signal of your Mic at the Mic input of your recording device.

2. In the 2nd Row under SW playback channels, because there you see the stereo output of your DAW

3. In the 3rd Row under HW Outputs as stereo output if you routed the SW playback channel (middle row) to a HW output which is also stereo (your monitors, phones).

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

10

Re: Is this normal?

If Reaper's output shows different levels for left and right then obviously PAN setting within Reaper is not centered. Or you added an FX to only one output channel. That's a Reaper question, not one of the audio interface.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

11 (edited by nonconformist 2019-07-07 07:59:46)

Re: Is this normal?

Perhaps I am just totally missing something or simply not understanding. Here is the image I posted earlier in this thread:

https://imgur.com/a/ytAYGdM

The levels in the diagram in Reaper are even but in the TotalMixFX software playback channel, they are not. No FX on that channel and I turned off all FX on other channels just now and it still shows an uneven signal on TotalMixFX's meter but not on Reaper's meter.

Re: Is this normal?

nonconformist wrote:

Perhaps I am just totally missing something or simply not understanding. Here is the image I posted earlier in this thread:

https://imgur.com/a/ytAYGdM

The levels in the diagram in Reaper are even but in the TotalMixFX software playback channel, they are not. No FX on that channel and I turned off all FX on other channels just now and it still shows and uneven signal on TotalMixFX's meter but not on Reaper's meter.

What is Reaper's Master Track showing? Your image of a Reaper channel only shows a mono input level from a single input (Analog 1 (1)) whose input monitoring is turned on.

As Matthias already said, it's most likely Reaper's routing...

13

Re: Is this normal?

nonconformist wrote:

Perhaps I am just totally missing something or simply not understanding. Here is the image I posted earlier in this thread:

https://imgur.com/a/ytAYGdM

That image doesn't show anything of Reaper's output controls, which feed the Software Playback row in TotalMix FX.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

14 (edited by nonconformist 2019-07-06 22:42:57)

Re: Is this normal?

'As Matthias already said, it's most likely Reaper's routing'



Yes, that was the issue. I had added another channel out of ignorance. That caused the imbalance.

Re: Is this normal?

Thanks, everyone, for helping....much appreciated.