Adjusting instrument levels.
Posted: Jan 15th, '21, 09:55
There are a few posts discussing the levels of various instruments, for example low volume on BD etc
I find on all my builds that the BD could be louder and the RS and HC are too loud.
I had used a 2K2 as per Extra9 optional tweak in the RS R419 but have gone back to the default 4K7 and find it better.
In the HC, I have tried a 4K7 in R205 to tame the signal into the IC and to does seem to reduce the volume a little.
As for the BD, I'd managed to wire the plug the wrong way round for JP1 at one point and the BD was super loud, so much so that it distorted above 9 o'clock on the level pot. When I worked this put, I realised the signal was basically un restricted by the pull down resistors in the IO board. So that got me thinking that a simple tweak would be to reduce the resistance of R500-502.
R500 is for the individual out, which i didn't change, but reducing R501 and R502 for the left and right master outs to 10K (from the default 12K) definitely increases the level in the mix. If you like bass drum heavy then going even lower should increase it more.
Finally I did the 1U to 10U change in the master section to help the tone.
With all of these I think the levels are now good in the mix out, at least for me anyway.
I find on all my builds that the BD could be louder and the RS and HC are too loud.
I had used a 2K2 as per Extra9 optional tweak in the RS R419 but have gone back to the default 4K7 and find it better.
In the HC, I have tried a 4K7 in R205 to tame the signal into the IC and to does seem to reduce the volume a little.
As for the BD, I'd managed to wire the plug the wrong way round for JP1 at one point and the BD was super loud, so much so that it distorted above 9 o'clock on the level pot. When I worked this put, I realised the signal was basically un restricted by the pull down resistors in the IO board. So that got me thinking that a simple tweak would be to reduce the resistance of R500-502.
R500 is for the individual out, which i didn't change, but reducing R501 and R502 for the left and right master outs to 10K (from the default 12K) definitely increases the level in the mix. If you like bass drum heavy then going even lower should increase it more.
Finally I did the 1U to 10U change in the master section to help the tone.
With all of these I think the levels are now good in the mix out, at least for me anyway.