Levels of MPC 1000` s internal mixer - JJOS2XL

Hi!

I` m new to the MPC 1000 after having used the Maschine MK3 for over 3 years but now I wanted to go standalone and use an older MPC model. My question refers to leveling and leaving enough headroom to export my beats for mixdown in Cubase.

I set the master output in the MPC prefs to -6db to get a decent level while making my beats but still leave some headroom overall. The individual tracks are leveld within the track mixer in JJOS2XL.

My question is: Can the levels of the individual tracks in the MPC itself already be clipping but I don` t see it because there isn` t ny type of metering in the MPC 1000? How an I check then if my indidual tracks are too hot or if they still leave a decent amount of headroom? Of course I also truts my ears and listen if there` s any clipping going on.

All my sound sources (Sampling, Mic, Synths) go into a Mackie VLZ4 1202 and from the main out of the Mackie to the record in of the MPC 1000. Main out of the MPC goes into my audio interface.

I don` t want to record into Cubase in real time. I want to solo my individual tracks in the MPC 1000 itself and then use JJOS` s mixdown feature to bounce the individual stems out after I have put all my Sequences into a song (e.g. Drums, Bass, Samples, Synth, SFX, Vox).

THX!


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With -6db... consider it that any sound that is played at max value, max velocity, max volume, by itself will top out at -6db. You can absolutely stack sounds together even in the same program that will blow this out of the water. While the -6db does give you some extra headroom... it's basically allowing you to not have to spend as much time thinking about clipping... as it sounds like you are aware... if you start clipping you're going to have to go back to your mix to solve it.

It does sound like you know all the components here though, so I think you just need to play with it a bit and you'll get your head the other 10% of the way wrapped around it.

Thanks for your feddback !!! Gonna try that out.