Gain switch on the back of the MPC3000 – which setting?

I’ve only recently bought a 3000. I didn’t give it much thought, and set the gain switch on the back to ‘High’. However, I’ve been experimenting with ‘Mid’ and ‘Low’ settings, with good results. Particularly on drums, turning up the record dial gives it a bit more grit/ pleasant distortion.
It also occurs to me that recording as hot as possible is probably a good approach. – So sending the source out at the highest volume from the mixer is probably a good rule of thumb?

I’d be interested to know any thoughts people have - and how you are using the gain.

well the gain is nice if you need to really bump it up in a situation where you have the dial in the sample screen at the max already, but it isn't close enough to the end on the threshold meter db meter thing... so, lower the dial back down and bump it up a notch on the switch. Sometimes you may not be running a mixer into the mpc.

mr_debauch wrote:well the gain is nice if you need to really bump it up in a situation where you have the dial in the sample screen at the max already, but it isn't close enough to the end on the threshold meter db meter thing... so, lower the dial back down and bump it up a notch on the switch. Sometimes you may not be running a mixer into the mpc.

Ok, so you're saying to set the gain to 'High', and set the record level lower?

Thanks for your advice...

No, I say set the switch to low... then while the input source is playing... turn the jog dial up... if it cant get the sound loud enough then bump the switch on the back up to medium..

mr_debauch wrote:No, I say set the switch to low... then while the input source is playing... turn the jog dial up... if it cant get the sound loud enough then bump the switch on the back up to medium..

Thanks for clearing that up. I'll experiemnt with those settings.

Do you tend to have the source playing out as loud as possible? - that way theres as little boost needed from the MPC?

steviequorn wrote:

mr_debauch wrote:No, I say set the switch to low... then while the input source is playing... turn the jog dial up... if it cant get the sound loud enough then bump the switch on the back up to medium..

Thanks for clearing that up. I'll experiemnt with those settings.

Do you tend to have the source playing out as loud as possible? - that way theres as little boost needed from the MPC?

well that depends... my current turntable has line level out because it has a built in preamp... and there is no volume adjustment on that... I do that in the mpc the way I described above.

for other things... I tend to do that more or less... If it's coming from the pc, or other sources... I tend to leave the switch on low... the jog dial in the mpc around 40% or so... and I see how loud the source is... maybe around 80% or so... because lets say I am playing a string sound that is soft... well in the mpc I would turn it up to get it loud for recording.. but then when I play a louder snare sound, I would turn it back down in the mpc... so essentially, on the mixer/computer end, it would be as loud as possible before clipping.. but I cant be bothered to change 3 volume/gain setting for each sample style.. haha. I dont think it matters too much as long as the signal is clean and you get the sound at just before the !!!! in the mpc when recording.

Thats great mate - youve really cleared that up for me!

In all audio&video it is a general rule of thumb to try to keep gain as low as possible to reduce noise.

m56p87 wrote:In all audio&video it is a general rule of thumb to try to keep gain as low as possible to reduce noise.

OK - So would you tend to play the source as loud as possible from your mixer (before it distorts)?

Thanks for the input guys...

steviequorn wrote:

m56p87 wrote:In all audio&video it is a general rule of thumb to try to keep gain as low as possible to reduce noise.

OK - So would you tend to play the source as loud as possible from your mixer (before it distorts)?

Thanks for the input guys...

Yes, I would boost the signal to the desired volume as early as I can in every possible signal chain configuration during production.

Ok I understand the principle now. I appreciate your advice!

yes, do that... and in the mpc, when you have it on minimum and the jog wheel level turned down it still may be too loud.... so that is when you turn down the mixer a bit if needed. (just in case that happens)

If recording directly into the MPC from an electronic instrument, or other source which has an output volume knob, generally you should run the instrument volume at full, to get maximum signal to noise ratio from the source, and then set the gain on the MPC appropriately using the gain switch and record level knob, to get a good strong level, without clipping, into the MPC.

If recording through a mixer, you probably need to set the mixer input gain to get a good level from the source without clipping into the mixer, then have good gain structure through the mixer so that there is good level without clipping through the internal signal paths of the mixer, then run the outputs of the mixer at unity gain, and as above then set the gain on the MPC appropriately using the gain switch and record level knob, to get a good strong level, without clipping, into the MPC.

This might not be the case if recording a quiet sound, that is to be played back quietly on the MPC, you might not necessarily want to record the sound loudly and close to clipping.

It also might not be the case if you want the clipping, and/or overdrive, from the mixer or MPC inputs being driven hard to be part of the sound.

Some mixers have a nice overdrive sound when the inputs or internal buses are driven into the red, you might want this, so you would setup the mixer to output the sound you want, and as above then set the gain on the MPC appropriately using the gain switch and record level knob, to get a good strong level, without clipping, into the MPC.

So I suppose the main thing is to setup the gear feeding signal into the MPC to give a full/strong level, then set the MPC to record that as high as possible without clipping.

>>>cosign>>[]>>>>>>>>!

Nice breakdown Simon, its so easy to get confused by the signal chain...