For discussion about setting up your studio and advice on the gear and equipment within it.
User avatar
By astral_Signal Tue May 28, 2013 8:52 am
Hi,

I have just received a racked pair of the 40-C2 Dorrough meters. I have a few queries about initial calibration.

I ultimately want to measure input level on an Akai MPC 1000 digital sampler:
16 bit / 44.1 Khz
Record input: balanced -40 dBu
Stereo Output: unbalanced +11dBu

All recordings are done via a Rane TTM-56 DJ Mixer:
Master output: 6 dB balanced / 0 dB unbalanced
Phono inputs: 40 dB gain
Unity gain = +4 dBu


On the initial calibration side of things, I have created a DAW session @ 16bit/44.1K, created two auxiliary channels with a signal generator on both (-20 dbfs 1KHZ sine tone), these two channels are sent out from my RME Fireface 800 @ +4dbU into a stereo line input on the DJ mixer. With the line input at unity and the master output at nominal, I then have two options to feed the Dorrough meter:

DJ Mixer balanced output peaks at +6 with the Dorrough meter level control flat
DJ Mixer unbalanced output can be calibrated to peak at 0 dB
I can also feed the meter a balanced input by using a half-normalled input from my patch-bay


Thus far I have calibrated the meter by feeding it the unbalanced output. I am concerned though that by using this calibration I will have a -6 db false reading, as I am recording into the MPC with balanced inputs.
I ultimately want to read the 40-C2 meter as a digital scale, where 20 db equates to 0 dbFS.

Is my calibration correct? I am currently metering a half-normalled balanced input, which seems to reflect the same readings on the MPC meter (which is non-numerical but is represented by a stereo bar).
User avatar
By jonestown massacre Tue May 28, 2013 12:57 pm
Since the output from Your rane are unbalanced, you are operating the dorrough meter in the correct mode.