stefski wrote:SimonInAustralia wrote:stefski wrote:Fine, that may get the level up from the main outs for a live situation. But seriously my problem here is I am recording into Logic through my Motu 828MKII. Levels are silly low.
With main volume set to max and with each pad level INDIVIDUALLY set to a certain sound level (this is a **** setting up for every pad), I can make things audible.
Are you plugging the MPC500 into the MOTU 828mkII front panel mic/guitar/instrument inputs, that have a gain control?
And are you then setting that gain control to give you good levels without clipping?
No I don't. It doesn't have any acoustics to it like guitars and mics... Shouldn't this be used just like any other synth? We talked about using outboard gain already.. it increases the noise level. I mean I can see there are workarounds to this. I'm just stating some facts about the 500 having awful output levels. Not that I feel better doing it after I hit submit. 
The mic/guitar/instrument inputs on the front of the MOTU 828mkII are not to do with the types of sound being fed into the unit, they are to do with the levels of those sounds, that's why there are gain controls.
The 828mkII rear inputs without gain controls are for sending line level signals into the unit, at either +4dBu balanced 'professional' line level or at -10dBV unbalanced 'consumer' line level (they can be individually set for either level), which are not instrument level signals like guitars and most synthesizers/drum machines. The rear inputs are for connecting devices with set levels, like an effects unit running at a +4dBu 'professional' line level, or a home stereo CD player running at -10dBV 'consumer' line level, not a device like a synthesizer/drum machine/MPC500/etc. running at a lower instrument level.
You need to have a gain control on inputs that you connect instrument level (guitar/synth/drum machine/etc.) devices to.
Get over your fears of turning the gain up, that's what the gain knobs are for, plug your instruments (like the MPC500) into the front panel inputs and use the gain controls to get a decent signal level into Logic through the 828mkII.
You can not expect to get good signal levels into Logic through the 828mkII by plugging it into the rear panel line level inputs. You might improve the levels by setting those particular inputs to -10dBV 'consumer' level, but you really should be plugging the MPC500 into the front panel inputs and using the gain controls to set the level appropriatly.
It is not the MPC500 fault that you are getting low level signals into Logic, it is your fault for plugging the MPC500 into the incorrect input and therefore not being able to increase the gain up to an appropriate level.
Similarly with mixers and other devices, use the gain control to get a decent level into the device, that's what the gain controls are for!
Also, plugging the MPC500 directly into a pair of KRK monitors is not related to a normal live situation in any way. They are small near-field studio monitors, used for sitting right in front of in a studio, they are not live/PA speakers being used in a live situation.
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