I know this has been a mental topic recently, but is there really a best practice for this other than "don't clip your interface inputs"?
I've found that to do that I'm having to alter the gain when switching from Les Paul to Strat, for example...but is that not then defeating the object of having different guitars? Or is that just not the way it works?
To further complicate matters, I'm very much enjoying DI'ing using my Cranborne Audio EC1 instead of directly into the RME. However, word has it that a 1M ohm is preferred for guitar stuff, which the RME has, but the EC1 has 1.5M ohm, is this a problem? Sounds and feels great. It's also nice being able to dial up and down the gain on that unit than having to dive into software to do it when I switch guitars.
Comments
Thank you for your answer
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
Something like the Countryman DI has a 10M ohm DI input. The Radial JDI passive DI box using a Jensen transformer has a 140k ohm input. As I seem to be talking about the IK Axe One all week, this is why I like the variable impedance control and JFET v Pure switch. Different tonal options are easy to play with and, like you, I like to be able add a little bit of gain outside the software.
With Tonex and the Axe One, I'm setting the gain at 0 right now. I add a little to some clean amps.
@heartfeltdawn I'm glad you chimed in, I was wondering if you had any advice regarding the Strat vs Les Paul thing I mention above. I’m having to cut gain for the Les Paul as it clips, but that seems counter productive as they’re two different guitars and I want the differences to be noticeable. Well, it is noticeable, obviously, but in any case, I’m curious as to how you handle different guitars.
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
Roland JC-120 (current spec) 680 kΩ
Cornell Romany amps 2.2M oms
Speaking about using Tonex now and gain, the Tonex app has the input on 5. Bought some of the Amalgam amp packs tonight and remembered watching an Amalgam video where they said the input should be on 5. If you use Tonex as a plugin within Reaper, the input is at 0 so that's something to remember. Gain on the Axe One I set for 0 (fully left). Using those basics, I'll find a gain level that suits me on the amps and then tweak a little on the Axe One. Personally I like a lower impedance on the A-One as it rolls off a bit of the top end. I might add a little smidge of gain on A-1 here.
I've not got a clue about different guitars because I've got one guitar here and one elsewhere that is away on loan. Both of them are 335s, humbuckers, pretty similar output level. I've got a hankering to build a Telecaster so maybe I'll have all of that fun later.
I think the adage attributed to Joe Meek sums it up: "If it sounds right, it is right".
So you've got an interim laptop for now, what's your plan, do you have a better computer on the way?
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
Funnily enough I was thinking about a new laptop today...
A bit more or less drive isn’t really a massive deal breaker seeing as the input gain knob is likely easily accessible.
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
https://youtu.be/jXKZqJtjLkg?si=irk2YlrHlro-uGQU
I tried it and haven’t looked back. I was never really happy with how amp sims felt and it looks as though it was gain staging in my case and the above worked well for me.
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bZHaapCiCg4RLIFqTS5KyUUVa4MwaqfxRCYk35Bvdrs/htmlview?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1hBNcR6djlGTJgCdDs6Ii2ni3xKbMIQyPzviPV3lzmmw7F-k026mfpgP0_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw#gid=0
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
I mean you can trouble shoot back from that stuff but knowing where you're supposed to be shooting for input wise is kinda nice.
That's the approach I've taken for all of my stuff. Again back to the Axe One, it's dead easy to set the gain to zilch and then use the impedance controls With other audio interfaces, I used the IK Buffer Boost in the same way: zero gain on the interface, connect the BB via XLR, tweak the impedance controls, and I have the clean boost there if I need it.