Monitoring Audio

[Jerry Hofmann]

-18 dB is really on the low side.. try using -12 dB… it won’t distort, and quite frankly, it’s what most of us are peaking our audio at…

Jerry

Apple Certified Trainer

Author: “Jerry Hofmann on Final Cut Pro 4” Click here

Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D

[Rob Grauert]

OK. I’ve heard -12dB from others as well. To be exact, my engineering teacher told me -20dB to -18dB. I was also told that by someone from one of my older post on creative cow. But when I took a Final Cut class in school, I was told -12dB to -8dB. So what is it? I never get consistent answers wit this issue.

[Walter Biscardi]

[Rob Grauert] “I just hooked up TV to use as an external monitor (FCP>Deck via firewire>TV and Speakers via RCA) and got everything in sync. Now I find that my audio plays back very low. The audio meters in Final Cut are reading around -18dB, which according to my teachers at school, is where it should be. So at this level, I have to turn my speakers all the way up…completely. The computer’s volume is all the way up as well.”

You want self powered speakers or an amp plus a volume control to work with everything correctly. We have KRK Rokit 5 Audio monitors connected to a Mackie 1202 mixer. This allows us to raise and lower both the levels and volume to the speakers.

We peak all our audio at -6 here as most of our work is broadcast and direct to DVD or BluRay disc. Actually we peak our BluRay material closer to -3.

-18 is too low for an audio mix, but -20 is standard for digital Tone.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.

STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
Read my Blog!

[Rob Grauert]

Oh Thanks. That’s very helpful.

As far as audio levels, let’s say I peak my audio at -6 like you. If I do File>print to video (MiniDV tape) and want to include bar and tone, I’m assuming I would set the tone to -20dB then since you said it’s standard digital tone, correct? If so, why set to tone so low from what I’m peaking. I was under the impression they should be the same because you would set the tone to 0 on the VU meter in a studio, that way whatever your peaking level is, its now at 0 on the VU meter?

Sorry if that’s a dumb question or if I’m getting anything wrong. I’m still and student and haven’t worked in a studio environment much.

[Walter Biscardi]

[Rob Grauert] “If so, why set to tone so low from what I’m peaking. I was under the impression they should be the same because you would set the tone to 0 on the VU meter in a studio, that way whatever your peaking level is, its now at 0 on the VU meter?”

Tone is just a reference, it really doesn’t matter where it’s set. It’s just -20 has somehow become the de-facto reference for all digital material. Don’t know who started it but all our materials for NBC, Food Network and PBS all has to include -20db Tone.

If the receiving person sets up your Tone at -20 on their system, the all the audio that follows will play at the correct volume.

0db is the old Analog standard, but you could still peak at +3 in Analog.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.

STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
Read my Blog!

[Rob Grauert]

Ooooh. Ok, I get it now.

Thank you very much,

Rob Grauert