[Michael R.]

No, it’s not right at all. Here is exactly what we are doing.

Tone on the Beta tape is at 0 dB according to the deck’s internal meters. Using the trim pots on the mixer, this is adjusted to exactly 0 dB according to the Mackie’s own meter. This is then sent to the analog XLR inputs on the K-Box.

When the Kona ControlPanel is set to “+24 dBu FSD”, analog 0 from the mixer comes into Final Cut Pro at -24. When the ControlPanel is set to “+18 dBu FSD”, analog 0 from the mixer comes into Final Cut Pro at -18. I’ve tried this on several systems and always gotten the same results.

Yes, we can set the Kona to +18 and get a little extra level, however it is Kona’s conviction that this setting is for European systems only. They go so far as to reset this setting back to +24 each time the computer is restarted.

Yes, we can boost the signal coming from the mixer, but like I said, at the “+24” setting, we have to raise it +12dB. The Mackie does not max out at +12 over 0, but I can’t imagine that this is good for the quality of the signal. Using the “+18” would mean we’d only need to add a +6dB boost, but this strikes me as less than ideal, and equally annoying. I should be able to place analog 0 anywhere (within reason) on the digital scale. Other products don’t seem to have this limitation.

Thanks again for your reply.

[Michael R.]

Thanks Jeremy,

My problem is that we have to completely crank up the mixer to do this, by a full +12 dB. Doesn’t that seem like a lot?