Monitor Speaker Playback Level

Don B

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Tascam DP24SD and DP03SD
Hi

I have been guided to this thread as I have a problem with being able to adjust the volume on speaker playback on my DP24. This is probably a basic question but I don't see my answer anywhere in the manual. Currently it is way too loud and cannot be lowered. I have not normalised the track (ever since the day I first did it and the volume was exactly as above). It is so uncomfortably loud, I have never been able to ascertain whether the other possible functions(EQ etc) actually work whilst in Master mode. Unsurprisingly, I can listen okay on headphones, adjusting volume through the monitor level knob. The speakers-on problem only occurs when in Mastering mode – which otherwise, after about three years, I’m pretty pleased with. How do I adjust the volume on Master playback through speakers? Am I missing something simple here please?

Don
 
@Don B doesn't your monitor level control work?
 
...volume on speaker playback on my DP24...way too loud and cannot be lowered...not normalised the track...I can listen okay on headphones, adjusting volume through the monitor level knob. The speakers-on problem only occurs when in Mastering mode...How do I adjust the volume on Master playback through speakers?
We first need to know a bit more:
  1. Is your Stereo Master Fader kept at Unity Gain (i.e., all the way up, as it should always be kept) in both Tracking Mode and Mixdown Mode?
  2. Is your Monitor Level control set the same in Mixdown Mode and Master Mode?
  3. To which outputs are your speakers connected: the -10dBu stereo jacks; or the +4dBu Monitor jacks?
  4. Active speakers have their own volume control. Is the speaker amplifier level-matched with the Monitor Level to your headphones? If you have passive speakers connected to an external amplifier, is the amplifier volume control level-matched with the Monitor Level to your headphones?
 
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Thanks Bob and Mark for your replies. Bob, before answering your question I will need to look at the questions posed by Mark (and first work out what they mean! I'm still a bit of a novice on the technical side). Mark, I will certainly try a re-Master of a track, looking at the pointers in your questions. In the meantime, I was wondering, if I did all the necessary, and all is as it should be, will I then have a mastered playback where I can vary the volume - or am I still going to have a fixed volume playback, albeit at a more acceptable level? Thanks again, both
 
Mark,
Qu 1 Yes, I usually keep the Stereo Master fader as high as possible
Qu 2 I have done a test re-Master, leaving the track faders, the stereo master fade and the monitor select knob at the same level throughout the mixing and mastering = No Change. Then tried again with all three levels considerably lower, but still constant = some change in that Playback volume of Master track is a little lower but still not adjustable during playback.
Qu 3 (if this is what you meant) the speakers are connected to the Stereo / Unbalanced output sockets on the back of DP24.
Qu 4 for reference, the speakers are Presonus Eris E5. I don't really understand about dBu but I see the "Acoustic Space" is set to 4dB (rather than 2 or 0). The Input Gain, Mid and High are set to 0 (mid level). The 'Low Cut off' is set to 80Hz (rather than 100Hz). There is no volume knob as such on the speakers. The input is via the jack socket
Appreciate your help!
 
As explained in your owner manual tutorial (section 3.2 "Input Gain Setting"), the "Gain Control" on the back of your speakers sets the incoming signal level that the speakers will amplify. Center is "Unity Gain", meaning the incoming signal is neither decreased nor increased. If the amplified signal is too loud, turn the gain control down.

All the other adjustment controls on the rear of the speaker affect the frequency response of the speakers (OM tutorial sections 3.3, 3.4) and should be left alone (factory defaults) if you're unfamiliar with acoustically adjusting the speakers to the requirements of your listening position.
 
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Don, the main problem is due to your answer to Mark's question #3. If you connect speakers to the main stereo outputs, you have no control over the levels from the DP end when in mastering mode. The main stereo fader only affects the signal in multitrack and mixdown modes.
Once you've created the master file, you can only play it in mastering mode, and at that stage the signal does not pass through the stereo fader, so the signal will be whatever level it is in the master file. You can see from the block diagram that the signal from the 'mastering mode' box bypasses the stereo fader shown above it.
As Mark implied, the only way to adjust the sound you are hearing is to use controls on your speakers, which isn't ideal.
If you connect your speakers to the monitor outputs, you will have control over the levels via the DP's monitor level knob. Note this output is 'tied' to the headphone output so the knob will also affect the phone's level.
 
Thank you Phil. You've helped me before (in relation to sound cards as I recall) and I've seen some of your videos. All in language that even I can understand. Don't know why I've had my speakers connected to those outputs on the DP, probably advice received from the speaker retailer. Or more likely due to my chronic 'diagram block' block! I will need to purchase another lengthy jack-to-jack cable in order to use the 'monitor out' option permanently, but I can already see that works. Which answers my question, thanks!
 
@Don B doesn't your monitor level control work?

Now we have our answer. Easy Fix.

Plug those monitors into the Monitor output. Press the Monitor Select button to make sure you're listening to the Stereo bus. Now you'll have full control over your monitoring while mixing at the proper level.
 

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