R128 on mixer

There are a lot off topic’s in the German section but I can’t find the answer. Say I want to start using R128. I use a mixer, to wat point do I open de gain on the fader channel does it stay the same 0 db?

Gr Henk

If you are using R128-normalized audios, 0 dB are correct. If you don’t, or if you are talking live, you should keep the level within −23 LUFS ± 1 LU (integration „S“) on a dedicated loudness meter.

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Last week a switched to R128.
Works fine but how do i set up the microphone signal because when you speak quiet it’s ok when you speak loud it’s to loud.
There is a dbx 286 after the microphone.

When it’ a 286 model, shouldn’t it be in the insert or isn’t that possible?
Sorry, I use a dbx 166 XL in the insert.

@shorty.xs, you use suche a device afaik?

Yes your Wright the microphone signal goos in the 286 and the 286 goos through a insert in de microphone channel.

There are various ways to connect the 286. I guess it claimed to be a channel strip, what I think, it is not. Nevertheless it has a mic preamp and phantom power on it‘s XLR input. So you can connect the microphone directly to it and than hook it into a line in on the mixer.
Never heard of bringing the signal in via the insert port than but should work similar as a normal line in. It just bypasses the mic preamp or even line in gain regulation on the mixer.

The mic leveling is the reason why we don‘t use R128 normalization. You need well trained people on the microphone, to give it an even loudness and not messing up all the hard work of leveling out the recorded material.

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The reason i switch to r128 is that I bought a d&r airence and that hadn’t Inserts on the main channels.
The dbx 166 is disconnected. And that equals the level now the music is on r 128 but the microphone not.

Running the Master signal through a single band compressor is not a good idea in general. Except it is co figured as a limiter only and last line of defence to avoid clipping.

The 286 has a similar function for compression you can apply to the microphone but the one thing it does not have is a peak stop limiter.
If done correctly, you can daisy chain one channel of the 166 as a peak stop without compression.

About 10 years ago I was invited to a private radio station from a radio engineer that worked for national radio. His advice was for the first investment for a home studio buy a single band compressor.

To make things watertight, you may want to employ some dedicated loudness meter like the TM 3 or similar.

For people looking at a suitable peakmeter from time to time I suggested a workaround some time ago:

https://community.mairlist.com/t/r-128-wie-es-funktioniert/12494/12

Google translate for the signiificant lines, pimped: If it’s only about your own (!) talking, you can approximately get by without a separate loudness meter, but this only works for people who look at their level meter: Record a typical announcement dry and controlled to 0 dB (PPM) . This should be normalized using the mAirList algorithm. Finally, compare the peak level of the normalized with the original recording. The host wants to set the mic level in respect to this difference from then on.

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I still would advise that but not in the master chain. On microphone channels or phone lines it still is very handy to use.
Not having any processing in the master chain requires a little bit of discipline watching level meters while running the show but pays back with better audio quality. I had a multiband compressor in my master chain and even removed that one.

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That is exactly what I had in mind as in mentioned trained people on the microphone. You need to speak in a constant volume level.

For 3 weeks now mairlist is set to r128.
Most of the tracks are ok but some tracks are louder, then I look to the tab whit the db reduction assuming that the loudness scan wasn’t done correctly but it’s fine.
So my question is what can I do about it?
It’s mostly with tracks when the bas drum kicks in.
On the vu meter (mairlist) some tracks are in the green and some tracks (same input level of the mixer) are on the end of the yellow.

We call that dynamics? :sunglasses:

That’s not so easy to answer. But it’s average loudness, and I can see that some tracks start a bit quieter and end louder (it seems to be typical).

I don’t think it’s a VU meter. I should show values of a peak program meter.

… which it isn’t either because of its dynamic behaviour.

Gentlemen :grin:

The question was not wat kind of db meter uses mairlist :joy:

It don’t matter if it’s a ppm vu ect.
But the reason to start with r128 was because I want a equal signal on the stream. Not one record 0 db on the meter and the next +5
And the airence doesn’t have Inserts so a leveler or a singleband is also out of the question.

:face_with_raised_eyebrow:

Is it an older one?
Actual information from D&R shows it has Inserts…

It’s like with the Airmate: 1st Generation without, 2nd with inserts.

Well, that’s the essence of loudness normalisation. Some tracks appear louder (psychoacoustically, that is), so their level has to be reduced to a greater extent than others. Were you to have all „meters“ deflecting the same on each song, your audios are peak-normalised.

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It does have Inserts on the microphone channel but not on the main.
Before I had a ah xb14 with inserts therefore a behringer 2000 also with inserts on the main.
The airence is from this year 3 months.

Great. Use them. But leave the main signal alone! Having loudness-normalised your programme, further dynamic processing does not make sense.