KH 310 A monitors the spl output, and trying to calibrate fresh

[slightly]

So after this thread,

https://www.soundonsound.com/forum/view ... ss+tweeter

I came back and decided to try work through some of the stuff
i.e the link about "Establishing Project Studio Reference Monitoring Levels"

this link
https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques ... ing-levels

First off in that thread, many users of some of the numann monitors all seemed to say they have the spl output on back, set to lowest..
& It was suggested I should revise my setting sitting a meter meter and a half away..

So, Ive always had my kh 310As on the second lowest spl output,
I never touch the volume controls on them they came at zero(max) I just turned down my interface main volume to something like -17 db...

Last week I was getting headaches after music, and unbalanced head for hours(this has happened alot before) So I though it was time to recalibrate so to speak my monitor levels!

First off after switching to lowest spl, I find track I was working on really, small sounding and hard to focus in on, set backmore away from me, which imstruglling to get ust to!. So Obvioulsy I now had to turn up interface, but making the decision to buy a spl meter Im going to work through this and try and find a better working level
https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques ... ing-levels

the meter should be here tomorrow, fingers crossed as im thrown at the min with the different settings..
I will work through that article to my best ability, but after reading it a few times,
the bit that gets me is the
Step 1: The first stage in establishing a calibrated monitoring level is to decide on a preferred digital 'operating level'. This can be anything you like, but I prefer to stick with the professional convention that calls for a 20dB headroom margin

etc etc

when its talked about a prefered digital "operating level" im a bit thrown,
So one example might be a bassdrum sample, do I adjust to give 20db head room, and the next drum sample 20 db headroom, and synth parts 20 db headroom, as this all sounds a bit wrong right now...
Usually my bassdrum sample bfeofre proccessing and mixing sits around -12 db headroom, synth -20db bass maybe -13(on my old "volume")
IF I turn asample bassdrum to-20 and then a tom(-20) on a different channel the tom is lost, or the synth part at -20 then over powers the drums so they need to be turned up again a notch,Do I reduce levels of everything to-20db headroom in step 1?????
The rest I think I can follow step by step but what does the prefered digital operating level mean for each channel As I always would have some slightly higher and lower before a mix anyway or any processing but with plenty of headroom anyway. I do like the thought of having a somewhat ball park level for recording to have enough headroom, as I prob have lost track of synths recording before but then just turn down with a utility...........

REALLLY SORRY FOR MAKING THAT SO LONG

[slightly]

Also why would the second lowest spl setting be so wrong when lowest sounds so weak and distant to m y ears(without following the steps outline yet)

[Hugh Robjohns]

The SPL switch is there to help adjust the gain structure of the speaker appropriately.

If you like to work with loud levels, or in a large room, you would choose a higher max SPL setting. And vice versa.

If you change the SPL switch to a lower setting the output volume will be reduced and, in comparison to the previous setting, it will inhetently sound 'smaller'. Although you can get used to that and mixes usually improve... but louder is always more exciting, of course.

Having moved the SPL switch to a lower setting, if you increase the output level of the interface you will restore the previous listening volume, but you will now have less headroom in the monitor path.

The 'operating level' of your DAW is exactly that. The average signal level of your recording/mixes. It would be the 0VU level in an analogue console.

It can be anything you choose, but there are some common standards. The SMPTE recommend -20dBFS. The EBU suggest -18dBFS. Some mastering houses use -15 or even -12dBFS.

Most individual elements of your raw tracks will peak higher than the operating level. Typically 8– 10dB higher, maybe more. That's the reason for choosing an operating level with plenty of headroom when tracking and mixing. When mastering the peak levels of signals are known and heavier dynamic control is normal, so headroom can be reduced, hence higher operating levels.

[slightly]

Ok so only getting back to this now as last week became write off..

To be honest Im still struggling with step 1 unfortunetly, of the calibrating ref level, and the "operating level"...

"Step 1: The first stage in establishing a calibrated monitoring level is to decide on a preferred digital 'operating level'. This can be anything you like, but I prefer to stick with the professional convention that calls for a 20dB headroom margin, so the digital operating level becomes ‑20dBFS. To make the chosen operating level obvious we need to find a suitably calibrated meter scale or some other way of making the reference point. Analogue meters had suitable reference points built in — like the 0VU mark — but standard digital sample meters in DAWs usually have no such provision."

the operating level is the sum of each raw channel on the master, peak meter?
So, the master meter in a DAW should not go above -20db
or each channel proccessed and mixed to a finished tune should not go above-20db
Is it solely the master meter we are talking about so?

[slightly]

also if it is the master channel meter we use for operating level, Im sure
its prob better to have a finished mix clocking in at -20db and not the individual raw unprocessed channels, that makes more sense?
as thats the level you make a mix to?

[Hugh Robjohns]

Music is dynamic. It changes level all the time. There will be a perceived 'volume' or average level, but there will be various peaks above that and quiet sections below it.

So to make life easier when designing and aligning audio equipment we define a notional 'operating level' which is chosen to be well above the system noise floor while also ensuring sufficient headroom to accommodate transient peaks.

In analogue consoles that operating level is normally indicated as 0VU, or represented by a signal level of +4dBu. In semi pro gear it is usually -10dBV. In analogue tape recorders it will be a certain fluxivity value, depending on the format.

When it comes to monitoring over loudspeakers, professional studios usually relate the equipment operating level to a specific SPL at the listening position, to help maintain consistency between sessions and other studios.

The small fly in the ointment is that no one thought formally to define an operating level for digital audio... and then loads of technical groups all decided to define different ones!

Consequently, YOU need to decide what digital operating level you work at, and then you can align your monitor SPL accordingly.

As I said earlier, the operating level is generally the average level of the music. Not the peak level. If you are using loudness normalisation metering, the operating level may well be similar to your integrated loudness target level.

If you are using a K-meter, it will be the 0 level of your chosen K scale.

If you are using the standard sample-peak meters of your DAW, its whatever the average level of your music is. The common standards are -20, -18, -15, or -12dBFS...withe the first two being better suited for working with raw recordings, and the last two for mastered commercial material.

Whatever you decide you want your DAW's operating level to be, you then generate a pink noise signal at that level and adjust your speakers to reproduce that at your preferred SPL at the listening position.

[slightly]

Ive tried my best to follow your article hugh.

I got the hang of operating level, after purchasing waves vu meter the default headroom margin was 18 db, so decided to leave it like that.
After bring up some of my tracks to be mixed I used the vu meter on different channels and adjusted the level of parts til they were loud enough to me and some where just short of the 0vu etc and using the vu meter on the master played back and the couple of tracks were there or there abouts at 0VU

Just before this HOWEVER I did load a pretty ok mixed tune by someone else thats not mastered to get a feel of where I want to set my monitors using his mixed track and the VU meter plugin and with his track hitting the 0VU or just above I decided on what I perceive as the level suitable to track a tune and add synths and drums etc

SO that gave me a ballpark level first to adjust the levels of parts in my tracks with the VU meter and 18 db headroom.......................

And then I became quite confused again with the article and why im doing this.
I measured my room and the recommeneded spl is 74spl

But after already kind of setting a comfortable level with his mixed track with 18db head room on the waves VU meter, this gave me reading of 70.5/71 on an spl meter from one speaker(by the way i done the mono pink noise thing rms-18)
but I just turned off one speaker instead of panning as seemed more striaghtforward)

.......And then Im lost to why I do anymore??
71 is the SPL I came to after setting up his track with the VU meter at0VU 18db headroom, which was the comfortable loudness I want to do my tracks from as a starting point, So what was the point of the spl meter??

my interface is now at-12.4 db level control
monitors lowest spl but highest volume dialed in on each volume control

So, I dont know why I do anymore now? OR even why I done it
TOtally sorry for not understandning it at all
I guess the thing I gained maybe was the average listening levels with the waves VU meter means I wont be all over the place with recording levels etc now

[slightly]

sorry meter reading was roughly 76.5 spl(forgot I lowered master fader one stage as pink noise was annoying me)

[Hugh Robjohns]

So, the recommended reference level in your room is 74dB SPL, and your preference by ear is 76dB SPL, which is absolutely fine. You've now established a known relationship between your preferred DAW operating level of -18dBFS, and an acoustic monitoring level of 76dB SPL.

So if you add or change monitors in the future you'll be able to match levels quickly and easily.

Also, you have a reference listening level to make sure every project starts with the same conditions, and when you come back to a project you can ensure the same listening level to maintain consistent mix levels.

Well done!