52
7 LEVELING PRESETS
A METHOD FOR LEVELING
The grid provides excellent tools for leveling presets, scenes, and channels. While the grid is zoomed out
(press knob A) you will see VU meters for Outputs 1 and 2 at the top of the display. The scale of these meters
is -20 to +10 dB with a red line at 0. (This is the internal level, NOT a dBu reading.) These meters are great for
setting levels.If you page from the Edit page to the Meters page, input (blue) and output (green) meters on each
individual block will help you spot any trouble or gain staging issues.
To set levels, play your guitar and watch the top VU meters. Remembering the rule of thumb (see previous page)
navigate to the Amp block and adjust its level by turning the Block Level knob (C). The VU meter should hover
around at the red line. Different types of playing and different amp models and settings will activate the meter in
different ways. “Chugs” for instant, will usually hit the hardest. If you want to compare the levels of two presets/
scenes/channels, play the same type of material while watching the meters. Remember the principles on the
previous page; trust the meters, but use common sense.
TIP: When using two Amp blocks at the same time, you may find it easier to adjust levels in a single block which
sums their outputs, such as a Cab, Mixer, or Volume.
The Layout view allows you to change Scenes (knob A) and Channels (knob B), so you can compare and adjust
everything all within a single page.
LEADS AND LOUDER SOUNDS
Given a method established for normalizing the level across Presets, Scenes, and Channels, what if you
specifically want some sounds to be louder or quieter than others? The best approach is to not boost the loudest
sound but to make the others quieter. This helps prevent clipping that might happen if you make some sounds
too loud. When using this method, use the meters and your ears. It is perfectly fine for some tones to appear very
quiet; Fractal Audio products have an excellent signal to noise ratio and do not suffer internally from the same
degree of problems as analog gear when operating at lower than ideal levels.
Make it easier to adjust levels by using the Looper block to “play” while you operate the level controls.
Place the looper between the input and your first block.
Tools
Meters
Layout
CPU
47.5 %
ZOOM
BYPASS
DELETE
CABLE
CONTROLLERS
Scene: 1
Channel
Block Level
Row
Column
Edit
Tools
Meters
Layout
CPU
OUT1L
OUT1R
-3.00 dB
-3.00 dB
-30.0 dB
-30.0 dB
OUT2L
OUT2R
OUT1L
OUT1R
OUT2L
OUT2R
47.5%
ZOOM
BYPASS
DELETE
CABLE
CONTROLLERS
Scene: 1
Channel
Block Level
Row
Column
Edit
IN 1
CMP
WAH
PHR
DRV
AMP
CAB
DLY
CHO
FLG
ROT
REV
OUT 1
The zoomed out grid shows VU meters atop the screen.
Page right to the Meters page for block meters.
