Alligator Volume Question

[Creativemind]

Hi All!

Does anyone know what percentage the Alligator's Master Volume has to be for it to not get any louder when applied to an audio sample?

Doesn't seem to say in the manual.

I'm doing it by ear and listening by bypassing and 25-27% sounds about right but was wondering if there was any accurate way of knowing. It defaults to being louder, you'd expect it to default to a volume was equal to the volume of the sample or device wouldn't you?

Thanks!

[JoshuaPhilgarlic]

Well, Alligator can do a lot of nonsense with an incoming signal. So, there's probably no "proper" setting for its volume knob. It's an effect. Effects are never meant to comply to measuring technique, they do just the crazy things we love them for .

[Creativemind]

Well in that case, volume shouldn't ever be on an effect device then? apart from a compressor? and obviously eq raises volume when boosting frequencies but doesn't actually increase volume per se.

I just had to increase the volume on the alligator to 34% as when the gating kicked it, it still sounded (after raising it from about 25-28%) quiet.

The track in question is my signature track. Have a listen. It's 1:33 the gating of the sax happens. I think at 34% it's now the same volume of the ungated sax, what do you think?

I just think there should be a way of determining what amount the alligator volume should be set to, so as to know exactly what level to have it at so the gated sound is equal in volume to the ungated sound. In this particular instance, I just have the low pass filter on, so I don't know if it would differ if I switched all 3 filters on but for me, 34% sounds about equal.

EDIT - Yes it does, just tried it. With all 3 filters on, it went quieter. I'll just leave it as it is me thinks.

[selig]

Volume is on FX devices for the very reason you mention - each affect will change the volume and will need to be compensated for by the master volume control. With no FX, Alligator is at unity (unlike Pulveriser!), but as soon as you put on an effect the volume potentially changes.

EQ changes volume, compression changes volume, filtering changes volume. Even gating can in some cases change "perceived" volume depending on how fast it's gating and what percentage of the signal is cut (since our ears hear loudness as an "average").

There can be a lot of variables, but for my work I try to keep the same peak level throughout the signal path (-12 dBFS). This is so that any FX can be bypassed for comparison without changing the level too much. Choosing peak level helps with keeping my overall mix at a consistent peak level, but it won't always sound the same loudness when bypassed - but this is OK with me because I want to know how much an FX is changing perceived loudness. For example, if a process adds a ton of transient energy, it can clip the mix if you don't reduce it - but if you DO reduce it's level so it's peak level is the same, it may sound much quieter when engaged. The idea is to know the difference and act with awareness (though you probably don't want the effect clipping the mix…).


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