Measure legacy mixer volume in DB

[dioxide]

This is a simple tool to measure the output of the legacy 0-127 Reason 14:12 Mixer and Line Mixer devices. It can be used to measure combinations of multiple devices and volume adjustments so they can be replaced by a single device, fader or Gain Tool.

1. Open the Song file. There are two Mix Channels.

2. Paste whatever combination of Mix Channels, Gain Tools or other volume adjusting devices you want in the first Insert slot. You can also adjust the fader for this Mix Channel.

3. The second Mix Channel is listening and measuring the output of the first. The output meters on the Gain Tool will show you a reading in decibels of the signal after the adjustments have been made.


Some legacy devices (eg. Subtractor, NN-19) use the same 0-127 to db volume mapping as the 14:2 and Line Mixers. This means you can accurately set the volume using only the Instrument volume level.

To find the correct level:

1. If your Subtractor has a volume of 57, set the Line Mixer channel volume to 57.
2. Add any other volume adjustments such as the Mix Channel fader or Line Mixers that are used as insert effects.
3. Measure the result and search for it on Selig's Conversion Chart:
viewtopic.php?p=646855#p646855
4. If, for example, the result is close to -6.91db then you can set the Subtractor volume to 76
5. Set the other devices to 0db. You can now remove them if you want.

Download the R13 Song file here:

LEVEL MEASUREMENT.reason.zip

[dioxide]

Added a new download with all the devices set to zero as the previous one had a mistake.

[selig]

I'm not sure I'm following - the volume setting on the output of an instrument is not an accurate indication of the level coming out of the instrument.
Meaning, I can make two Subtractor patches both with the output volume set to 57, and have them potentially play at levels over 100dB apart from each other.

Maybe start with a use case, explaining WHY someone would want or need to do this. I mean, if I want to level match, I measure the output and then I match it.
What does this setup do beyond (or instead of) that?

[dioxide]

This measures output where there are multiple volume adjustments. In older projects and some patches I have a line mixer patches into a 14:2 mixer and a level set on a Mix Channel. This allows you to quickly measure the output of multiple devices.

The added bonus is that for some devices like the Subtractor you can also calculate this as if it were a mixer channel. I might put together a demo if I can be bothered. This is something I’ve been using myself to update some older songs and thought I’d share it. If you don’t have a use for this then that’s okay. It’s been extremely useful to me recently and as it’s only had 1 download I don’t feel obliged to write a user manual for it.

[selig]

This measures output where there are multiple volume adjustments. In older projects and some patches I have a line mixer patches into a 14:2 mixer and a level set on a Mix Channel. This allows you to quickly measure the output of multiple devices.

The added bonus is that for some devices like the Subtractor you can also calculate this as if it were a mixer channel. I might put together a demo if I can be bothered. This is something I’ve been using myself to update some older songs and thought I’d share it. If you don’t have a use for this then that’s okay. It’s been extremely useful to me recently and as it’s only had 1 download I don’t feel obliged to write a user manual for it.

Maybe I should have led with “What is the use case?”
If I want to measure the output of multiple devices I put a selig Gain at the end of the chain and done. What is there to “calculate”?
I don’t KNOW if I have a use for this because I don’t know what it does or why I would need it. I wonder if others are also unenlightened on the subject - could be why only one download?

Not suggesting a demo, just a use case example for the slower members of the audience…