Just find some clues of a4 audio flow,
Here it is:
If a4 track out to octa any input of abcd by mono, turn a4 track pan to all the way left or right you got a very strong sound even beat my moog sirin, but complete same sound by main out stereos out to octa ab(or: a+b cd c+d) you got a weaker sound volume compare to mono out put!
Did any one encounter this?
Does anybody know why?
I think this is because the main stereo output has to output sound from all four tracks at the same time; if all the tracks went to the main output at the same volume as the volume you get from the individual outputs, the signal at the main outputs would be clipping
According to the official manual suggested,
A4 and AR could out put audio to octa to build up a trinity setup, elektron funs call this dark trinity,
but recently I found out that maybe this setup really hurt your a4âs out put dynamic, specially bass.
I compared a4 main out to octa in put AB with mmm, maybe the way a4 handle stereo and pan different to original trinity, no matter which mode(ab,a,b,a+b) to choose mnm always out put the full vol to monitor, but if you hard pan the a4 to lift or right and octa in a or b mode you get a same vol and dynamic, otherwise hard pan a4 in ab mode octa you get a one side audio, center position pan a4 to octa ab or a+b mode, you get a audio signal lose some DB, if you do some test as I did, you will know what I m talking
The bass should always in mono! That was a rule of thumb for production!
I thought dark trinity setup( mk2 machine) face a real problem was a4 track to main is stereo and main out to octa input is stereo, and octa track also get a pan parameter in amp page, multiple stereo audio chain and different way of a4 and octa to handle stereo maybe the reason bass become weaker and audio volume lose.
Oh, I see⌠yeah, the Octatrack can cause some hassles with the âalways stereoâ approach with samplesâŚ
I donât perform live, I only make tracks in my DAW at home, so I donât have a lot of experience with the trade-offs that one has to make when routing audio between the machines for a live performance, where you canât just stop and unplug and re-plug connectionsâŚ
It sounds like you know how to work around the issues youâve found, and that you know how to set things up in a way that works for you and your art.
Are there any problems that youâre having? Or are there things that you want to accomplish that you canât, because of the Octatrackâs stereo set-up?
People always complain about a4 didnât have good low end⌠a4 lose bass too quickly by filteringâŚit is hard to get deep bass sound from a4âŚ.
first I also feel that way, so I would like to find out why, but more I do these sound test, more I know a4 and setup better, finally never say those weaknesses, it is not a4 un-ability to do deep bass, you just need to know how to achieve there.
yeah, almost anything can be achieved with your elektron(s)
it might require some intense lateral thinking, or extensive experimentation, but you can usually get what you wantâŚ
that being said, though, I wouldnât turn to my A4 for sub-bass⌠Iâve got other gear that does the ridiculously low sub thing⌠itâs horses for courses, for me⌠A4 does so many other amazing things that I donât mind at all that I canât get jungle/DnB basslines from itâŚ
Possible problem: The A4 individual outs are unbalanced stereo, but the OT inputs are balanced mono. If you use a cable with TRS plugs between the individual outs of the A4 and the OT inputs, youâll get weird signal levels because the OT will use the signal from L or R from the A4 to cancel out noise from the other channel.
Solution: If youâre using the A4âs individual outs to the OT ins, use a TR
I think you mean TS (Tip-Sleeve) cable, right? I agree with your overall suggestion, though. Using TRS cables with Elektrons can get tricky and cause those phase cancellation issues.
I do. Thanks. Good spot. Edited my previous message.
if you use a4 track output,the best cable is trs to two ts, since track out also stereos, and elektron use just one connector for stereo signal, maybe for save rear space of a4
Never try use ts and trs any different, I will do some test to find out clue, thanks!
What I m talking is nothing to do with cable, I use Mogami trs, since octa mk2 have balanced inputs, a4 main out also balanced, trs is perfect cable choice
Since all a4 track could use as poly, so I think thatâs why elektron choose to use stereo track audio chain, the trade off is when you do bass and you really want that quality deep, find some smart way to out put you bass track than just easy out put to main and even worse to daisy chains to other machine
Here is conclusion of trs or ts cable for a4 track out to octa in:
2)trs is also ok, but pan to central position lose sound completely, since trs will out put two audio (Left and right) maybe phase canceling cause this, and just pan hard to any side, you got a full dynamic sound perfectly just like ts cable.
No matter which cable to choose, the best thing to do is hard pan, ts just make sound on one side, trs make both
