All Output Source "Git ..."-options has almost no signal/volume!! (trying to re-amp)

Hi everyone!

I am in the procedure of setting up my KPA Rack for re-amping (for which I've been following the guidelines from this post by nightlight on this forum) but everything really comes to a halt during step one - getting the clean DI signal. I will try to explain why.

I want to use SPDIF for convenience, but I am trying the analog way too, but for some reason, when I set Output Source for SPDIF to Git Studio or any of the available "Git"-alternatives, the signal gets so weak on the left channel (which is carrying the clean DI-signal?) that it is impossible to hear and I thought it was completely dead until I raised my Clear Sense to maximum and then, with my monitors cranked to maximum volume as well, I finally hear a clear but extremely faint signal from the left channel on my SPDIF (or through the Direct Output when trying the analog way so) at least - it seems the signal isn't totally dead!

I will try to collect some info about my setup:

I use a Focusrite 6i6 soundcard (with the MixControl software) with Cubase 11 and I use a Kemper Rack (fabricated post-2018 so it has the choice for SPDIF Master or Slave. I run Kemper as my Master.)

The guitar goes into Front Input. As for the Output Source, I've tried all the options. As I mentioned the Git-options don't sing for me right now and all the other options just deliver what appears to be the amped signal on either both channels when using the other options or only on the right channel when using Git-options. And the settings for my 6i6 can be seen on my attached screenshot below:

In Cubase I have preliminary opened one audio track for the clean DI signal through the Left SPDIF channel och another one for the amped signal through the Right SPDIF channel. (Alternatively, I have set up one track for the Direct Output on Line In 2 when trying the analog setup.) I don't use Cubase monitoring and have set my MixControl-software to route the Mix L&R to my monitors to get constant monitoring.

For additional Cubase settings see screenshot below:





I'm sure to have missed something along the way but I really have dug through the manual over and over again and read on this forum and spoken to a studio technician and feel quite confident about the setup but we don't know why I don't get a loud and clear DI-signal through SPDIF or Direct Output.

Any ideas of what I'm missing here?

Quote from michaelkessler

In Cubase you have to create an additional Output for the DI Track.
Using my Focusrite 18i20 I Adresse in Cubase Line 9 or SPDIF L for this Output

In Focusrite Software, I have to Adresse DAW9 to SPDIF L.

May be that you have touse you have 7 instead of 9 my case, because you are using a Focusrite 6i6

Hi and thank you very much for replying!

When you say create an additional channel for the DI signal - do you perhaps mean that I shall create a second track so that I have two??

I already have a track for the DI-signal that is routed from SPDIF L channel which carries this signal.

I have also a track for the same DI-signal via analog connections through Direct Output which is routed through Line In 2 on the 6i6 in my case. Line In 1 is my Main Out L channel from the Kemper, of course!

I also tried to route every single DAW channel, one after the other, to the SPDIF 1 (which I presume is SPDIF L) in the Focusrite software as you suggest but there is no change. I then tried routing them to the SPDIF 2 just to test in case I was wrong but nothing. The meter shows a very faint reaction when I hit the strings real hard and when I record the signal is heard but faint - still, it IS louder than yesterday and I haven't changed a thing! Am I doing this the right way?

Later I also tried adding a Send on the DI-channel like BayouTexan suggests but I'm not sure I do it correct. But more about that in the post below.

Quote from BayouTexan

In Reaper, I have to create a "Send" from the DI Track (input) to the Reamp output. Not familiar with Cubase but I imagine the Sends are the same since most all DAW have routing to inputs and outputs.

...and Welcome to the Forums.

Hi and thank you for replying and welcoming me to the forum!

I am not sure if I am doing this correctly (See my screenshot below.) I added a Send on the DI-track and all I could choose to route it to was Stereo Out so I suppose that is what I should do? That's what I did. I tried both post and pre and on and off and maximized the output volume on the Send but it only raises the signal a bit. Not far enough close to what I would expect it to be compared to the SPDIF R channels volume when using Git / Stack, for example. I thought this would perhaps do the trick but I hope you will point out some mistakes on my part.

As you can see on the screenshot (The four lower tracks are the ones I use so far) the recorded signal is extremely faint on both the SPDIF channels with Output Source set to Git Studio but it has a louder signal than the Direct Out with Output Source set to Git Analog. It doesn't matter which of the Git options I use - the result is the same as far as the DI signal is concerned - the output volume is too bloody low.

I haven't set up tracks to what it SHOULD be like later when things are properly set up so for now I only have what I thought was necessary to just get the DI-signal up and running THEN I can focus on the rest - IF I ever get there but I'm not about to give up! I

Hey guys,

Thanks a lot for your feedback.

My problem is partially solved now, anyhow. Since I wrote my original post here I lost my signal again and there was no way getting it back so I spoke with a friend that is a studio technician. I thought I had all in control as far as the settings in Focusrite's MixControl software goes, but my friend recommended me to reset to factory settings anyway and so I did thinking nothing will happen BUT suddenly I had a signal again. But it was still very very weak! My solution then was simply, as the same friend recommended, to switch to a balanced cable and I got the louder signal BUT now I have a noise-level issue that is impossible to work with. I have to crank my soundcards gain to almost maximum which must be what brings the noise so I ended up ordering a DI-box. I hope that will solve my noise issue.

Thanks for your kind help! Much appreciated.

Quote from ckemper

I think there is nothing wrong with your SPDIF connection.

This is why I was asking what the maximum peak level of your DI-Signal is, when you hit the guitar.

The average level of the DI signal is quite low purposely, to allow for immense dynamic range, without compromizing the sound quality.

I wrote up there somewhere that I skipped SPDIF for now since I didn't get any signal whatsoever through it no matter the settings. I have to get on with recording so I chose to go analog since it obviously works but currently has this noise issue which I hope the box will solve. I will give SPDIF a go in the future instead. I would really want that neat solution but I want to do some work too.

I'm sorry that I came off-topic by changing to the analog solution instead!!