Hi,
I use a couple of Arturia software synths, often a number of different ones within a song, that I switch via a midipad. I have a problem with the Arturia Prophet-5V, andI don’t have this problem with other synths like the CS-80-V4 or the Mini-V4. The problem is that a number of presets, like the 26 Filter Mod or the Sunriser presets, are way too low in volume. You can hardly hear them even when the volume is crancked up fully in the plugin. When I use these presets in Ableton Live, everything is normal. Other presets of the Prophet-5V, such as Birdsong or Big Portalead run in the normal and same volume as when I use them in Ableton. In the midi monitor, the midi signals come through the same as in the working presets.
Has anyone experienced this volume issue with some Propher presets and been able to fix that?
I have found what caused this problem and fixed it. It basically seems to be a phase cancellation issue that was caused by the output cable from the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 to the mixer. So the setup was as follows:
2 midi keyboards + 1 midipad (to switch between racks) are connected via USB to the laptop with Cantable running
The audio is send from a Focusrite connected to the laptop to an XLR input of a mixer
The problem is the cable. I use a cable that has 2 mono 6.3 mm jacks on the one side (connected to the Focusrite) and a male XLR connected (connected to the mixer) on the other side. More specifically, a PD Connex Cable CX56-3- 1x XLR Male - 2x 6.3 mm mono jack. These 2 jack cable parts give an effect that resembles stereo subtraction, but I’m no expert in this. If I use only 1 of the 2 jacks, then the problem is fixed.
Could be that one of the cables is wired out of phase compared to the other. XLRs have pins 1, 2, and 3. 1 is shield. 2 and 3 are opposite phase to provide hum cancelling properties. From Rane Note 110 (wiring interconnect diagrams):
If black went to tip on one of the cables and red when to the tip on the other cable, the inputs would be out of phase. All you would hear would be the subtractive signal of left and right when combined.
Looking at the cable you are using, check the wiring so that it does not induce a phase “flip”. You might have to open one of the 1/4" jacks and flip/soldier the phase? I have received phased flipped splitters from the factory and had to correct.
In one jack the red wire is connected to the tip and in the other jack a white wire is connected to the tip. I guess I could use a phase inverter XLR adapter or just use one jack…
White and Red from XLR pins 2 and 3 will cancel each other when summed. With a Focusrite, the outputs are balanced TRS per manual. You could use a single 1/4" TRS to XLR cable and sum the Cantabile Outputs to MONO to the Focusrite. That’s done in the Audio Ports output.
Also note that when a 1/4" TS 1/4" plug is used on a TRS Output Jack, the R and S are shorted. That short may be bridging across left and right output channels and causing low output from the Focusrite, too. Since one 1/4" is red and out is white, they might be shorted together at the Focusrite because of the TS plugs.
I just experienced a low volume problem with the Arturia Prophet V5 and it’s not a cable wiring issue for me. I connect via USB to a Steinberg external audio interface and stereo headphones.
I had to insert a plugin that adds 30dB of boost (!) between the audio output of the Arturia VST and Cantabile’s output port to bring it to the same level as the other VST instruments in the song (Arturia Pigments, u-he Zebra2 and NI Kontakt).
I’ll keep experimenting, but I’d be interested if others are experiencing the issue.
I figured out my problem. The “Mix 1” parameter on the Prophet V control panel had been set to almost but not quite zero, which almost silenced the main oscillator. I must have accidentally twisted the CC19 control knob on my NI controller, which is bound to Mix 1. smacks forehead What a coincidence that it happened only 2 weeks after firefly’s post!
