Help with attenuating the sound on the Integra

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Garganega
Posts: 2
Joined: 21:10, 22 February 2018

Help with attenuating the sound on the Integra

Post by Garganega »

I bought an Integra in 2015, no prior experience with hardware out-of-the-box gear whatsoever. Probably not the best idea I could muster, but I really wanted to own a Roland synth, and presumed that the Integra would have better integration in a modern computer than say an older synth.

For the past few years I've struggled to get the Integra to work in my music. I'm a media composer, and so my purchase of the Integra was largely based on the quality of the Super Mario soundtracks, which feature the Fantom X prominently. The overall master of that sort of music, where (not advisably, but still) you can listen to it with headphones at a fairly loud level without it puncturing your ears is the sort of end-quality I want to make.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQNLYrbadDg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqEA_gwRx-4

I don't know what to do to attenuate the Integra's sound, as I feel a lot of the sounds, when pushed to the same loudness as commercial music, they tend to get very ear-piercing (over headphones). This also comes through the speakers of a device like an iPad. As such I've really struggled to rely on the Integra for my compositions.

https://instaud.io/1OBS
https://instaud.io/1OBP
https://instaud.io/1OBQ
https://instaud.io/1OBR
https://instaud.io/1OBV

This is the audio without any output gain, so through normal computer speakers it sounds fine. If i try to boost the signal either through the system settings, or a limiter, or anything, each of the sounds has a punchy, in-your-face quality to it, that is especially unpleasant to listen to at louder levels on headphones.

What can I do to achieve an attenuated, but still the same sound? I don't think it's an issue with the frequency levels, and if I try to surgically remove the harsh punching sound through an equaliser, I lose intrinsic qualities to the sound. Removing those frequencies also quietens it, and bringing the sound back to a louder level poses the same problem anyway.

I don't feel like I have this problem with the softsynths I use, which I can safely boost the signals of (during mixing and mastering) without resulting in this puncturing quality. I route the Integra's audio just through a USB, rather than an audio interface.

Also just to be clear, I am not doubting the audio quality of the Integra at all (I've had other people accuse me of that), or Roland's synths in any way. I doubt the hardware is faulty, but I really have no clue how to achieve a clean, balanced sound that sounds great at all volume levels. Any direction would be so appreciated.

(Not to turn my post into a novella, but if by chance I do end up solving this problem, I'd also really, really love if somebody could assist me with recreating the DreamInColor patch from the Fantom. I'm not sure if the Integra has the exact right wah guitar tone for it, but if anybody has both the Integra/Fantom and could walk me through it, I'd be willing to pay for that sort of help).
psionic311
Posts: 10
Joined: 00:37, 21 August 2016

Re: Help with attenuating the sound on the Integra

Post by psionic311 »

Interesting dilemma. Perhaps using a HPF on the sounds may help?
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CSeye
Posts: 4
Joined: 03:35, 15 March 2018

Re: Help with attenuating the sound on the Integra

Post by CSeye »

Playback of MIDI from a DAW to triggers sounds in the Integra sounds great!!!

It sounds spectacular when monitoring through the headphone jack on the Integra. The sound is out of phase when turning on the DAW's software monitoring to monitor sound through a DAW audio channel whose input is the Integra output via the USB cable.

An ear blasting feedback loop is created when adding insert effects to the DAW audio channel while the external MIDI tracks are triggering the Integra. Beware, don't try to do this!!!

This is not an issue when connecting the Integra outputs (A-D, 1-8) to the inputs of an audio interface. DAW effects can be added to the audio channels (with Integra as the input source) without issue. Of course, the next option is a multitrack recording of the Integra output.

Another scenario is to record the Integra output via USB, one track at a time if needed, then mute the external MIDI track(s) in the DAW before applying DAW effects to the audio channel. No problem!

I use the headphone jack when developing an idea in a DAW, then use the Integra discrete outputs to audio interface for multirack recording.
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