I only have pre-amps on my 2 front panel ins, not on the back panel ins I always used.
pre-amps only matter when you record mics or guitars, not if you record synths, if I understand correctly. (and which would make sense if you look at the setup of the audiofire8 with only the front ones having pre-amps, since they are designed as universal ins, put up front so you can easily plug in a mic or guitar when you want to record them)
If I look at the manual it seems to confirm what I think (p 19):
"Universal Inputs – AudioFire 4, AudioFire 8 and AudioFire Pre8 :
The universal input connections can accept balanced or unbalanced signals via 1⁄4” or XLR connectors. Since your AudioFire has built-in preamps, you can just plug your microphone or guitar cable right into the universal input. No external preamp, direct box, or mixer is needed!"
According to the manual, by default, your audiofire12 should be set to +4dB, which is what you need.
"The console buttons that are labeled “+4” or “-10” are nominal level buttons. These buttons allow you to change the nominal level settings for the analog inputs and outputs. By default, the levels are set to send a +4dBu signal. You can switch between +4dBu (professional level) and –10dBV (consumer level) for each analog output and input by clicking on the appropriate button. This feature allows you to connect either professional or consumer gear to each input and output" (p 32)
I think the switch is right above the Pan knob in the control panel if I look at the pics in the manual.
Anyway, I'm not sure if it's helping, but that's all I can think of right now.
I never had any problems with mine, and I used the same inputs as you did, with no pre-amps.
echo audiofire 12
true, I never recorded directly into the soundcard inputs with my echo.::BLM:: wrote:but you were going into a mixer right with built in pre amps which makes the volume controllable.
I have it set on +4db and its still very low.
(something I am doing now with my apogee)
but as far as I can remember, I never used this mixer to highly bring up the levels because they were too low to begin with.
if you already got it on +4dB, then obviously it's not that.
all I'm saying is, you don't need pre-amps when recording synths, only when recording guitar or vocals.
and I don't think the audiofire12 would have such low levels by default, because then people would complain about that more often.
it just seems odd what you describe.
it's not like echo is this behringer-like cheap ass brand where one would expect these things to happen.
I never had any similar problems, and I have students of mine who bought the audiofire4 and audiofire8 after hearing my audiofire8, and I never heard anyone complaining about levels being way too low.
It seems to me like it's more some kind of setting that is not correct somewhere, and unfortunately we don't know which setting that is.
Did you try contacting their support ?
I know from personal experience their support sucks, but before swapping your unit for another one, I would still try that first.