Zero DBV Tones

Professional musicians and audio technicians make a clear distinction between volume and gain. While the first displays the number of decibels produced after processing, the latter term is more complex, essentially revealing the number of decibels units recorded prior to processing.

Properly adjusting the input gain level could help you change the tone of your instruments. Designed to help you create better mixes and have more control over your instruments, the Zero DBV Tones application provides 1 volt (0 dBV) audio signals. dBV is a measuring unit for voltage. It actually is dB relative to 1 volt, meaning 0 dBV is equal to 1 volt.

The goal of Zero DBV Tones is to provide you with a tool that can help you setup any audio device with the correct input gain level. The application displays three different audio signals, each calibrated to help you obtain the perfect tone. The used frequencies are different for all three signals: at 100 HZ, at 1000 HZ and at 10000 HZ. Pushing on any of the buttons will load the sound.

The signals were recorded using a RME Firface soundcard and measured with a calibrated meter. The XLR balanced line output is measured with a calibrated oscilloscope. To obtain maximum quality, the sine was generated with Spectraplus for Windows.