Audio Softer with 2 slices?

Asher - K0AU

Has anyone else noticed that audio sounds softer when 2 slices are open? Scenario (for CW split operation): Slice 1 receiving on the DX station's frequency Slice 2 tuned up, TX active and audio muted. After closing Slice 2, audio on slice 1 sounds louder. Can't tell if SNR is different or if there's any other effect than relative loudness. Absent XIT this is a pretty common operating scenario.

Tim - W4TME

I am fairly certain that this is a gain distribution effect. The internal codec has a max gain input, so if you are mixing several audio streams from different slices, you have to compensate for the additional input gain by reducing the gain from the other audio sources (slice receivers) accordingly.

Asher - K0AU

Makes sense. Is your intent to redistribute gain when a slice is muted? You might want to check the logic for that case.

Al K0VM

I guess I don't see the need to 'redistribute' gain unless your operating in a system opf limited dynamic range and your need to prevent distortion.. I would think thet there should be enough dynamic range in the audio system so that 'redistribution' would not be necessary.. On the other hand, In some operating situations, it would be useful to reduce the gain of secondary channels when a new primary channel is selected. But I think that should be an option. AL, K0Vm

Ken - NM9P

The audio level is reduced whenever I open another pan, not just another slice. It even softens when I open another pan WITHOUT a new slice. I always thought this was a bit strange, but it didn't rise to the level of a complaint or bug. (although it did "bug" me a bit....hi hi.)

Tim - W4TME

I hear no discernible difference in audio when another panadapter is opened without a slice it in.

Steve-N5AC

Because you could have up to 8 slices open on a FLEX-6700, the combined audio without audio reduction spans a large range of level. The objective is to give you roughly the same level regardless of the number of slices so you are not grabbing for the volume control as you mute/unmute slices. So we are doing a reduction as you add slices.

Asher - K0AU

Process question. Does "answered" status mean "no trouble found"? Or does it mean "we've verified the muted slice behavior and entered it as a bug / user report for later processing?"

Ken - NM9P

I have noticed that whenever anyone clicks the "Good Answer" button the topic seems to shift to "Answered." I don't know if this is automatic, or if perhaps the moderator gives the final click.

Steve-N5AC

This thread is a "question" meaning it is not necessarily a problem, but is an inquiry into something. The life-cycle of a question can end in an "answer" or in a "doesn't require an answer." What I think you are asking is about a "problem" which is a different kind of thread. The problem thread can have a status of "acknowledged" as well as "in progress," "solved," and "not a problem."

Eric-KE5DTO

There are several different categories for posts on the community. This one is of type "Question." There are only a few statuses available for this category (Doesn't need an answer, or Answered). For a "Problem" type of post, you'll see a different set of statuses that indicate when we have Acknowledged the problem, when we're working on the issue (In Progress), and when the bug/issue has been addressed (Solved). Note that we only mark a Problem status Solved once the resulting code is publicly available. Often we will comment in the thread that we have solved the issue internally. Then the code must run the gauntlet of our quality process including internal and alpha before it will show up in a public Beta version. Sometimes we may approach the original poster to test earlier in the process to ensure that we have addressed the issue if it is particularly hard to reproduce given a particular setup or environment. That was probably more than you were looking for, but I hope this helps.

Ken - NM9P

I can't reproduce it anymore either. Tim. It had done it several times. But I have done several cold power-ups since then and it hasn't reoccurred. Chalk it up to a glitch, not a bug....

Tim - W4TME

It is a moderated action. If a question gets an official answer to the original question, it is marked answered.