What does the changing colour of the channel FX icon mean?

[Roy Slough]

I am still getting used to Sonar from CbB.
There is an icon between the Pre/Post select  and the enable/disable select (see image)
During playback It is changing colour. I don't know what it means or if it is something I should be concerned about or take any action?

I have tried looking through the PDF manual but I seem to be searching for a needle in a haystack (and cannot use find for an image)

Any Advice please - Thanks

[Wookiee]

@Roy Slough if it is the one I think you are referring to it shows input level when overdriven it goes Red. Otherwise it hovers between shades of yellow and orange. Only when it goes red and stays red should you be concerned. 

[Bristol_Jonesey]

1 hour ago, Roy Slough said:

I am still getting used to Sonar from CbB.
There is an icon between the Pre/Post select  and the enable/disable select (see image)
During playback It is changing colour. I don't know what it means or if it is something I should be concerned about or take any action?

I have tried looking through the PDF manual but I seem to be searching for a needle in a haystack (and cannot use find for an image)

Any Advice please - Thanks

I'm not seeing that icon anywhere

Where exactly are you looking?

[user905133]

Maybe the OP is talking about this?

I had to turn the gain all the way up to have the icon change from yellow to orange when being fed audio.

PS: In my quick test, I couldn't make it go red, so Wookie must be right--if you drive it into the red it's something to worry about!

 

Edited 22 hours ago by user905133
to add a PS about tying to make it turn red.

[Bristol_Jonesey]

20 minutes ago, user905133 said:

Maybe the OP is talking about this?

I had to turn the gain all the way up to have the icon change from yellow to orange when being fed audio.

PS: In my quick test, I couldn't make it go red, so Wookie must be right--if you drive it into the red it's something to worry about!

 

Ah yes, I see it now

And yep, it's an indication of signal level

 

[sjoens]

That's the output input meter signal for ProChannel when any of it's modules are active.

Edited 6 hours ago by sjoens

[Roy Slough]

11 hours ago, sjoens said:

That's the output meter signal for ProChannel when any of it's modules are active.

Thanks for all the answers, Now I understand it is the Output Meter of the FX channel I can deal with it.

Yes if it is red I am overdriving things and will take action.
I also suspect If I am using the fx channel I should expect a bit of yellow/orange to indicate there is sufficient output from the fx?

[sjoens]

Yes.

Correction: It's the "input" meter, not output.

pg. 1033

Edited 6 hours ago by sjoens

[Bass Guitar]

I’ve always considered that one of the more critical parts of keeping tabs on your signal path. Especially on buses. Individual tracks should have been recorded at a correct level but a bus being fed from multiple tracks can easily be overloaded. 
 

If you see that on wth an audio track then you have recorded it too hot. 
 

So it is most useful for buses especially for the Master. 
 

It seems people rely on the bus fader meters and when they see red might adjust the fader. Wrong! 

The pro channel idiot light is there to warn you that your input to the bus strip is being overpowered. It’s something like the same input red light found on analog or digital mixers. 

This then should be dealt with by turning the Gain down or adjusting at the tracks. 

Because the audio is rendered at 32 FP you might not hear the distortion but better to be safe because little digital errors suck. 

Sonar definitely has the best metering system of all the Daw’s I tried over the last few years. Many require you to use plug ins just to see the peak readings. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Bass Guitar