Pre-amp gain knob for gain staging?

Reid115

I have a chain of per-voice pre-amp group FX, some of which need gain staging (e.g., Lo-Fi). Is there any way to do this in a continuous way that doesn't use noteably more CPU? I can set the zone volume (which doesn't get applied continuously), the engine volume knob, the $EVENT_PAR_VOLUME, but none of these are applied pre-amp. I can only do pre-amp gain staging by putting in slot 1 either a) a dummy feedback compressor and adjusting the makeup gain knob, or b) a dummy 3x2 filter and adjusting the gain knob. Unfortunately, these use significant CPU, especially FB comp, and also 3x2's knob crackles when you move it. Any better solution?

EvilDragon

Load Inverter and use its Output knob, that one is basically non-existent regarding CPU usage.

EvilDragon

Load Inverter and use its Output knob, that one is basically non-existent regarding CPU usage.

Reid115

It has to be something I can set from a script, should have made that more clear.

EDIT: Okay woops, all this time I thought $ENGINE_PAR_INSERT_EFFECT_OUTPUT_GAIN mentioned in the manual ("Output gain of all insert effects") only applies to the instrument fx, not group fx as well. A little confusing when the instrument insert effects are just labeled "Insert effects"...

Thanks.

EvilDragon

That pertains to the type of effect - insert effects have the Output knob, whereas send Effects have either Return knob (when loaded in Send FX chain) or Dry-Wet sliders (when loaded in any of the insert FX chains).