Best Manual Setting...

[hanz0]

Edit: Welcome back. However, one thread is enough. Topic merged with the other.

::edit:: it wasnt on purpose

Edited May 3, 2005 by Ishiyoshi

[hanz0]

ok, havent been here in a while. everyone here is awesome, my big show is just 2 weeks away.

ive decided not to use the volume attenuator. i will be going to a live concert, and the audio will be pretty load. im using the sony MZ-NH900, in Hi-SP. ill also be using the SP-BMC-2 mics. ok, i assume i will set the Mic AGC > Loud Music. Mic Sens > Low. now the tricky part, what to set the REC Level? im gonna play around with it obviously but i would like as much input as possible. the concert will be relatively loud...its not a heavy medal band, but will still be loud. this will be incognito, so i will not be able to fool around with it during the show. because of this, ive been told by you guys to use the volume attenuator, to insure not to overload the recording(i hope i have the terminology right, i think you get what im saying). but this is very important to me, and i would like the clearest sound possible.

im thinking maybe 10/30.

thanks in advance, i know its kinda impossible to know the perfect setting, but im sure you guys here have recoreded live shows, and just wanted to know what you guys think.

[A440]

Please, take my advice and use the attenuator. If you don't, no matter how low you set the record volume, the sound of bass or drums will overload the preamp and your recording will be unlistenable.

You can download some attenuator recordings from the mailbox livefrommd at mail.yahoo.com, the password is 1minidisc1. There is no problem with clarity.

I use exactly the same mics you do, the Soundpros BMC-2. I have tried using them even at a mildly loud concert--Norah Jones--without the attenuator, Loud Music, Low Sensitivity. And every time the drummer tapped the bass drum there was a big THUD and the recording overloaded and was unlistenable.

Use Low Sensitivity, Manual Volume at 20/30 and the attenuator at maximum loudness and you will get a fine, clear recording. Try to do without it, and you'll hate yourself in the morning.

Record the opening act without the attentuator, listen at intermission and you'll see what I mean.

[hanz0]

thanks A440. ok, i will do as you say. but one more thing. whats the difference between setting the mic sens at high and volume at 10/30, and setting the sens at low with volume at 20/30? cause i remember you telling me to do the first one, and now youre telling me that latter. sorry for being such a noob, im just getting really excited.

thanks for all the help

[A440]

setting the mic sens at high and volume at 10/30, and setting the sens at low with volume at 20/30

←

After I posted long ago, Dex Otaku did some tests and discovered that High Sensitivity adds a lot of noise from the preamp. I tried what he suggested and he was right, which is why I'm now using Low Sensitivity and just boosting a little more. Your initial question long ago made me try higher levels on Manual Volume, and I'd glad you did, because my recordings have improved.

[deadwing]

HanzO, please do use a volume attenuator-A440 and Greenmachine gave me a great deal of help last month after I'd just bought a Sony NH1 Hi MD.

I did a test run on a local band gig without the attenuator and even at a low manual recording level(I tried it as low as 10/30), the preamp was overloading, especially on the percussive/bass sections. A440 then suggested the volume attenuator. As I'm not in the US, I had to track a similar thing down here in the UK (Maplins do one), and with it in place, my second outing was MUCH improved-not perfect, because I'd still had the manual level a notch or two too high(Set it at 19/30), but close enough to tell me this little £2.99 bit of kit was going to be vital. I've not had a chance to make a further live recording since, but i'm confident that with the attenuator in place, a setting of 14-16/30 will get it just right

If you want to follow my story (There are links to sound samples from the recordings I made), here's the thread

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=9558

[ozpeter]

As memory serves my from my own tests, once you go below 13/30, the preamp is overloading.

[spyzb]

Where possible use LINE IN for recording with a battery box for the mics.

You should be able to set the levels so they do not distort and sound great.

[deadwing]

Is there any real advantage to using line in if you can get a good, non distorted level via the mic input? It just seems to add to the expense and, especially, the bulk.

I'm only asking the question here, i've got no hidden agenda or anything.

[A440]

If you're recording an ultraloud event--loud enough to overload your microphone--then the battery box will give your microphones extra headroom.

If you're recording something very quiet, it's to your advantage to go through line-in with a mic and a preamp (not just a battery box) to bypass the noise of the little built-in preamp.

In between very loud and very quiet, I don't see the need for an extra box, but there are others who insist that battery box recordings are better in general because they improve the performance of the mic.

[hanz0]

thanks for all the help guys. i will be using the attenuator and the mic volume at 20/30. im gonna tape part of the opening act, and make some adjustments at intermission. the show is this week!!! im so excited. ill let everyone know how it goes

[deadwing]

thanks for all the help guys. i will be using the attenuator and the mic volume at 20/30. im gonna tape part of the opening act, and make some adjustments at intermission. the show is this week!!! im so excited. ill let everyone know how it goes

←

I think you are going to go a bit high at 20/30. My first recording with the attenuator I set at 19/30 and got some slight distortions, this weekend, I tried everything from 13 to 17 at a festival with 6 different bands on, and they are all much better, though I won't go as low as 13 again as that needed a significant sound level boost. 15-17 gave the best results, though the PA at the festival seemed to be struggling all day long