Levels On A Hi-md Deck Should Peak At The 1st Dot?

[emptyzero]

...and not the 2nd. is this correct? I had started a thread talking about the meter and levels a few months ago but it's long gone. with the two "dots" on the level meter you don't want to peak past the first one?

[ozpeter]

I'd say that if you get very occasional peaks hitting the segment one before the second dot, you'll be ok. Don't let it ever go higher. It depends very much on what you are recording, but if the level spends most of its time knocking around the first dot area, that's probably about right too. Ideally, have a look at the levels you are getting in an editing program afterwards - that will give you a better feel for whether you should be aiming higher or lower.

[emptyzero]

thank you.

[dex Otaku]

The first dot [the centre] is the -12dBfs mark.

The second [top] dot is the 0dBfs [actually, just below and up to 0dBfs] mark.

The bottom segment is around between -35 to -40dBfs on my NH700.

Generally speaking, the centre mark is good to average at if you know that you're recording isn't going to suddenly jump to a much louder volume.

You also don't want to reach the top segment of the metre, as that's where distortion begins.

For loud / really dynamic material, peaking around the centre mark is cool [with a lower average], that way you know you still have about 12dB headroom to use.

I usually try to record with average levels around -20dBfs. That gives plenty of headroom and also usually keeps all wanted signal well above the mic preamp's noise floor [this varies depending on what mics you use, their sensitivity &c.].

By comparison, note that EBU broadcast equipment uses -20dBfs as the "0dBVU" mark .. I believe North American [sMPTE, likely] equipment uses -18DBfs.

If you're using AGC [not manual levels] then you have no control over any of this, so the point is entirely moot.

[emptyzero]

very informative, thanks dex.

Edited June 6, 2005 by emptyzero