Tips on using the RM-MC40ELK

[MDnewuser]

Hi !, recently purchased this item on Ebay and tried it out yesterday. I know how to operate it but i am a bit curious how you others who own it do when you record live. Like on Sony units it has a first (-12 db) and second mark (0 db). Noticed when fiddling around with it that it was easy to get around -12 db and get it steady there but raising it was more adventurous. I have also red that that the remote can send out a small buzz on recordings, is this true ?. Use it with my RH700 so no way of turning the display, but it stays dimmed and doesnt seem to drain more battery than the unit itself.

Edited August 26, 2007 by MDnewuser

[A440]

It will add a buzz to recordings of quiet music--at least, mine does. If you're recording unamplified classical music, for instance, I wouldn't use it. Anything amplified should be OK.

I don't understand what you mean by raising it from -12db and "get it steady there." Can you explain?

Pressing P-Mode while recording will give you a track mark. It may also make an instant of static--though for some reason not always--so you might want to use it only during applause or something that would cover the noise.

RH700? Is that the NH700 (my display lights up whenever I change anything or make a track mark) or the RH710?

[Strungup]

Hey 440 , I recorded Crickets last night from the window of my room , using the 40 for control on fade in fade out , I got no noise at all , but I made sure to have the rh1 Hold button engaged so that only the remote is functioning .

I have tried other , soundscapes as well , no noise.

Edited August 26, 2007 by Guitarfxr

[A440]

It could be a problem with my RM-MC40ELK then. I was recording an opera with my NH700 on Hold, and got noise. I guess MDnewuser should experiment.

[MDnewuser]

A440: I do experiment from time to time when buying new gear, but in the past i´ve often regret this when the concert was better than i expected in the first place. This Saturday i know radio was taping the whole show so i didnt have to worry if playing around some with my new RM-MC40ELK. I used the Delta mic (also to test out some more) and extensioncord to mic in off the NH700 (not RH700).

I got it quite steady at -12 db, but when i got higher up i noticed the meters became more unstable and harder to control. I didnt noticed any buzzing either btw.

I know from another thread i started long time ago that its important to leave headroom, comments on this when using the remote, safer or the opposite ?. What concerts do you prefer to record using the remote ?. Its ashame the units do have more marks for leaving headroom, would be much easier to set up.

[Strungup]

A440: I do experiment from time to time when buying new gear, but in the past i´ve often regret this when the concert was better than i expected in the first place. This Saturday i know radio was taping the whole show so i didnt have to worry if playing around some with my new RM-MC40ELK. I used the Delta mic (also to test out some more) and extensioncord to mic in off the NH700 (not RH700).

I got it quite steady at -12 db, but when i got higher up i noticed the meters became more unstable and harder to control. I didnt noticed any buzzing either btw.

I know from another thread i started long time ago that its important to leave headroom, comments on this when using the remote, safer or the opposite ?. What concerts do you prefer to record using the remote ?. Its ashame the units do have more marks for leaving headroom, would be much easier to set up.

Lets see if I can explain the "Jump" for you

recording meters , are showing in Decibels a relative sound level of a given VOLTAGE ,..... yes kiddies we are dealing with energy.

But to measure it in Voltage you need to do a bunch of math to know exactly what your looking at .

Decibel or 1/10 of a Bel

The 12 DB mark on the meter represents from about - 65db up to -12db whereas the -12db mark going up will from-12 up to 0 db .

exponential meter ........... This is the reason for 70 mm to 120 mm long faders on a mixing board , is so there is that extra room for precise control up in the top end of the recording levels , and to control the "Headroom"

you just have to develop a sense of where your at , in the 12db->0db realm to get the bigger dynamics , and just how far you can push it without getting out of control . Rock Concerts you will have one level , Classical though will sometimes have very large Dynamcs where you are recording a very delicate part and then BOOM ..... so knowing the piece , and know your metering , when the BOOM part is coming , a very quick smooth 4db down with a return right before the next stage of sound =( this is what a Limiter does for you in Microseconds) ( do not confuse Limiter with AGC ,the AGC built in to the MD is only for quieter sound sources or very steady loud sounds that do not have a large dynamic range ) this is why I try to explain to people , you wont get truly Pro Recordings on the Fly with the MD ... Close , very close , but not Pro , .. for that level more defined control is needed ,

When you listen to a lot of the bootlegs of the 70's such as Greatful Dead , or Little Feat , etc and the sound quality of those bootlegs just floors you , it is because the were done on TRULY Pro gear . the TCD D5M Cassette Deck ( Yes I said Cassette) but the deck has a very nice LIMIter built in to cap high levels without affecting overall gain , and very good S/N ratio's and Killer Freq response for a Deck .

This is the one thing missing from te RH1 to make it PERFECT is a Brick Wall limiter , if in the Menus you had the choice between AGC or Limiter then this would be the perfect machine .

I have recorde the explosiveness of Taiko Drums with the RH1 ,... No prob , but I have to set Mic sens Low , and Rec levels low enough to get Peak control , but when the quiet parts come I have to be able to raise the levels quickly and carefully to still have good dynamics and the sounds of the Audience , But as soon as the Big stuff comes back in very carefully and quickly drop the levels to exactly where they were before .

After that , do some editing in the Computer to smooth out th rough spots , My first Taiko post which is somewhere on the Forum DOES NOT represent what I am talking about here , I did that when I first got my RH1 and still wasnt use to it .

Just a tidbit for you .

Edited August 27, 2007 by Guitarfxr