Topic: Tascam hd P2 sbd feed xlr or rca in?

[georgeh]

not sure which is best when getting a sbd feed,  sbd xlr to mic in xlr on P2, or better to use an adapter (xlr > rca) line in.
Any opinion?

[georgeh]

I was thinking xlr in, with phantom power off P2? maybe using limiter if needed?

[Life In Rewind]

not sure which is best when getting a sbd feed,  sbd xlr to mic in xlr on P2, or better to use an adapter (xlr > rca) line in.
Any opinion?

Depends on the where its coming from...feed from 1/4 balanced or XLR - use XLR...

From RCA - use RCA

[georgeh]

sbd gives xlr outs, so stick with xlr (mic in) on deck without phantom power?
or use xlr to rca (line in)?

[georgeh]

not sure which is best when getting a sbd feed,  sbd xlr to mic in xlr on P2, or better to use an adapter (xlr > rca) line in.
Any opinion?

Depends on the where its coming from...feed from 1/4 balanced or XLR - use XLR...

From RCA - use RCA

after rereading this comment. xlr in, use the mic in on pad? and is it best to turn phantom off?

[Cobiwan]

There is no need for phantom power when getting a SBD feed. You are not powering mics. You could also possibly do some damage to the SBD be supplying phantom power to it. The pad doesn't need to be on either imo.

[Life In Rewind]

not sure which is best when getting a sbd feed,  sbd xlr to mic in xlr on P2, or better to use an adapter (xlr > rca) line in.
Any opinion?

Depends on the where its coming from...feed from 1/4 balanced or XLR - use XLR...

From RCA - use RCA

after rereading this comment. xlr in, use the mic in on pad? and is it best to turn phantom off?

Phantom off for sure.

As for the XLR - does the recorder have setting for Line Input? It's labeled as such. Im sure there is a more expert person on this device.

Even with a pad - Pro Line level (on the balanced outs) is probably too much for for a mic input.

[Cobiwan]

Line in switch on top of the deck refers to the RCA input, whereas mic in refers to the XLR input. To achieve true line in level on the P2 I believe the pad has to be on and the level on the gain knob has to be set at zero, thus bypassing the preamps. Doing this however will leave you unable to control levels on the deck and only be able to adjust levels on the SBD output. I would just run xlr to xlr with pad off and monitor and set your levels on the P2 accordingly.

[georgeh]

seems to me something on the P2 was dodgy with xlr in, maybe I am dreaming that up? Or maybe what you're saying about levels set to zero fix that issue?

[georgeh]

an employee (sbd) not working show said that the sound guy could send me xlr, and he'd have to push up fade til I got levels. That sounds like what you're saying, my levels to zero, and he'd adjust the feed levels??
so I would use xlr into deck. the deck does have line or mic in option.

[Cobiwan]

It shouldnt be an issue running xlr. Set P2 for mic in, pad off, low cut off, phantom off. Run xlr from SBD to XLR input on P2, set gain levels where you would like them (around -12 to -06 db) and monitor levels to keep some headroom to avoid clipping.

[georgeh]

thanks. It will end up a matrix, via 2nd P2 and my mics, so I plan on running sbd low levels.

[Cobiwan]

Doing it pad on, gain zero leaves you asking sound guy to turn it up or down as needed. The other way leaves you in control of levels and not bothering him to make changes if needed.

[georgeh]

"pad on" is confusing me a bit, easy to do. option on P2 is mic or line in, you're saying if I use line in, but xlr's, I adjust levels? otherwise mic in, sbd has too

[Cobiwan]

If you turn both the left and right 0-20db pads on top of deck on, running XLR (mic in) with gain knob at zero you will get a straight "line in level." We are talking about a level of gain, not the mic in/line in switch.  Gain won't be controllable by your deck only by output of SBD. This bypasses the preamps on the deck, which might be prefered over amplifying the SBD signal.
I choose not to run this way as I have to bug the soundguy throughout the show if levels need to be adjusted.
I run XLR from SBD to XLR on P2, mic in, phantom off, pad off, limiter off etc. gain is controlled by knob on deck.

[Life In Rewind]

If you turn both the left and right 0-20db pads on top of deck on, running XLR (mic in) with gain knob at zero you will get a straight "line in level." We are talking about a level of gain, not the mic in/line in switch.  Gain won't be controllable by your deck only by output of SBD. This bypasses the preamps on the deck, which might be prefered over amplifying the SBD signal.
I choose not to run this way as I have to bug the soundguy throughout the show if levels need to be adjusted.
I run XLR from SBD to XLR on P2, mic in, phantom off, pad off, limiter off etc. gain is controlled by knob on deck.

Why is the gain only controllable from the soundboard?

[Cobiwan]

from Oade.com
If you are new to the HD-P2, it's input selection labeling can be confusing. When the deck is set to line in, that selects the RCA inputs while the setting labeled mic selects the XLR inputs. You record XLR line in by setting the deck to XLR in and the PAD to -20dB. The controls might be more properly labeled with the LINE/MIC switches labeled RCA/XLR and the Left/Right PAD switches labeled MIC/LINE.

I may be incorrect about gain knob at zero but I have read that in some thread on here.

[georgeh]

thanks for the explanation. I read up on some other boards before posting here, similar responses, but not explained well, seemed to be missing some info before.

[georgeh]

thanks for the help. Ended up having to use -20db, signal way too hot, but worked out fine with that on.

[todd e]

overthinking this as usual.  glad you got some other assistance though!

[kingkita]

overthinking this as usual.  glad you got some other assistance though!

Olds Tito

[georgeh]

overthinking this as usual.  glad you got some other assistance though!

Olds Tito

Tito
You know I need to spread the questions out a bit past just you......