Author Topic: mp-2 to njb3, questions... (Read 6180 times)

AT853rxwh · « **on:** June 08, 2004, 05:40:34 PM »

Ok how are you guys running this, from the tape out or the xlr's? What cables are needed, and is it better than ad-20 to njb3?

John Kelly · « **Reply #1 on:** June 08, 2004, 05:57:33 PM »

Tape out > 1/8" to 1/8" cable > JB3

As for whether or not it's better, that's up to your ears.

But I say yes.

AT853rxwh · « **Reply #2 on:** June 08, 2004, 06:11:14 PM »

Quote from: John Kelly on June 08, 2004, 05:57:33 PM

Tape out > 1/8" to 1/8" cable > JB3

As for whether or not it's better, that's up to your ears. But I say yes.

that would seem to be the easiest. So, do you have to mess with the level out or just the gain knobs?

John Kelly · « **Reply #3 on:** June 08, 2004, 08:45:38 PM »

Well I was given instructions on how to calibrate it with the JB3, however my JB3 clips exactly where my FP24 clips, so no calibration was necessary.

Sean Gallemore · « **Reply #4 on:** June 08, 2004, 09:31:36 PM »

Quote from: John Kelly on June 08, 2004, 05:57:33 PM

Tape out > 1/8" to 1/8" cable > JB3

As for whether or not it's better, that's up to your ears. But I say yes.

we have a changed man, folks!

I am very happy running mp-2 out to my HDD

Sean Gallemore · « **Reply #5 on:** June 08, 2004, 09:32:31 PM »

Quote from: John Kelly on June 08, 2004, 08:45:38 PM

Well I was given instructions on how to calibrate it with the JB3, however my JB3 clips exactly where my FP24 clips, so no calibration was necessary.

do you have those instructions? The Neuros has the same gain setup as the JB3, so I'm curious to try.

AT853rxwh · « **Reply #6 on:** June 08, 2004, 10:26:15 PM »

Yeah looks like I could use em too now!

John that ad-20 is gonna go with that ps-2 I just got... Damn its a slut!

(me thinks that if I keep the Ua-5, the ad-20 with ps-2 and the newly acquired mp-2, I will be in the doghouse!!)

Chapper · « **Reply #7 on:** June 10, 2004, 02:23:15 AM »

When stealthing, I run the tape out to the JB3 via mini-mini cable.
I've been happy with the results.
Haven't ever used the AD20...I test it out at home and see what sounds better to you.

John Kelly · « **Reply #8 on:** June 10, 2004, 02:35:19 AM »

Quote from: Schwillaby on June 08, 2004, 09:32:31 PM

Quote from: John Kelly on June 08, 2004, 08:45:38 PM
Well I was given instructions on how to calibrate it with the JB3, however my JB3 clips exactly where my FP24 clips, so no calibration was necessary.

do you have those instructions? The Neuros has the same gain setup as the JB3, so I'm curious to try.

Nah I don't have 'em anymore. PM Mattd, he can give 'em to ya (probably good for the archive too).

MattD · « **Reply #9 on:** June 10, 2004, 08:47:43 AM »

Good thing you said that, b/c I didn't know I had a PM ... paging bri!

Edit: it wasn't related to this thread, so I'll post it here in a min. I'll make it nice in case this gets posted to the archive.

MattD · « **Reply #10 on:** June 10, 2004, 09:41:28 AM »

Calibrating the mp2 and your recorder

1. Send a signal to the mp2. Use something broad-spectrum at a constant volume/output like white noise. You can do this with mics up to your speakers or line in - doesn't really matter.

2. Crank the mp2 up until you're hitting red (I think that's +16, but I don't have the unit in front of me.

3. Monitor levels on your recorder. If you recording device has a gain stage for line in, turn it down until you're hitting -2 on the recorder (or just below clipping - depends on how good your meters are).

4. Tape down the recorder gain knob - you don't want to change this!

5. Now turn up the mp2 all the way - you will obviously be clipping your recorder now. Use only the limiter to adjust the output of the mp2 so that the recorder returns to hitting -2.

Once set, if you don't change the gain on your recorder, it will be impossible to clip it, no matter what you're feeding it with the mp2. This is good for stealthing because once you set your levels, you know that if it gets a little louder, you don't have to fiddle with the knobs to avoid clipping.

Sean Gallemore · « **Reply #11 on:** June 10, 2004, 10:28:24 AM »

hmm, good info, but I don't think I'm gonna do it. I know where I am at with my gear currently, and I want the freedom to crank it if I need to

MattD · « **Reply #12 on:** June 11, 2004, 12:12:58 AM »

What do you mean freedom to crank it? This is as "cranked" as it gets. Anything more on the analog side and you'd clip the digital device. I'm not sure I follow you on this one Schwilly.

Sean Gallemore · « **Reply #13 on:** June 11, 2004, 01:50:04 AM »

Quote from: MattD on June 11, 2004, 12:12:58 AM

What do you mean freedom to crank it? This is as "cranked" as it gets. Anything more on the analog side and you'd clip the digital device. I'm not sure I follow you on this one Schwilly.

I'm not sure I follow this "calibrating"

I can record something really quite or moderately loud. Seems like if I made it so it would never clip even the loudest sounds, then it wouldn't have enough gain for the quiet stuff

Cooker · « **Reply #14 on:** June 11, 2004, 11:07:12 AM »

"why don't just just make 10 higher?"
"but this one goes to 11"

this makes great sense schwilly. if you do this, then you know that if you turn the gain all the way up it still won't clip. you are still able to turn the trim up, or the gain on the heuros up, if you *want* it to clip, but with is calibrated like this you pretty much never have to worry about a clipped tape.

AT853rxwh · « **Reply #15 on:** June 11, 2004, 11:35:01 AM »

Quote from: cooker on June 11, 2004, 11:07:12 AM

"why don't just just make 10 higher?"
"but this one goes to 11"

this makes great sense schwilly. if you do this, then you know that if you turn the gain all the way up it still won't clip. you are still able to turn the trim up, or the gain on the heuros up, if you *want* it to clip, but with is calibrated like this you pretty much never have to worry about a clipped tape.

Basically if I understand the instructions you are setting the mp-2 to start kicking in the limiters at max level, that way you can never clip your njb3 (or whatever) right?

ashevillain · « **Reply #16 on:** June 11, 2004, 12:03:01 PM »

Also consider that there is no "gain knob" to tape down on the jb3. For each recording you'd still have select the gain to where it is calibrated.

Does the jb3 actually apply gain? or is it just a variable attenuator? If it does apply gain it doesn't seem like it would matter where it was set on the jb3, just as long as you remember where you calibrated it to. If it attenuates then max the jb3 out...

MattD · « **Reply #17 on:** June 11, 2004, 12:11:30 PM »

AT853, you're right.

Ashevillain, I didn't know that about the JB3 - I was more or less relaying DAT instructions. That would make it a bit annoying, but if it's attenuate only, then same rules still apply unless it's impossible to clip the JB3 even with the mp2 cranked.

Sean Gallemore · « **Reply #18 on:** June 14, 2004, 10:57:42 PM »

Quote from: MattD on June 11, 2004, 12:12:58 AM

What do you mean freedom to crank it? This is as "cranked" as it gets. Anything more on the analog side and you'd clip the digital device. I'm not sure I follow you on this one Schwilly.

ok, the real reason why I won't be doing this is because I'd have to mess with the knobs on the mp-2. This is not practical. With the mp-2 in my back pocket, the mics on my head, I can't be moving that much and I'd need to see what I was doing, plus the gain knobs for left and right are seperate, so I would have to move each knob and hope they are as a exact as they were.

Currently, I just have the levels on the mp-2 taped down, and I change the levels on the Neuros, which seems a bit easier, because I only have to pay attention on the Neuros. Also, last time someone fucked with my MP-2 levels, I got a crap recording at a $75 concert and everyone here was clueless as to how to solve my problem. Am I losing anything by doing this? I don't think I am but...

Also, your instructions seem similar to those posted on Sonic Sense. What are you suggesting be done, vs. what Sonic Sense is saying, or are you both saying the same thing but in a different way?

AT853rxwh · « **Reply #19 on:** June 15, 2004, 07:00:52 AM »

Well I checked mine and if I kick the limiter in, the njb3 hits the line and does not go past, I was reading in the manual that they say for stereo you wanna use link on the limiter but that doesn't sound right to me. I.E. a wook bumps your left mic the mp2 is going to limit both inputs down?

Good news is both the pots on mine seem really tight, bad news is that with the mics I have I have to go almost 1/8 - 1/4 turn higher on one of the mics to get the levels equal. (don't have to do this on the ua-5)

Recorded a bit with it and it sounds great tho. Wonder if I am getting the John Kelley weirdness? The strange part tho is that it followed the mic, so I am kinda chalking it up to a non matched pair of mics... Will try it tonight with the lux's and see if that does the same...

Sean Gallemore · « **Reply #20 on:** June 15, 2004, 07:07:11 AM »

well, I know mine aren't matched for sure, just gotta make sure the same mic goes in the same input every time

MattD · « **Reply #21 on:** June 15, 2004, 09:17:12 AM »

It's similar to Sonic Sense's except I don't think they mention the limiter at all. With some setups, and especially stealthing, the limiter is key - it makes it IMPOSSIBLE to clip your recorder. For me, it means less/no level checking while I stealth so long as my initial setting is close to what I'd do if I could open tape. I know a hard drum hit or something won't put me over.