Topic: SBM-1 "over" light

[ashevillain]

Pay no attention to this post. Scroll down for the real info.

[Brian Skalinder]

IME, the lights hit at around -2/-3dB, so flicking is okay, steady flash is probably too hot.  You'll get the feel for it...

[Chris K]

as long as the lights dont stay on more than 2 seconds you'll be OK

i run mine hot, i like to see it light up...if it aint lighting up it aint hot enough, baby!

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

I've looked for and found the clips in shows where I noted the time when the light blinked.  No audible issues but the wave did show a clip.  I guess that it's possible that the light came on in advance of the clip.

It should be easy to test this if you have an SBM1 ahead of a deck with a margin indicator - like a DAP1.  Just put a line signal into the SBM1 and advance the gain until you see the light come on.  Then check the margin indicator on the other unit.  Or run it into your soundcard digital input and look at the wave file.  

[Tim]

the level monitors on the portable dats are analog and not totally accurate.. I don't know that the test that Teabag mentioned would really prove anything.

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

I thought the DAP1 meter took its levels from the digital signal.  I don't know for sure so I'll defer on that one.

Anyway, you can still run a digital feed from the SBM1 to a PC's spdif input and determine the sample value at which the over LED illuminates on the SBM1.

[Tim]

hmmm... I could be wrong. That's what I was taught and that's what I've always believed...

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

I questioned my assumption and went looking for the info.  I found the DAP1 manual.  From the manual:

"Margin is a digital peak hold meter, showing the available headroom before digital saturation is reached and distortion occurs."

So that is why I thought it might be used to measure the SBM1 over LED threshhold.  I know someone who still has an SBM1 and DAP1, we may have to run a little test.  Seems like a 3 beer project.

[hexyjones]

Clips can happen - but as long as they are short and fast - they will be very, very hard to hear...

So if the light comes on every so often - no problem - but you know how some people are...dang perfectionists~~!!

[Tim]

I questioned my assumption and went looking for the info.  I found the DAP1 manual.  From the manual:

"Margin is a digital peak hold meter, showing the available headroom before digital saturation is reached and distortion occurs."

So that is why I thought it might be used to measure the SBM1 over LED threshhold.  I know someone who still has an SBM1 and DAP1, we may have to run a little test.  Seems like a 3 beer project.

+T for you -T for me... nice job!

[ashevillain]

as long as the lights dont stay on more than 2 seconds you'll be OK

2 seconds huh? I have been running it so I get the flicker but not steady on...looks like I need to bump it up a notch.

[Craig T]

flicker, not steady

[Chris K]

yeah...i guess flicker is a better word. 2 seconds to mee is steady. i think if you go to -3db it flashes. the flashes seem to last about a half a second

again i like to run it hot, and like to see it flashing regularly

[creekfreak]

fllickers at peaks are good, its a forgiving unit.

[macdaddy]

i guess i go a bit lighter than you folks...

ideally, i will see a flicker, make an adjustment, and not see the over lights again. while i never get to 0 this way, i peak at between -3 and -1 dB, and that is close enough for me...

but maybe that is why my tapes sound like ass