Topic: mp-2 to njb3, questions...

[AT853rxwh]

"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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[MattD]

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.