Author Topic: What went wrong? (Read 5913 times)

Belexes · « **on:** March 22, 2010, 03:09:33 PM »

Was at Experience Hendrix last night in a theater. I was 5th row center from the stage. Not the most ideal taping position and it was a fairly loud show.

Lineage:

SP-CMC-4U (c) > CA-9100 (at 11:00 O'clock) > Sony M10 (gain at 3.5)

The waveform looks good, but the recording distorted, especially on the low end. Clip light never came on for the pre and I wil peaking around -6 on the deck.

My guess is that there was an overload at the capsule? Could these mics benefit from a 4.7k mod to prevent this in the future at loud shows?

su6oxone · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2010, 03:12:51 PM »

Quote from: Belexes on March 22, 2010, 03:09:33 PM

My guess is that there was an overload at the capsule? Could these mics benefit from a 4.7k mod to prevent this in the future at loud shows?

Looking at the waveform it does look a bit like brickwalling (frequencies seem to all go up to a certain dB), and I would guess also that the capsule overloaded. My AT853s in the past also had a major problem at loud shows which disappeared after getting the 4.7k mod.

Belexes · « **Reply #2 on:** March 23, 2010, 09:37:56 AM »

Thanks. I think I'll get the mod done and not have this be an issue anymore. I have used these mics before without issue, but not anything that was as loud as the Experience Hendrix show.

acidjack · « **Reply #3 on:** March 23, 2010, 02:36:53 PM »

Yes, I think you need the mod for sure. Once you have it, you're good to go.

Ziggz · « **Reply #4 on:** March 23, 2010, 03:38:19 PM »

I have the SP-CMC-4U hypers on 943 bodies. I had the mod done when I got the 943 set- will the CMC-4U be covered by the mod, or is the mod done in the capsule itself?

dgale · « **Reply #5 on:** March 23, 2010, 09:13:10 PM »

I'm not familiar specifically with the Sony M10 but based on my experience with Sony portable DATs, the fact that your record level was set to 3.5 seems indicative of a feed from the pre that's too hot and likely to brickwall. The rule of thumb on the Sony DATs was if you have to set the levels below 5 then you instead need to turn the source down or it's going to clip.

Belexes · « **Reply #6 on:** March 23, 2010, 09:30:27 PM »

^ The thing with the 9100 is that it has an indicator on it (light) to see if the signal is too hot or not and it wasn't going on during the recording. That and the 11:00 position that it was set at unity.

Looking back with the pre at unity and the M10 at less then unity...damn, that was one loud show.

bugg100 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2010, 10:44:54 PM »

Just for grins, how fresh is your battery? Not how many shows fresh either, how many volts?

What you described sounds like a few times I taped with a voltage below 7.5-7.7...

Can't hurt to check, right?

it-goes-to-eleven · « **Reply #8 on:** March 23, 2010, 10:53:38 PM »

Has anyone actually tested to see whether the m10 distorts at lower gain settings?

I'd expect it is the mics, but I've observed bad recorder behavior first hand; so I wouldn't be surprised.. I always test new gear before running it.

Belexes · « **Reply #9 on:** March 23, 2010, 10:55:32 PM »

Quote from: bugg100 on March 23, 2010, 10:44:54 PM

Just for grins, how fresh is your battery? Not how many shows fresh either, how many volts?

What you described sounds like a few times I taped with a voltage below 7.5-7.7...

Can't hurt to check, right?

Used a brand new 9v, but I will check the it just to be certain there was not a bad cell.

Josephine · « **Reply #10 on:** March 23, 2010, 11:56:51 PM »

The Experience Hendrix show I attended in Los Angeles was crazy LOUD. With all the abuse my ears have taken over the years, it's a rarity that I need to break out the ear plugs. Definitely needed them for this show. It was painful. Being seated as close as you were, not surprising you encountered difficulties.

rowjimmytour · « **Reply #11 on:** March 24, 2010, 12:36:08 AM »

Quote from: Josephine on March 23, 2010, 11:56:51 PM

The Experience Hendrix show I attended in Los Angeles was crazy LOUD. With all the abuse my ears have taken over the years, it's a rarity that I need to break out the ear plugs. Definitely needed them for this show. It was painful. Being seated as close as you were, not surprising you encountered difficulties.

Val did you tape the show or did Herb snap any shotz?

Josephine · « **Reply #12 on:** March 24, 2010, 01:12:08 AM »

No photos, Jim, but I did get a recording. It's up at Dime . . . also in my tapers.org account.

Belexes · « **Reply #13 on:** March 24, 2010, 07:16:31 AM »

Glad to know I wasn't the only one that thought it was a tad abusive on the ears, volume-wise. I'm sure Hendrix shows were loud like that too though.

rowjimmytour · « **Reply #14 on:** March 24, 2010, 11:46:53 AM »

Quote from: Josephine on March 24, 2010, 01:12:08 AM

No photos, Jim, but I did get a recording. It's up at Dime . . . also in my tapers.org account.

Thanks Val and look forward to checking it our.

Brian · « **Reply #15 on:** March 24, 2010, 02:06:01 PM »

Quote from: Belexes on March 24, 2010, 07:16:31 AM

Glad to know I wasn't the only one that thought it was a tad abusive on the ears, volume-wise. I'm sure Hendrix shows were loud like that too though.

the show in st. louis was not loud at all.

it also sucked bad

/thread-jack

perks · « **Reply #16 on:** March 24, 2010, 02:21:27 PM »

Minneapolis show was wikkid loud as well. The bass and the kick drum were chest pounding - my heart was sore after the show. I was in row 8 (i think - - give or take a row or two since I'm not 100% how many rows they filled in the Orch Pit) very close to center stage/slightly right .

I realized on the way in that I had left my earplugs in a shirt pocket from a show the previous night so I made a quick detour to a target 2 blocks from the theater and picked up 30db foam plugs to cram in my ears. Thank god I didn't just go in without any protection - I would have been miserable.

I don't think my recording is distorted and has the in your face FOB sound I was hoping for.

Belexes · « **Reply #17 on:** March 24, 2010, 03:27:20 PM »

Perks, I did grab your show and it sounds very good. I should have used my CA-14 cards. I would have had better luck.

yug du nord · « **Reply #18 on:** March 24, 2010, 03:39:46 PM »

That file doesn't look brickwalled to me. I've brickwalled before, and it's A LOT uglier than that. My first thought would be the battery too..... check that first. One of my first outtings with a pair of CA mics a couple of years back I didn't have a battery box to power em, so I used the plug-in power mic input on my Hi-MD recorder... sounds pretty decent, but there are some spots that are slightly overloaded (distorted)... more on the high end frequencies though. And I'm pretty sure that happened because the plug-in-power was not providing enough juice to the mics. And I never clipped the levels on that recording either.

For whatever that's worth.

I've been using the 9.6v PowerEx NiMH rechargeables for my CA gear lately and have been very happy. At full charge, they actually read right around 11v +/-. And still read above 10v after a 2+ hour show. Seem like great batteries.

kcmule · « **Reply #19 on:** March 24, 2010, 03:58:21 PM »

Quote from: Brian on March 24, 2010, 02:06:01 PM

the show in st. louis was not loud at all.

it also sucked bad

/thread-jack

What made it suck? KC show was OK. Less Living Colour would have
been better for me but overall it was OK...

acidjack · « **Reply #20 on:** March 24, 2010, 03:59:47 PM »

Quote from: Ziggz on March 23, 2010, 03:38:19 PM

I have the SP-CMC-4U hypers on 943 bodies. I had the mod done when I got the 943 set- will the CMC-4U be covered by the mod, or is the mod done in the capsule itself?

This is the same setup I have. The mod covers all the caps - it is, I believe, actually in the power plug the way that SP does it. If Church did yours, I suppose I'd confirm with him.

Belexes · « **Reply #21 on:** March 24, 2010, 07:41:10 PM »

Checked the 9v in the 9100. Full charge on it.