Taperssection.com

Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: Nomad on February 06, 2005, 05:22:35 PM

Title: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: Nomad on February 06, 2005, 05:22:35 PM
Do I set the impendance to Low when taping and do I need to turn on the Sw monitor. Manual is kinda vague to this newbie. Thanks! I gotta get taping fast.
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: hhf32 on February 08, 2005, 10:19:14 PM
Do I set the impendance to Low when taping and do I need to turn on the Sw monitor. Manual is kinda vague to this newbie. Thanks! I gotta get taping fast.

Yes to 1, No to 2
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: admkrk on March 05, 2005, 12:26:23 PM
the way i see it,  if you're not monitoring from the ua-5, why have it on in the first place. the switch is to divert the signal to the headphone jack on the ua-5.
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: dklein on March 06, 2005, 08:43:18 AM
does switiching the monitor SW button on/off while recording affect the sound of the written digital file in any way going to the jb3 ?
No.  But you MUST have it off if you are taking an analog output from a digimod (or other mod) UA-5.  The digimod puts the UA-5 into permanent 'monitor on' status.  Turning the switch on adds a SECOND layer, slightly delayed which can totally mess up the analog output (and any SVU or other meters plugged into the analog output). 

Try it - run a signal in, monitor the headphone out.  Then turn the monitor on and play with the volume setting.  This is an undocumented side effect of the digi-mod.
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: Scooter on March 06, 2005, 12:20:51 PM
and it sounds horrible!!  The Hi/Lo Z switch makes no dif at all when going XLR in.
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: Brian Skalinder on March 06, 2005, 12:33:11 PM
so the lineage would be mg210 + sbd > ua5 > jb3 ? is this possible?

Yes.  Because the mix-down occurs pre-recorder and you're only outputting 2-channels from the UA5, you can run a matrix with any 2-channel recorder.
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: Scooter on March 06, 2005, 12:37:27 PM
here's another stupid question.
i only thought i would run a matrix when i used my laptop, but is it possible to run one with the jb3 as the recording device? so the lineage would be mg210 + sbd > ua5 > jb3 ?  is this possible?  would i work the levels the same way ?

If you're asking how to do it; run the sbd in to the RCA's on the back side.  Then mix as desired.
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: Brian Skalinder on March 07, 2005, 12:33:08 PM
how can i monitor a matrix in reference to the % of sbd vs aud mixed in when it's not being fed to a lappy, where i can actually see the levels in the program? say I wanted to run a 70/30 sbd/aud or a 50/50 sbd/aud, there isn't really a way to judge this is there, when feeding the signal to a jb3?

DKlein posted in the JB3 Tapers FAQ how the meters in the JB3 match up to dB levels.  Unfortunately, I still don't think the meters are useful other than adjusting L/R balance.  My stock response:  The % doesn't matter, what matters it how it sounds.  So mix til it sounds good to your ears.  Note:  this can prove challenging if you're mixing at the venue while they're performing, even if you have attenuating in-ear headphones.
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: Scooter on March 07, 2005, 12:33:36 PM
how can i monitor a matrix in reference to the % of sbd vs aud mixed in when it's not being fed to a lappy, where i can actually see the levels in the program? say I wanted to run a 70/30 sbd/aud or a 50/50 sbd/aud,  there isn't really a way to judge this is there, when feeding the signal to a jb3?

You gotta have some good phones, and monitor it live.  If you run a matrix in this manner (Mics>xlr and SBD>RCA's>JB3)  it is just like using a regular mixer and running that to your JB3.  Well except that it's digi instead on analog :).  You are not getting discreet 4 trks of audio, just two.  So you are mixing it "on the fly" straight to two trk.  The ratio of SBD to Mics is controlled by the preamp knobs on the front, and the knob next to RCA ins on the back.
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: Scooter on March 07, 2005, 12:35:13 PM
we seem to following each other around today Brian ;D
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: Scooter on March 07, 2005, 01:03:46 PM
thats it.   ;)  Also take into account that if your mics are more than about 20-30 ft away from the stage, you're going to get some delay introduced between the two sources.
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: admkrk on March 07, 2005, 10:38:33 PM
just for gp, i use an old set of headphones from a "walkman" type cd player to monitor from my d8. not the best, but better than leds.
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: admkrk on March 08, 2005, 12:44:18 AM
yea i realize about the delay, that won't be an issue ever in the places i have board access.

why?     your mics on stage?    not saing i'd notice, but.........
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: Gr8ful98 on March 08, 2005, 08:44:44 AM
Hey y'all,
   Been reading the posts & it's been helping me.  Question...I'm going to try my first "matrix" recording this weekend.
I'm using:  Mics>XLR>UA5 Digimod/SBD>RCA>UA5 Digimod>RCA>Archos(hard drive)

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like I adjust the mic inputs with each knob next to the XLR inputs on the UA5.  And I adjust the SBD input with the knob next to the RCA input on the back of the UA5. 

I know that if you raise the XLR input levels too high, the little peak light comes on.   Does the same thing happen if you raise the RCA input level to hight?  How can I tell if the RCA input level is too high?   

Never been to the club before, so I don't know exactly where the SBD is located.  If it happens to be more than 20 feet from the stage, will there be a delay?  If so, how do I correct that?     OR....if it's more than 20 feet from the stage, should just use the mics or SBD and not both?

Any other little tips or tricks of the trade would be helpful.   Thanks again!
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: Scooter on March 08, 2005, 09:03:56 AM
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like I adjust the mic inputs with each knob next to the XLR inputs on the UA5.  And I adjust the SBD input with the knob next to the RCA input on the back of the UA5. 

I know that if you raise the XLR input levels too high, the little peak light comes on.   Does the same thing happen if you raise the RCA input level to hight?  How can I tell if the RCA input level is too high?   

Never been to the club before, so I don't know exactly where the SBD is located.  If it happens to be more than 20 feet from the stage, will there be a delay?  If so, how do I correct that?     OR....if it's more than 20 feet from the stage, should just use the mics or SBD and not both?


-correct
-peak light works for all inputs, so both sources combined go to the peak light
-well, in this situation, unless you have a delay line handy at the show to run on one of the sources, you can't do anything about it.  I'd use just the mics if you have to tape from more than 30 0ft away from the stage.  When I'm in that situation, I use my VXPocket soundcard>laptop, it gives 4trks of discreet audio, and mix them later, and compensate for the delay.
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: KLowe on March 08, 2005, 10:38:55 PM
Dude,
Who are you Gonna Matrix this weekend?  Just curious.

Also....for the rest of the tapers.  And this might be a stupid question but......would a really long RCA cable from the board make up for the delay when the mics are out 25' or so from the stage?  Or is the speed of sound -vs- speed of electrical impulses from the board issue never solvable....unless your RCA cords are like a mile long?

Does that question make any sense?

Thanks for the help


Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: admkrk on March 10, 2005, 02:53:44 AM
Dude,
Who are you Gonna Matrix this weekend?  Just curious.

Also....for the rest of the tapers.  And this might be a stupid question but......would a really long RCA cable from the board make up for the delay when the mics are out 25' or so from the stage?  Or is the speed of sound -vs- speed of electrical impulses from the board issue never solvable....unless your RCA cords are like a mile long?

Does that question make any sense?

Thanks for the help




sorta makes sence.   the cable run should make no diference. not sure about the mile run though   :D   the delay is from the time the sound hits the mics. the sbd picks up the stage mics(base sound). by the time it's traveled to your aud mics, there will be a delay. just like there is a delay between when sound hit one of your ears to the other one. just ask anyone running binaurals. that delay is what's used to make 5.1 sound. 
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: leegeddy on March 11, 2005, 09:20:29 PM
So I have been trying to organize my setup in the gear bag all nice, nice.

To the people that runa UA5 with the Walmart battery (everyone?) :

Would there be a problem with me velcroing the battery to the top of the ua5?  I have a sonicase & run the ua5 vertically, so having the battery velcored to the top would be gravy.  Does anyone else do this?  I was mainly concerned with heat issues......

Does anyone see a problem with this??


we ran a v3 and a m1 via VRBox powered by a 9v lithium Walmart for about 3hrs. the batt was fully charged and at the end of the show, 50% remained (according to the LED).  v3 draws ~0.75 - 1amp and m1 draws ~0.3amp. so total draw was ~1.3amp at the most. 

verdict... the battery was only slightly warm to the touch so i would say that heat dissipation would not be a problem under normal conditions. 

marc
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: Scooter on March 11, 2005, 09:26:58 PM
i've run UA5 + wally batt that way, no probs.
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: NJFunk on March 12, 2005, 02:25:21 AM
Dude,
Who are you Gonna Matrix this weekend?  Just curious.

Also....for the rest of the tapers.  And this might be a stupid question but......would a really long RCA cable from the board make up for the delay when the mics are out 25' or so from the stage?  Or is the speed of sound -vs- speed of electrical impulses from the board issue never solvable....unless your RCA cords are like a mile long?

Does that question make any sense?

Thanks for the help

The speed of light is 186,000 mi/sec or about 1 billion ft/sec.  The speed of sound is about 770 mi/HR or about 1000 ft/sec.  To make up the delay by running the SBD feed through cable, you'd need a cable approximately 1 b / 1,000 = 1 million feet long for every foot away from the stage you're mics are.  For a distance of 30 feet, that's a cable approximately 6,000 miles long.  Good luck.
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: Scooter on March 12, 2005, 04:05:17 AM
jeez, lighten up :-*
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: bhtoque on March 12, 2005, 04:42:51 AM
Dude,
Who are you Gonna Matrix this weekend?  Just curious.

Also....for the rest of the tapers.  And this might be a stupid question but......would a really long RCA cable from the board make up for the delay when the mics are out 25' or so from the stage?  Or is the speed of sound -vs- speed of electrical impulses from the board issue never solvable....unless your RCA cords are like a mile long?

Does that question make any sense?

Thanks for the help

The speed of light is 186,000 mi/sec or about 1 billion ft/sec.  The speed of sound is about 770 mi/HR or about 1000 ft/sec.  To make up the delay by running the SBD feed through cable, you'd need a cable approximately 1 b / 1,000 = 1 million feet long for every foot away from the stage you're mics are.  For a distance of 30 feet, that's a cable approximately 6,000 miles long.  Good luck.

The way it would help is to run away from the sbd. I've done it with a 12ft rca so I could be 12ft closer to the stage, so there would be less delay.

So it looked like:

stage----->mics------>ua-5------>sbd

If I had run everything back at the sbd, the delay would have ruined it, but this gave me a great sound and only a minor set up/break down cluster fuck. I must have used 50ft of gaffer's tape.

JAson
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: NJFunk on March 12, 2005, 09:16:35 AM
jeez, lighten up :-*

Sorry, that was just meant to be a little late night math humor.  No offense intended, I just think smilies are a little fruity.
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: leegeddy on March 12, 2005, 12:45:14 PM
jeez, lighten up :-*

LOL!!!

+t for a good one.

marc
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: suspect on April 04, 2005, 02:55:32 PM
So with the UA-5 is it possible to run SBD > UA5 (rca) & mics >UA5 (XLR) > laptop (Soundforge) via USB if the UA5 is stock?  If so, does Soundforge see this as 2 tracks or 4?  If 4 is the case, I will have to use something other than Soundforge, yes?  I'm thinking the only matrix I would do is a post-prod matrix using mics > UA5 > lappy and sbd > AD20 > iPAQ 3955 via PDAudio CF card.  I'm guessing that since the UA5 is un-modded, the post-prod matrix will be all I can do, yes?
Title: Re: Quick Ua5 question
Post by: NJFunk on April 04, 2005, 03:01:46 PM
So with the UA-5 is it possible to run SBD > UA5 (rca) & mics >UA5 (XLR) > laptop (Soundforge) via USB if the UA5 is stock?  If so, does Soundforge see this as 2 tracks or 4?  If 4 is the case, I will have to use something other than Soundforge, yes?  I'm thinking the only matrix I would do is a post-prod matrix using mics > UA5 > lappy and sbd > AD20 > iPAQ 3955 via PDAudio CF card.  I'm guessing that since the UA5 is un-modded, the post-prod matrix will be all I can do, yes?

I believe that you can do the matrix "on the fly" with an unmodded UA-5, but it will only output 2 tracks not 4, even through USB.  Therefore, you can do the mix, but the question is whether you'll have issues with the delay in the aud portion.  If you can set up the mics within 20-25 feet of the stage, you should be OK.