Topic: GOT UA5 NOW WHAT

[okietaper]

Can someone help me out with this thing?  I have read a ton of posts about the UA5 and cannot seem to figure out what is wrong with my setup.  C4>UA5>MD/Laptop  I just got the UA5 yesterday.  I ahve installed the drivers on my laptop.  Everything seems to be working ok with the laptop.  The minidisc is working properly.  The issue is that I have to turn the mic sensitivity way up to get levels on the lappy and MD.  Almost full blast.  What am I doing wrong here.  I feel like I need a preamp for my preamp.

Cary

[rodeen]

Did you turn on the phantom power?  The little button next to the
right-most XLR?

[DCDireWolf]

i can't tell you how many times at shows i've had a mini-freak out when I forget to turn on the phantom power switch for a second or two between sets.

"Why the fuck don't I have a signal!!!!!"   "Oh wait, forgot to turn the phantom power back on, never mind."     

Also, I think you have may have to have the advanced switch turned on to use a lappy, but I'm not certain since I don't use one.

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

i can't tell you how many times at shows i've had a mini-freak out when I forget to turn on the phantom power switch for a second or two between sets.

"Why the fuck don't I have a signal!!!!!"   "Oh wait, forgot to turn the phantom power back on, never mind."     

Also, I think you have may have to have the advanced switch turned on to use a lappy, but I'm not certain since I don't use one.

I believe the ADV switch sends 24bit thru the USB. If you want to record 16bit leave it off.

MIKE B

[Diggin]

correct, if you want to change it over from 16 to 24 remember to shut off the ua5 first, then do it, and turn back on

[bhtoque]

What is your sound source?

If you are just micing your room at home, you'd have to crank it.

If you've got the stereo shaking the room, and you need to turn it up, then there's a problem.

JAson

[okietaper]

OK I am replying to bits and pieces of all of the posts directed at my inquiry.  I did have the Phantom Power turned on during the trials.  My sound source was my stereo cranked in my living room and I was miced up in the Living room about 10 feet away from the sound source with XY config.  Should I try a different mic config.?  Before turining the UA5 on I went through the manual where is tells you what everything is for on the unit and as I went though all of the features, buttons and nobs I would set them up as I read about them.  Something still has to be up here.  Should I have to crank it up under the conditions that I described?  Should I just back up and work it with the MD for a while to get used to the unitand then go to using the laptop/MD combination?  I am not ready to take the lappy into the field anyway because I need a battery and software that are applicable for field recording.  How high do you guys have to have the sensitivity turned up on your UA5's when recording a show versus the conditions that I described?  Will I experience a significant difference with respect to the mic sensitivity nobs when I record my first live show with this unit?  I appreciate all of the prompt help that you guys are giving me here!!!

Thanks
Cary

[jessedscott]

OK I am replying to bits and pieces of all of the posts directed at my inquiry.  I did have the Phantom Power turned on during the trials.  My sound source was my stereo cranked in my living room and I was miced up in the Living room about 10 feet away from the sound source with XY config.  Should I try a different mic config.?  Before turining the UA5 on I went through the manual where is tells you what everything is for on the unit and as I went though all of the features, buttons and nobs I would set them up as I read about them.  Something still has to be up here.  Should I have to crank it up under the conditions that I described?  Should I just back up and work it with the MD for a while to get used to the unitand then go to using the laptop/MD combination?  I am not ready to take the lappy into the field anyway because I need a battery and software that are applicable for field recording.  How high do you guys have to have the sensitivity turned up on your UA5's when recording a show versus the conditions that I described?  Will I experience a significant difference with respect to the mic sensitivity nobs when I record my first live show with this unit?  I appreciate all of the prompt help that you guys are giving me here!!!

Thanks
Cary

couple of things here. What is the sample rate turned to? With a MD you should have it set to 44.1. Are you doing manual or auto rec on the MD?Also, I'm not sure the MD will take a 48khz input, so you might want to check that. I would put your mics closer to the speakers, and YES you'll have to crank the gain knobs all the way up,depending on how loud your play back is. I run on Hi-z, and digital selected. You'll find that you won't have to crank them up all the way at a live show, for obvious reasons. Good luck! Happy taping!


Uncle Jesse...

[hexyjones]

You may find that your stereo is simply unable to approximate the SPLs of a live show...no matter how "loud" it may seem...

How about if you just talk into one of them...does it seem like you have to use an unusual amount of gain?

[DCDireWolf]

you won't get any significant levels from your home stereo.  clap your hands in front of the mics and see if you get a spike.

[okietaper]

OK guys I am new to the forum and do not know how to quote like you guys do so I am responding again to all posts since my last response.  I am using the 44.1 sampling rate right now I am not trying to do anything fancy just trying to get the unit up and running.  I did clap my hands and noticed that there would be a spike in the levels when doing this and i was about 7-8 feet from the mics.  I also clapped during trying to record from the stereo and noticed that the claps caused the levels to spike way higher than the music coming from my stereo.  I have my MD set to manual recording volume because no matter what the level of the music the MD seem to keep the levels high in the auto record mode.  I am going to record some music soon with the C4>UA5>MD and see what happens.  I am going to try to mess with it somemore this evening and will let you guys know what I experience.  Thanks for all of the help here.  You guys rule.

[F.O.Bean]

everything sounds normal then, i always do the old finger snap at each mic to make sure its getting signal

[okietaper]

OK,I came home from work early today just to tinker with this thing.  I have hooked it up and I have learned the following:

In 44.1 hooked to the MD I conducted a snap/clap test to see what was what
When monitoring from the UA5 the levels were low to moderate when clapping/snapping from very short distances
When monitoring from the MD the levels were higher than through the UA5.  This was because the pre on the MD was turned on part way in manual mode.  Am I supposed to find a balance between the two preamps or should I turn the MD pre down low?

In 48KHz I hooked the UA5 up to the MD and Laptop both seperately and simultaneously. I am using Polderbits Sound Recorder as it recognizes 48KHz, but nothing higher.  I have Cakewalk Home Studio 2004, but have no idea how to use it or even if it would work here.  So in 48 I get a better siganl on the MD, because of the onboard pre I assume, than I do the Lappy.  By better signal I mean that I do not have to turn the mic sensitivity up as high.

[johnw]

When I first got my UA5, I was very gun shy on the gain. You will need to have the knobs almost all the way up no matter what. People talked about how noisy the stock UA5 is, so I was pretty worried, but I haven't heard anything on any of my recordings. Just crank the gain until you get occasional blinking red light and you'll be ok. Or better yet, buy a SVU and calibrate it to your Ua5/mics.

[jessedscott]

In 44.1 hooked to the MD I conducted a snap/clap test to see what was what
When monitoring from the UA5 the levels were low to moderate when clapping/snapping from very short distances
When monitoring from the MD the levels were higher than through the UA5.  This was because the pre on the MD was turned on part way in manual mode.  Am I supposed to find a balance between the two preamps or should I turn the MD pre down low?

are you listening through your head phones on the UA5? you won't really hear anything. use your MD headphone jack.