I got this fantastic preamp from colargol a few days back and I have two consecutive tapings planned for tomorrow and for Friday. I know taping is -partly- a trial&error job, but I'd like to start with more good trials than errors
My gear is as stated below: Church Audio CA-14's (cardioids) > CA ST-9100 > Zoom Q3·HD.
I've read loads of topics about it like these ones:
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=131937http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=143974http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=144596http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=143974and I still have doubts about some stuff. I hope you don't bother me asking them.
First of all: when does the amplification/power supply really begin? I've read some stuff saying "at around 11 o'clock" in the preamp's dial... I've tested mine and it does begin some 'hours' before that... Somewhere around half past 9, I don't think there's anything wrong with that but I just wanted to say it. I've attached a graph: the red mark is where my preamp starts to send sound signal to the recorder, and the blue mark is where most people say it does.
If I understand the principles of the preamp, the point where it supplies +0 adittional dBs of gain is the point where it acts basically as a battery box... Did I get that right? So, on an extra-loud show, the knob should be around 10 o'clock, where it supplies just power to the mics and not any -unnecesary- gain... But on a soft recording, the knob should be pumped all the way, giving the maximum gain (+20dB). Right?
Now, the little switch on the battery compartiment... It's used for turning the bass roll-off in and out. Alright. But I'd like to know which frequencies it rolls off and how big is the attenuation applied. Because in some of the topics mentioned above, it is said that it cuts from 10 to 100 Hz at a rate of 6 Hz per octave, but in some other places (for example, Church Audio's ST-9100 eBay page:
www.ebay.com/itm/250648957132 ) it is said that the roll off ends at 80 Hz, and other contradictory info. Does anyone know the exact specs of the bass roll off? My preamp is V4.0 if it helps.
And last question: I know I won't need the bass roll off in tomorrow's show (semi-acoustic UK folk band in a small theatre), but on Friday I'm taping a LOUD band (Arctic Monkeys!) in a 18.000 people arena and I'm aiming for the first rows. Maybe that is an ocassion for switching on the bass roll-off? This band is known for using loads of bass. And I mean loads. I know most of you will say "
do it in postproduction if neccesary", but I don't think that the results are satisfactory if the bass amount is so huge on the master recording that the rest of the freqs become a bit muffled
Or am I missing something/doing an illogical reasoning?
Thank you very much