Topic: ua5 help

[Geoff16Fryer]

Hey guys i just got my c4 mics in today and i had everything set up (pics to come) c4s>ua5>jb3 and was recording my computer playin music and it jsut doesnt sound right like some of the recordings ive herd with the same setup i have very little knowlage about dbs and stuff so if someone could help me out on how to set up the mics and what settings the ua5 and jb3 need to be on that would be awsome

[Brian Skalinder]

Hey guys i just got my c4 mics in today and i had everything set up (pics to come) c4s>ua5>jb3 and was recording my computer playin music and it jsut doesnt sound right like some of the recordings ive herd with the same setup i have very little knowlage about dbs and stuff so if someone could help me out on how to set up the mics and what settings the ua5 and jb3 need to be on that would be awsome

No matter what you do, recording your PC speakers will never sound the same as recording a full PA at a bar / venue / arena.

Mics
Try a variety of configs and see which you like best:  DIN, ~7-8' high is a great starting point.

JB3
turn off the IR remote
optical input
select WAV when recording

UA5
ADV switch to OFF (on back of unit)
sample rate = 44.1k or 48k, your choice
Rec source = analog
Set your levels so the -3dB "peak" light on the UA5 lights up a handful of times over the course of a loud song.  Use the JB3 meters go balance L/R channels since the UA5 has only a single light.  It takes a while to get accustomed to setting levels with the UA5 and JB3 - don't worry, you'll get the hang of it.  Or, get an SVU-1 or -2 for more precise metering.  In the meantime, run a little conservatively - you don't want to clip.

[NJFunk]

Hey guys i just got my c4 mics in today and i had everything set up (pics to come) c4s>ua5>jb3 and was recording my computer playin music and it jsut doesnt sound right like some of the recordings ive herd with the same setup i have very little knowlage about dbs and stuff so if someone could help me out on how to set up the mics and what settings the ua5 and jb3 need to be on that would be awsome

No matter what you do, recording your PC speakers will never sound the same as recording a full PA at a bar / venue / arena.

Mics
Try a variety of configs and see which you like best:  DIN, ~7-8' high is a great starting point.

JB3
turn off the IR remote
optical input
select WAV when recording

UA5
ADV switch to OFF (on back of unit)
sample rate = 44.1k or 48k, your choice
Rec source = analog
Set your levels so the -3dB "peak" light on the UA5 lights up a handful of times over the course of a loud song.  Use the JB3 meters go balance L/R channels since the UA5 has only a single light.  It takes a while to get accustomed to setting levels with the UA5 and JB3 - don't worry, you'll get the hang of it.  Or, get an SVU-1 or -2 for more precise metering.  In the meantime, run a little conservatively - you don't want to clip.

Just a quick comment on the last point.  Another ts member (poorlyconditioned, I believe) has run some tests on the UA-5 ADC and has found evidence that it may actually start soft clipping at -3db when the peak light flashes.  Based on this, you may want to set the levels so that the light never flashes as opposed to the previous conventional wisdom that a couple flashes per song will keep levels near 0 without going over.

[TheWildKindness]

Just a quick comment on the last point.  Another ts member (poorlyconditioned, I believe) has run some tests on the UA-5 ADC and has found evidence that it may actually start soft clipping at -3db when the peak light flashes.  Based on this, you may want to set the levels so that the light never flashes as opposed to the previous conventional wisdom that a couple flashes per song will keep levels near 0 without going over.

 I use the same set-up (except that I have the BM2p+ mod, as seen in my signature), and just used it for the first time about a week ago to record my cousin’s band at a local dive bar. I watched the levels on the JB3 so that they were just below the peak, and then watched the peak light on the UA-5. When I got what I thought were good levels on the JB3 (on the conservative, low side) and didn't notice the peak light flash on the UA-5, I then turned the levels up slightly on the UA-5 until I noticed the peak light occasionally flash. It was only a brief flash every once in awhile so I figured that was my safe spot. When I finally uploaded everything on my computer to do the editing, I found that I still needed to add a few db of gain. So, as far as the peak light on the UA-5, it doesn't seem that the occasional flash is a problem. Perhaps with the mod, the ADC just has a better response?

 Discuss?

 Although it is addicting and I find myself reading through here quite often, this board has been very helpful and it's a great community. +T to the three posts above. This was my 100th post! 

[stirinthesauce]

Just a quick comment on the last point.  Another ts member (poorlyconditioned, I believe) has run some tests on the UA-5 ADC and has found evidence that it may actually start soft clipping at -3db when the peak light flashes.  Based on this, you may want to set the levels so that the light never flashes as opposed to the previous conventional wisdom that a couple flashes per song will keep levels near 0 without going over.

 I use the same set-up (except that I have the BM2p+ mod, as seen in my signature), and just used it for the first time about a week ago to record my cousin’s band at a local dive bar. I watched the levels on the JB3 so that they were just below the peak, and then watched the peak light on the UA-5. When I got what I thought were good levels on the JB3 (on the conservative, low side) and didn't notice the peak light flash on the UA-5, I then turned the levels up slightly on the UA-5 until I noticed the peak light occasionally flash. It was only a brief flash every once in awhile so I figured that was my safe spot. When I finally uploaded everything on my computer to do the editing, I found that I still needed to add a few db of gain. So, as far as the peak light on the UA-5, it doesn't seem that the occasional flash is a problem. Perhaps with the mod, the ADC just has a better response?

 Discuss?

 Although it is addicting and I find myself reading through here quite often, this board has been very helpful and it's a great community. +T to the three posts above. This was my 100th post! 

Hmmmm, interesting.  I have overloaded the ua-5(bm2p+) on several occasions from running levels right around -3 to -1db.  Of course this was always at very loud shows where I was onstage or within 20' of the stacks.  I generally run the levels somewhere between -6db to -3db and have great results with this paricular mod. 

[terrapinj]

Hey guys i just got my c4 mics in today and i had everything set up (pics to come) c4s>ua5>jb3 and was recording my computer playin music and it jsut doesnt sound right like some of the recordings ive herd with the same setup i have very little knowlage about dbs and stuff so if someone could help me out on how to set up the mics and what settings the ua5 and jb3 need to be on that would be awsome

No matter what you do, recording your PC speakers will never sound the same as recording a full PA at a bar / venue / arena.

Mics
Try a variety of configs and see which you like best:  DIN, ~7-8' high is a great starting point.

JB3
turn off the IR remote
optical input
select WAV when recording

UA5
ADV switch to OFF (on back of unit)
sample rate = 44.1k or 48k, your choice
Rec source = analog
Set your levels so the -3dB "peak" light on the UA5 lights up a handful of times over the course of a loud song.  Use the JB3 meters go balance L/R channels since the UA5 has only a single light.  It takes a while to get accustomed to setting levels with the UA5 and JB3 - don't worry, you'll get the hang of it.  Or, get an SVU-1 or -2 for more precise metering.  In the meantime, run a little conservatively - you don't want to clip.

Just a quick comment on the last point.  Another ts member (poorlyconditioned, I believe) has run some tests on the UA-5 ADC and has found evidence that it may actually start soft clipping at -3db when the peak light flashes.  Based on this, you may want to set the levels so that the light never flashes as opposed to the previous conventional wisdom that a couple flashes per song will keep levels near 0 without going over.

the problem for me is that the light isn't extremely accurate. i have never done tests to see exactly what the sensitivity of it is. does the light just barely flicker at 3 db or is it farily solid at 3db or what. i think this is where you can get into some problems. i typically run it so the light will just flicker on once or twice for the show. i used to run it hotter, as Brian described above, but found a couple places when going back and looking at the waveforms where it slightly clipped. never anything audible, but seeing the peaks truncated, even a tiny bit) was enough for me not to want to risk it. even with the svu-2 i run it conservatively just because i fear some sort of loud spike that will audibly clip. although recently i have been a little too much of a pussy and have had to normalize to get more acceptable levels. need to just trust my svu-2.

/rambling

[leshlush]

Although it is addicting and I find myself reading through here quite often, this board has been very helpful and it's a great community.

I couldn't agree more... I find myself on this site throughout my work day(highly addictive)... I've been a registered user for about a yr, and although I rarely pipe-in and add my 2 cents, I find myself reading through almost every section on a regular basis... There's so much useful information and everyone here is always so willing to help each other out... I'm really glad that a site like this and a community like this exists. I'm glad someone pointed me in this direction and I now fluff this site on a regular basis and direct new people here at every opportunity...

Thanks everyone

[TheWildKindness]

Although it is addicting and I find myself reading through here quite often, this board has been very helpful and it's a great community.

I couldn't agree more... I find myself on this site throughout my work day(highly addictive)... I've been a registered user for about a yr, and although I rarely pipe-in and add my 2 cents, I find myself reading through almost every section on a regular basis... There's so much useful information and everyone here is always so willing to help each other out... I'm really glad that a site like this and a community like this exists. I'm glad someone pointed me in this direction and I now fluff this site on a regular basis and direct new people here at every opportunity...

Thanks everyone

 I'm feeling good today. The sun is shinning and spring is on it's way! wooohoo +T for you. 

[bdasilva]

Along these lines. Where should you  hook a  SVU2  in the signal path of the  UA-5... If'n I'm recording out the digital port to say a microtracker...  can i just have it (the svu2) connected to the analog rca outs of the UA-5... same level no? Controlled by the gain knobs.  I thought to calibrate it so the top red lite was +3 the second red lite was ) and the top yellow was -3... then run it so the so the top yellow winks at ya sometimes.

 Also Does the Ua-5 working ok just using it out the usb to a laptop???  I am a laptop taper at heart. (But small IS good)

[Krispy D]

Along these lines. Where should you  hook a  SVU2  in the signal path of the  UA-5... If'n I'm recording out the digital port to say a microtracker...  can i just have it (the svu2) connected to the analog rca outs of the UA-5... same level no? Controlled by the gain knobs.  I thought to calibrate it so the top red lite was +3 the second red lite was ) and the top yellow was -3... then run it so the so the top yellow winks at ya sometimes.

 Also Does the Ua-5 working ok just using it out the usb to a laptop???  I am a laptop taper at heart. (But small IS good)

come on over to team svu-x for a very long discussion about this.  I prefer my svu 1 running line out of my jb3 that way it is at the end of the signal chain.  that makes the most sense to me.  you can, and many people do, run it out of the rca line out on the back of the ua5 but to me that doesn't tell the whole story.  if something is bad with you optical cable say, the svu wil still register good signal cause it's not at the end of the chain.  I don't know about your microtrack (never used one)  but if it has a line out, or a selectable line/phone out I'd use that.