Topic: UA-5 Bass Problem Question

[seekup40]

I run at853s > batt box (@95khz) > ua5 (w-mod) > jb3

Alright so similar to greppsons thread kind of. I just got back from taping DMB at Fenway this weekend, the stacks there were a good 20' in the air and the subs were under that. I ran my stand from about the 6th row stack night 1 and was probably more in line with the subs than I would have prefered. My levels didn't peak all night but the following clip just sounds funny to me, any ideas?

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=739D53CA0DE346D0

Is there a way to reduce this reverb/bass sound, or just something to do in the future to prevent this?



Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[petur]

ouch... that sound just like my current problem...

Could it be the mics get overloaded by the bass?

[greppson]

And listening to this clip, I feel like this is an exaggerated case of what I was hearing in my recording.

Does it mean the bass roll off just needs to be higher? Is that the solution?

[seekup40]

And also is there anyway to fix this in post?

[Scuba Jeremy]

How are you connecting the battery box to the UA5? Over the RCA connections in the back, or are you adapting them to 1/4 adapters and going in the front? I don't know if it would make a difference in this case, but this clip sounds exactly like a tape I pulled a month back. The problem I had was a dead 9V battery in the battery box. This could be a mic overload from high bass, but do you know how many hours are on the battery you used in your battery box?

[seekup40]

How are you connecting the battery box to the UA5? Over the RCA connections in the back, or are you adapting them to 1/4 adapters and going in the front? I don't know if it would make a difference in this case, but this clip sounds exactly like a tape I pulled a month back. The problem I had was a dead 9V battery in the battery box. This could be a mic overload from high bass, but do you know how many hours are on the battery you used in your battery box?

I’m going from the battery box > xlrs on the front of the UA5. The battery I was using this night was brand new out of the package of 9V that don’t expire till like 2011. It must be a mic overload then? Is there anyway way to fix this in post?

I also just bought a 48v modded xlr for phantom power which cuts out the battery box completely, I ran that at DMB at alpine night 1 2 weeks ago but that also got me this type of bass sound.

Does anyone know what running at853 > batt box (w/bass roll off) > xlr (48v phantom) > ua-5 (wmod) > jb3 would be like, or is that just completely useless to throw the batt box in there. I ask because it has a roll off option.

[Brian Skalinder]

Sounds to me like the mics or analog inputs are overloading.  Given the UA5's analog inputs generally do just fine with other mics and loud sources, I'd suspect the 9v powered mics.

[greppson]

Sounds to me like the mics or analog inputs are overloading.  Given the UA5's analog inputs generally do just fine with other mics and loud sources, I'd suspect the 9v powered mics.

Do you think upping the rolloff from 95 Hz would help or just give a more hollow sounding recording?

[Brian Skalinder]

Sounds to me like the mics or analog inputs are overloading.  Given the UA5's analog inputs generally do just fine with other mics and loud sources, I'd suspect the 9v powered mics.

Do you think upping the rolloff from 95 Hz would help or just give a more hollow sounding recording?

If it is, in fact, the mics overloading, then the signal is distorted prior to hitting the HPF.  The HPF (bass rolloff) may help minimize the distortion, but it won't remove it (unless you set the HPF so high that it completely rolls off all the frequencies impacted by the distortion, in which case the recording won't be listenable).

[seekup40]

Sounds to me like the mics or analog inputs are overloading.  Given the UA5's analog inputs generally do just fine with other mics and loud sources, I'd suspect the 9v powered mics.

Do you think upping the rolloff from 95 Hz would help or just give a more hollow sounding recording?

If it is, in fact, the mics overloading, then the signal is distorted prior to hitting the HPF.  The HPF (bass rolloff) may help minimize the distortion, but it won't remove it (unless you set the HPF so high that it completely rolls off all the frequencies impacted by the distortion, in which case the recording won't be listenable).

So what would you suggest from here? I’ve got a phantom power option, do you think that is the route to go? What would running a battery box with phantom power do if anything?

I've ran this exact setup 3 times prior to this show and had no problems at all.

My 2nd night tape has even more bass, I ran from the 2nd row and my levels were as low as they could go on the UA5 and I was still very close to clipping and sometimes did clip. There was also another guy running on my stand who ran:

SP-CMC-2A > batt box (@95khz) > jb3

He had no issues with bass at all, and his levels never peaked. Oh the joys of taping…

[Brian Skalinder]

The battery I was using this night was brand new out of the package of 9V that don’t expire till like 2011. It must be a mic overload then? Is there anyway way to fix this in post?

I don't know of a way to fix it.  Based on your follow-up comments, though, about someone else on your stand with similar gear - I wonder if even though the battery was new, it was still kaput.  I know I've gotten plenty of batteries, especially 9v for some reason, that were kaput straight out of the package.  Might be something worth checking out.