Topic: Taping Sound Problem??

[hieye]

Hi all,

I just taped my first show in New Orleans.  I have a Sony PCM M10, CA-14s Omnis and battery box, hat mounted mics in a K****. 

I would describe the sound as a "hiss and pop" which occurs intermittently.  I first thought it was the mics moving around in the hat?  You cannot exactly sit perfectly still in such a great jazz session.  But I don't think so now.  Sorry, I only have an intermittent wireless connection now and cannot post/upload the audio file. 

I was advised to run the mics/BB into the line-in jack.  However I think that the recording level must be kicked up above 5 (10 levels) to record at -12db.  I don't know if that poses problems?

I will run the mics into the mic jack tonight and test. 

Any opinions as to why the "hiss/pop" is occurring?

Thank you very much in advance!

[rhinowing]

that sounds like you're moving the cables around while recording...try recording your stereo and jiggle the cords/jacks, see if you can recreate the problem at home

[page]

that sounds like you're moving the cables around while recording...try recording your stereo and jiggle the cords/jacks, see if you can recreate the problem at home

the hiss sounds like it might be the friction of the windscreens.

[hieye]

Thanks for the responses.  Pretty difficult to fix these problems in a stealth taping situation.  I have a another taping try tonight.  We'll see what happens.

[acidjack]

Thanks for the responses.  Pretty difficult to fix these problems in a stealth taping situation.  I have a another taping try tonight.  We'll see what happens.

If you want your stealthing efforts to be successful, you may wish to consider not advertising the unusual brand of hat you are employing while doing it.  Everyone else would thank you for that, and for clicking "Modify" and deleting the reference in your post.

If you get insufficient levels going line in, use the mic-in.  The M10 mic in is pretty hard to overload, according to Guysonic.  Make sure it's on low sensitivity.

[hieye]

Thanks for the response.  Edited above (although the hat type has been openly mentioned in the forum and in my previous subject lines by other members).

1)  I think the line-in jack should not be used with the types of recordings I did (jazz and blues/small venue clubs).  The mic-in jack worked much better with my recorder and mics.

2)  I have not recorded "loud" music yet (ie stadium, rock).  Maybe then I need the line-in jack? 

Regardless, good learning experience during my first taping! 

   

Thanks for the responses.  Pretty difficult to fix these problems in a stealth taping situation.  I have a another taping try tonight.  We'll see what happens.

If you want your stealthing efforts to be successful, you may wish to consider not advertising the unusual brand of hat you are employing while doing it.  Everyone else would thank you for that, and for clicking "Modify" and deleting the reference in your post.

If you get insufficient levels going line in, use the mic-in.  The M10 mic in is pretty hard to overload, according to Guysonic.  Make sure it's on low sensitivity.

[Church-Audio]

Thanks for the response.  Edited above (although the hat type has been openly mentioned in the forum and in my previous subject lines by other members).

1)  I think the line-in jack should not be used with the types of recordings I did (jazz and blues/small venue clubs).  The mic-in jack worked much better with my recorder and mics.

2)  I have not recorded "loud" music yet (ie stadium, rock).  Maybe then I need the line-in jack? 

Regardless, good learning experience during my first taping! 

   

Thanks for the responses.  Pretty difficult to fix these problems in a stealth taping situation.  I have a another taping try tonight.  We'll see what happens.

If you want your stealthing efforts to be successful, you may wish to consider not advertising the unusual brand of hat you are employing while doing it.  Everyone else would thank you for that, and for clicking "Modify" and deleting the reference in your post.

If you get insufficient levels going line in, use the mic-in.  The M10 mic in is pretty hard to overload, according to Guysonic.  Make sure it's on low sensitivity.

Line in for loud shows... Mic in for quiet shows + battery box and Plug in power OFF..

Set up your gear in a quiet room the mics should be silent.. The windscreens are not really an issue. Never had a problem with them before. I think its ether a bad connection or "possibly a problem with the line input. I would also check your battery box connection to the 9 volt and make sure the connections are "pinched" so they fit tight.

[hummat]

hieye - you local nola?

-j

[hieye]

Thanks Chris,

1)  Line-in + BB + "plug in power off" for loud shows?
2)  How would you generally define a "loud" show?   

Hey J,

Sorry not local NOLA.  From Hawaii, just visiting friends/Mardi Gras.

I appreciate all the input.

[/quote]

Line in for loud shows... Mic in for quiet shows + battery box and Plug in power OFF..

Set up your gear in a quiet room the mics should be silent.. The windscreens are not really an issue. Never had a problem with them before. I think its ether a bad connection or "possibly a problem with the line input. I would also check your battery box connection to the 9 volt and make sure the connections are "pinched" so they fit tight.
[/quote]

[acidjack]

^^^ I would define virtually any concert using amplified instruments as "loud."  That is, virtually any rock concert.  For jazz I would think it depended on (1) how close you were to the instruments, (2) whether those instruments were being projected through a PA stack, and if so, how loud it was. 

The symphony ior opera, or an acoustic folk concert, by contrast, I would say is not "loud."

[hieye]

^^^ I would define virtually any concert using amplified instruments as "loud."  That is, virtually any rock concert.  For jazz I would think it depended on (1) how close you were to the instruments, (2) whether those instruments were being projected through a PA stack, and if so, how loud it was. 

The symphony ior opera, or an acoustic folk concert, by contrast, I would say is not "loud."

Thank you!  However, is there a way to check on the recorder?  My newbie opinion is that if I need to kick up the recording level >5 (on scale of 10) when using line-in, then I need to use mic-in. 

[acidjack]

^^^ No.  But if, using whatever input you are using, you find that your levels are almost clipping (i.e., hitting zero) even when the REC knob is almost all the way down, you are running too hot and should use a lower sensitivity input.

There are some decibel meters you can buy for devices like the iPhone.  They're fun to play with, but I don't know how accurate they are.

Good general rule which is true of almost every small recorder:

1. Start with line-in. If you get a good signal, use that.
2. If you don't, go to MIC/LOW SENS
3. If you still don't, go to MIC/HIGH SENS

In other words, there is never any harm starting with line-in.  Once you do this a couple times, you'll find out what generally works for the shows you go to.  I pretty much don't have to even mess with REC level knobs or that stuff during shows I go to, because (a) with digital, it's so much easier to fix things in post and (b) I know what the settings are likely to be before I go.  Practice makes perfect.

[hieye]

Thanks.  Practice does make perfect! 

Please comment on my post recording questions once I have a chance to do some research!