Topic: Marantz PMD 660

[pmonk66]

pmonk is yours modified?!?

No - mine is stock. I have a pair of AT831. RHD was probably the loudest show I've been to in your. Rule of thumb is if your ears hurt during the show expect brickwalling!

[Jammin72]

I'll check with Doug but I've read here that it's been recommened to run the -20dB Pad on louder sources to get a chance to run the box in the higher gain stages.

The first reason that this could be recommended that I know of (please keep in mind that at this time I'm only going by what I've seen here).  Many record level knobs on electronic gear are not acutally gain controllers they are actually a variable resistor or attenuator, at the the lower levels of the gain wheel represent the thickest areas of of this attenuation.  Therefore wide open would be nothing in the signal path and the lower numbers the most of the resistor that is "in the way" of the signal.  Therefore it's cleaner at the higher gain stages. On some sytems you don't get the coloration of the particular gear that is it's trademarkl (see tubes for reference) unless the gear is really being pushed gain wise... I would be less likeley to believe that is the case here.

This is all conjecture and hearsay at this point until I or you learn more.

The reality is that Paying attention to Mic Placement and configuration matter much more so until it's really tested find the way that runs with your setup the best and stick with it until you're really ready to "fine tune" the system.

pmonk is yours modified?!?

With a +4dB overload limit on the ACM I would be shocked  to see any microphone recording overload the box.  I think running the -20dB pad was for running the box at a higer level on the record wheel.  If it's a simple variable resistor this makes sense as you would have less effect (coloration) of that circuit at the higer points on the wheel.  I would simply test to see if there's any noise intorduced by the pad with a non-input if not I can understand the recommendation.

I can't wait to get mine...

I'm confused. Are there situations where you would want to run the pad so you can turn the record level up? I'm asking because I don't really understand. I was under the impression that you use the pad if you have to but if you don't need it don't use it. Can anyone clarify this for me?

thanks
Paul

[Jammin72]

pmonk is yours modified?!?

No - mine is stock. I have a pair of AT831. RHD was probably the loudest show I've been to in your. Rule of thumb is if your ears hurt during the show expect brickwalling!

OK in this case you've got exactly the right idea about the pad.  For the modified units the gain stage is adjusted for louder shows.

[Jammin72]

Just ordered my 40GB version of the second box thanks again for the tip.

I'm thinking a 2, a 4 and maybe one of these things....

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=1203


Anyone used one with success??  I've read that they won't do more than 4-6 gig on one charge but If I had an inverter It should be OK. My only concern is the larger file size.

I have a 1 GB card and a 4 GB card. I did my first festival shows at HSMF and I used http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1335818&CatId=1203 and it works great but doesn't download fast enough (1 GB in ~13 minutes) from band to band (actually just fast enough with like five minutes to spare) so have to be ready as soon as the act is done and erase asap for the next act and yes I was only able to do ~5 GB before recharging. Luckily they had power at locations at High Sierra. Coffee in the morning and a recharge/download while showering.

In the future I will go with this one, which downloads 1 GB in 2 minutes and uses standard AA battieres. They say ~50 GB download with one battiery charge. I will use my 20GB Inoi for taking files to work or to a friends house on road trips as you can move from your pc harddrive to the portable drive!!!!

Here is my next purchase. ---------->>>> http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=52070.msg703550#msg703550

edit: download rates and battiery charge times.

[aberg]

For a portable OTG drive, I recommend the Hyperdrive HD80. hands down!

[Jammin72]

For a portable OTG drive, I recommend the Hyperdrive HD80. hands down!

Whoops... too late 


What Brand CF Cards are you using with success?

[aberg]

I've used a 4gb Kingston 45x Elite Pro brand once without issues.

[dennisrtyler]

For a portable OTG drive, I recommend the Hyperdrive HD80. hands down!

Whoops... too late 


What Brand CF Cards are you using with success?

Sandisk...plain and ultra

[tfs8271]

Run the pad (-20dB). I've got about twenty to thirty shows under the belt and even found at a Willie Nelson show (front row) that I ran the first set with pad and low levels (adjusted with SoundForge 7.0) sounds way better than the second set with no pad. I had to keep screwing with the levels with no pad and had some clipping. I recorded my last show WSP 7/8 (bt.etree) with the pad and contemplated running no pad after I was running the whole first set at max levels and was only getting -6 to -2dB on the meter. Glad I didn't because the end of the set and second set were close to if not at over levels and everything sounded great. I asked Doug awhile back about running the pad as apposed to running the pad on my km140s and he said don't bother with the mics and only run the 660 pad. I would think it might be advised to run the pad always. Of my first ten recordings I played with pad or no-pad and I had problems with clipping. After saying F-it and only running with pad I've never had a problem and at times I thought shit my levels are too high and adjusted down only to get home and think why the hell did I screw with it. If you download my WSP form etree listen to the last three songs. I had my recorder on peak only recording and I don't think my levels ever got below red (remember when you run peak only that it takes the highest level during each ~5 second interval) for those songs and I was certain that I would have clipping, but no clipping. If you are not running you levels at about 2 o'clock or 60-70% of the dial your not in the range. I've run SBD and run the pad with perfection at about 60-70% of dial. I usually tell the operator to adjust the levels to my levels at that setting. PLEASE LISTEN.......RUN THE PAD. Feedback is appreciated.

[aberg]

Run the pad (-20dB). I've got about twenty to thirty shows under the belt and even found at a Willie Nelson show (front row) that I ran the first set with pad and low levels (adjusted with SoundForge 7.0) sounds way better than the second set with no pad. I had to keep screwing with the levels with no pad and had some clipping. I recorded my last show WSP 7/8 (bt.etree) with the pad and contemplated running no pad after I was running the whole first set at max levels and was only getting -6 to -2dB on the meter. Glad I didn't because the end of the set and second set were close to if not at over levels and everything sounded great. I asked Doug awhile back about running the pad as apposed to running the pad on my km140s and he said don't bother with the mics and only run the 660 pad. I would think it might be advised to run the pad always. Of my first ten recordings I played with pad or no-pad and I had problems with clipping. After saying F-it and only running with pad I've never had a problem and at times I thought shit my levels are too high and adjusted down only to get home and think why the hell did I screw with it. If you download my WSP form etree listen to the last three songs. I had my recorder on peak only recording and I don't think my levels ever got below red (remember when you run peak only that it takes the highest level during each ~5 second interval) for those songs and I was certain that I would have clipping, but no clipping. If you are not running you levels at about 2 o'clock or 60-70% of the dial your not in the range. I've run SBD and run the pad with perfection at about 60-70% of dial. I usually tell the operator to adjust the levels to my levels at that setting. PLEASE LISTEN.......RUN THE PAD. Feedback is appreciated.

One thing to note here though is that you're running Neumann's which from my experience are WAY hotter than other mics such as AKG's... in your case, running the pad is probably more crucial. I will experiment with it more when my 660 arrives.

[tfs8271]

Run the pad (-20dB). I've got about twenty to thirty shows under the belt and even found at a Willie Nelson show (front row) that I ran the first set with pad and low levels (adjusted with SoundForge 7.0) sounds way better than the second set with no pad. I had to keep screwing with the levels with no pad and had some clipping. I recorded my last show WSP 7/8 (bt.etree) with the pad and contemplated running no pad after I was running the whole first set at max levels and was only getting -6 to -2dB on the meter. Glad I didn't because the end of the set and second set were close to if not at over levels and everything sounded great. I asked Doug awhile back about running the pad as apposed to running the pad on my km140s and he said don't bother with the mics and only run the 660 pad. I would think it might be advised to run the pad always. Of my first ten recordings I played with pad or no-pad and I had problems with clipping. After saying F-it and only running with pad I've never had a problem and at times I thought shit my levels are too high and adjusted down only to get home and think why the hell did I screw with it. If you download my WSP form etree listen to the last three songs. I had my recorder on peak only recording and I don't think my levels ever got below red (remember when you run peak only that it takes the highest level during each ~5 second interval) for those songs and I was certain that I would have clipping, but no clipping. If you are not running you levels at about 2 o'clock or 60-70% of the dial your not in the range. I've run SBD and run the pad with perfection at about 60-70% of dial. I usually tell the operator to adjust the levels to my levels at that setting. PLEASE LISTEN.......RUN THE PAD. Feedback is appreciated.

One thing to note here though is that you're running Neumann's which from my experience are WAY hotter than other mics such as AKG's... in your case, running the pad is probably more crucial. I will experiment with it more when my 660 arrives.

Found the same with mbho's...I think safe to run pad. I would rather no clipping with low levels than high levels and clipping.

[aberg]

Yeah, I agree. I will most likely be running the pad too, but maybe just the -10dB pad on the mics instead of 20.... AKGs don't run too hot, so 10 is probably good enough.

[tfs8271]

trust me guys, if you own an acm660 you need to run the pad, ALWAYS.  some of us acm671 users have found out the hard way that it's not a good thing to run without it. (.wav's look like sticks of butter)  if you aren't getting enough gain on rock shows, you aren't close enough.

also, the gain dial on the 660/671 is an attenuator so the closer you can get it to "10", the better it'll sound since you are getting "all of the mod" so to speak, and not the attenuation in the signal.  I usually run my 671 ~8>9 and had it cranked this monday for ratcheese.

Hell yes...That's what I'm talkin' about. Run that pad.

[paullySC]

Run the pad (-20dB). I've got about twenty to thirty shows under the belt and even found at a Willie Nelson show (front row) that I ran the first set with pad and low levels (adjusted with SoundForge 7.0) sounds way better than the second set with no pad. I had to keep screwing with the levels with no pad and had some clipping. I recorded my last show WSP 7/8 (bt.etree) with the pad and contemplated running no pad after I was running the whole first set at max levels and was only getting -6 to -2dB on the meter. Glad I didn't because the end of the set and second set were close to if not at over levels and everything sounded great. I asked Doug awhile back about running the pad as apposed to running the pad on my km140s and he said don't bother with the mics and only run the 660 pad. I would think it might be advised to run the pad always. Of my first ten recordings I played with pad or no-pad and I had problems with clipping. After saying F-it and only running with pad I've never had a problem and at times I thought shit my levels are too high and adjusted down only to get home and think why the hell did I screw with it. If you download my WSP form etree listen to the last three songs. I had my recorder on peak only recording and I don't think my levels ever got below red (remember when you run peak only that it takes the highest level during each ~5 second interval) for those songs and I was certain that I would have clipping, but no clipping. If you are not running you levels at about 2 o'clock or 60-70% of the dial your not in the range. I've run SBD and run the pad with perfection at about 60-70% of dial. I usually tell the operator to adjust the levels to my levels at that setting. PLEASE LISTEN.......RUN THE PAD. Feedback is appreciated.

Well I think I'll try the pad a a few more time and see what happens. I usually run my levels at -6 and once in a while they peak in the red. Where are you running your levels with the pad? In the red the whole time?  Thanks for the info y'all

paul

paul

[tfs8271]

Run the pad (-20dB). I've got about twenty to thirty shows under the belt and even found at a Willie Nelson show (front row) that I ran the first set with pad and low levels (adjusted with SoundForge 7.0) sounds way better than the second set with no pad. I had to keep screwing with the levels with no pad and had some clipping. I recorded my last show WSP 7/8 (bt.etree) with the pad and contemplated running no pad after I was running the whole first set at max levels and was only getting -6 to -2dB on the meter. Glad I didn't because the end of the set and second set were close to if not at over levels and everything sounded great. I asked Doug awhile back about running the pad as apposed to running the pad on my km140s and he said don't bother with the mics and only run the 660 pad. I would think it might be advised to run the pad always. Of my first ten recordings I played with pad or no-pad and I had problems with clipping. After saying F-it and only running with pad I've never had a problem and at times I thought shit my levels are too high and adjusted down only to get home and think why the hell did I screw with it. If you download my WSP form etree listen to the last three songs. I had my recorder on peak only recording and I don't think my levels ever got below red (remember when you run peak only that it takes the highest level during each ~5 second interval) for those songs and I was certain that I would have clipping, but no clipping. If you are not running you levels at about 2 o'clock or 60-70% of the dial your not in the range. I've run SBD and run the pad with perfection at about 60-70% of dial. I usually tell the operator to adjust the levels to my levels at that setting. PLEASE LISTEN.......RUN THE PAD. Feedback is appreciated.

Well I think I'll try the pad a a few more time and see what happens. I usually run my levels at -6 and once in a while they peak in the red. Where are you running your levels with the pad? In the red the whole time?  Thanks for the info y'all

paul

paul

Paul,

 I usually start the show with my levels getting into the -6 approaching -2 dB and by the end it is getting to the red. Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't advise running in the red. I'm just saying there has been times when I can tell the house sound has gone up and I look over and sure enough my levels are almost staying on "over" and I haven't had a problem when the pad is on. I like to see the occasional red light and the levels riding around -2 to 0 dB.

Terence