Topic: trouble with getting levels right on Tascam DR-2d

[poniverus]

I took my rig (shure sm81>littlebox>tascam dr-2d) out for the first time yesterday for the Lettuce & Soulive show. I ran my dr-2d on the lowest gain with my gains on my preamp were all the way down and I was still topping out at the high points. I ended up using the level central feature on auto and even tried the limiter setting. While it did help in pulling a somewhat listenable recording, there were still parts that sound like the volume is getting cut at the points where it would top out (which makes sense). My question is there any other way to deal with this that my noob self is missing?

[techgui]

The output of the preamp goes into the Line input. 

[poniverus]

Really? wow. I was putting it in the mic input. Thanks!

[Will_S]

Yes, preamp > line input if you are only running two tracks, but I would have thought if you had the mic input sensitivity set to low and the levels ~70, you wouldn't be pegging it with the Littlebox at minimum gain.  Do you have transformers in the Littlebox?

[poniverus]

I'm not sure. If it came with it then I do, because I didn't specify anything necessarily when I ordered it.

[rastasean]

If you didn't specify for it, you don't have it.

[aaronji]

I think the standard minimum gain on the littlebox is +6 dB? You'd be hitting the overload point on the DR-2d's mic input, set to low, at ~117 dBSPL with that mic and assuming a minimum gain of +6 on the littlebox...Certainly a possibility...

[Gutbucket]

Tascam's specifications on DR2d maximum input levels:

Microphone input: -16dBV (low gain setting)
Line input: +6dBV

[aaronji]

^^^ Yes, I was basing my estimate on that -16 dBV figure (~-13.78 dBu) and an SM81 sensitivity of 5.6 mV/Pa.  At a sound pressure level of around 123 dB, those mics would be putting out roughly -14 dBu (maxing out the input).  Add in the 6 dB minimum gain from the littlebox and you're clipping somewhere around 117 dBSPL, give or take a little...

[techgui]

Not sure why anyone would want to use the mic input when you have a little box.  The little box has a much better preamp than the Dr-2d.

[Gutbucket]

Not sure why anyone would want to use the mic input when you have a little box. 

Two good reasons come to mind when recording 4 channels: either using two preamps- one into each input, or if reserving the line-input for a hot SBD feed and using the mic-input for the preamp, over which you'll have more level control.

[poniverus]

Not sure why anyone would want to use the mic input when you have a little box.  The little box has a much better preamp than the Dr-2d.

It was my first time taping...so being uneducated would be the main problem here.

[Church-Audio]

Not sure why anyone would want to use the mic input when you have a little box.  The little box has a much better preamp than the Dr-2d.

It was my first time taping...so being uneducated would be the main problem here.

I would also consider using the 10db pad on the SM81 its a very hot mic. And it could be overload at the mic it self. Also like others have said only use the line input and shoot for -10 on your VU meter not 0 db.

Chris

[poniverus]

thanks for all the info!