Topic: newbie needs CA 14 CA 9100 help

[blackcatbone]

Good morning
I recently recorded a show using CA 14 mics into a CA 9100 which went to my Edirol R-09HR and when played back, the music is overwhelmed by a hiss / white noise type sound. I have read the posts on Taperssection and followed the recommendations for setting up my gear and i don't know what i am doing wrong. I tried the CA 9100 in the line in and nothing happened. So i tried the mic in and that worked but the noise ruined what was recorded. I ended up just using the mics into the mic input and that was fine. As soon as i turn on the 9100 the noise appears if plugged into the mic input but i get nothing at all when plugged into the line in input. What am i doing wrong?
Thank you
BCB

[Craig T]

You need to isolate the problem component.  I'm assuming you don't have another set of mics or preamp, so try to eliminate the R09 as the offender.  Either find another recorder and try the line-input or plug a set of headphones into the 9100 output.  If you still get the noise, there's a problem with the mics/pre.  If it sounds clean, something is likely up with the R09.

[blackcatbone]

I tried 2 sets of mics and ended up with the noise. Mics into the R09 mic input and that works fine. I plugged headphones into the 9100 output and it is silent. The noise only appears when the 9100 is plugged into the mic input on my R09. I get nothing at all when the 9100 is plugged into the line in on the R09.

[vanark]

What position is the knob on the 9100?  It should normally be about 2-3 o'clock to add the appropriate amount of gain to the signal at a rock show, more if at an acoustic type event.  If you've just turned the 9100 on and left it a 7 o'clock, you are attenuating (=negative gain) the signal out of the 9100.  I think 0 dB is about 11 o'clock. 

[blackcatbone]

What position is the knob on the 9100?  It should normally be about 2-3 o'clock to add the appropriate amount of gain to the signal at a rock show, more if at an acoustic type event.  If you've just turned the 9100 on and left it a 7 o'clock, you are attenuating (=negative gain) the signal out of the 9100.  I think 0 dB is about 11 o'clock.

The noise starts at the lowest setting and increases as the knob is turned up. At no point is there zero noise. And what is recorded under the noise appears to be in mono.

[Craig T]

I tried 2 sets of mics and ended up with the noise. Mics into the R09 mic input and that works fine. I plugged headphones into the 9100 output and it is silent. The noise only appears when the 9100 is plugged into the mic input on my R09. I get nothing at all when the 9100 is plugged into the line in on the R09.

So the mics are unlikely to be the problem.  Mics into the R09 mic-in are fine, so the R09 mic-in/pre is OK.  This leaves the R09 line-in or the 9100.  You say you get zero output of the 9100 with headphones or into the R09 line-in... this lends me to believe the 9100 is the problem.  I'm assuming the 9100 powers up (red light).

Do you get any sound from the mics coming through the static you're getting when using the R09 mic-in or is it just the noise?

[vanark]

I tried 2 sets of mics and ended up with the noise. Mics into the R09 mic input and that works fine. I plugged headphones into the 9100 output and it is silent. The noise only appears when the 9100 is plugged into the mic input on my R09. I get nothing at all when the 9100 is plugged into the line in on the R09.

The noise starts at the lowest setting and increases as the knob is turned up. At no point is there zero noise. And what is recorded under the noise appears to be in mono.

These two statements appear to contradict each other?

Have you tried using a different cable between the 9100 and the recorder?  Are you sure the cables are fully inserted?

[blackcatbone]

I tried 2 sets of mics and ended up with the noise. Mics into the R09 mic input and that works fine. I plugged headphones into the 9100 output and it is silent. The noise only appears when the 9100 is plugged into the mic input on my R09. I get nothing at all when the 9100 is plugged into the line in on the R09.

So the mics are unlikely to be the problem.  Mics into the R09 mic-in are fine, so the R09 mic-in/pre is OK.  This leaves the R09 line-in or the 9100.  You say you get zero output of the 9100 with headphones or into the R09 line-in... this lends me to believe the 9100 is the problem.  I'm assuming the 9100 powers up (red light).

Do you get any sound from the mics coming through the static you're getting when using the R09 mic-in or is it just the noise?

I have used the line in on the R09 to convert cassettes and had no problem then. I do get sound through the static when using the mic-in but it is faint and seems to be in mono. Could it be the cable i'm using to connect the output on the 9100 to R09? 

[blackcatbone]

I tried 2 sets of mics and ended up with the noise. Mics into the R09 mic input and that works fine. I plugged headphones into the 9100 output and it is silent. The noise only appears when the 9100 is plugged into the mic input on my R09. I get nothing at all when the 9100 is plugged into the line in on the R09.

The noise starts at the lowest setting and increases as the knob is turned up. At no point is there zero noise. And what is recorded under the noise appears to be in mono.

These two statements appear to contradict each other?

Have you tried using a different cable between the 9100 and the recorder?  Are you sure the cables are fully inserted?

The cables were fully inserted. I don't have another cable to try.

[vanark]

I have used the line in on the R09 to convert cassettes and had no problem then. I do get sound through the static when using the mic-in but it is faint and seems to be in mono. Could it be the cable i'm using to connect the output on the 9100 to R09?

This is one of the reasons Craig ask you to plug headphones into the output of the 9100 (with mics connected, 9100 powered on, and some sound source) - to see what you were hearing.  If the signal is clean, then, yes, it could be the cable.

[blackcatbone]

I have used the line in on the R09 to convert cassettes and had no problem then. I do get sound through the static when using the mic-in but it is faint and seems to be in mono. Could it be the cable i'm using to connect the output on the 9100 to R09?

This is one of the reasons Craig ask you to plug headphones into the output of the 9100 (with mics connected, 9100 powered on, and some sound source) - to see what you were hearing.  If the signal is clean, then, yes, it could be the cable.

I plugged headphones into the output on my 9100 and mics were connected and heard nothing at all. I'm thinking it is the cable. When i recorded the show i was at i noticed the VU meters were identical and when played back the sound under the noise appeared to be mono.

[vanark]

I'm not understanding your answers.  Hopefully you can sort this out.

[blackcatbone]

This is one of the reasons Craig ask you to plug headphones into the output of the 9100 (with mics connected, 9100 powered on, and some sound source) - to see what you were hearing.

 I did what Craig suggested and i heard nothing at all. No noise, nothing.

If the signal is clean, then, yes, it could be the cable.

 I will pick up another cable today and try it out.

[vanark]

This is one of the reasons Craig ask you to plug headphones into the output of the 9100 (with mics connected, 9100 powered on, and some sound source) - to see what you were hearing.

 I did what Craig suggested and i heard nothing at all. No noise, nothing.

I'm glad you aren't hearing the noise, but if you have the 9100 turned all the way up, mics plugged in and some sound (CD player, something), it shouldn't be nothing.  You should be hearing what the mics are "hearing".

[blackcatbone]

This is one of the reasons Craig ask you to plug headphones into the output of the 9100 (with mics connected, 9100 powered on, and some sound source) - to see what you were hearing.

 I did what Craig suggested and i heard nothing at all. No noise, nothing.

I'm glad you aren't hearing the noise, but if you have the 9100 turned all the way up, mics plugged in and some sound (CD player, something), it shouldn't be nothing.  You should be hearing what the mics are "hearing".

I have just tried a new cable and i get the same results as before, lots of hiss. When i plug headphones into the output of the 9100 and connect mics, i don't hear anything at all. No sounds are audible through the headphones.
I think we can rule out the cable as the source of problems. My R09HR works as it should. Which leaves me with the 9100 as the source of the problem. I will contact Chris and see what he says.
Thank you for your help.
Doug