Topic: UA5 Owners

[DMBprez]

I have tried turning up the output knob (phones) and it is still weak.  Do you this using the following will help?

From the user manual:

9. Input monitor volume
This adjusts the volume at which the input signal from Input jacks 1/2, Input jacks
3/4, and the Digital input connector will be output to the Headphone jack and
Master output jacks. When this is turned all the way to the right, the volume will be
the same as the volume of the recorded signal.

[kirk97132]

Turn that monitor knob all the way down and your headphones knob all the way up.  connect mics, turn phantom power.  turn off monitor SW.  Adjust levels till the peak light comes on once in a while.  that's it.  There is also a great UA-5 write up in manual section of TS that you should read if you haven't.

If you cannot get the peak lights to come on then I would make sure you don't have the pads on, check the mic bodies.  As long as you have anywhere near the loudness that live music has you should be able to get the peak lights to come on.  One other option is to check around for an SVU meter.  They are discontinued but can still be found.  Or maybe an ISO in the YS would do it.  You can calibrate the meter and then have a way to visually check signal that you are outputting.  It will also connect to a either the 1/4" or RCA outputs.   

You will hear a lot of people who will state that you shouldn't use the line outs due to the A/D to D/A conversion that happens.  And in theory I guess it is true.  But in reality I cold not tell a difference on listening to the digi output VS the analog output.  I run a busman UA-5. And Chris does to work on that signal path too so maybe that explains it? 

[DMBprez]

Thanks for your reply, Kirk.

I also forgot to add, when I was taping, my peak lights WERE coming on once in a while on the UA5, which made me believe everything was okay.  But then the recordings were teh suck.


I want those to be coming on once in a while, yes?


Also, I see the UA5 manual in there, but no write up.  Any ideas where that might be?

Thanks again for your help.

[Brian Skalinder]

Because you're running through both the UA5's ADC and the iRiver's ADC, you need to set your levels twice:  once for the UA5, and again for the iRiver.  If you clip at either ADC stage, it will have a negative impact.  If you're too low at either stage, it will have a negative impact.

As others have said, set your UA5 levels using the "Peak" light on the UA5.  If memory serves, it lights up at -3 dBFS.  If it flashes only occasionally, you're in good shape for setting levels for the UA5. (Make sure phantom is turned ON, of course.)

The next step, then, is to set levels for the iRiver.  First, confirm you're running Line In.  You'll control levels through two mechanisms:  <1> the Output knob (above the Phones jack) on the UA5, and <2> the gain settings on the iRiver.  Ideally, you want the iRiver as close to unity gain as possible, controlling the levels on the iRiver using the UA5's Output knob.  But if that doesn't provide good enough levels on the iRiver, you'll want to add gain using the iRiver, too.

If your levels are still too low, as others have said:  check to confirm the pads on your mics are OFF, and you may even have to run Mic In (though that seems unlikely).  But for loud music, that really ought not be necessary.

[kirk97132]

Sorry it was i the "pres" section:
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=14389.0

If you had lights coming on the I'd say that your signal chain was set up correctly.  Peak lights blinking every so often.  Levels set on recorder with all the other buttons  and knobs set as we talked about is all you can do.  After that it is a function of the mics and the band.  If the "distortion" is happening on both channels then I guess it could be something bad in the UA-5.  What were you recording?  Turning your stereo up loud IS NOT a substitute for a PA system.  Unless you have some sick playback set up.  A loud stereo is only a way to check and make sure things turn on and work.  After that, I don't know what to tell you.  Doubtful that you got a pair of bad mics.  Doubtful that both channels would have the same issue in the UA-5 if something went bad.  I'm basing that on my own experiences where an OP-amp went bad and only affected one channel.  and highly doubtful that two cables went bad.  Last link in chain is the recorder and if you are overloading the inputs that would have distortion.  But I don't know anything about the I-rivers.  so maybe someone else can chime in, Kirk