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Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: emalvido on May 05, 2008, 01:58:25 AM

Title: SP-CMC-8>ST-9100>MZ-R50 use Line In or Mic In?
Post by: emalvido on May 05, 2008, 01:58:25 AM
Hello
This is my usual gear:
SP-CMC-8>ST-9100>M1
Tomorrow, I will tape a "not so important" event, so, to save DAT use and tape, I undusted my venerable 10 year old Sony MZ-R50 MiniDisc, yep, as a newbie I used it back with a Sony ECM-717 and will use that.
So my question:
Right now is kind of late and tomorrow I dont have time to do some tests.
So should I go Line In or MIC IN? using my SP-CMC-8 and my Church ST-9100 with MZ-R50  that would be:
SP-CMC-8>ST-9100>MZ-R50
I remember that I used MIC IN with the ECM-717 and always used AGC, should leave it that way? turn AGC off?
Taping event, pop band in a very large outdoor place.
Thanks!!
Ed  ;)
Title: Re: SP-CMC-8>ST-9100>MZ-R50 use Line In or Mic In?
Post by: Belexes on May 05, 2008, 07:21:57 AM
Line in with unmodded SP-CMC-8's. ACG OFF, you set the level manually by adjusting the gain on the 9100.
Title: Re: SP-CMC-8>ST-9100>MZ-R50 use Line In or Mic In?
Post by: SmokinJoe on May 05, 2008, 07:38:12 AM
Line in with unmodded SP-CMC-8's. ACG OFF, you set the level manually by adjusting the gain on the 9100.

Agreed.
Title: Re: SP-CMC-8>ST-9100>MZ-R50 use Line In or Mic In?
Post by: lordbelial on May 05, 2008, 08:17:47 AM
Line in with unmodded SP-CMC-8's. ACG OFF, you set the level manually by adjusting the gain on the 9100.

Agreed.

Totally agreed.
Title: Re: SP-CMC-8>ST-9100>MZ-R50 use Line In or Mic In?
Post by: emalvido on May 05, 2008, 04:38:12 PM
Hello
Got it
So.............set the level manually by adjusting the gain on the 9100. OK
Final question: What level should I use on the MD? just enter the manual setting levels? and leave it that way? or turn them all the way down? or up?
Ed :)
Title: Re: SP-CMC-8>ST-9100>MZ-R50 use Line In or Mic In?
Post by: Belexes on May 05, 2008, 04:50:13 PM
I think you'd want "unity" or the factory setting on the MD, getting your gain from the 9100.
Title: Re: SP-CMC-8>ST-9100>MZ-R50 use Line In or Mic In?
Post by: SmokinJoe on May 05, 2008, 07:33:59 PM
If in doubt, set the level gain "in the middle".
Title: Re: SP-CMC-8>ST-9100>MZ-R50 use Line In or Mic In?
Post by: sunjan on May 06, 2008, 06:08:37 AM
If in doubt, set the level gain "in the middle".

Yep. And if in doubt still, test your setup in front of your speakers at home, taping canned music. Tape the same song thrice with gain set lo/mid/hi, and compare the waveforms in Audacity...

Maybe you should post the same question at http://forums.minidisc.org/ , the guys over there might have more spot-on advice when it comes to unity gain.
Title: Re: SP-CMC-8>ST-9100>MZ-R50 use Line In or Mic In?
Post by: emalvido on May 06, 2008, 10:48:17 AM
Hello:
OK show taped, MD level I set that halfway, ST-9100, since there was no red light clipping indicator so, I turned it up more and more until I reached the highest peak, still no clip, so leaved that way..... tucked all the gear inside my jacket, started my Casio G-Shock Chrono for the later infamous MD swap and enjoyed the show.
First hour of the show the sound was bad! and low it was heard like when you had a tight cassette tape, even the crowd on the back were yelling that they could not hear! I was on the first section side, huge venue, baseball stadium. lately the soundcrew made his job and fixed gradually.
So, basically the result a great recording even with the soundflaws, MD levels could have been higher but OK, thanks for the great advise
Ed  :)