Topic: Edirol R-09 - Different input levels

[Cl@udio]

Hello,
I'm a newbie, this is my first post!

I have tried to find anything on this forum, but nothing that remember my "problem".

I need a very lightweight and portable gear, so I bought a new Edirol R-09.
Now, I have a "problem" with my 5-days-old Edirol R-09.

During the week-end, I have begun to use it (with internal mics); everything seems ok, but my look has fallen on the VU-meter: R channel was higher than L channel, about 2-3 dB. 
I have tried to change position, etc, but again, R channel results higher that L channel.
In every situations, R channel is higher than L channel!

So I have tried to record in front of a speaker (about 20 cm) during a CD playing and again the same results.
I have used a CD test with various audio test (sinewaves at different frequencies and white noise).

The difference is visible during the REC and, of course, during the playback.
I exclude a wrong settings of the VU-meter because I have seen the difference in WaveLab during the playback, too.
So, I suppose that the internal mic have different sensitivity (or the preamp are not exactly identical).

Can I consider the "problem" within a normal tolerance or...
I'm really start to be worried? 

Thank You 

[Belexes]

I could be wrong, but the internal mics should be "matched" so you shouldn't have this issue.  If you had a pair of external mics, you could bench test it that way to see if you have the same problem...just to see if it's the internal mics or the internal pre to isolate the problem.

[Cl@udio]

I could be wrong, but the internal mics should be "matched" so you shouldn't have this issue.  If you had a pair of external mics, you could bench test it that way to see if you have the same problem...just to see if it's the internal mics or the internal pre to isolate the problem.

Hello,
thanks for replay, no way to test with an external pair of mics, but I have tried with an external mono mic and the levels appear exactly the same.
I'll come back to the vendor in order to check it with him,

Best Regards

[Belexes]

Probably an issue with the internal mics then would be my guess and would need service.

[guysonic]

Probably an issue with the internal mics then would be my guess and would need service.

Same situation occasionally happens with external mics that lack (stated) match specification.  I remember one guy who purchased a new AT-822 and found awful 4-6 dB mismatch, but Audio Technica would NOT take back this mic saying it was within their (unstated) manufacturing tolerance.

So if internal or external mics DO NOT STATE MATCH SPECS, then what you get is likely what you must settle for keeping unless the retailer gives you an exchange for a better matched unit to keep a customer happy. 

My mics DO HAVE clearly stated match specs for single 1 K Hz and over entire bandwidth. 
www.sonicstudios.com/dsm.htm#chart

Unfortunately very few stereo mic makers actually put in writing any kind of match precision as it is more costly to make precision matched mics, and few recordists seem to know enough to look for or demand having <0.25-to-0.5 dB 1k Hz precision match for critical stereo-surround recording applications.

[Cl@udio]

Probably an issue with the internal mics then would be my guess and would need service.

Same situation occasionally happens with external mics that lack (stated) match specification.  I remember one guy who purchased a new AT-822 and found awful 4-6 dB mismatch, but Audio Technica would NOT take back this mic saying it was within their (unstated) manufacturing tolerance.

So if internal or external mics DO NOT STATE MATCH SPECS, then what you get is likely what you must settle for keeping unless the retailer gives you an exchange for a better matched unit to keep a customer happy. 

My mics DO HAVE clearly stated match specs for single 1 K Hz and over entire bandwidth. 
www.sonicstudios.com/dsm.htm#chart

Unfortunately very few stereo mic makers actually put in writing any kind of match precision as it is more costly to make precision matched mics, and few recordists seem to know enough to look for or demand having <0.25-to-0.5 dB 1k Hz precision match for critical stereo-surround recording applications.

Hello,
before opening the post, I have read the 25 first pages of "Microphones & Setup" section, finding some cases like the "AT-822" one 
I can understand and agree "little" differences between two or more "identical" mics, but 3 dB or more on the output it's a lot, IHMO, means that a channel is at double volume than the other.

However, I was come back and the retailer gave to me another device promptly, the new one works fine

Thanks for help,
Claudio