Topic: option of getting soundboard feed with Zoom or Tascam

[jklock]

I will be experimenting with recording from the soundboard at a couple of shows in the upcoming weeks (posted about cables before...thanks again everyone!).  I have been using a Zoom H2 for recording any show I've been to over the past year and a half with great results.  I have, though, been curious about mixing together a room recording and a soundboard recording to get the best of both worlds.  I've heard that the Zoom line ins are iffy and that a lot of things can go wrong with soundboard feeds being too hot and whatnot.  My friend has a Tascam DR 07 and is letting me borrow it to use on the soundboard while I record normally with my Zoom.  Is this the right way to go about it or should I experiment with plugging my zoom into the soundboard and not worrying about obtaining a room recording?

edit: I also heard that it may be possible to get soundboard recordings by plugging an ipod touch into the soundboard via the appropriate cable and downloading an app.  is this true?

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I will be experimenting with recording from the soundboard at a couple of shows in the upcoming weeks (posted about cables before...thanks again everyone!).  I have been using a Zoom H2 for recording any show I've been to over the past year and a half with great results.  I have, though, been curious about mixing together a room recording and a soundboard recording to get the best of both worlds.  I've heard that the Zoom line ins are iffy and that a lot of things can go wrong with soundboard feeds being too hot and whatnot.  My friend has a Tascam DR 07 and is letting me borrow it to use on the soundboard while I record normally with my Zoom.  Is this the right way to go about it or should I experiment with plugging my zoom into the soundboard and not worrying about obtaining a room recording?

The DR07 overloads at about +7dbu. The zoom doesn't list a max value, but it's a consumer level input (-10dbm). If I had to pick, I'd go for the tascam, but you're still likely to experience overloading from most professional soundboards unless you attenuate the signal prior to the recorder.

[hoppedup]

Most every 4 channel AUD/SBD mix I've done has used the DR-07 for the board feed. I've taken the board feed with the Tascam at probably 20 different venues and probably as many models of soundboard. I think I got a signal that was too hot once. Maybe I've been lucky. Levels looked good on the recorder's display that one time but it was overloaded so I'd recommend using headphones to monitor either recorder that's plugged in to the board. I've had a lot of sound guys show me my gain knob when I have a dedicated out or they have offered to adjust if it was too hot. I even had a sound guy tell me he was turning down the gain when he saw I was using a DR-07, because he knew it wouldn't take a very hot signal. Don't expect this, though. And I'd get the room recording first and worry about the board feed as a backup plan. Depending on the size of the club the SBD is likely to be vocal and percussion heavy. I have had a sound guy make me a separate mix and let me monitor by headphone as they mix. That happened once, and was offered one other time. But I would consider that pretty rare.

Above all, be courteous and respectful to sound guy. Do not bother him if he is busy.

[jklock]

Thanks!  Do you remember what settings/levels you had your Tascam at?  And were the levels on the board turned down for you at all?

[hoppedup]

Thanks!  Do you remember what settings/levels you had your Tascam at?  And were the levels on the board turned down for you at all?

I run line in and set the record wheel between 4 & 5. I never researched to find out where unity is on the DR-07, but this seems to work for me. The LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH gain settings in the menu should only affect the internal mics or MIC IN and not LINE IN, IIRC.

ETA: I've never had a signal turned down for me that I know of. I now recall that I ended up not taking a board feed from the sound guy mentioned in the post above who offered to turn it down based on my recorder. I ran stage lip instead that night with my second rig.

[SmokinJoe]

Depending on the board, frequently the sound guy has a slider for the gain to your patch which he can turn down without effecting the house mix.  Don't keep pestering him and drive him crazy... just politely ask "can you turn this feed down a bit without effecting anything else?"  If you have something that's even close to OK, be content and leave him alone.

[yltfan]

Should be obvious, but it's likely that when you get the feed and check the levels, only the canned music between bands will be playing--you will want to make sure you are getting a signal, but assume the band will be MUCH louder. I almost always ask to get my board feed turned down so that canned music is just barely lighting up the meters, then the band will come up to where you want it. Better too low than too hot, right?

[morst]

The DR07 overloads at about +7dbu. The zoom doesn't list a max value, but it's a consumer level input (-10dbm). If I had to pick, I'd go for the tascam, but you're still likely to experience overloading from most professional soundboards unless you attenuate the signal prior to the recorder.

The Zoom H2 line inputs can handle a MAXIMUM signal of .775 volts, if memory serves me. Most consumer audio uses .775 volts NOMINAL (that is, AVERAGE) signal level.

When I had a Zoom H2, I used a -10dB pad cable to knock signal down for its line stage. If the SBD you're patching out of has variable outputs, just ask the operator to give you a low send, or use a pad cable.

[F.O.Bean]

Better too low than too hot, right?

Words to live by

[adrianf74]

Better too low than too hot, right?

Words to live by

Actually, I'll go with - "I like my women HOT but not my board feeds."   Now those are words to live by. 

I'll agree with what's been said here; a -10dB pad won't hurt when using consumer gear.  Likewise, your sound engineer is usually good at offering a low-send (or at least dropping your levels to a "safe" spot) as long as you're extremely courteous and get to the venue early enough.  I always like to offer them a drink as a thanks (or a copy of the show if I know them well enough and they ask).