Topic: microtrack levels set to min and its still peaking...any advice?

[potsy]

hi, i'm new to this forum and it looks like there is tons of info here, i'm glad i found it.

sorry if this is covered in another thread, but there are like 987465875 threads on the microtrack.

so, i used the microtrack this weekend for the first time at 2 semi-loud shows. i have core-sound stealth cardiods.  i plugged them into the 1/8" in, had the switch set to L before i booted it up, with the latest firmware.  i saw that it was peaking, so i lowered the levels as low as they could go.  i still saw the peaking lights, and it was maxing out on the level indicator.  when i got home, the files were still peaked out like 30% of the time when i went to edit them on my computer later...lots of distortion, basically not useable. 

i also have a DAT, so i'm used to being able to adjust the input down to a normal level, even for very loud shows.

does anyone know of something i can do short of using a d/a converter before the microtrack to make the levels manageable?  would it make any difference if i used an adapter and ran the mics into the (2) 1/4" inputs?

any help would be greatly appreciated...i don't think i'm going to be using the microtrack much unless i can fix this problem.

[fuzn]

DEFINITELY use the 1/4" TRS inputs. This thing can not handle levels with the 1/8". You'll want something like this I think http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-MICROTRACK-MINI-TRS . You'll have more headroom with the 1/4 inputs. If you have problems clipping with the 1/4 inputs, then you'll need an attenuator until they fix the gain settings. If that's too big, soundpros has some converter boxes that are small as heck that do this as well, just do a search for "microtrack". You'll probably have to run it at the lowest setting with the 1/4 inputs, then you might be lucky enough to have no distortion.

One more thing. Make sure you upgrade the firmware and set the gain selector to L if you haven't.

EDIT AGAIN: Updated the link with a better solution. I forgot soundpros made a mini-version of the converter.

[potsy]

thanks, i have an adaptor like that aleady, i'll try that the next time and see how it works. 

one odd thing i also noticed was that when i lowered the "volume" level to minimum during the show, it seemed to make the levels slightly lower, still peaked though.  does that make any sense, or am i imagining it?

[fuzn]

thanks, i have an adaptor like that aleady, i'll try that the next time and see how it works. 

one odd thing i also noticed was that when i lowered the "volume" level to minimum during the show, it seemed to make the levels slightly lower, still peaked though.  does that make any sense, or am i imagining it?

I think you're imaging that one, unless someone else can straighten that out. Anyways, you probably should have just stuck with the DAT and used that money on getting some better mics, at least until they fix the gain problems. The MT has been nothing but awesome so far for me though.

[potsy]

yeah, i do alot of stealth taping so the smallness of the MT was a big attraction for me.  plus i bet i can get away with telling security its just an i-pod if they check me on the way into a show.

for what its worth, i havent had any problems with it locking up or anything like others on here report, so i think if i can solve the level problem i'll be good to go.

thanks for your help, but i have one other question...in the new firmware i noticed there was a thing on the menu for "scrub audio".  what is that?

[fuzn]

yeah, i do alot of stealth taping so the smallness of the MT was a big attraction for me.  plus i bet i can get away with telling security its just an i-pod if they check me on the way into a show.

for what its worth, i havent had any problems with it locking up or anything like others on here report, so i think if i can solve the level problem i'll be good to go.

thanks for your help, but i have one other question...in the new firmware i noticed there was a thing on the menu for "scrub audio".  what is that?

It says "this is an on/off setting will allow you to hear audio as you rewind and fast-forward through an audio file. When set to on, you will be able to hear bits of the file as you seek. When off, the MicroTrack 24/96 will be silent while seeking". Yeah dude. I got this for the same reason as you. My setup is probably the most stealthy setup around. Good luck man! I'm sure you'll have a different experience with the 1/4 inputs.

[Diver4243]

I used the 1/4" inputs direct from the sound board for an outdoor show and the microtrack still peaked like crazy in the L position. Question - can the L position be used for 1/8" mic inputs?? The docs seem to say you need to use the M setting for that (I thought M stood for 'microphone', maybe its Low Med High).

[potsy]

"to you its a "bug"...to someone who records quiet material, its a feature"

i wouldnt call it a bug, because it seems that the MT is performing as intended by the manufacturer.  however, I would call it bad design to have added gain with no option to defeat it.

[udovdh]

You did install the firmware update?

[potsy]

i plugged them into the 1/8" in, had the switch set to L before i booted it up, with the latest firmware.

[danlynch]

So basically the unit cannot be used for a soundboard patch, even with the 1/4" jacks, unless you also use an attenuator. 
I was going to patch into the board for a show next Saturday, so I guess I have to go out and get an attenuator.  Sound
professionals doesn't seem to have one that will work with this, anyone have any attenuator pointers?

[slowblow]

DEFINITELY use the 1/4" TRS inputs. This thing can not handle levels with the 1/8". You'll want something like this I think http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-MICROTRACK-MINI-TRS . You'll have more headroom with the 1/4 inputs. If you have problems clipping with the 1/4 inputs, then you'll need an attenuator until they fix the gain settings. If that's too big, soundpros has some converter boxes that are small as heck that do this as well, just do a search for "microtrack". You'll probably have to run it at the lowest setting with the 1/4 inputs, then you might be lucky enough to have no distortion.

One more thing. Make sure you upgrade the firmware and set the gain selector to L if you haven't.

EDIT AGAIN: Updated the link with a better solution. I forgot soundpros made a mini-version of the converter.

what kind of attenuators ? i haven't find in the soundpro page 

[slowblow]

DEFINITELY use the 1/4" TRS inputs. This thing can not handle levels with the 1/8". You'll want something like this I think http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-MICROTRACK-MINI-TRS . You'll have more headroom with the 1/4 inputs. If you have problems clipping with the 1/4 inputs, then you'll need an attenuator until they fix the gain settings. If that's too big, soundpros has some converter boxes that are small as heck that do this as well, just do a search for "microtrack". You'll probably have to run it at the lowest setting with the 1/4 inputs, then you might be lucky enough to have no distortion.

One more thing. Make sure you upgrade the firmware and set the gain selector to L if you haven't.

EDIT AGAIN: Updated the link with a better solution. I forgot soundpros made a mini-version of the converter.

many thanks for your advice !

what kind of attenuators ? i haven't find in the soundpro page 

shure makes some that i have used in the past with decent results..the had a switchable 15, 20, 25 dB drop if i remember correctly

try searching on bhphoto.com, or sweetwater

there is more to the audio universe than soundprofessionals...although i'm sure if you can and ask them for advice on attenuators they can help you out with a solution

alternatively you can always get handy...try searching google for "DIY dB attenuator"


boogie

[oleg]

you will need at least 15-20 db attenuation if you want5 to be on the safe side  with + 4dbm signal fro normal balance output   or about 6-10 db if you pull unbalance -10dbv signal


http://www.dplay.com/book/pgs2e/pads.pdf
figure n-3  good for balance input and output

[danlynch]

DEFINITELY use the 1/4" TRS inputs. This thing can not handle levels with the 1/8". You'll want something like this I think http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-MICROTRACK-MINI-TRS . You'll have more headroom with the 1/4 inputs. If you have problems clipping with the 1/4 inputs, then you'll need an attenuator until they fix the gain settings. If that's too big, soundpros has some converter boxes that are small as heck that do this as well, just do a search for "microtrack". You'll probably have to run it at the lowest setting with the 1/4 inputs, then you might be lucky enough to have no distortion.

One more thing. Make sure you upgrade the firmware and set the gain selector to L if you haven't.

EDIT AGAIN: Updated the link with a better solution. I forgot soundpros made a mini-version of the converter.

what kind of attenuators ? i haven't find in the soundpro page 

shure makes some that i have used in the past with decent results..the had a switchable 15, 20, 25 dB drop if i remember correctly

try searching on bhphoto.com, or sweetwater

there is more to the audio universe than soundprofessionals...although i'm sure if you can and ask them for advice on attenuators they can help you out with a solution

alternatively you can always get handy...try searching google for "DIY dB attenuator"


boogie

No luck with bhphoto or sweetwater.
Its really amazing that someone has to go through this much trouble just to get an appropriate signal
with the MT.