Topic: Settings (Core sound binaurals (batt. box w/ filter) > Sony MD)

[snoworshine]

Hey i am fairly new to recording and i have a few questions. I have a Sony MD recorder (MZ-NF810) and a set of Core Sound Binaurals with a batt. box with (fixed and bass-rolloff). Im going to a NIN concert in a few days and i want to know the best setting to use. I have MIC-IN   and LINE-IN (Optical) on the MD. There is a setting to go from MIC SENSITIVITY: LOW of HIGH. What would be a good setting to use for a loud concert.

Thanks.

[M]

I would recommend using the line in cause the mic pre in md's suck.  The mic sens doesn't affect the line but always use low sens for taping music with the mic in. You may brickwall (get distorted bass) if you use the mic in.

I tape with a hi-md and almost exclusively use the line.

[Jacob]

Definitely go with the line-in and if you're not sure which rec level to set make it automatic. You can always normalise the recording afterwards if the levels are too low.

[snoworshine]

Whats a good level for the manual setting to be at? 75%? peaking at about 90%?

[M]

I have always used auto.

[Jacob]

Whats a good level for the manual setting to be at? 75%? peaking at about 90%?

With mic-in I set at 15-16 / 30, with line-in at 18-19 / 30. I recently switched to auto to make sure there's no clipping in any circumstances.

[itook2much]

I've accidently used the auto, with decent results, but I wouldn't choose to do it.  It can help you avoid running too hot, but it also kills the dynamic range.  Bettre to set conservative levels and maybe bump a few dB in post IMO.

[M]

I've accidently used the auto, with decent results, but I wouldn't choose to do it.  It can help you avoid running too hot, but it also kills the dynamic range.  Bettre to set conservative levels and maybe bump a few dB in post IMO.

How does it kill dynamic range? 

[SparkE!]

I've accidently used the auto, with decent results, but I wouldn't choose to do it.  It can help you avoid running too hot, but it also kills the dynamic range.  Bettre to set conservative levels and maybe bump a few dB in post IMO.

How does it kill dynamic range? 

The loud stuff is not recorded loud and the quiet stuff is not recorded quiet.  That is, by definition, a reduction in dynamic range.

[itook2much]

I've accidently used the auto, with decent results, but I wouldn't choose to do it.  It can help you avoid running too hot, but it also kills the dynamic range.  Bettre to set conservative levels and maybe bump a few dB in post IMO.

How does it kill dynamic range? 

The loud stuff is not recorded loud and the quiet stuff is not recorded quiet.  That is, by definition, a reduction in dynamic range.

Thanks, SparkE, you beat me to it.
The AGC rides the levels, just as if you were raising & lowering it with each swell/drop in the volume.
The end result is a loss of dynamic range, just as if you'd used compression.

[M]

I've accidently used the auto, with decent results, but I wouldn't choose to do it.  It can help you avoid running too hot, but it also kills the dynamic range.  Bettre to set conservative levels and maybe bump a few dB in post IMO.

How does it kill dynamic range? 

The loud stuff is not recorded loud and the quiet stuff is not recorded quiet.  That is, by definition, a reduction in dynamic range.

Thanks, SparkE, you beat me to it.
The AGC rides the levels, just as if you were raising & lowering it with each swell/drop in the volume.
The end result is a loss of dynamic range, just as if you'd used compression.

I thought the agc was only for mic in.  Am i wrong?

[itook2much]

I've accidently used the auto, with decent results, but I wouldn't choose to do it.  It can help you avoid running too hot, but it also kills the dynamic range.  Bettre to set conservative levels and maybe bump a few dB in post IMO.

How does it kill dynamic range? 

The loud stuff is not recorded loud and the quiet stuff is not recorded quiet.  That is, by definition, a reduction in dynamic range.

Thanks, SparkE, you beat me to it.
The AGC rides the levels, just as if you were raising & lowering it with each swell/drop in the volume.
The end result is a loss of dynamic range, just as if you'd used compression.

I thought the agc was only for mic in.  Am i wrong?

On my MZ-NH1, it'll work for line as well.