Marantz PMD660+3 channel mixer: How to connect?

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NonFiction

Active member
Okay, so I'm giving my new mixer (my first) a tryout on an informal audio documentary/still pictures project. Want to put sound through the mixer (PSC DV Promix3) into the Marantz PMD660.

The Marantz offers two XLR ins, but I believe these are mic level only. It also has a stereo mini Line Level input.

My question is, before I go buy a cable I might not need, to test it out for myself... will I be better off going into the out of the mixer and into the Marantz through more secure XLRs at softer mic level or use the more delicate stereo mini to get more robust Line level recording?

I'd be grateful for the applied collective wisdom of this forum!
 
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Skip the dv mix if you can , if you cant , about 15db pads on xlr line out tounbalance in on 660
 
Well, I can skip the mixer, for sure. It does a pretty good job. I want to use the mixer for a couple reasons (and maybe my reasoning is bad?).

First, the PMD660 distorts easily and badly. So I want some kind of pad. Second, it generally gives me a pretty thin waveform, regardless of how I mic, so I feel like a bit of preamp to get the sound bigger, combined with a limiter to hold the peaks should help.

Second reason is that I've never run a mixer before, and I want to be sure I can make sense of it before trying to deploy it in actual field documentary video setting.

I know the PSC mixer is not considered the cat's pajamas around here, but I bought it in the hope that it would A) be better than nothing and B) help me determine if a mixer is indeed meant to be part of my video package (in which case, I will likely upgrade to a SD302).

The pads Oleg, do these pad everything, or just knock down 15db from the peaks?

Thanks!
 
thin wave form - what is that ?

psc pre - doesnt make anything bigger - viagradoes it better
limiters are good if you can avoid them - whith this small **** they are alwais there
better then nothing - is not my section :-)
it pad down everything by 15b db
if you was working with the 302 , you could get bigger sound as you could take at least the limmiters off -:-)


( and you didnt have need in pads and you could gett more usible gain and you could get better monitoring - not to mention separate channel listening an,and,and )
 
By 'thin waveform' I realize I'm displaying my ignorance here... what I mean is that there's not a lot of meat to it. If you look at the waveform, it looks thin, close to the zero line. That's what I get for trying to keep it quiet enough to stop the Marantz clipping the peaks.

I'm totally prepared to accept that I might be using my tools badly. I come from still photography, where lots of guys buy $10k worth of gear and ***** about how they can't get it to make them a photographic genius, then some guy will come in with some killer work he took on a $200 Pentax or whatever, and blow everyone away.

I'd like to get to where I'm able to make solid audio (albeit with some compromises) using fairly basic tools. When I can, then I'll know it's time to step up to the more deluxe stuff.

Should I understand that putting the PSC DVPromix3 between my mics and my Marantz is unlikely to help me get better, more robust, less distorted sound?

Thanks Oleg (and anyone else who cares to chime in). I've been lurking here mostly, but trying to absorb as much as possible of the generally very valuable info around.
 
Mics vary. Recording wild sound in uncontrolled circumstances. Interviews and ambient. Got an M-Audio Aries (Omni, condenser), a dynamic omni ElectroVoice 635, just got rid of a so-so Azden shotgun SGM1x (to be replaced with either AKG blueline or AT 4073a). Also have a nice set of powered condenser binaural mics, Sound Professionals or something I can't remember. Finally there is an AT899 omni lav.

I've begun testing, and am surprised that everything (so far) sounds quiet. This is going out line level from the XLR on the mixer with an XLR-mini. Could it be quiet becuase I'm using the wrong plug (balanced mono vs stereo)?

I gotta look up a local sound guy to show my the way through this stuff. Anybody know anybody in Seattle who'd like a lunch and a beer?
 
Oooh, hadn't realized he was from here. Watch out Wabbit, expect an email from nice, slightly ignorant NonFiction
 
Hey NonFiction, I use my PMD660 with my SD302 and it works awesome. The big reason people here dis on the 660 is the preamps...well if you bypass those with your mixer then you have a great CF recorder. I discovered the same setup problem as you, the XLRs were distorting badly. So what I did was to go from my mixer into the Line In jack (minijack) and then it worked like a champ! Do uncompressed 48k and turn ALC off. For me, I had to get a special cable to go from ym SD302 Tape Out to a minijack connector, but I believe the ProMix3 has a minijack out? This setup is also great because then you are ready to go into a camera at the same time as using your 660.
 
shawneous, cool. Thanks. Yeah, the PMD660 is an Oade modified one and is a ton quieter than a stock one, but it does clip pretty badly. I wasn't able to get any improvement by using the ProMix3 before I left, so I'm going straight in from the mics on this trip, but I hope to be able to get this thing up to speed when I get back.

Thanks all!
 
Hi NonFiction,

Regarding PMD660 pre-amp noise, Oade Brothers Audio sells a "Advanced Concert MOD" kit. On the note of your "thin waveform" you certainly want a decent signal to noise ratio. From my read of the specs on the ProMix3, indeed you have a Aux Mic Level Output (-50dBv) on the 3.5mm jack. However, the XLR output should give you the same capability per the specs:

Monitor Volume Rotary Control, Off to Maximum Volume Outputs XLR male, Balanced, Line (0dBv) or Mic Level (-50dBv)

Have fun, Michael
 
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