Abnormal sound

S

sandalssuri

New member
Hi. Could anyone please help with an urgent query. I have a problem with the sound on the VX100. My camera seems to be recording at a very low level. Even with the audio controls beneath the LCD screen turned right round to the max (it is suggested in the manual that they be left in the middle) I get quite a low recording. If someone really speaks loudly it may go just into the red (i.e. -12db). If it is reasonably quiet then there the audio meter barely flickers at all. I find this a total nightmare. Have I forgotten something in one of the menus? Or is it something to do with recording 16bit? What is going on?

What worries me is that I have had this problem also when
working with a sound recordist recently who insists that the levels were fine on his mixer and that it had been aligned properly with the camera before. Yet whilst playing back I saw that the levels were really quite low. I had the alc off so that can't be it. Also I had both inputs set to -50db (or should it be -60db).I don't understand as normally overload is a problem on mini DV not underrecording.

Please tell me if anyone else is experiencing this problem and what they've done about it! Please help!

Sandy
 
Re: Abnormal sound

the -60 db setting is more sensative ..
check to be sure that the xlr input switches are set to "mic".. and not "line" input .
if you are using the on cam mic, just remeber that it not really a very good directional microphone.. it performs ok for close range stuff.  IMHO  a nice boom or shotgun mike would serve you much better if the subject is at any distance over 5 feet from the cam- or closer for that matter.
and if you are using a boom or shotgun mic..try changing the batteries.. or if your using phanton power for the mic.. try switching to batteries.
 
Re: Abnormal sound

I'd bet you had the XLR's set to input LINE level, and were being fed a MIC signal (or the other way around). A mixer should be sending a line-level output, but it's possible it could have been sending mic level.

The DVX is easily capable of recording as loud as you want. There was obviously some mismatch in the settings...
 
Re: Abnormal sound

Hi and thanks for the answers about my abnormally low level audio recordings on the DVX100. To answer your queries - my sound person went through a mixer and came in 'line'. I always check that. So it can't be that. Is there anything else I could be missing? Has anyone else found they have to record at a higher level to get a normal level. The visual metering seems impossible....(for working alone that is). It seems as if to get a decent level you have to be constantly pushing the red.

And did nobody find that they have to push their audio control dials up to full when using camera mike to get a normal level of -20 to -10 dB. Is there something else I am doing wrong. Am in the middle of a documentary shoot and am very worried! Hope someone can help
 
Re: Abnormal sound

what kind of mixer ,?,the ppm mixers usially o dbu line ,the uv mixers usially +4dbu
the first red mark is -12dbfs on the camera
the normal voice recording is betwwen -20 and -6 the evereg picks are about 15 db
the first wite line on that camera is about -32 dfs
for propes setting ,let him send you a tone 1khz and open the input chanel until it hits the last white mark ,now check the voice recording ,the picks of the sound have at least hit the 2 red mark -6db
check the pb after and see what do you get ,if the level of the reference ton is not on the mark that you record, you have a problem in one of the audio circuets .
for proper recording with that camera in line level you have to pad down the inputs at least 12 db for concumer level



one way to do it ,is decrise the output level on the mixer outputs or use pads on the cabel.
for short cabble running is better to work mike level-50db on the camera -50 on mixer
 
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