PROBLEM HELP ! SD 442 : monitor jack port light flashing

H

Hiro Nakamura

Active member
Hi guys,

I had a bit issue with my SD442 today, I found that when I monitoring the audio feed, the monitor volume light blinking when the audio feed went over 0 from the meter. ...it's kind of weird, because when I switched to return feed.... there is no blinking on the phone jack port.....


Sorry about my english, but if anyone understand what is wrong with my 442, maybe because of setting, but I dont know ...how to solve that out.


Your suggestions are highly appreciated

Hiro
 
Are you using really low-sensitivity headphones, and gaining way up from the headphone-out?

It sounds like you're describing the clip indicator on the phone jack... which will blink (light up) when its output is clipping... and the return feed was probably lower level, hence the "blinking" stopped.
 
yeah, but I use SONY 7506, it should be a standard headphone I think.

Yes, It is the phone jack , how to lower my output ...to control the clipping ? I think it sounds ok, nothing wrong with audio as I put it into my FCP, and I checked .... and it only blinks when is not on the return switch, ..... weird ....

Thanks ...

Want to know how to stop this?

Hiro
 
MattinSTL said:
Are you using really low-sensitivity headphones, and gaining way up from the headphone-out?

It sounds like you're describing the clip indicator on the phone jack... which will blink (light up) when its output is clipping... and the return feed was probably lower level, hence the "blinking" stopped.
Click to expand...

I kept all the audio that I recorded around the range of -10 to +2, +4, the PV light is not even orange. sometimes it goes to orange a bit, but I still can't figure why it's blinking.

In addition, my 7506 is working fine, OH... ONE THING I noticed that on the camera, I normally set the tone to -20, but this time, I can only set to -30, otherwise the camera will get 10db higher than I expected..... it's something to do with camera setting or my mixer.

I reset my mixer to factory default, no luck still....

Phone jack blinking means my audio is clipping or only the audio from phone jack is clipping.... I am still need to do this job till next tuesday.... a bit worried.

Phone jack level is in the middle, I always put in the middle, so there is no one gain up any levels..... aihhhh


Hiro
 
Here's my best guess going on the info you gave.

You mention that the camera seems to be showing +10 db hotter signals than your mixer meter.
Also you're headphones are clipping even though your headphone volume is in normal position (or so you think).

Whats the odds that instead of your mixer being in PEAK/VU mode (or PEAK)
your meters are showing ONLY VU?

So you're looking at your mixer and the levels are normal but those are just the averages..
in reality you're a good +10db hotter. ;)

Hit your meter mode button. There are 4 settings. VU, PEAK, VU+PEAK, VU+PEAK HOLD

Just a hunch.
 
I did tried to change the VU setting , by trying different style of meter settings...but it only just the meter but the phone jack alert still there.

Tricky

Hiro
 
From the Sound Devices 442 Manual:

"Headphone Peak LED
Like the Channel Peak LEDs, the headphone circuit also has a peak overload indicator. This LED is very useful, since headphones can often overload before the mixer overloads. Monitoring without a visual indication of headphone clipping could mislead the operator into thinking that the output or return feeds are distorted. The Headphone Peak LED also doubles as a clip indicator for the stereo Return A and Return B signals. If any of the Return signals clip (after the Return gain stage), the Headphone Peak LED illuminates."

You can find your own copy here.

If you are running your headphone output at 12 o'clock with 7506s, you are killing your hearing. That is very loud. When I do a location sound for a day full of sit-down interviews I have to watch myself because I keep turning the headphones up listening for background noise, clothing rubs, etc. When the producer wants to listen I usually get a "Holy Sh*t that's loud." The only thing worse than ear fatigue is almost falling asleep during a 2 hour interview - thank goodness for tape changes.

David
 
Hiro Nakamura said:
I did tried to change the VU setting , by trying different style of meter settings...but it only just the meter but the phone jack alert still there.

Tricky

Hiro
Click to expand...

Sure I was just referring to the differences you're seeing at camera.
You can only turn your hp volume up so far before no matter what the amp is
going to clip. (light come on)

Is the light coming on only on really loud moments? or is it truly "flashing/blinking" like you mentioned?

When you say it doesn't happen when you have the switch to "camera return"
do you notice a difference in actual volume as well?


Just to test, turn DOWN the headphone amp some.
Does the blinking go away?
 
Hey thanks everyone for your help here...
Really appreciated for all your inputs.

Right now, I turn the volume down a bit around 10 or 11, it sounds fine and there is no blinking,
and also today for some reason, after the shoot, I was testing the blink on an EX3 and another set of wireless kit, still lectro... (Dont know because either the camera or the wireless settings) it looks fine, even I put the phone jack volume to 12... no blinks....

wired still, but I think next time I just get lower volume from the head phone jack volume.

Thanks a lot guys

Cheers

Hiro
 
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