Setting correct audio levels on H4N?

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Filmkid2003

Well-known member
Hey everyone. I just bought a Zoom H4N. I will be connecting my Sound Design Premix to the H4N via a balanced XLR cable and then connecting the audio out on the H4N into my GH1 so I can have a reference track. My question is, how do I set the levels on the H4N when I do a 1 Khz "test tone" on the Sound Design Premix? Also, what is the correct level to get the meters at on the H4N when I do the test tone? When I was setting the levels on my HPX170, I set it at I think 20 Khz? By the way, I will be using the H4N for recording dialog with my Rode NTG-3 shotgun mic, if that's important.
 
What do you mean set tone to -20? Do you mean when I'm doing the test tone, then set the levels on the H4N to read -20?
 
Filmkid2003 said:
What do you mean set tone to -20? Do you mean when I'm doing the test tone, then set the levels on the H4N to read -20?
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Exactly. The SD 302 sends tone at 0dBVU (analog). That should align to -20dBFS (that stands for "20dB Below Full Scale") on digital scales such as the H4n. Because of the difference between the energy distribution in the waveforms of a pure tone versus normal speech, tone at -20 means that speech will kick up around -12 to -10 on the H4n when the 302's meters are hovering in the orange zone, the normal recording level.
 
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