Setting SD302 Levels?

T

tirapell

Active member
I just got my SD302 yesterday and WOW, what a piece of equipment. I'm very impressed.

I was trying to match the clipping points with the SD302 and my Sony V1U according to the excellent post by Petrus (http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=88849&highlight=SD302). However, when I followed his instructions, the audio came out much too low. In order to follow what he said to do, I had to increase the level on the V1U from 5 (of 10) or 'straight up' to about 8.5. Does it stand to reason that the V1U is less hot than the DVX100 and needs the dials turned up more?

I ended up setting the SD 302 tone (1K) almost at 0db (just before clipping) on the V1U.

With the V1U dial at 8.5, I can operate the SD302 with the Gain and Fader at unity position as standard. SD302 output is left at LINE level and the V1U input is set to LINE level.

Just wondering if this makes sense to you all and seeing if I might have missed a step somewhere...
 
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you need to set the mixer up with full scale tone (thats +20 db) (it is in the back of the manual). Unplug any headphnes/speakers before you do.

You want +20 db on the 302 to = 0db on the camera

Set your 302's limiters to +17

You should have regular peaks above +8 on the 302 (= -12 on the camera) on on occasion you it should "kiss" the limiters during a laug or particulary loud consanant.
 
saneproductions said:
you need to set the mixer up with full scale tone (thats +20 db) (it is in the back of the manual). Unplug any headphnes/speakers before you do.

You want +20 db on the 302 to = 0db on the camera

Set your 302's limiters to +17

You should have regular peaks above +8 on the 302 (= -12 on the camera) on on occasion you it should "kiss" the limiters during a laug or particulary loud consanant.
Click to expand...

When I set up my V1U with outputs at 5 (or straight up) of 10, the Full Scale Tone only registers at -20dB on the V1U. So I have to turn up the dials to approximately 8.5 until the camera is right at the clipping point (the SD302 is already outputting at 0 dB).

Is this correct? I was just wondering because everyone here needs to turn DOWN the output level on the SD302 for the DVX100. With the V1U, the SD302 output level is at 0 dB and I need to turn UP the camera gain to get the correct setting.
 
you can turn up and down the output of the 302 while in full tone scale mode. Set the dials to 12 o'clock and adjust the 302's output.
 
saneproductions said:
you can turn up and down the output of the 302 while in full tone scale mode. Set the dials to 12 o'clock and adjust the 302's output.
Click to expand...

If you are talking about the software setup (through the setup menu), the output will not go above 0 dB - I guess that is the maximum. Now, at 0 dB, the V1U (with outputs set at the midpoint - 5) reads the full scale tone at -20 dB. That's why I have to turn up the dial on the V1U to 8.5 to get the tone to register as close as possible to 0 dB, or the camera clipping point.

Does this make sense?

Is there anything in the Setup Menu that I could be overlooking? Maybe -14 Tone Oscillator Level? Or -16 Tone Oscillator Frequency?

Or it could be right - just the V1U has a lot quieter gain setup than the DVX100...

Anyone else have this same (or similar) problem?
 
put the camera in line level

turn up the menu on the mixrt
open the ton

open the camera inputs until it hits the 0dbfs - the full scale
you done
 
Also a small point. Audio levels usually are at there optimum setting when they are about 75% of the way up. This is usually where 0VU is on a mixer. So setting your cameras input to 8.5 is actually probably closer to the ideal that having it at 5 is.
 
the important thing is to match the clipping points of the camera and the mixer. +20 on the 302 should be 0 db on the camera. the fnal levels on the camera should bounce above -12 (+8 through +16 on the 302)
 
Why would 8.5 on the gain be better than 5 on camera? Isnt the 302 cleaner than the gain structure on a dv cam?
 
saneproductions said:
you need to set the mixer up with full scale tone (thats +20 db) (it is in the back of the manual). Unplug any headphnes/speakers before you do.

You want +20 db on the 302 to = 0db on the camera

Set your 302's limiters to +17

You should have regular peaks above +8 on the 302 (= -12 on the camera) on on occasion you it should "kiss" the limiters during a laug or particulary loud consanant.
Click to expand...

That'll work. I send tone from the mixer, which is calibrated to output a 0VU.

Then, making sure both camera inputs and mixer output are both set to Mic or Line, I adjust the camera meters to read -20 dB. I set the limiter to kick in about the same place.



Regards,

Ty Ford
 
the v1u is, for audio, a complete piece of poo. sorry to say it, but there you go. the camera is simply much harder to get a clean strong signal into.

yes, the dials will sit at about 8.5... and yes, your return feed from the camera is going to sound like mush. thats unfortunately just how it is.

the v1 is becoming quite common here in SA, and its making me pretty unhappy. I honestly think the PD170 records better audio.
 
timapter said:
the v1u is, for audio, a complete piece of poo. sorry to say it, but there you go. the camera is simply much harder to get a clean strong signal into.

yes, the dials will sit at about 8.5... and yes, your return feed from the camera is going to sound like mush. thats unfortunately just how it is.

the v1 is becoming quite common here in SA, and its making me pretty unhappy. I honestly think the PD170 records better audio.
Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking. Bummer.

I thought that 8.5 to 9 on the gain dial was a little much, but couldn't seem to see anything else I was doing wrong. Guess it's the V1U.

When you say it's poor for audio, the audio capture should stil be ok, correct? It's just the settings and monitoring that make it a pain?
 
well, if you own one why not let me know!!

i've done several shoots using the sony z1 (which is actually pretty decent for audio) and sony 450 for this one company, and now they are starting to occasionaly use the v1u.

i havent had any complaints about my audio, they still say its cool, SO i assume that the answer is the audio CAPTURE is ok.

but i still HATE the thought of a -20 lineup from a 1k tone sitting at 8.5 on the cam's knobs!!! if i WANTED to do a -12 lineup on that camera, i couldnt. and the monitoring is sadly more than a pain, its like slow death by hiss. :)

but anyway, after the rant, if the capture is fine, then the capture is fine.
 
timapter said:
well, if you own one why not let me know!!

i've done several shoots using the sony z1 (which is actually pretty decent for audio) and sony 450 for this one company, and now they are starting to occasionaly use the v1u.

i havent had any complaints about my audio, they still say its cool, SO i assume that the answer is the audio CAPTURE is ok.

but i still HATE the thought of a -20 lineup from a 1k tone sitting at 8.5 on the cam's knobs!!! if i WANTED to do a -12 lineup on that camera, i couldnt. and the monitoring is sadly more than a pain, its like slow death by hiss. :)

but anyway, after the rant, if the capture is fine, then the capture is fine.
Click to expand...

Will do. I just don't have enough practical experience yet to make a judgement. I just got the SD302 and am starting to use it now.

I'll report when I get a chance. Thanks for the info.
 
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