Sound Devices kashmir amps(mix pre3,mix pre6, etc)

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FrancisT

Active member
For those using wireless lav, whether its sanken cos1, sennheiser me2, etc; how far are you pushing the preamps? I still find that im noise free up to 50 gain(at mic) but i wonder if more will introduce problems. Im coming from a h6n zoom background where past 6 you would get trouble. How far can i push these preamps?

I know im not posting all my gain structure(receiver&transmitter gain), but im looking for a general guideline.
 
You cannot base proper gain staging on a target number on the dial. And numbers like "6" don't mean much. Use your ears, and the meters, to ensure clean signal.

Regarding the H6 (there is no "N"), I assume "up to 50 gain" is 50dB of input gain? That's not an unusual amount in input gain at mic level.

And I assume "6" is on the input's mix level dial? Which, based on a 0-10 scale on the dial, means you're at 60% of the input's volume control. Without knowing how many dB "10" is, there's no way to know what 60% means. That said, good pre-amps can push to at least 75% of their gain without added noise. Great pre-amps can go all the way up without added noise.

The reality is that the H6, like Zoom's other handheld recorders, doesn't have the world's greatest pre-amps. In fact, they're relatively lousy. Normal-to-heavy gain boost is going to have some added noise floor. Pushing the input's mix level (the rotary pot, or dial) is going to amplify that more, though that only impacts the mix record tracks.

Sound Device's Kashmir pre-amps are delightfully quiet. The input gain has a 70dB boost range (from +6dB to +76dB). I've had it almost all the way up on my MixPre-6 and have gotten clean recording, but I was using really good mics.

As for your overall question, you ask about wireless systems, but reference Sanken Cos1 (do you mean Cos11?) and Sennheiser ME2, which are only lav mics. Which radio system (transmitter and receiver) are you using? Sennheiser G3? To get the best signal/noise ratio out of your H6, you might look at upping the AF Out setting on your receiver. Try 0dB, +6dB, and even +12dB. This will minimize the need for added gain in the H6, thus minimizing added noise.
 
As Alex said, it's important to know what wireless systems you are using since you mentioned that.

Setting up proper gain is really important, there is not a set rule for where the trim should be. That is going to vary from one mic to another. The trick us where your fader is. Watch this, and it should help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFl-_dTCd2Y
 
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