Tascam DR-100mkII Low output levels

J

JChang

Active member
I recently got a DR-100mkII and have been playing with it but have ran into some problems.

It seems as if the output for the headphones is very very soft. I have it turned up to ten and still have a hard time listening.

Gain is set to HIGH with a level around 5 - 6. There seems to be a lot of static noises around this level.
Is this normal?

Also, should I be recording soft and then leveling it out in post or record it at 0db?

I have it connected to a Rode NTG-1.

Thanks!
 
Theoretically.. recording as close to 0dBFS without exceeding 0dBFS. Of course, headroom for high peaks must be factored in. Generally most record w/ peaks at around -12dB which should yield enough headroom, for any occasional unexpected high peaks, the limiter should catch.

If your getting static, there may be other issues, like a bad mic cable. Is the static also recorded or just present through the HPs?

What make/model headphones are you using? Some HPs are high impedance and/or have low sensitivity, therefore need an unusually powerful HP amp to drive them. Many location audio pros prefer the Sony 7506 and Sennheiser HD25, but there are others worthy of consideration. The 7506 and HD25 cost around $100USD. It's kind of a personal subjective choice, so audition some if you can. Search this and other location audio forums for more info on the preferred HPs.
 
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JChang said:
Gain is set to HIGH with a level around 5 - 6. There seems to be a lot of static noises around this level. Is this normal?
Click to expand...

Yes, I will never use the HIGH mic gain setting as it's noise floor is in the -50 dB range, which makes it useless for professional recording. The LOW and MED mic gain settings have noise floors between -78 dB to -84 dB, which are extremely good for a low cost recorder.

The DR-100MK2 is a great recorder ( one of the best under $500 ), but you have to know how to use it properly.
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I am using Shure SH-840s as the headphones.

The bad wire might seem very plausible. I will have to get a second set of wires in to try it out soon.

Thanks for the recommendation TheDingo. I will keep that in mind.
 
Assuming the 840s are working properly, they should give you adequate volume. ( 44 Ω ; 102 dB/mW )
 
The dr100 is a very decent recorder, but with lower output mics like the ntg1, you are on the edge. How far away is the mic from the talent? If it is more than 24", you'll have problems. Hopefully you aren't mounted on cam. Used with a mixer, the dr100 is very good. If you use it with a hotter mic like the ntg3, you will have an easier time.

Grant
 
Just got a DR-100mkII and ran a recording test at home in front of a TV:


- Placed the DR-100mkII about 2 feet in front of the TV
- Gain at MED
- Recording level at 9
- Use built-in uni-directional mics


Results:


1. Used earphones to listen to the playback on the unit. Volume level at 10. The output is quite low.
2. Copied the .WAV file to iTunes library and listened to it on a computer. Again, the output is quite low.


Is this expected behavior?


I don't find any other settings on the unit to increase the levels in the recorded file.
 
chung said:
Just got a DR-100mkII and ran a recording test at home in front of a TV
Click to expand...

...You should be able to safely boost the audio volume in your audio editor by 10 to 15 dB and still achieve good sound. The noise-floor of the DR-100 Mk2 set-up the way you've described is still very good. ( better than -75 dB RMS )

Beyond this, you're going to have to switch to a mic with greater output ( like the NTG3 mentioned previously ) or add a good mixer / mic pre-amp to the mix.

Can you post a sample audio file of what you are recording?
 
That's pretty low. I was able to boost it by normalizing but it should be recorded hotter to begin with.
Set the mic 'gain' switch to high and boost the record volume on the recorder to get adequate levels.
The internal mics (and preamps) on budget recorders normally do not offer a lot of (quiet) gain, likely due to the fact there were designed more for the MI market where SPL levels are usually higher. A higher output mic is recommended.. and HQ external preamps as well.
 
Your recording is at least 20 dB too low, and moving to the HIGH mic gain setting on the DR-100 Mk2 recorder is going to make any recording quite noisy.

As Rich mentioned, you either have to add a high quality external pre-amp or mixer to use this NTG-1 mic, or use a mic with higher output.

Are you mainly recording indoors or outdoors?
 
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