Hi Martyn,
thanks for the reply. I've been recording for 30+ years so the points you m=
ake are all well known. For one thing I prefer not to add gain in post, sim=
ply because of my approach to recording. What interests me is listening & s=
o I actually press 'record' less & less, but I record a lot of very quiet s=
ounds - inc. empty spaces. The reason I want to get some extra umpfff into =
my 7 series recorder is mainly due to the fact that even with the best mics=
I find that some situations I could do with a bit more gain (without extra=
noise) to give a rich impression of certain acoustic spaces. I'm intereste=
d right now in the relative volume of certain microphones & how they impact=
on the ability of the acoustics to find places within the signal.
I tutor here on the Wildeye courses, along with Chris Watson & so i'm lucky=
to have the opportunity to test all kinds of mics - inc. the soundfield mi=
cs, which are very good indeed but i'm searching still for mics that get me=
closer to that indefinable 'something' that I want to feel when I listen t=
hrough them.
ta,
Jez
--- In Martyn Stewart <> wrote:
>
> I must admit that in all the time I have used the Sound Devices series of=
recorders, I have never had to worry about using extra gain, The Sennheise=
r MKH series microphones are calibrated to my needs, I use one specific set=
ting on the rotary pots and this has been sufficient from day one. What cou=
ld you possibly be recording that you need to jack up the gain so much? I u=
se a 552 mixer when i'm on location with a film crew only. Recording nature=
, I try to listen with my ears first of the ambient sound and then set the =
headphone gain to match what I am hearing. If you need more gain later, inc=
rease the gain in post production.
>
> With direct cabling from MKH30/40, after setting MS for stereo, I set my =
Tone Level on the 722/788t at -30dB. Then set input level at 56.7dBA (by ad=
justing the rotary pot just to the left of the "menu" button and viewing th=
e momentary reading on the screen). Because the Sennheiser have virtually =
no variation between mics in the MKH series, this provides a standard cali=
brated input level of 64dBA relative to a -30dB meter reading and will resu=
lts in accurate assessment of signal ranges for later analysis.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Martyn
> *************************************
> Martyn Stewart
> www.naturesound.org
> www.soundofcritters.com
>
> Redmond WA
> 425-898-0462
>
> 47.65420118705451
> -121.98158740997314
>
> Make every garden a wildlife habitat
> **************************************
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> ------------------------------------------------
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>
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>
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>
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>
> P please consider the environment before printing this email
>
> On Apr 18, 2012, at 6:37 AM, Munir kureshi wrote:
>
> > I have been using Sennheiser MKH70/30 and I think they are very quiet. =
I like them a lot. I also use Schoeps CMIT5U/CCM4 and I think they sound li=
ttle quieter and richer. I am sure somebody might disagree on that.
> > Munir.
> >
> > Sent from my iPad
> >
> > On Apr 18, 2012, at 3:33 AM, "Jez" <> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > thanks Andrew,
> > >
> > > yes - the GL is discontinued ! Lots of folks have been saying good th=
ings about the MIXY recently though, so i'm going to check that out too.
> > >
> > > I'm being picky I know but it seems to me that most of the manufactur=
ers could be a bit more helpful when it comes to the way the list specs on =
their various products - for example the gain rates across the SD range are=
not listed in the same say or format from model to model.
> > >
> > > When it comes to the basic questions I asked, again it seems that the=
prime use of a mixer for video location shoots gets tons of coverage but t=
he advantages, or not, of their use for straight audio tend not to get a lo=
ok in.
> > >
> > > leading on from this, do members have some ideas of which mics out th=
ere have the strongest signal with the least noise ? I've used most of the =
usual suspects but i'd be interested in knowing if there are any not so obv=
ious ones out there that deliver a hefty level & are quiet in terms of self=
noise.
> > >
> > > ta.
> > >
> > > --- In "andrewrileysound" <pointerz=
z@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Hi Munir,
> > > >
> > > > The GL is apparently now discontinued so it is all academic but I d=
isagree with your B&H source. The GL offers higher gain, which would solve =
one of my issues with the Nagra units.
> > > >
> > > > While the specs are the same for the 7 series and 302/MixPre pre-am=
ps the construction is different, in fact the 788 is different again from t=
he rest of the 7 series recorders (in order to solve power issues associate=
d with having all those pres on board). Subjectively I believe there is a d=
ifference it's just that it is not necessarily manifested purely in terms o=
f noise. My personal favourite mixer from SD is the old 442 which again has=
the same pres as the MixPre along with a really good sounding and comprehe=
nsive filter section.
> > > >
> > > > Would be interested to know what you make of it all after your demo=
in November.
> > > >
> > > > Cheers
> > > >
> > > > Andy
> > > >
> > > > --- In Munir kureshi <munirkuresh=
i@> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Hi Jez, Andrew,
> > > > >
> > > > > When I ordered Nagra LB from B&H I also ordered Grace Lunatec and=
the guy suggested against getting GL preamp. He said it would not make any=
difference. When I got my SD788t, the distributor discouraged against 302 =
mixer because the mixer in SD 7 series is as good as 302 mixer. I will the =
demo of SD when they come to San Francisco in November but it is ways down =
the road. Me too, if SD 302 makes ad difference then I will add it to my sy=
stem.
> > > > >
> > > > > Hope there is more information on the subject.
> > > > >
> > > > > Munir.
> > > > >
> > > > > Sent from my iPad
> > > > >
> > > > > On Apr 17, 2012, at 3:26 PM, "andrewrileysound" <pointerzz@> wrot=
e:
> > > > >
> > > > > > Hi Jez,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > 1) Theoretically you could get an extra 18dB of gain on the lin=
e level output from the 302 but I think they have a slightly lower gain tha=
n the pres built into the 7 series recorders. I just did a quick subjective=
test using my Mixpre (original issue :) ) into my 744 and I couldn't disce=
rn an advantage to the gain staging suggested.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > 2) As far as I'm aware they are the same pre-amps as were in th=
e old Mixpre and are still listed as using Lundahl transformers on the inpu=
t.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Have you looked at/tried the Grace Lunatec? It would be great t=
o know how that compares to the SD stuff, on paper it looks amazing!
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Cheers
> > > > > >
> > > > > > --- In "Jez" <tempjez@> wrote=
:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Hi,
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I have some simple questions if folks could give me some feed=
back please. Not sure why i've not got round to doing this kind of comparis=
on before now - i've had plenty of field mixers on hand over the years !
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > my questions are:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > 1) do you get any extra gain from attaching a SD 302 mixer to=
a 7 series recorder ? ie. with the same microphones plugged in do you get =
a higher level through the 302 into the recorder than you can get just goin=
g into the 7 series recorder & is it quieter that way than whacking the gai=
n on the recorder up higher ?
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > 2) are pre-amps / stages in the 302 analogue (like the old mi=
xpre) ?
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > i'm looking into adding a field mixer to my kit again & looki=
ng at various different models. The SD website has the frustrating habit of=
not doing like-for-like spec sheets & also, though i've searched all over =
the net, I can't find any reports on this kind of simple test.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > ta !
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
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