Edirol FA-66 sound problem

[Piet Deyaert]

Is it normal when connecting a non condensor mic (so non phantom power), I'm having very quiet sound recordings?
The mic, a cheap AKG, (tonight I'll be using my MKH 416). Connected to the first input (normal Jack).

I'm using BoomRecorder for capturing, FA-66 is set at 96.000 Hz, limiter ON.

What am I doing wrong?


(The FA-66 works perfect when playing some music in iTunes)

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Piet Deyaert

Is it normal when connecting a non condensor mic (so non phantom power), I'm having very quiet sound recordings?
The mic, a cheap AKG, (tonight I'll be using my MKH 416). Connected to the first input (normal Jack).

I'm using BoomRecorder for capturing, FA-66 is set at 96.000 Hz, limiter ON.

What am I doing wrong?


(The FA-66 works perfect when playing some music in iTunes)

You say it's a non-condensor, no-phantom mic but we need more information than just that. Is it a dynamic mic? Just what mic is it and how does it connect? Does it use an XLR connector, is it an archaic 1/4" TS connector, or is it a 1/8 mini connector you're adapting to XLR or 1/4? If it's 1/8 mini, how exactly do you have it wired.

[Piet Deyaert]

A Dynamic Mic, connected to a 1/4 connector.

I just connected a guitar. Can hear nothing, even if I put the 'sens' knob to the max and with the output also set at max.

[Piet Deyaert]

Just got an ME66/k6 in my hands, connected it with XLR to the FA-66. Phantom power switched on. No battery in the K6. I can hear the mic when the 'sensitivity' knob is at the maximum setting.
I also hear a huge humble, or some kind of distortion, but when I put my hand on the FA-66 (literally!) it suddenly dissapears.

Is this normal??

[Steve House]

I don't have one of those units but I'm looking at the online owner's manual. Guitars need to use a high impedance input - that means you need to use Input 2 with the switch set to Hi-Z. Mics are Low-Z - Input 1 is permanently set to Low while Input 2 can be set to either low or high. So your mic should go to Input 1 and the guitar to Input 2 with its impedance set High. But there's another problem as well - according to the specs Input 1's sensitivity only goes down to -35dBu but most dynamic mics are down in the -55dBu range so I suspect that your dynamic mic just doesn't have enough output to drive the input properly. Do you have another mic you can try?

...edit...

Just saw your note about the ME66 ... doesn't sound normal to me. Put the battery in the mic and try again.

[Piet Deyaert]

I used the mic in input 1 and 2 (both same problem), Guitar only in 2.

When I put the battery in the ME66/k6 and switch 48v off, I'll still have to put the 'sensitivity' knog to the max.
Could this be something with the Pre-amps?
Do I need to switch them on? (Guess not?)

I also just found out that when I'm not using 48V, I don't need to puch the FA-66 to make the humble/distortion dissappear.

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Piet Deyaert

I used the mic in input 1 and 2 (both same problem), Guitar only in 2.

When I put the battery in the ME66/k6 and switch 48v off, I'll still have to put the 'sensetivity' knog to the max.
Could this be something with the Pre-amps?
Do I need to switch them on? (Guess not?)

The K6 module auto-senses when phantom is supplied are drops the battery offline. Leave the battery in and turn on 48v phantom. Mic is turned on, right?

What preamps are you talking about? You didn't say you were using any other devices. Do you mean the power switch on the Edirol itself?? Of course it has to be on. You may also have an issue with power coming from your computer not being adequate if you're trying to run the Edirol on bus power - try using the AC adapter and setting the power switch to "DC In"

[Piet Deyaert]

Did what you said, still the same.

I was talking about the pre-amps built inside the FA-66.
My 5 year old camcorder has louder pre-amps!!

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Piet Deyaert

Did what you said, still the same.

I was talking about the pre-amps built inside the FA-66.
My 5 year old camcorder has louder pre-amps!!

Okay, now I'm officially stumped. I find no preamp on/off switching mentioned anywhere in the manual.

Is the "Mix" knob all the way to the right so you're hearing the inputs directly without passing into your computer and back?

[Piet Deyaert]

Mix is completely to the right, Zero Latency.

Between the two XLR-inputs is says: Mic Preamps.
So there are some pre-amps. But why the low sound pressure?

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Piet Deyaert

Mix is completely to the right, Zero Latency.

Between the two XLR-inputs is says: Mic Preamps.
So there are some pre-amps. But why the low sound pressure?

Well, yes there are preamps on inputs 1 & 2 but what you're seeing there is just a label reminding you those inputs have mic preamps. AFAIK there's no separate on/off switching for the preamp section per se - when the Edirol is on, they're on.

I've been assuming you're listening with headphones and their volume control is all the way up - is that correct?

[Piet Deyaert]

Jep, phone-volume is also set to the max.

Isn't there anybody with an FA-66, just for comparison?

[Steve House]

Curious to see what others might offer - just about exhausted my diagnostic abilties.

[Toenis Liivamaegi]

I have the FA 66 ans it has worked well for recording..
My settings are MIX in the middle and those two buttons near it pushed in.
The preamp gain (SENS) is usually no more up than 3/4 max to get noise free loud sound.
Once I had the PC configured to take other than the first mic input and had similar issues.

Cheers,
T

[Piet Deyaert]

What microphones are you using?

When I put the FA66 at 3/4 I can't hear a thing. Even with the phones-output at maximum settings.