Using DXA-6 with house sound at DVinfo.net

Keith Loh · February 10th, 2004, 02:27 PM

This is my second time trying this. I'm recording a seminar this afternoon and I have the DXA-6 XLR adaptor for the XL1S. I'm pretty sure they will be giving me house sound from the microphone. I've used the DXA with a boom mic before with no probs but the first time I tried it with house sound I got squat. I can't remember exactly what the issue was but I want to start from scratch now.

What exactly am I hooking into what? The house sound *I expect* is going to give me an XLR cable. I plug it into one of the inputs. Fine.

Can I back up by using the mic at the same time? I have an Senny Me66.

Douglas Spotted Eagle · February 10th, 2004, 09:08 PM

You can use the DXA for input from a mic, but if you are feeding it a line signal, you'll need to convert it, or have problems with levels. You could also feed your ME66 into it, running it at a hotter level, running the risk and probability of noise. Direct feeds are always preferable.

Jay Massengill · February 10th, 2004, 10:28 PM

The DXA-6 has a line-level input switch. If you aren't getting a signal into the camera, you need to verify that the cable from the sound board is actually carrying a signal. You also need to verify that a signal, say from your mic on the opposite channel of the adapter, can make it through the BeachTek into the camera set to the proper audio input.

Douglas Spotted Eagle · February 10th, 2004, 10:37 PM

Jay, is the DXA6 a -40 or -50dB pad? I didn't realize the 6 had a pad. The 4 is -50dB. Curious if it's noisy or not when attenuated? Cheap attenuators tend to have a strange bump in them on the low end, and you get grumble noise.

Keith Loh · February 10th, 2004, 10:41 PM

I spent ten minute fiddling with menus and gave up trying to get house sound. Worse, I forgot to pack my Senny, so I used the stereo mic. The audio is going to be pretty bad, though listenable. I need to memorize the DXA manual next time, I think. Or I need to test this out with a mixing board and XLR before my next event so I can see what the issue is.

Jay Massengill · February 11th, 2004, 08:54 AM

According to the manual with my older single-phantom DXA-6 it's a 50db pad. To be honest I don't remember ever having used it for line level so I can't comment on the quality of the attenuator.
One silly thing that did mess me up once for a few seconds is that the controls and the connectors are arranged correctly if you are looking at the device from the front and then the back. However, if you've got the camera in hand or on a tripod and you're only viewing the BeachTek from the control side, then the connector directly behind each control is for the opposite channel.
With a bigger piece of equipment you kind of take it for granted that you have to look at the connector labels, but with something small enough that your brain directly traces a line from the control knob straight through to the rear panel connector, it can confuse you.
Another factor is the terminology for "stereo" and "mono". You select mono if you want a single mic to go to both channels. You select stereo if you want to keep the two inputs separated. Technically that is correct, but it often confuses people because of the wording.

Jacques Mersereau · February 11th, 2004, 10:05 AM

Yeah, it's a -50db pad, (which just like the DXA-4) is TOO MUCH pad IMO.

I wish they had a -30db pad instead. The issue? With a mic like
the ME66 without the pad the signal is almost too hot. You only
need to open the volume pot like 1 click and you're close to overload.

Flip the pad on and then you have to crank the volume pot all the way
and the signal is still a bit weak. The -50db pad is okay when getting
a +4db signal, but again almost too much attenuation with even a -10db signal.

I am thinking about opening it up and replacing them with -30db.

February 10th, 2004, 02:27 PM	#1
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	Using DXA-6 with house sound This is my second time trying this. I'm recording a seminar this afternoon and I have the DXA-6 XLR adaptor for the XL1S. I'm pretty sure they will be giving me house sound from the microphone. I've used the DXA with a boom mic before with no probs but the first time I tried it with house sound I got squat. I can't remember exactly what the issue was but I want to start from scratch now. What exactly am I hooking into what? The house sound I expect is going to give me an XLR cable. I plug it into one of the inputs. Fine. Can I back up by using the mic at the same time? I have an Senny Me66. __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

February 10th, 2004, 09:08 PM	#2
Douglas Spotted Eagle VASST Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Stockton, UT Posts: 5,648	You can use the DXA for input from a mic, but if you are feeding it a line signal, you'll need to convert it, or have problems with levels. You could also feed your ME66 into it, running it at a hotter level, running the risk and probability of noise. Direct feeds are always preferable. __________________ Douglas Spotted Eagle/Spot Author, producer, composer Certified Sony Vegas Trainer http://www.vasst.com

February 10th, 2004, 10:37 PM	#4
Douglas Spotted Eagle VASST Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Stockton, UT Posts: 5,648	Jay, is the DXA6 a -40 or -50dB pad? I didn't realize the 6 had a pad. The 4 is -50dB. Curious if it's noisy or not when attenuated? Cheap attenuators tend to have a strange bump in them on the low end, and you get grumble noise. __________________ Douglas Spotted Eagle/Spot Author, producer, composer Certified Sony Vegas Trainer http://www.vasst.com

February 10th, 2004, 10:41 PM	#5
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	I spent ten minute fiddling with menus and gave up trying to get house sound. Worse, I forgot to pack my Senny, so I used the stereo mic. The audio is going to be pretty bad, though listenable. I need to memorize the DXA manual next time, I think. Or I need to test this out with a mixing board and XLR before my next event so I can see what the issue is. __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

February 11th, 2004, 10:05 AM	#7
Jacques Mersereau Trustee Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 1,334	Yeah, it's a -50db pad, (which just like the DXA-4) is TOO MUCH pad IMO. I wish they had a -30db pad instead. The issue? With a mic like the ME66 without the pad the signal is almost too hot. You only need to open the volume pot like 1 click and you're close to overload. Flip the pad on and then you have to crank the volume pot all the way and the signal is still a bit weak. The -50db pad is okay when getting a +4db signal, but again almost too much attenuation with even a -10db signal. I am thinking about opening it up and replacing them with -30db. __________________ Jacques Mersereau University of Michigan-Video Studio Manager

February 10th, 2004, 10:28 PM	#3
Jay Massengill Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Burlington Posts: 1,976	The DXA-6 has a line-level input switch. If you aren't getting a signal into the camera, you need to verify that the cable from the sound board is actually carrying a signal. You also need to verify that a signal, say from your mic on the opposite channel of the adapter, can make it through the BeachTek into the camera set to the proper audio input.

February 11th, 2004, 08:54 AM	#6
Jay Massengill Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Burlington Posts: 1,976	According to the manual with my older single-phantom DXA-6 it's a 50db pad. To be honest I don't remember ever having used it for line level so I can't comment on the quality of the attenuator. One silly thing that did mess me up once for a few seconds is that the controls and the connectors are arranged correctly if you are looking at the device from the front and then the back. However, if you've got the camera in hand or on a tripod and you're only viewing the BeachTek from the control side, then the connector directly behind each control is for the opposite channel. With a bigger piece of equipment you kind of take it for granted that you have to look at the connector labels, but with something small enough that your brain directly traces a line from the control knob straight through to the rear panel connector, it can confuse you. Another factor is the terminology for "stereo" and "mono". You select mono if you want a single mic to go to both channels. You select stereo if you want to keep the two inputs separated. Technically that is correct, but it often confuses people because of the wording.