Xh-a1 + Sd302 at DVinfo.net

Ross Jones · May 12th, 2007, 07:03 PM

XH-A1 just arrived this on Thursday - lots of fun getting to know it... today was 'audio day'.. Mic inputs work OK, but Line inputs are a little odd...
Anyone using the SD302 - or any other field mixer with the A1?
From what I read in the manual, it appears that the line inputs are expecting 6dBV.. When connected and sending the A1 a 1kHz test tone from the SD302, the audio meters on the LCD are only at about 1/3 - i.e. some way off from the green dot (is that at -12dB..?).
Anyone found a way of feeding a beefy enough line level from the 302..?
Thx, Rgds, Ross.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bill Pryor · May 13th, 2007, 12:18 PM

Your tone should be at -20, with audio between -20 and -12, maybe some peaks at up to -10 or -11.

Ross Jones · May 13th, 2007, 03:17 PM

Bill, I normally set tone at -20, but feeding the XLR with a test tone line level out of the SD302 can only get to one mark under -20dB on the A1's meters... and that is with the A1 gain on Ch1 set at max. I guess my question is therefore more of a SD302 one, than an A1 one.. hmmm.
Just seems odd that I need to give Ch 1 full gain...
Rgds, Ross.

Bill Pryor · May 13th, 2007, 03:49 PM

In that case it sounds like something weird there. You shouldn't have to crank the gain up all that much. I've been recording quickie interviews with the mic directly in. I'll check it out this week with our Shure FP33, line out, and see what happens.

Daniel Epstein · May 13th, 2007, 06:04 PM

This issue has been talked about many times. Not all mixers and cameras Line Levels are alike. The prosumer digital cameras have been all over the place as to what they think line level is from the Sony PD-150 on.
The mixer manufacturers have also been playing around coming close to a standard but not exactly the same. The output from the Sound Design mixers in line level is not hot enough for the Canon XL-H1 and XH-G1 A1 inputs. The Canon's +6DBV is 2 DBV less sensitive than +4DB analog standard line level which the Shure FP-33 puts out. The Sound Design mixers line level appears to max out at 0DB which is 6DB too low for the Canon's inputs. This is why the inputs on the Canon have to be set very high for tone when using Line Level. Easiest solution is use mic level on the Canons which have a more normal Mic level impedance.
Of course tone is only one signal to judge the recording by. If you want or need to use Line level with the Sound design Use the cameras built in tone for reference and set the tone from the mixer at -24 but run the actual levels on the Sound Design hotter so you get the proper recording level on the Canon. Usually you can get a satisfactory signal recorded this way. And if you have to go to multiple cameras make sure you don't use Y cables to split the signal to the two cameras. Use Transformer Isolated Splits like the ones from Whirlwind to avoid problems

May 12th, 2007, 07:03 PM	#1
Ross Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Harvard, MA Posts: 155	Xh-a1 + Sd302 XH-A1 just arrived this on Thursday - lots of fun getting to know it... today was 'audio day'.. Mic inputs work OK, but Line inputs are a little odd... Anyone using the SD302 - or any other field mixer with the A1? From what I read in the manual, it appears that the line inputs are expecting 6dBV.. When connected and sending the A1 a 1kHz test tone from the SD302, the audio meters on the LCD are only at about 1/3 - i.e. some way off from the green dot (is that at -12dB..?). Anyone found a way of feeding a beefy enough line level from the 302..? Thx, Rgds, Ross. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ __________________ XH-A1; HV-20; Miller DS-10; Manfrotto 695/3229; SD302/702; PCM-D50; FCS2; MacPro; 2.25TB

May 13th, 2007, 03:17 PM	#3
Ross Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Harvard, MA Posts: 155	Bill, I normally set tone at -20, but feeding the XLR with a test tone line level out of the SD302 can only get to one mark under -20dB on the A1's meters... and that is with the A1 gain on Ch1 set at max. I guess my question is therefore more of a SD302 one, than an A1 one.. hmmm. Just seems odd that I need to give Ch 1 full gain... Rgds, Ross. __________________ XH-A1; HV-20; Miller DS-10; Manfrotto 695/3229; SD302/702; PCM-D50; FCS2; MacPro; 2.25TB

May 13th, 2007, 12:18 PM	#2
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Your tone should be at -20, with audio between -20 and -12, maybe some peaks at up to -10 or -11.

May 13th, 2007, 03:49 PM	#4
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	In that case it sounds like something weird there. You shouldn't have to crank the gain up all that much. I've been recording quickie interviews with the mic directly in. I'll check it out this week with our Shure FP33, line out, and see what happens.

May 13th, 2007, 06:04 PM	#5
Daniel Epstein Trustee Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,267	This issue has been talked about many times. Not all mixers and cameras Line Levels are alike. The prosumer digital cameras have been all over the place as to what they think line level is from the Sony PD-150 on. The mixer manufacturers have also been playing around coming close to a standard but not exactly the same. The output from the Sound Design mixers in line level is not hot enough for the Canon XL-H1 and XH-G1 A1 inputs. The Canon's +6DBV is 2 DBV less sensitive than +4DB analog standard line level which the Shure FP-33 puts out. The Sound Design mixers line level appears to max out at 0DB which is 6DB too low for the Canon's inputs. This is why the inputs on the Canon have to be set very high for tone when using Line Level. Easiest solution is use mic level on the Canons which have a more normal Mic level impedance. Of course tone is only one signal to judge the recording by. If you want or need to use Line level with the Sound design Use the cameras built in tone for reference and set the tone from the mixer at -24 but run the actual levels on the Sound Design hotter so you get the proper recording level on the Canon. Usually you can get a satisfactory signal recorded this way. And if you have to go to multiple cameras make sure you don't use Y cables to split the signal to the two cameras. Use Transformer Isolated Splits like the ones from Whirlwind to avoid problems