My auto audio levels are always too hot

[Douglas Robbins]

As an update on the thread I started, I've found a system that works well enough.

For the AT I switch on the attenuation. That sets me back 20 db and that seems, by in large to work fine for the auto audio system (the "agc" as Sony calls it). I lose some bass response but the trade off is worth it not to have to be worried about sound levels among other technical issues.

For the G2, I've set the bodypack sensitivity to -20db. Then I set the reciever AF out to -24db. I leave the XL2 attenuation switch off. Again, at this setting the auto audio system works fine with some bass response loss.

THis appears to be an imperfect but very acceptable working solution to the hot mics on the XL2. Let me know if this configuration does or does not work for others.

Douglas

[Mark Sasahara]

Doug, -20dB may be a bit too much attenuation, at least for a shotgun. For the lavs, if people are talking loudly, that may be okay. Most shotguns are probably best placed 2 feet to four feet away from the subject. But it sounds like you may have your lav solution.

I've been playing around with my ME-66 shotgun mic and the AT8202 in-line attenuator set at -10dB seems to be the best setting for "normal" conversational audio levels. -20dB seemed to really bring the levels down too much. -30dB is even lower, but good for recording very loud audio levels.

On the back of the XL2 there is an "att" setting, but this brings the level down, what appears to be about -30dB, which is way too much.

The 8202 is only $43.50 @ B&H, is made of solid metal and will last a good long time. The -10dB pad will help bring the mic level right out of the shotgun down to a line level more acceptable to the XL2.

Also if using the AT8202, keep it as close to the camera as possible, but don't plug it directly into the camera as the weight & length of them provide a malevolent leverage point that will prematurely stress the jacks, the plastic & wires around it. It's best to use a short XLR cable 1'-2 feet long coming out of the camera, the attenuator and then plug a long XLR cable into the shotgun.

[Matthew C. Abourezk]

OK... I am in shock. I cannot believe that Canon chose to not include a line-level switch. I REALLY can't believe it.

I was going to be using my newly purchased XL2 with the Newly purchased 16x manual lens and Newly purchased Matte-Box on a studio shoot... but in going through a shake-down with the camera, I discovered that the XLRs do not have a line-level setting..... OH.... MY.... GOD....

What a let down. This is such a standard item, even on prosumer cameras that don't have XLR inputs, that I NEVER even thought to check to see if a line-level setting was part of the camera.... my only question was (after I bought the camera) "ok, lets see, where did they put that switch?"

Personally, I think we should scream at Canon for this.

[Pete Bauer]

Hi Matthew,

There are a lot of folks who agree and share your frustration about the XLR mic-level only setup, and there are some whom it doesn't bother. It has been pretty well discussed. Here's the first thread I'm aware of that brings up the topic:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...light=line+XLR

and doing a search on keywords "line level XL2" yielded these further discussions, already in progress:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...line+level+XLR

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...line+level+XLR

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...line+level+XLR

[url]http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32464&highlight=line+level+XLR[url]

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...line+level+XLR

[url]http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35591&highlight=line+level+XLR[url]

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...line+level+XLR

[url]http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37493&highlight=line+level+XLR[[url]

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...line+level+XLR

Screaming might make you feel better, but it won't help. ;-) I'm confident that by now consumer opinion about this has reached Canon -- and that may influence future camera design, but the XL2 is in our hands and that hardware isn't going to change. Since Douglas started this thread to solve a particular problem, I think we oughta just "focus" here on helping him out.

Cheers,

[Matthew C. Abourezk]

Pete....
(can I at least stomp my feet? :-)

[Pete Bauer]

Matthew,

Well, I guess...if it really makes ya feel better...but be careful not to kick over any gear in the process! ;-)

Douglas, Don, Greg, and, well, everyone,

It seems like you guys pretty well sorted things out "well enough" but I'm not much of an audio guy and wanted to check on whether you guys were using the G2's EK-100 G2 bodypack receiver or the EM-100 G2 RACK MOUNT diversity receiver?

According to the manual (page 90 for English), the bodypack outputs a voltage of +10dBu at peak deflection...I'd take this to be MIC-level? The rack-mount receiver's output is at +12 for XLR and +18 for 1/4"... is that just "high mic-level" or is that enough to be considered LINE-level?

In any case, if my limited understanding hasn't gone off track too far...if you're using the rack-mount receiver, at the very least it is going to be hotter than the body pack. As Greg correctly pointed out, the XLR jacks don't do LINE-level...so maybe it is TOO hot for the XLR jacks of the XL2 if the output actually is LINE-level?

The ENG kit, which does not have the rack-mount (only the bodypack receiver), has worked great for me, so I wanted to clarify exactly which hardware was involved.