Mystery to me!!! at DVinfo.net

Eugene Presley · January 13th, 2003, 06:43 AM

Hello everybody,

This is my first post, I'm a new member from Belgium (Europe), I live in Antwerpen. My english is not that good, so I'm already making apologies for all my futures mistakes.

I'm working as a photographer and a documentary-maker. I recently finished a short, and I'm now working on a television-program for a commercial station with my XL1s.

Here's my situation : I work with an XL1s (with an MA-400), a Sounddevices MIX-PRé, a Sennheiser EW112p and a Sennheiser ME67 boom-mic.
I selected 16 bit and I put AUDIO1 on line-level. I've connected the MIX-PRé with a multi-cable on the MA-400. I've levelled the configuration : 1kHZ-signal from the mixer gives on my XL1s -20db (which is the perfect calibration.)

My friend who's operating the Sounddevices and is doing the audio gets a cristal clear, nice sound from the ME67 and EW112p. On the audio-display of my camera I can see the sound coming in around -20db : perfect I would think!
But here's the mistery : when listening via the tape-return we here the audio distorted!! My camera has recorded a distorted sound! My monitor-level is perfect (-20dB) and nevertheless everything we record is distorted...!!!

I've read another post where they talk about attenuators, but how can you explain that on my monitor I don't get over -20db, and I hear a sound like it is recorded on 0db?????

Every answer will help me. Thanks!

Dimitri.

Jeff Donald · January 13th, 2003, 01:20 PM

The Mix Pre http://www.sounddevices.com/products/mx2master.htm outputs line level. The MA-400 I'm not familiar with, but if it's like other Canon adapters, it won't take line level. The signal needs to be attenuated to use mic level inputs. Sound Devices makes cables to do just that http://www.sounddevices.com/products/xl40master.htm they are top quality connectors and I recommend them.

Jeff

Don Palomaki · January 13th, 2003, 06:02 PM

I agree with Jeff. Assuming your MA-xxx is has similar electronics to the MA-100, do not send it a signal above MIC level (-30 dBV is OK, -10 dBV is not). If the mixer has typical output level, it is +4dBU, and that would put the MA-100 into hard clipping.

Eugene Presley · January 14th, 2003, 02:02 AM

The MA-400 is the same as the MA-200 in the US (4 XLR-inputs). Apparently Canon gives it another name in Europe (Belgium)

Thanks for the advice!!!

January 13th, 2003, 06:43 AM	#1
Eugene Presley Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Antwerpen (Belgium) Posts: 220	Mystery to me!!! Hello everybody, This is my first post, I'm a new member from Belgium (Europe), I live in Antwerpen. My english is not that good, so I'm already making apologies for all my futures mistakes. I'm working as a photographer and a documentary-maker. I recently finished a short, and I'm now working on a television-program for a commercial station with my XL1s. Here's my situation : I work with an XL1s (with an MA-400), a Sounddevices MIX-PRé, a Sennheiser EW112p and a Sennheiser ME67 boom-mic. I selected 16 bit and I put AUDIO1 on line-level. I've connected the MIX-PRé with a multi-cable on the MA-400. I've levelled the configuration : 1kHZ-signal from the mixer gives on my XL1s -20db (which is the perfect calibration.) My friend who's operating the Sounddevices and is doing the audio gets a cristal clear, nice sound from the ME67 and EW112p. On the audio-display of my camera I can see the sound coming in around -20db : perfect I would think! But here's the mistery : when listening via the tape-return we here the audio distorted!! My camera has recorded a distorted sound! My monitor-level is perfect (-20dB) and nevertheless everything we record is distorted...!!! I've read another post where they talk about attenuators, but how can you explain that on my monitor I don't get over -20db, and I hear a sound like it is recorded on 0db????? Every answer will help me. Thanks! Dimitri.

January 14th, 2003, 02:02 AM	#4
Eugene Presley Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Antwerpen (Belgium) Posts: 220	Correction The MA-400 is the same as the MA-200 in the US (4 XLR-inputs). Apparently Canon gives it another name in Europe (Belgium) Thanks for the advice!!!

January 13th, 2003, 01:20 PM	#2
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	The Mix Pre http://www.sounddevices.com/products/mx2master.htm outputs line level. The MA-400 I'm not familiar with, but if it's like other Canon adapters, it won't take line level. The signal needs to be attenuated to use mic level inputs. Sound Devices makes cables to do just that http://www.sounddevices.com/products/xl40master.htm they are top quality connectors and I recommend them. Jeff

January 13th, 2003, 06:02 PM	#3
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,489	I agree with Jeff. Assuming your MA-xxx is has similar electronics to the MA-100, do not send it a signal above MIC level (-30 dBV is OK, -10 dBV is not). If the mixer has typical output level, it is +4dBU, and that would put the MA-100 into hard clipping.