V1e audio? can you help?

[Scott MacKenzie]

Hi Guys,

I wonder if you can help me.

I have recently bought the V1e plus Sennheiser ME66 and sennheiser ew112 radio lapel mics.

Its with using these (radio mics) to record an interview that i'm having trouble.

I use the manual setting to get a good level through my HD 25 headphones and everthing sounds great.

When I captured to Adobe CS3 the audio level is clipping and distorted? Is something amplifying this in some way? the camera? the software?

I can play around with the levels in the software but i am still aware of the clipping and distortion.

I thought that was the way to record sound? Through the camera, listen and adjust levels so, not too low and not too high?

Please help!

thanks

scott mackenzie

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Scott,

I'm also using the Sennheiser EW 100 G2 wireless and - like all of them - it's very hot out of the box, so you *must* attenuate it. The instruction manual tells you how to do that.

What I can't understand is that you can't hear the distorsion and clipping in your headphones - perhaps you have the volume turned down on them?

[Scott MacKenzie]

Hi Piotr,

Yes, that's what I was worried about? I am having to turn the manual audio on the camera down to about 3. Then I don't get any distortion through headphones.

Maybe I'll play with the radio mics and turn the sensitivity down etc.

The bad thing for me is that I like to hear what I'm recording! i.e when recording at level 3 on the cam the sound through the headphones sounds great. Then when imported into computer the audio level is too high?



scott

[Lee Berger]

The output on the receiver may be too strong for the camcorder audio input. The ew112 should have a control for its output level.

[Bob Grant]

Try switching the camera inputs from Mic to Line. The Sennies can output upto line level for the cam and it makes more sense to do it that way than turning the level out of the receiver down.

[Scott MacKenzie]

Hi Bob,

I will try switching the settings. What is the difference between the line and mic settings?

scott

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

Mic input is for sources with relatively weak output, ie: microphones.
Line input is for receiving signal from sources with a relatively strong output, ie; CD player, mixer, or most other non-microphone devices.
The difference is/could be 30dB or greater. Line in to a mic input will usually sound like a Marshall stack cranked to 11.

[Seth Bloombaum]

Originally Posted by Scott MacKenzie

...I use the manual setting to get a good level through my HD 25 headphones and everthing sounds great.

When I captured to Adobe CS3 the audio level is clipping and distorted? Is something amplifying this in some way? the camera?...

In addition to the fine suggestions above, you also need to understand how to use the audio level meters in the camera. The manual has the info you need. Getting a "good level in the headphones" is not a criteria for good recording levels.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Scott MacKenzie

Hi Piotr,

Yes, that's what I was worried about? I am having to turn the manual audio on the camera down to about 3. Then I don't get any distortion through headphones.

Maybe I'll play with the radio mics and turn the sensitivity down etc.

The bad thing for me is that I like to hear what I'm recording! i.e when recording at level 3 on the cam the sound through the headphones sounds great. Then when imported into computer the audio level is too high?



scott

Scott, leave the V1 input at mic (not line), but attenuate the transmitter/receiver of your Sennheiser kit. I had to do it right out of the box and it works absolutely perfect. You can then leave the V1 input on AGC with no problems, or set it to manual but not necessarily turn it down all the way. This doesn't help your problems as it only cuts the input of the camera, but not the ouput of you Sennheiser (BTW, even the input attenuation on the V1 by -12dB which you access through the menuu is not enough with Sennheiser).

Hope this helps.

[Max Volki]

Originally Posted by Scott MacKenzie

I use the manual setting to get a good level through my HD 25 headphones and everthing sounds great.
I thought that was the way to record sound? Through the camera, listen and adjust levels so, not too low and not too high?


scott mackenzie

Scott

Just to make sure,
Something wasn’t mentioned here in all the postings

You listen with your headphones and adjust the manual audio settings accordingly? Still you audio is not to your liking?

Have you also adjusted the loudness of your Headphones with the button on the V1? (Left side underneath the display, in the middle, “Volume/Memory”

I complained about the low audio-level I had on my V1E, I only heard something in my earphones, when I adjusted the manual setting up to 10.

Bought new headphones, still the same.

Finally Sony-support asked me, if I have turned on the volume of my headphones?

(The button/slider is not really explained in the manual, and the text “Memory” is something else to me)

volki

[Bob Grant]

Originally Posted by Piotr Wozniacki

Scott, leave the V1 input at mic (not line), but attenuate the transmitter/receiver of your Sennheiser kit. I had to do it right out of the box and it works absolutely perfect. You can then leave the V1 input on AGC with no problems, or set it to manual but not necessarily turn it down all the way. This doesn't help your problems as it only cuts the input of the camera, but not the ouput of you Sennheiser (BTW, even the input attenuation on the V1 by -12dB which you access through the menuu is not enough with Sennheiser).

Hope this helps.

From my experience:

1) The Sennheiser transmitter must be setup correctly. It is an FM transmitter and needs correct level coming in. Get it too high and it will overload, very, very bad. Typically 0dB is OK however if the person speaks very loud, is likely to walk near PA speakers or has the mic too close -10dB will typically give you a good margin. Too much attentuation and what you get out the other end will sound pretty harsh. Use the meter on the transmitter to get a good level indication and don't change it because of what is happening at the receiver end. The link provided by these wireless mics isn't anything like a piece of wire!

2) Turning down the output of the transmitter to match the mic in level on the camera isn't a total mistake but hardly sensible gain staging. You'll generally get better S/N switching the camera into Line and winding the camera gain up towards max, I'm not certain about the V1 but on the PD 170 this reduces the noise floor. Then adjust the output of the receiver to suit and trim with the camera's gain control.

[Scott MacKenzie]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies! I work for the BBC here in scotland (as a classical musician) so, I might just ask some of the sound and camera guys and see if they can play with the settings etc.

thanks

scott

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Bob Grant

From my experience:

2) Turning down the output of the transmitter to match the mic in level on the camera isn't a total mistake but hardly sensible gain staging. You'll generally get better S/N switching the camera into Line and winding the camera gain up towards max, I'm not certain about the V1 but on the PD 170 this reduces the noise floor. Then adjust the output of the receiver to suit and trim with the camera's gain control.

Bob, I must try your setup at the nearest opportunity (i.e. using LINE input and not attenuating the Senny so much). My current one is working well, though - and I can keep the same settings for both V1 inputs (one for the receiver, the other my shotgun), which makes it easier and less error-prone.

In the meantime, just an update on my CS-50 performance in WIDE mode: I shot a wedding ceremony in the church, and later the party - both the organ music and the band's loud, disco beat came out quite well! No flaws in the V1 audio confirmed.

PS. Sorry for off-topic!