z1 audio levels at DVinfo.net

Pietro Jona · February 23rd, 2007, 04:55 AM

hi all

simple question and may be a bit stupid.
how high can i go with the audio levels on the z1? the first red dot is at zero db. when does the z1 start clipping, what is the average level you would keep for dialogue?
thanks

pietro

Robin Davies-Rollinson · February 23rd, 2007, 05:25 AM

Our sound recordists always set the reference tone to -20db for all our broadcast work. If you average around -20, you'll still get plenty of headroom for most normal dialogue.

Ciao,
Robin

Pietro Jona · February 23rd, 2007, 05:36 AM

i do the same, but i wonder which level for the peaks i should accept, and which one as average. i'm talking about the levels you see on the camera. -20 reference tone. -12 average? too high? too low?

Boyd Ostroff · February 23rd, 2007, 06:09 AM

See the following discussion: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=81241

Pietro Jona · February 23rd, 2007, 06:20 AM

if i understood correctly -6 peak is good. that gives me about +14 on my mixpre, let's say +12 cos +14 led doesn't exist.
i'll see (hear), thanks a lot

pietro

Douglas Spotted Eagle · February 23rd, 2007, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robin Davies-Rollinson

Our sound recordists always set the reference tone to -20db for all our broadcast work. If you average around -20, you'll still get plenty of headroom for most normal dialogue.

Ciao,
Robin

Yes, you'll have plenty of room. Too much room. Especially with HDV.
The -20dB ref has nothing (or should have nothing) to do with averages or peaks. It's a ref tone that will match 0dB on an analog system. It's the ATSC standard.
With digital, and particularly HDV, you might want to concern yourself with peaks, not averages, and certainly not averages of -20dB. Unless you've got a person speaking from a mouse' whisper to a lion's roar, you're not going to need 20dB of upward dynamic range.
-6 peak is good, and should be your target/goal for best results. It's a numbers game, guys....record too quietly and you're leaving bits on the table that can never be recovered.

Pietro Jona · February 23rd, 2007, 08:23 AM

douglas correct me if i'm wrong
i talked about the -20 setting for the reference tone, not for the average.
while shooting i can't se the levels on the camera so i trust that with my settings (tone at the mixer, -20 at the camera) i can keep the levels on my mixpre showing +8 (that should be -12 at the camera) for average dialogue and hit during the peaks +12 or +16 (that would be -6, -4).
did i get it correctly?
i know it seems very easy to you but for some reason not for me..

pietro

February 23rd, 2007, 04:55 AM	#1
Pietro Jona Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: italy Posts: 172	z1 audio levels hi all simple question and may be a bit stupid. how high can i go with the audio levels on the z1? the first red dot is at zero db. when does the z1 start clipping, what is the average level you would keep for dialogue? thanks pietro

February 23rd, 2007, 05:25 AM	#2
Robin Davies-Rollinson Trustee Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Gwaelod-y-garth, Cardiff, CYMRU/WALES Posts: 1,215	Our sound recordists always set the reference tone to -20db for all our broadcast work. If you average around -20, you'll still get plenty of headroom for most normal dialogue. Ciao, Robin

February 23rd, 2007, 05:36 AM	#3
Pietro Jona Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: italy Posts: 172	i do the same, but i wonder which level for the peaks i should accept, and which one as average. i'm talking about the levels you see on the camera. -20 reference tone. -12 average? too high? too low?

February 23rd, 2007, 06:09 AM	#4
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	See the following discussion: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=81241

February 23rd, 2007, 06:20 AM	#5
Pietro Jona Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: italy Posts: 172	if i understood correctly -6 peak is good. that gives me about +14 on my mixpre, let's say +12 cos +14 led doesn't exist. i'll see (hear), thanks a lot pietro

February 23rd, 2007, 08:23 AM	#7
Pietro Jona Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: italy Posts: 172	douglas correct me if i'm wrong i talked about the -20 setting for the reference tone, not for the average. while shooting i can't se the levels on the camera so i trust that with my settings (tone at the mixer, -20 at the camera) i can keep the levels on my mixpre showing +8 (that should be -12 at the camera) for average dialogue and hit during the peaks +12 or +16 (that would be -6, -4). did i get it correctly? i know it seems very easy to you but for some reason not for me.. pietro