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Couple of SD 442 questions
Doing a shoot at the moment (educational training doco) where I’m feeding into 2x Sony cameras PMW-200 & PMW-100, the return audio back to the SD442 seems low (from both cameras) even with the monitor o/p is maximum on the cameras and the input gains A/B on SD442 are maximum. Yet on other cameras of various makes / models (Panasonic P2’s and Sony PMW-F3) the levels all seem fine and within adjustable ranges.
OK I have considered driving these 2x cams inputs 10db hotter but it’s starting to get a bit close to clipping in my mind.
Or is there any way to crank up the return input gains into the 442 in the menus? (I’ve looked but haven’t found anything)Another question what is the MINIUM external volts the 442 will work successfully on?
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8 Replies
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There are some cameras that have a very low HP output. Pushing the input level to get more HP level is not a wise thing to do. The 442 is rated to work with 5-18vdc from an external power source.
Eric
“I push the RECORD button and hope for the best”
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As a P.S. if you only monitor the camera returns then turn up the 442 HP level. OTOH if you forget to turn it down when you go back to the mixer for monitoring expect to see smoke come out of your ears.
Eric
“I push the RECORD button and hope for the best”
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On the left side of the 442, you will see two small rotary pots (on the bottom right hand side). These control the return levels for returns A and B.
Michael Paul
Location Sound Corp -
Yes both those knobs are at maximum level…
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Hello Brian and welcome back to the Cow Audio Forum.
Eric nailed it. I would only add that some headphones are more sensitive than others. If it’s just a level difference, then blame it on the camera. If you can’t hear what’s going on, try SOny MDR7506. Tehy are very sensitive and I work with them all the time.
Regards,
Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader
Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Ty Ford Blog: Ty Ford’s Blog -
Shoot finished..just listened to the mixer o/p in the initial set up then used the rotary monitor ‘select knob‘ to monitor Cam A and wind up the H/Phone level to a usable level, then use the monitor ‘select switch‘ to check on Cam B. So really never got in to a loud / soft situation, continually listening to A with the occasional check on B.
Worked well.
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Yeah I’ve run into this monitoring problem with a variety of devices. Even the AJA KiPro has a crap HP out. I tend to check the return just to be sure the recording device is accepting the signal and isn’t all distorted or buzzing or something and then switch back to SD input monitoring. It tends to be more accurate as to the recorded sound than the poor HP out of whatever device we are recording to. How much more would it cost the manufacturers to start adding decent sound circuits on the excellent cameras they are producing? Even cams with solid XLR inputs can have cheap preamps, poor HP out, and so so meters. The human mind will fill in missing picture elements and adjust to picture quality if the content is good. Not so with sound. Sony, which has a long history of very good sound equipment, has cams with horrible sound circuits. Is there a technical reason the audio needs to be handled with separate devices?
Anyone using a headphone amp to improve weak headphone out amplification as in the original post?
MacPro4,1 2.66GHz 8 core 12gigs of ram. GPU: Nvidia Geoforce GT120 with Vram 512. OS X 10.6.x; Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170, Sony Z7U, Canon HV30/40, Sony vx2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.
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Even the $75,000+ Arri Alexa with it’s superb 24/48 line level only inputs has a clean but very low level HP output. Seperate professional recorders give you the option to record more than 2 tracks if needed.
Eric
“I push the RECORD button and hope for the best”
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