audio ref levels

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

[melissa] “Is it true that audio reference level is at -20 to -18 when recording onto dv-cam?”

It CAN be. It all depends on who is setting the levels.
Most camcorders, if they are put into “Auto-Level” control will ride the levels much louder than this (say, -6 to even -3 dB peaks).

If the recordings you have been posting about were recorded with a “manual-level” setting and the audio operator chose -18 or so as the “reference Zero” then that’s OK. At least you should be “safe”.

Because, as has been pointed out by, oh, a half-dozen responder’s to your myriad of posts about this on several COW Forums, 😉
once you have captured the clips, you can readjust them to any level you’d like.
Digital (with its low noise-floor) is more easily “forgiving” of levels that are a bit LOW… but it is “murder” on anything too HOT (distorted).

[Tony]

Mellisa,

On dvcam if you are going to capture via firewire into FCP the reference level should be -12 db. What you have encountered is a common problem encountered during post production because no one has taken the time or effort to ask the proper questions regarding what the exact post production workflow will be and how that effects how the field audio should be recorded at.

Next time please communicate to the sound person what you post production workflow is so he/she can better understand what to do in the field (assuming they understand the implications necessary for post production with FCP or any other NLE.)

You cannot increase the audio level playback level during a firewire capture because you cannot effect the digital firewire signal. You must adjust the levels in your sequence or on a per clip basis after it has been captured.

Tony Salgado