recording a live gig?

[Ty Ford]

[Nicholas Canavan] “So best to look if there is one for a rec out level which can control the output specific to my marantz?”

And it wouldn’t be the first time a mixer had a toasted section that no one knew about until you plugged it,

Can you get in there before they fire up the PA and just get a board feed to determine if you can get clean sound from some output somewhere that doesn’t get jacked up when the action starts?

This is not an unusual situation. The DJ keeps pushing the system and it’s so loud that no one really notices how distorted it is. If you’re taking a feed from that, it may not be your gear that’s distorting, it could be the console.

The Audio Technica ATH-M50 headphones are closed back and pretty isolative. They might also allow you to hear more of your audio and less of the PA. While you’re at it, listen to the headphone output on their mixer to see if you can hear distortion there when they get it cranked up.

Just a few thoughts.

Regards,

Ty Ford

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[Nicholas Canavan]

Hi Ray,
hope i’m not wasting your time to accept your offer and explain to me the balanced/unbalanced concept. Would appreciate it.

In the marantz i have 2 options for input, 1 is mic, the other is line. I thought that if i have it on mic, it means i should use the xlr input, if i select line, it means i should use what is labelled on the marantz as line in, for an rca cable.

Correct?

Thanks Ray

[Nicholas Canavan]

Hello again Ty,

Its not a music video as such, i’m making a documentary on a music group in Australia, a group of rap/hip hop artists and a few pop singers, so as you can imagine its pretty loud in the club shows. My main aim is to have the audio good enough so that viewers can hear the group well enough to make there own opinion on them (good, bad, average) so they can decide if they think that the group will ‘make it’.

So no live instruments, just cd tracks and the live mics of each artist in hand.

Is there a site you prefer to upload small files and i will provide a link to show you..?

Sounds like the sound devices 442 mixer is a required unit. I imagine not too cheap however?

[Nicholas Canavan]

Thanks Ty,

As to the question about getting in there early, yes and no. Sometimes i can get there for a sound check of sorts and test it out, but alot of times the d.j or engineer says no probs hooks it up and gives me the thumbs up, only to find out it should have been thumbs down. Boyz 2 men toured here earlier this year and my doco group was opening for them…my sound was terrible and unusable, and there engineer who i thought would know his stuff was guessing which plugs and which buttons/faders would change…frustrating.

And most frustrating is the fact that im just the ‘guy with camera’ etc..noone gives me much priority, access can be a problem with some places..

There is a big show this week at Melbournes Casino so i will try everything possible, take on the advice and see what i can do.

Just quickly, thanks again for your (and everyones answers) i honestly appreciate the time spent to help out a stranger.

[Rob Neidig]

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Well, if you are being sent a mic level signal, then you should use the XLR inputs. If you are sent a line level signal then you should use the line level input (which on the Marantz 660 is a 1/8″ mini plug by the way, not RCA). With a line level being sent to you, for instance, it might be on an XLR cable, so you would need to have an XLR to 1/8″ adapter so you could plug in to the line input. So you absolutely need to need what kind of signal the DJ is sending you. The Marantz 660 has a level input control, but it is a bit sensitive in my opinion. There are a series of little LEDs that light up to show you where the level is. Make sure you are not going into the red.

Have fun!

Rob

Rob Neidig
R&R Media Productions
Eugene, Oregon

[Nicholas Canavan]

hey rob

thanks for the response too.

I will be sure to ask if i’m being sent a line or mic level signal, but i fear some have no idea, but yeah like you said, ill have to buy a xlr to mini adapter.

And as you mentioned the led’s, i mentioned earlier in the thread, the problem is that even when i turn the level right down…like minus 40 db etc, it still distorts, which i guess is where the problem is more detailed, hence all the help from everybody.

Thanks again Rob.

[Rob Neidig]

Well the problem may very well be that you are being sent line level, but on an XLR cable. If you plug that into the XLR input of the Marantz 660, it will not matter how low you set the input record level, it will distort because line level is so much higher than the mic level the 660 would be expecting on the XLR inputs. It sounds like it also could be that you are being sent a signal from the DJ that is already distorted, as either you or Ty mentioned earlier. Anyway, hope you find it!

Rob

Rob Neidig
R&R Media Productions
Eugene, Oregon

[David Aretsky]

If you are turning the input way down and the lows and some loud parts are still causing distortion you may want to put some kind of a compressor in line before the recorder. You can set a level there and it will crush down the loud parts when they come.

dangerd

[Rich Smith]

Hi. Honestly the best way is to get a sound tech to come along. Pay a little of find a friend an return a favor. Beyond that. XLR signal can be either +4 or mic level. Although In a live gig situation mic level is very unlikely. So your prob getting a nice hot +4 line level. Any RCA or minijack line input will be -10 line level. +4 line level will distort -10 input. So you can find a – 10 RCA output on the mixing board. Can be uncommon on a band music board. More common on a dj board. You could also buy a one or set of two online pads (-60db) to drop either signal to mic level. You can contact me for cables if you need them. I still think you should have a soundie. Richard. https://Www.sydneysoundcables.com.au

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