DR-680 Recording Levels are Low
I have the Tascam DR-680 and I love it in many ways.
BUT... when I record, I get great levels showing on the screen, and it sounds good on the headphones... but when I bring the recorded file in to editing software it is VERY quiet. I have to boost it 21dB to get a usable level. Does anyone else have this problem? Is there something buried in the menu that I'm missing? Thanks in advance. (I tried a search on this, but didn't see anything) |
Re: DR-680 Recording Levels are Low
Are you recording 24bit? Your levels should be bobbing around the 80% mark on the meters. If your meters are usually around 50% on the tascam and in 24bit, then your gain isn't unexpected, really.
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Re: DR-680 Recording Levels are Low
Andrew,
Thanks. I was recording at 16-bit. Which do you recommend on this? I couldn't find any scale on the metering... is there one? |
Re: DR-680 Recording Levels are Low
I have the DR-680, and it seems like the levels are low when I get them home. I think the one line you see on the audio meters is -12db. You should be bouncing around there. Also DO record at 24 bit. 24 bit gives you more headroom and you can record lower with less noise when you turn it up in post.
Anyway I recorded some VOs the other day and wasn't paying too much attention to the level, as it looked like it was showing a good level, but I wasn't paying strict attention to that -12db line. |
Re: DR-680 Recording Levels are Low
That's the strange thing. My levels are bouncing around the line. But in the edit, the levels are way below that.
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Re: DR-680 Recording Levels are Low
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Re: DR-680 Recording Levels are Low
I'm using the metering in the editing software, and trying to hit between -6 and -12 on the dialog. And to get there I need to add 21 dB of gain.
And it's just strange, because like I said I am showing good levels on record (though I don't have a scale there), and it sounds fine on the headphones (of course there's no scale there either). |
Re: DR-680 Recording Levels are Low
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Re: DR-680 Recording Levels are Low
No, this was for web. On YouTube I shoot for much much higher than broadcast.
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Re: DR-680 Recording Levels are Low
Oh - but are you saying that the 680's metering will switch between average and peak? I haven't found that switch.
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-6 dialog peaks still seem too hot to me, even for the web. |
Re: DR-680 Recording Levels are Low
For me I am just looking at the wav forms displayed in the timeline, and they usually look very low, causing me to bring up the levels a lot. I'm always afraid to try to record hotter because I don't want to blow a clients job. It hasn't been an issue because it still sounds clean, but not that this has been brought up I see it's a real issue, not just me forgetting to get good levels at the session. Hmmmmm
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Re: DR-680 Recording Levels are Low
Somewhat related... I have the DR-100 - and thank goodness for the limiters!
I set the levels and had an inexperienced guy listen to the headphones for any problems like clothes rustling while I filmed an internal corporate project. When I reviewed the files, the levels were very hot - right up to 0 dBFS. Clearly, the presenter spoke softly for the test and became more animated during the filming. Oh well. It sounds fine. It didn't hit the limiters too hard, and it's simply transparent. More than good enough for internal corporate work. Assuming that the DR-680 has similar or better limiters, you can probably run it harder without much risk. |
Re: DR-680 Recording Levels are Low
Chad - yes, the waveforms in the timeline look almost completely flat. Even the slate. Fortunately this last project I was cutting in Premiere, and when you bump gain there it actually shows up in the waveform.
John - yes, I can just boost it beyond what looks good to me and put the limiters on. But wow - I'd really like to have a solid sense when recording of what it is that I'll get. Kinda glad to hear that others have that issue... I can't find anything in the manual to say what the levels on the meter mean, except when the clipping alert comes in. |
Re: DR-680 Recording Levels are Low
If the OP adds brings up this issue on the last page of this thread, there are many more people very experienced with the 680 who could shed some light on the subject hopefully.
TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #3 |
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