what level should I use with external mics ?
 

greetings,
I have a mic connected to a mixer, and the output put to the MA-100. now, I don't want to set the Rec Levels on the XL1s to auto. I wanna have complete control, so I set it to manual.

the question is: which level should I set it to? i want it to match the mixer's output.

If the camera is close to the mixer so noise pickup by unbalanced lines is not an issue, use the tape output of the mixer connected to the Audio 1 input at consumer line level (about -10 dBV nominal).

If you are running longer lines and need balanced circuits to minimumize noise pickup, set the miner to mic level output (on the order of -35 dBV if you can) and run balanced cables to the MA-100/200 mixer with the XL1 input set to MIC ATT setting on Audio 1.

Do not send a line level signal to the MA-100/200, it goes into clipping at around consumer line level (-10 dBV). If you have to send out a line level signal from the mixer, put an appropriate attenuator at the input to the MA-100/200.

well, i'll most probably run tape out from mixer to Audio 1. So which one is -10 dBV nominal? I assume it's it's setting the Rec Level right in the middle, right?

The Audio1 input sensitivity is set from the menu system. Use the meters to judge the level.