V1 into mixer - sound level issue
 

I plugged into a mixer to record a live show the other night, set input to 'line in', but the audio levels that came through were virtually nonexistent - had to crank audio gain all the way up and still the audio levels were barely registering. Meanwhile my camera mike was just fine with normal levels. Any ideas why this might be?

I'm pretty basic when it comes to audio but had a very experienced audio guy with me who was mystified as to what was going on.

Had you managed to do this successfully anywhere else?

Andrew

No, first time connecting to a mixer.

Don't feel too bad. The last time I got a line out of the mixer in to the camera I got the audio guys to wind down the signal as it was distorting in my camera.

Only later did I realise that I hadn't switched it over to "line level" in the camera menus. I was still running on microphone levels. Dowp!

Anyway, try it with a line out from another source and see if you can replicate it.

Andrew

I would think it would be the connection from the board especially if its for live music. the sound guy is worried about how it sounds in the room and probably isnt monitoring the feed to you.

The feed I take at our church comes from their wireless mic that is fed into a computer. I take a XLR and plug into the back of the wireless mic receiver box and feed that to my cam. At first I thought it should be line level but no signal I switched to mic level and everything works fine.

In my experience with Sony prosumer cameras (pd150, V1u) their idea of "line level" is fairly limited.

Depending on the mixer, it takes some experimentation to find what combination of settings will create the right gain structure.

If the line level output of your mixer to a line level input of the V1 doesn't seem to be the right gain structure, absolutely try the mic level inputs of the V1, and also try them with the pads switched in.

You do need to make sure that you're also testing the various output options of the mixer.

This kind of benchmarking is needed with almost any mixer/camera combo - the point is to do it before you're out shooting with your subjects / crew waiting impatiently as you're fumbling through the controls and not getting the results you want...

Edit: And another thing. If you take a board feed from the house sound operator, it's all too rare that they're running their board/mixer/console/desk per the meters. Frequently, their gain structure is set for different purposes than recording. So, yeah, get the soundie to send you some program before the show, and if line input is too low, try padded mic level next...

OK thanks, will try mic level, but what is padded mic level?

I guess I was briefly confusing my old PD150 terminology - on the V1, it's called "Trim" and is accessed on the same screen where you find the mic/line selections:

Menu | Audio Set | XLR Set | Input 1(2) Trim | 0, -8db, -16db

The settings of -8 and -16db will pad the incoming signal down, meaning, reduce it. Just as a point of reference, if you were padding a true line level down to mic level, that's about -30db of reduction.

For a quick reference, the info as to what you have set up is available in the first status check screen, the one that gives you the detailed level meters.

Righto thanks.

Hey Leonie,

Don't feel too bad about not knowing those last bits. I didn't know either!

(really must read the manual one day)

Andrew