Johnny Karlsson

So diluting the value of art in order to save money? Haha! I'm not sure I agree this is the same thing as taking a photo vs painted portrait. Check this out; https://www.wsj.com/articles/i-cloned-myself-with-ai-she-fooled-my-bank-and-my-family-356bd1a3

Maybe… but would you feel that listening to an audio book read by AI with the sound of a famous person’s voice is something you would buy? Isn’t the selling point that “your favorite person” is actually the one reading the book in the way that they interpret the story? Maybe it’s just me, but I would probably have a hard time focusing on the story, being distracted by the fact that “it really sounds like so and so”. And it’s kinda creepy, too haha!

And, additional testing shows the R1a will NOT work with regular wiring. Needs ground tied to pin 3. Hope this helps someone.

Ok, I just got back and did some tests here. All cables I have on hand, some wired the way as I described above - AND the regular wiring as you describe - all work with a PR-216 plugged in to an XLR (line level) on my mixer. Not sure why, but over a decade ago when I had the “specific” cable made, I was told that’s how it needs to be. And weirdly, I did have situations where that particular cable worked on a camera, when the regular cables did not.

I made those cables, and no they do not have 2 and 3 tied together. In what scenario would one do that?

Ok, but that looks like the regular way you would wire a balanced cable. So when you plug in to a balanced XLR on the camera, pin 2 and 3 are now out of phase - the Comtek output is not balanced. I have several cables wired that way, and they work just fine with using a UCR100 as a reference hop, but when I tried using those cables with a Comtek or R1a, there’s no signal - just as the OP is experiencing. When I switched to the wiring I posted above - it worked. BTW - Comtek sells a cable with an RF filter built in for this purpose.

I believe that’s incorrect. I just now tested a cable that I had specifically made for this purpose years ago. Here is the pin out: T - XLR 2 R - XLR 1+3 S - XLR 1+3

The Documentary Sound Guy is right about the cable. It needs to be specifically wired for outputting Comtek to XLR. A regular TRS to XLR won’t work correctly. - I could be wrong, but I have a feeling the same is true for using an R1a in the same way. Can’t remember the exact pin out, but I’m sure you can look it up online. It has to do with the output being mono, but it’s made so that you can plug in stereo headphones and get the mono sound in both ears.

Ok copy that. Sorry Jon, I am out of ideas. And totally agree - none of it makes sense. Including the random time duration each license is valid.

My conclusion was that extending the expired license was not a good way to go, since it was four times more money, and the process was cloaked in mysterious unknowns, with back-and-forths as you seem to be experiencing right now. My conclusion, and advice, would be to simply apply for a new license. Once I did that, it was processed and finished in 10 days.

To each their own, I guess. I very much prefer an internally cabled pole with a plug-on at the bottom of the pole.

AFAIK, the 1510 was designed specifically to meet the max size for carry-on luggage. It fits in the overhead storage on *most* regular sized planes, but if you travel on smaller planes, this may not be guaranteed so I would recommend you check to make sure with your airline.

Yep, and also, when you send something in to SD for service - even if it’s for a specific reason, they will go through the whole unit and replace worn input and output jacks, pots, even the “golf pegs” to bring everything up to factory specs. In my experience, it has been great every time.

Oooh, yeah you’re right. I have to say it’s great though. The flexibility as well as the sound of the 8-series really makes it far superior to any of the earlier series imho. But yeah, if you don’t need any of the “bells and whistles”, or even onboard recording, then a 302 or a 442 are still some seriously reliable mixers.

That would be the 833. Slightly north of the $4K price point now, but coupled with a $200 SL Mixface, you got 8 faders.

If you want a 302, why not just get a 302? There are many available used for really good prices on eBay etc.

Not motivated by profit? Isn’t that the definition of a hobbyist?

Ah yes, well this is of course all depending on the job at hand. Documentary etc - there is simply no way to slate anything while running around. For this; TC sync box on camera(s) that can take it. I did some “corporate” style interviews lately that were shot on 2x DSLR type cameras. 3.5mm inputs and not really practical to mount anything on = (in my view) TC Slate and the internal camera mics on for reference. It would have worked with a good ol’ “dumb slate”, too of course. (Nothing dumb about them!). Also, things like the original Alexa Mini, where you can of course get line level in with the right cable or an A-box - BUT - it doesn’t have a headphone output, so there is no way to monitor what the camera is getting. There are different ways of getting things done, and only you can decide what is the right way for you.

Sure, but just because it says it records 24/48, that’s no guarantee of “quality”. Depends on what camera we’re talking about. Meaning a noisy camera input recorded at whatever file format will still be noisy. Also, the camera is a device that I have no control over. The operator may change some settings, or accidentally bump the level control(s), unplug a cable etc. And even if they are “monitoring”, they are probably not focusing on sound, or even want to, since they are busy doing their job making sure the picture is good.

Sorry if this is too obvious, but could it be possible that your mic is wired incorrectly ? Looks like this is a UM400, so should not be servo bias wiring like 400a and later (SM etc).

In terms of a DAW; the environment it was designed for is more of a controlled situation - a studio with sound proofing and isolation from the outside world. You can spend a day, or a week tweaking a snare sound. Everything is focused on sound only, so your mic placement, gain staging and levels could (should?) be optimal at the point of recording. Most of the time when mixing (let's say) 30-100 tracks you end up turning things down, rather than adding gain. And where you need more gain, it's easy to add with a plug-in.... the fader is just one of many things that can add or subtract gain. Oh, and to answer Marc's original question; if you need to add that much gain, just use "Normalize". With that you can set the top peak to anything you like, all the way up to 0 dBFS, or -3dB just for safety, and/or use a compressor.

I'm afraid there is no such thing. "... a thermonuclear bomb can produce an overpressure corresponding to 278 decibels. This is QUITE lethal. 200 decibels is enough to cause instant death, and 278 decibels is about 10 million times greater sound intensity." Last time I checked, the best converters available would achieve around 20 to 21 bits. Analog circuitry is part of all converters. - I am guessing here - I think this is where the 32-bit converters are "different" in a way that the signal coming in is somehow turned way down before it hits the converter, then once in the digital domain, it's brought back up, with the safety of basically not ever hitting dBFS (clipping) at the converter stage. Since the 32-bit digital noise floor is basically non existent it doesn't add any to the signal when turned up. But the real world dynamic range (difference between the softest and loudest sound) basically remains the same as in 24-bit - ie the noise floor of the physical world (hvac, transmitter self noise, mic self noise etc.) and the loudest scream is no different. The good news is that you can be sure that the unexpected/improvised scream doesn't clip when you fall asleep with the trims and faders all the way up.

Decibel is a relative term; dBFS, dBV, dBU... in the physical world, dB SPL (sound pressure level) is different. "At 194 dB, the energy in the sound waves starts distorting and they create a complete vacuum between themselves. The sound is no longer moving through the air, but is in fact pushing the air along with it, forming a pressurized wall of moving air. This is called a shock wave, and it is at this point that a “sound” becomes a physically perceptible and possibly dangerous force." I think the 770 dB etc. are more like theoretical and exists only in the digital "world".

Sorry Derek, I see how my post may seem like a snarky comment, but it was more an attempt to be humorous. I definitely didn’t mean to shut you down or have you bow out of the discussion. We’re all here to exchange viewpoints and yours are certainly as valid as anyone else’s! And, I do see some scenarios where 32-bit float might come in handy, but it probably (hopefully) will not replace the services of a skilled sound mixer. It may help salvage some things, but it also takes some extra time/work/$$ for post to actually use it. Maybe in 5 years all major NLE will be able to import and and take full advantage of 32-bit float files, but for me the question remains; is it necessary?

Which is great for all those times we have to record an ant fart, then one second later the space shuttle takes off - and there is literally no time to adjust the trim. And it finally lets you take full advantage of that 1000dB dynamic range microphone.