Sound Devices 633 recorded levels

[Mike Westgate]

Recently established that my recorded levels to all tracks are low

 

I remember having this issue initially with my 664 some years ago but cannot remember the solution.

 

No hints in the manual or in the machine menu so is it related to the tone reference level setting??

 

Help please

 

mike

[sonicboomaudio]

I fully admit that I may be wrong on this because I don't regularly work on 6 series recorders, but when I have, I find that putting the knobs at noon and then adjusting the pre's to match the LR mix does the trick. But then I'd back off the pre's just a touch so the ISO's aren't in danger of distorting on the peaks. So then you might have to put the knobs at 12:30 or 1.

[withintheflux]

I tend to put faders to 12 o clock and have the average levels hitting the middle mark on the meter. Peaks usually hitting the “8” mark. You should have healthy levels at that point. 

[afewmoreyears]

Goodness...

[Philip Perkins]

A solution to low levels?  Turn them up?

[Mike Westgate]

Thanks guys but:

 

The levels on the metering is fine but putting a recorded track into software the level is low!

 

So a voice over on the 633 is (in software) far lower than a v/o recorded on my 664.

 

I'm still puzzled

 

mike

1 hour ago, afewmoreyears said:

Goodness...

Thanks for the input, but goodness does not help

 

mike

[John Blankenship]

Mike -- Are you using the same metering setting on both?  i.e. Peak / RMS / RMS+Peak

[Mike Westgate]

Hi John

 

Using RMS and peak

 

Only using the 633 now but older files from my 664 outine this difference!!??

 

Thanks

 

mike

[Johnny Karlsson]

Are all tracks, including the isos lower than what you recorded them at?

 

If it's only the MIX track, check that it hasn't been "bumped" - this can happen accidentally when wearing the bag (it has happened to me, and I'm not rocking that big a belly LOL).

 

What I mean is:

Use the "Select" knob (push it) to select the L-R Mix track and check that it's all the way up to 0dB.

[chrismedr]

I'd probably try this to double check:

 

play a generated tone through a speaker

on the 633 check that ISO are set to prefade and Mix postfade

record it so that the levels read 0dB on the ISO and Mix track

import the file in your audio post app and check the levels there (-20dB)

 

if you get different levels, how much difference is there?

 

[Ty Ford]

Knob position doesn't do it for me on my 664. Where are you peaking the 633?

Regards,

 

Ty Ford

[JoshuaT]

As Johnny said, select each channel (one at a time) and see if each one is at 0dB. If any are less, turn them up with the select knob.

[Mike Westgate]

Thanks to all you guys

 

Will look into this again tomorrow

 

Cheers

 

mike

[Kvark]

This is common when recording isos postfade.