Low gain dynamic mic

Forums Forums GLD Forums GLD troubleshooting Low gain dynamic mic

This topic contains 8 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by Profile photo of SchuifRob SchuifRob 7 years, 5 months ago.

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #58900
    Profile photo of Tom
    Tom
    Participant

    Not sure if there is a config issue?

    We are using Electrovoice RE16 mics for spoken word.

    To get the levels correct we have to turn the preamp all the way up. At this point the preamp noise is just audible and in a module such as noise gate we can see constant noise at about the -40 level. (Pad is off)

    I would have thought that the preamp gain control should be somewhere between 12 and 2 o’clock?

    Tom

    #58902
    Profile photo of GCumbee
    GCumbee
    Participant

    Sounds like you have other issues. Try another channel. Try another cable. Try another mic. Try the RE16 in another mixer. Something is either badly set, a DCA is engaged lowering the level or something. Shouldn’t be that low.

    #58904
    Profile photo of Chris93
    Chris93
    Participant

    “O’clock” doesn’t really mean anything, what’s the gain value, +60dB? What sort of input levels are you seeing when you PFL the channel at this gain setting?

    How far away is the mic from the talker?

    Chris

    #58912
    Profile photo of Tom
    Tom
    Participant

    Thanks to the both of you for the sanity check.

    This is the same across all inputs, and the preamp must be set at +60 (Full) to get be able to operate around the 0 fader position. (I believe 12 oclock on the preamp gain is +30)
    Most mics are the RE16 used as interview/discussion use with handheld microphones, so no more than about 6 inches away.
    One mic is a Shure MC412 podium mount(phantom powered condenser) and this is run around +54.

    I was wondering if there was some system wide input level setting I was missing? (It is as if we are plugged into a line level input) The system has been operating like this from the time it was installed more than a year ago and this has been accepted as “just the way it works”.

    Any ideas would be appreciated.

    Tom

    #58921
    Profile photo of Edi
    Edi
    Participant

    Hi Tom.

    There is not only a gain but also a digital trim for each input on the GLD.
    Probably the trim was once set to be on the knob of the surface.
    Please check the input for your mic channel by hitting select on that channel and move to the preamp page on the screen.
    Check both settings: The one for gain and the one for trim.

    Probably that helps.

    Best regards,
    Edi

    #58922
    Profile photo of Edi
    Edi
    Participant

    In Addition: Default setting for Trim is 0.0dB and Gain is 27 dB. You can set the defaults on the preamp page by holding the physical reset key and press the SEL buttons on the screen in the preamp and trim area.

    #58923
    Profile photo of Chris93
    Chris93
    Participant

    This does sound like more of a system-wide gain structure issue. When you have the mics set at +60dB and someone is talking into them, what sort of input levels are you seeing on the preamp screen?

    If your PA system is set to a fairly low sensitivity (ie. set so that it requires a large input signal for a given output level) and if you are setting the preamp level by ear, this would explain it. The max output level on the GLD is +18dBu while some other desks (such as Yamaha) are +24dBu. I’ve heard people say that on the GLD they “have to turn the preamps up more” when what’s really happening is that their system processor has been set for a +24dBu desk while they are using a GLD which outputs a 6dB quieter signal.

    Chris

    #58924
    Profile photo of Tom
    Tom
    Participant

    Trim is set at 0

    If the input and master faders are set at 0, the preamp must be set to +60 (or very close to it) to get a normal signal peaking close to 0 on the meters.

    Does anyone know from experience what the usual preamp setting is for a dynamic microphone?

    I was hoping there might be a hidden mic/line setting that was toggled wrong?
    (It almost seems like there is something dropping the mic signal before it gets to the preamp)

    Tom

    #58977
    Profile photo of SchuifRob
    SchuifRob
    Participant

    How are things wired? Did you check things with a pretty standard mic like a SM58? Is your cabling ok? Did you try patching one of the mics directly to one of the boards inputs?

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.