Btw the signal is not being distorted when I hit my snare in a pop-jazzy manner or if my rimshots aren’t as violent as they tend to get. But, with any louder shots, there’s like 50% chance it would tear through our iems.
I guess I’ll try to at least borrow an external phantom power to try that, even though, with all that’s been said, that would have to work.
@airickess
The distortion is everywhere, pafl peaks into red, it tears the master out, as well as through the mixes. And finally it is the wav-file when I record multitracks, etc…
The only way w/o it, so far for me, was when I plug that mic into the other mixer (zedfx) gain it down to -10db and then send that signal to qu16.
@mike
Not sure if I will be able to do all that by myself, but I know a guy who could help me do it.
But, what are the conclusions in both outcomes; when the phantom power is being ok, or when it is not?
I even thought of buying other manufacturer’s attenuator and if I get a chance – to try all this with another, 3rd mixer…
Let’s remove “playing hard out of the equation”.
This is from yesterday:
I am the first guy in the video. As you can see I am not bashing the drums too hard, but without some sort of pad the dm20 would send too hot of a signal for qu16 to handle. Zed12fx,though, handles it at -10db.
In any case, what do you guys think about the attenuator that behaves as if it was on the path bewteen the qu16 and computer and not between the mic and the qu16?
It is so strange (at least for me) the 3 step attenuation on the shure. It’s like it does reduce the signal by 15,20,25db, but it also does not prevent the signal to be too hot. I don’t know how else to explain this. Imagine that I’m recording and without the attenuator, the wave form is all over the screen and distorted because it is being too hot. When I introduce the shure att. it reduces the signal volume by, you name it 15,20 or 25db,but the waveform is still overloaded, too hot, as if I attached the attenuator between the qu and the computer, and not between the mic and the qu.
Update:
I did some recording yesterday and ended up removing the shure attenuator. I (again) used my analog mixer, the zedfx, as sort of an attenuator for the snare mic, as that mixer’s gain goes -10db, and then routed that signal into the qu16 with its -5db. Not only there was no hot signal to get in the way of recording, but it (wave) also had a normal .wav shape when I magnified it in the software.
Now, this leads me to believe that the shure pad/attenuator I have is not working properly or it simply can’t handle the dm20.
What do you guys think?
Guys, everything is ok. After I’ve done some more research I learned that most drummers using these mics are running them thru preamps as well, which is, sort of, what I have done so far with my other mixer. Only 15db of attenuation with the pad; I really like what’s coming out in the mix. AND indeed the dm20 sounds better than i5 or sm57. All is well 🙂
I wouldn’t worry about that. Just get a standard size drums that will give you average volume. Your primary concern is to practice as much as you can; especially when you don’t want to 🙂
Guys guys, thanks for all the replies. This has so far been an issue with a single mixer (qu16) that won’t go below -5db.
If indeed we do a show with that particular mixer, then I’d just take the zed12fx with me and solve the problem. I’m guessing most of the analogue mixers would recieve this signal even with 15db of attenuation only, and probably most of the digital ones as well. Worst case scenario; if -25db is too hot, bring in my audix i5.
(no, playing softer is simply not an option – Those heavy Rude cymbals cannot be played softly so the snare needs to project as well).
Anyways, here is a short sample from today’s rehearsal, I quite like how it turned out to be so far:
PS
That pic of channel 2 is indeed snare level, but the highest I could take in my iems for my mix, while both pafls being nicely in the green.
Gary I tried holding the mic with my left hand 4-5″ above the edge of the head (no mounts or stands) while hitting the snare with my right hand, and it still clipped.
