Igor needs some Sound Advice!

[FrankenWashie]

I'm using canon 5D MKII, i can adjust the recording level from 0dB to -40dB on left and right channels so i am assuming stereo recording.
the only other adjustments are setting sound recording to Auto, Manual or to Disable.

By head room, i assume you mean knocking back the dB further towards the -40dB end of the range? (Sorry for the dumb, this is all new to me, i usually just set everything to 11!)

[Bakersdozen]

I'm using canon 5D MKII, i can adjust the recording level from 0dB to -40dB on left and right channels so i am assuming stereo recording.
the only other adjustments are setting sound recording to Auto, Manual or to Disable.

By head room, i assume you mean knocking back the dB further towards the -40dB end of the range? (Sorry for the dumb, this is all new to me, i usually just set everything to 11!)

Perfect! Yep, exactly right mate. Setup your shot, then your mic. Play and watch the meters. Just make sure back it off so it doesn't clip into the red and you should be golden

[DrNomis_44]

I'm using canon 5D MKII, i can adjust the recording level from 0dB to -40dB on left and right channels so i am assuming stereo recording.
the only other adjustments are setting sound recording to Auto, Manual or to Disable.

By head room, i assume you mean knocking back the dB further towards the -40dB end of the range? (Sorry for the dumb, this is all new to me, i usually just set everything to 11!)

Headroom is basically a measure of how much an audio signal can increase by until it gets clipped, the greater the headroom, the more a signal can increase before the onset of clipping distortion.


What you want to do is make sure your audio signal level is high enough so it doesn't get buried in hiss and hum-noise, but not so high that the signal-peaks start to get clipped, best way to achieve that is to set the gain control so that the loudest peaks in the audio just get to 0dB, or maybe -1dB, once it is set about there then your signal levels should be about optimal.

[FrankenWashie]

Perfect! Yep, exactly right mate. Setup your shot, then your mic. Play and watch the meters. Just make sure back it off so it doesn't clip into the red and you should be golden

Okey dokey, makes sense. The Rode mike also has a -10dB to +20dB adjustment, I am picking i should leave that somewhere in the middle?

Headroom is basically a measure of how much an audio signal can increase by until it gets clipped, the greater the headroom, the more a signal can increase before the onset of clipping distortion.


What you want to do is make sure your audio signal level is high enough so it doesn't get buried in hiss and hum-noise, but not so high that the signal-peaks start to get clipped, best way to achieve that is to set the gain control so that the loudest peaks in the audio just get to 0dB, or maybe -1dB, once it is set about there then your signal levels should be about optimal.

Thanks for that Doc.

[Bakersdozen]

Okey dokey, makes sense. The Rode mike also has a -10dB to +20dB adjustment, I am picking i should leave that somewhere in the middle?

Yep, I'd keep things simple and leave it at around 0db for now. Use those to either boost or lower the signal only if your hard pressed to get good levels with your on board gain control. Or if your experiencing noise/hiss/super quiet subjects in certain situations.

[DrNomis_44]

Okey dokey, makes sense. The Rode mike also has a -10dB to +20dB adjustment, I am picking i should leave that somewhere in the middle?



Thanks for that Doc.

Ah no worries at all mate, when I was doing the music courses at uni, we had to learn about getting the signals to the right level for recording, it does take some time to get a feel for it.....