10 dB pad

  • Thread starter Thread starter LI Slim
  • Start date Start date
LI Slim

LI Slim

New member
I have an AT4047 mic (which I love so far) and one of the switches is a 10dB pad (switch is set for either -10dB or 0. I'm not sure exactly what this does. I have read that when you switch it on (which I'm assuming is the -10dB position) it handles really loud stuff better, and therefore one would use it for things like micing drums and guitar amps (so I wouldn't use it for things like vocals and acoustic guitar).

So please tell me, am I right so far, and what exactly does this thing do?
 
I Recommend

you practice trying with the pad off first unless you absolutely know you'll need the pad.

I also recommend you buy a cheap SPL meter (I bought a digital Radio Shack meter) and measure loud sources. I can usually tell if I'll need the pad by that.
 
Yo Rec. Eng. I like your idea> the question I have is what is the SPL that you turn it on. Also how much was the meter.
 
JC Lives

"what is the SPL that you turn it on."

Huh? I don't understand your question.

I bought it probably about 2 or 3 years ago but I think it was somewhere around $40-$60US or something; maybe a little more?
 
Sorry if my question was unclear. Let me try this again. Do you turn on the pad if your SPL meter reaches a certain level, or is it more by ear or practical experience. The reason I ask is cuz I have one ( -10db pad) on my AKG C4000B, and am looking for advice on when to use it. I use it mostly for acoustical and vocal and for the most part, I get good results. However, I also record my hammered dulcimer which can be a fairly loud instrument. I am having a hard time getting a good sound (too muddy) and was wondering if this might be a viable solution. I have not experimented very much due to not having a lot of time to work with it yet. I am now at the stage where I am going to commit to recording my songs and want to get a good sound. The rest of my instruments sound good. It could be that I may not be able to use this mic for this application.
 
Well... Actually

You'll know if need to use the pad or not because if you need it, you may barely have your preamp "cracked" and it is already overloading.

But if the above is happening, I recommend you:

Use an SPL meter to find-out what the SPL is where the microphone is at so you can make sure the SPL is not overloading the mic's internal amp. You just need to know the Max. SPL the microphone will handle (you'll find that info in the manual that came with your mic or you can find it on the net).

If the SPL is higher than what your mic can handle, use the pad on the mic. A -10db pad will allow the mic to handle an extra 6-10db SPL. But unless you absolutely LOVE the tone you're getting and don't want to turn-down an amp or move your mic further away, I don't usually recommend using that pad on the mic; this lowers your S/N Ratio.

But what happens a lot more often is that after you use your SPL meter and you find-out the SPL is not higher than the Max. SPL the microphone can handle. In that case, use the pad on your preamp or if there isn't one on the pre, use an inline pad between your mic and preamp.
 
Ah Ha. Now I understand. Thanks man for the info. I guess this is not my problem with my hammered dulcimer. Back to the drawing board. Argh.
 
JC - are you close-miking the dulcimer, or trying for a more ambient sound? The harmonics that come off that thing must be fierce, and coming from all directions. I'm just speculating, but instead of a cardiod, what about an omni in a nice room?
 
Dobro, I have tried all kinds of difrerent mic placements and can't seen to get a good sound. And you are absolutely correct about the harmonics of this instrument. Not only do the strings sustain for a while after they are hit, but they also send other strings into motion. I am using an AKG C4000B which is a decent mic. I think I have a couple of problems. The first is the preamp I am using. I have a Peavey XR 2012 powered mixer that I am using as my pre. I don't think that it is doing me any justice. I also think it is the room I am recording in. Last night I was listening to a track that I just recorded trying to get it to sound good. One thing I noticed is that I am getting a very high freq feed back sound. It's kind of like having a mic to close to the speakers. I am using headphones to monitor at low volumes to cut down on the mic picking up the cans. I can't figure out how a room (10X10 aprox with no treatment) can cause the type of feed back sound I am getting.

This is very frustrating to me. I am open to any suggestions that anyone might have.

I have quite a few cd's with hammered dulcimer and most of them, the sound is pretty good.

Some for me too. HELP!!!
 
In Practical Recording Techniques, Bruce Bartlett recommends this for hammered dulcimer:

"Place a flat-response condenser mic about 2 feet over the center of the soundboard. On stage, place a cardioid dynamic or condenser 6 to 12 inches over the middle of the top end. For the best gain-before-feedback in a P.A. system, mix in a mini omni condenser mic (or a cardioid with bass rolloff) very near the sound hole." In the diagram that goes with this, the mini omni is actually attached to the instrument. The flat-response condenser is pointing at the center, but not vertically - it's over the front edge of the dulcimer, angled right at the heart of it.

When I saw Les Yeux Noirs this summer, the hammered dulcimer player had a mic (dunno what kind) stuck right down into the center of the instrument, a few inches off the strings (I assumed this was to reject spillover from the rest of the band, which was quite loud). Now you're probably completely confused. Probably the live mikings won't be useful to you, but I included them just in case. Hope some of this helps.
 
dobro, thanks for the info. Live miking is realy not a problem for me since I do not play it live very often. Usually when I do, it is at church where they use a lipstick condenser which works well. I personally have used one of my AKG 3700's with some success. I also had a friend that had an EV 467 (I think) that worked very well. My problem is for recording. I have found that the best results I get is to place the my AKG c4000b about 2 feet above it as you suggested in your post. I still get that muddy, feedback filled sound. I am beginning to think that is has to do with either the instrument itself, our the room I am recording in. I think my next step is to try and treat my room somehow to see if that helps.
 
JC L- I've never tried to record a hammered dulcimer, and I am a recording novice generally, but I am pretty good at listening. Given the situation that you have presented, and the fact that, as you say, it might have something to do with the instrument, I'm afraid that you're going to spend hundreds of dollars buying that acoustic foam stuff and still have the problem. Are you recording with a flat EQ? Perhaps you should experiment with cutting various frequencies a bit.
 
LI. I am not intending on spending hundreds on foam at this point. I was thinking more along the lines of hanging quilts on the walls.

When tracking, I usually have my eq set to flat. But one other thought I had was that my mixer has a graphic eq built in. I was thinking about trying to play with that a little to see if it would help.

Thanks for the input.
Joe
 
Status update - some success

I just wanted to give an update after speanding several hours last Friday nite. I tried using the graphic eq on my mixer but it is only for the powered section. It had no affect on the main out. What I did wind up doing was not only turning all my eq setting all the way down (-12bd), but I also put a couple of dynamic mics on either side panning them left and right and keeping the AKG about 2 feet up over the center of the hammered dulcimer. I was finally able to get a cleaner and richer sound.

One last thing that I need to deal with is room ambience. I was able to here this with the settings I was using. At least know I have something that is close to being acceptable. Thanks for all your help.

One thing to that I want to add here is how amazing it is how someone can post a thread and how by the time it comes near the end, it has lost site of the original post. This one started with a question about the -10db pad of their mic.
 
Lively- yeah.
But a 10 x 10 room is small enough to apply room treatments without re-mortgaging the house. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top