DMP3 users .. thoughts on usage and levels in order to get the best results ..

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diogo

diogo

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hi everyone...

i just recently got the DMP3 and im "pleased" with it....the difference between the foxtex MR8 pre is night and day...

anyway, im ok with it and have been experimenting quite a lot, but im curious on how most ppl that have this unit actually use it...for instance, do u use the lo/hi switch, if so: when, if not: why...what gain level do you work at normally? wich is enough, etc...

all of that....
cause im afraid i might not be using the thing to its maximum capabilities cause im always afraid it might clip or it might be too close to the red but maybe it doesnt have to in order to get propper levels, etc...im confused and could use a little help..

any input?



tanx in advance...
 
I use the lo switch often becuause it's a hot little preamp.

Don't worry about not getting near the red, as long as you have a good solid signal going into your DAW. Don't try and get as hot a signal as possible before clipping. There will be a much bigger risk of clipping and you're not gettting anything extra out of the preamp in terms of quality, not recording into digital with a solid state pre like the DMP-3 anyway.

A good rule of thumb I try and stick to is to track so that average levels are around -12db in your DAW. The peaks then have plenty of room before clipping and you will have plenty of headroom at the mixing stage should you need it.

A BBS user named Farview wrote some good stuff on this in a recent thread. You might try searching for that too.

EDIT: Found it. This will probably be useful reading:

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=151688
 
hello Kevin,

tanx a lot!

im reading through that thread...
its very helpful..although i dont have a way to measure the signal going in cause its a fostex MR8, and i havent tracked in a while, but if i remember properly the levels are not measurable...they have 0 - 12 - 48 .... i doubt this is it :/ and if it is..i really cant measure accurately, its very small and only has those 3 numbers..

on the other hand i dont have a compressor...so if i record at a low level i dont get decent volume...but anyway, that was before the DMP3...ill see what it does now...

tanx!

ps. you're right about it being hot though...if i turn the hi/lo switch off the thing goes bezerk..
 
I use the DMP3 primarily for recording acoustic guitar (with a pair of MXL 603s mics). In that instance, I have not needed to engage the gain switch. I play loudly into the mics and turn up the gain until the clip light comes on with my loudest strums. Then I turn it down just a little. I try not to look at the VU meters, because they seem pretty sketchy. I usually engage the low cut filter. That's about it.

The hi/lo gain switch is useful for loud sources like drums.
 
scrubs said:
I use the DMP3 primarily for recording acoustic guitar (with a pair of MXL 603s mics). In that instance, I have not needed to engage the gain switch. I play loudly into the mics and turn up the gain until the clip light comes on with my loudest strums. Then I turn it down just a little. I try not to look at the VU meters, because they seem pretty sketchy. I usually engage the low cut filter.
Click to expand...

That is my method as well. Even playing fingerstyle, I do not need to engage the gain switch. The recorded wave-form lets me know if I need to make any gain adjustments.
 
hey scrubs...

tanx for the reply...
you're right about the VU metters of course, its pretty hectic..and very fast..so u dont really use the lo/hi switch (that means u use the "hi" option right?)...never limiting the pre while recording acoustics..

tell me something...even with a small condenser, u feel the need for the low cut filter? i know its good advice, but im tracking everything with a 57 (only for notepad purposes, but i do want the best quality possible even if this setup is only used for notes/rough ideas)..i guess its not as justifiable...

or is it?


tanx!
 
I also use a DMP3. The only time I had to use the Hi/Lo gain switch, was while recording drums.

If the EQ section on your Fostex is somewhat limited, (and I'm guessing it is) you should definitely try engaging the low cut pad on the DMP3.
 
diogo said:
tell me something...even with a small condenser, u feel the need for the low cut filter? i know its good advice, but im tracking everything with a 57 (only for notepad purposes, but i do want the best quality possible even if this setup is only used for notes/rough ideas)..i guess its not as justifiable...
Click to expand...

The low-cut is just a what I do. I will generally EQ out everything on the acoustic below 80-100Hz or so, anyway, so the low-cut while tracking just makes sense to me. SDCs, in general, have excellent low frequency response (much better than the 57) and can get boomy if you don't get the placement just right.

I would do whatever feels comfortable to you. There is nothing wrong with tracking with no EQ adjustments or filters and just doing it all at mixdown. In fact, that's probably good advice for most situations.
 
Tom,

tanx! will not engage the lo gain thingy...
the EQ in the fostex is unexistant...its the MR8! lol
seriously...all i can do is mingle with volumes on each track...nothing more.

scrubs...

tanx!
i understand...ill try both ways and see what i can get...
and keep my eyes out of the devil posessed VU meters..

tanx!
 
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