Hi there Newbie question MD recording

[Robstacle2005]

Hi friends
Great forum! Newbie needs serious help for recording speech!

I have a cheapo mixer/ PA/ minidisc set up I am trying to learn and have a recording problem.

The set up is a Peavey PVi100 mic running into a Behringer Eurorack MX 1604A desk, which is connected to a Phonic Powerpod 408 Mixer PA.
I am trying to record the mic output (speech) by utilising the 2 Track out RCA connection on the mixer to link to a Sony Minidisc recorder (MZNH600).

THE PROBLEM: The vocal signal, whilst fine through the PA, sounds like the f*cked up Hendrix 'And the Gods Made Love' intro!!! Sort of gargling robots!

I have also tried my Sony ECM MS907 electret condensor, same result on playback whilst the live sound seems ok.

Is this a phase problem? (Only using one mic?!).

THE GIG:
I need to have the PA, mixer and recording options availble in TWO WEEKS without any hitches for a spoken word event with two speakers.

Help of any description is welcome, especially if you can point me to a solution!

Sorry if it's not that clear but I was hopeful it would be obvious to someone out there!

Cheers
Rob

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

If you have two different mics, both of which sound fine through the mixer into the mains, then it's not a mic or a mic line problem.

It's always difficult to diagnose these things based upon a single Internet post, but the first suspect I would look at would be the tape out line into the MD. It sounds perhaps like the signal is being driven too loud and you're getting extremely heavy clipping distortion. You might need to cut back on signal level somewhere in that part of the signal chain.

If your signal levels look OK, it might be there's a problem with the tape outs themselves. A way to check/bypass that would be to use either Sub outs or Direct outs from the mixer to the MD. You'd have to get 1/4" to RCA adapters for the MD end of the cable, but those are available for a few bucks each at Radio Shack.

HTH,

G.

 

[chessrock]

HE PROBLEM: The vocal signal, whilst fine through the PA, sounds like the f*cked up Hendrix 'And the Gods Made Love' intro!!! Sort of gargling robots!

Wish I could help you.

But once you get the problem all figured out, try and remember what you were doing wrong before. That's a cool effect, and you might want to use it sometime.

 

[The Green Hornet]

Nice Chessie, real nice.

Kind of like the manual for my Motif keyboard.

Green Hornet

 

[PsychoBandito]

I would help you but that set up is so abstract from what I have, I would have no idea what to say

 

[Robstacle2005]

more

HI All
Sorry for delay replying but I have been totally tied up for a few days...

I did discover the problem seemed to be alleviated by partially pulling out
the 3.5mm jack (of the L/R RCA to 3.5mm jack cable, into line in/mic socket
on the minidisc).
The Minidisc then changed it's display (according to degree of jack removal)
to either
1.Line Recording (gargling)
2.Digital Recording (not gargling but hit and miss) or,
3.No Input Signal (nowt)

So I presume the gargling effect may be due to weird signal
interpretation by the MDisc? The same effect can be noticed playing from MD into mixing desk/ into PA. Partially unplugged cables seem to create a 'proper' signal...?!
Is there something I should know about the anatomy of the cable connector?


PS> I played with the levels and it makes no diff. to the effect (source
volume from the mixer and record volume on the minidisc).

A mic plugged into the minidisc by the same line/mic socket has no gargling
problems, so I guess it must be the 3.5mm jack to RCA I used?

I think I have noticed this effect elsewhere when trying to playback off the
minidisc - eg into a rehearsal studio pa system - sometimes the signal
seems attenuated and a slight removal of the jack connector seems to bring a
'normal' signal level?

Help welcomed, if you can!
THANX