Theater Board Output Level to Zoom - Usually No Headroom - Any Fix?

LA_Dad

LA_Dad

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I'm assuming a "No" answer here but have to try.
I shoot plays, musicals and dance recitals with three cameras. I mic the apron of the stage feeding a zoom H4n via XLR and I take a feed (XLR or 3/4) from the venue's audio "designer/technician" up in the booth to another zoom H4n. All video and audio to be imported into Adobe Premiere. I set the board's zoom rec manual level as low as it will go (about 0.05). I always try to negotiate an output level with each "designer/technician" but most of them are unable or unwilling to bring down the board output level to me because they'll sacrifice music track and stage voice levels below what they would like to hear. Often, the result for me is clipping and no headroom whatsoever and I can't use the feed. I assume "garbage in/garbage out" but have to ask if anyone has a miracle suggestion like a limiter or something. Thanks!
Rich
 
Stick their outputs into a couple of passive DI boxes and take your recordings from the mic outputs On the DI boxes. Their outputs are all line level and while they could on most digital boards give you a feed at a lower level, that adds a requirement for them to monitor it. Clearly rehearsals are different from the show, so when their fader levels creep up as shows happen for real, their attention is on their needs, not yours. We do video, lights and sound and when we are not doing the video, people ask for a feed. Usually I guess a level from experience, and with the venue empty, I’ll play a show track at sort of the level I’ll really use, but again, it’s a guess. OK? I ask, and a distant voice yells great! That’s my involvement done. During the show, I might have to put up a channel fader, or worse, increase input gain because the fourth track is very quiet, then back off the other tracks. often we’ve got to the interval almost by luck, and noticing I’ve sent hardly anything or far too much to the video guy is just too late but while I feel sorry, it really wasn't my job to do video sound because they were single manned. For rehearsed shows it’s less trouble as the surprises have gone and it’s safer. Occasionally, i will have somebody from the video people sitting next to the sound op. That’s great and they can look after levels properly. A DI will at least let you use the recorder better as gains can be higher and chances for distortion lower.
 
I must admit it's a shame nobody makes variable attenuators. In my gear for radio repairs and alignment I have nice simple attenuators for RF - an in and an out and knobs or buttons to add in attenuation in dB increments - one has buttons for 2,3,5,10, 20 and 40dB cuts - so you can preset accurately almost anything. Nobody seems to make these for audio. A nice stereo unit would be very cheap to make yourself, and the Chinese could sell them for hardly anything.
 
Last show I tracked I patched into FOH Midas console via USB. I had to download the drivers but was able to multitrack directly to Reaper.
 
LA_Dad said:
I'm assuming a "No" answer here but have to try.
I shoot plays, musicals and dance recitals with three cameras. I mic the apron of the stage feeding a zoom H4n via XLR and I take a feed (XLR or 3/4) from the venue's audio "designer/technician" up in the booth to another zoom H4n. All video and audio to be imported into Adobe Premiere. I set the board's zoom rec manual level as low as it will go (about 0.05). I always try to negotiate an output level with each "designer/technician" but most of them are unable or unwilling to bring down the board output level to me because they'll sacrifice music track and stage voice levels below what they would like to hear. Often, the result for me is clipping and no headroom whatsoever and I can't use the feed. I assume "garbage in/garbage out" but have to ask if anyone has a miracle suggestion like a limiter or something. Thanks!
Rich
Click to expand...
Just put a mixer in between and lower the level.
 
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