Mark Foley
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Jun 10, 2007, 8:56 AM
Post #1 of 10
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Audio Feed from Soundboard to Camera
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I had someone contact me on how to properly take a feed from a soundboard (XLR connection from live band) and run it safely/accurately to his camera. I thought I would share this with all: Just because your audio feed is coming to you on a XLR cable doesn't mean it is a mic level signal. The value of an XLR connection is that the signal is balanced. Sound board MAIN OUT (or MASTER) signals can be set to either mic level (-60db) or line level (+4db). Typically an XLR feed is +4db, a very hot signal, because the amplifiers themselves are usually located back stage, a good distance from the sound board in the house.
Ask the board technician to give you one of the following feeds instead:
1. A RECORD OUT feed. This is also a +4db signal, but independent from the MAIN OUT feed and at constant stable level. This can be from either a 1/4" or a RCA socket. It is also a stereo feed.
2. A SUB MASTER OR MONITOR FEED. Depending upon the design of the sound board, these feeds can be mono or stereo. Their purpose is to provide signals to onstage speakers for the performers or to drive a specific set of amplifiers, like for bass cabinets or sub-woofers. They differ from the MAINS in that individual channels can be assigned to them. A drummer, for example might be more interested in the rhythm guitar player where the lead vocalist will want to pay more attention to his/her own voice and the drummer. Sub-masters allow them to hear a mix distinctly different from what the audience hears.
3.AUX sends are mono, and are primarily used to electronically process specific audio channels, and almost always use 1/4" connections. Like Sub-Master, individual channels are assigned to them.
Regardless of the kind of send you are given, insure all channels coming into the board are assigned to it.
To complete the connection to your camera, purchase two 1/4" male to XLR female microphone cables about 15' long, two XLR male -male "gender menders" (short metal cylinders about 3" long), and two RCA male to 1/4" female adapters. They are all available from Radio Shack.
To be on the safe side, set your camera's mic input to "ATT", meaning attenuated to -35 db or "Line", meaning+4db. Remember that while the sound board itself can not produce enough signal strength to drive loudspeakers it is loaded with volume controls which could deliver to your camera a very strong signal. Have the board controls that manage your feed set low to start, 30-50%. Get your camera adjusted, then, if necessary, have the board technician slowly increase the gain on your feed. My preference is to the RECORD OUT feed because the sound tech doesn't have to do anything, and you have eliminated a bunch of variables to your feed.
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Mark
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Since I've been using the e604 I don't think I've said 2 words to a board operator other than to tell him to keep the lighting up and not play the chicken dance. 
