Proper MM-1 Gain Staging - Sound Speeds!

To make a donation: www.paypal.me/S...
Gain staging can be tricky and this little device, the Sound Devices MM-1, seems to be one that many sound mixers set differently. Each mixer also insists that their gain staging is set correctly but what mixers don't always consider is the microphone specifications. In this video we'll explore those specifications and determine the best way to gain stage the Sound Devices MM-1.
For more info about the Sound Devices MM-1:
www.sounddevic...
To purchase a Sound Devices MM-1:
amzn.to/2MIqCSx
To convert microphone sensitivity to decibels of gain required:
www.sengpielaud...
Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links and if you purchase something using one of these links, you'll pay the same price that you'd find on Amazon if you looked it up yourself but Amazon will pay me a small referral fee for sending you there to make a purchase.
Make sure to subscribe for more content!
Have a question? Write it in the comments below or email [e-mail]
Join us on Facebook: / soundspeeds
Follow us on Twitter: / soundspeedsyt
Interested in becoming a patron? / soundspeeds
To make a donation: www.paypal.me/S...
All donations received will go directly back into this channel.
If there's something specific you'd like the donation funds to be spent on, please specify in the donation notes or send me an email.

[@AliBaba-vw7mo]

THE most underrated channel in the entire universe, no joke, no sarcasm

[@SoundSpeeds]

Thank you. :-)

[@thelinthicums3295]

Second that

[@SoundSpeeding]

Third that

[@SoundSpeeds]

@@SoundSpeeding Thanks guys!

[@thelinthicums3295]

The mic you are using for this video is perfect for your voice.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Ugh! Rode NT-1 but it picked up so much reverb off my computer I had to EQ it like crazy. Thank you though.

[@thelinthicums3295]

We have one of these units and love it. If you run it into a camera without a mic/line level switch you must use a -20db pad or attenuator cable. (Luckily our C100 has such a switch).

[@SoundSpeeds]

Totally! Also make all the cables you may use with it are made the same way, same manufacturer, same model, length, etc otherwise you could have weird gain fluctuations between units.

[@SoundSpeeding]

Good points here, using the specs sheets as a starting point as what settings to use on set rather than just playing around with what "sounds right" until you dial it in (although of course it is important to trust your ears too! And not just blindly follow numbers. But using the specs can be a good way to figure out a "base starting point", especially if someone is inexperienced and unsure what might be a good figure to start with would be). After watching your video it did get me to then go look up the specs of each of my popular mics I use more often, and to then think back what are the common settings I normally ask my boom op to use on my MM1. Made me then wonder if perhaps I'm running the MM1 mildly too hot, and I should take it a step down? But then again, probably my boom ops tend to err towards giving the talent a bit more air than I'd personally do (got to have more courage! Push in to that edge of the frame line) so I reckon in the end the math still does check out! However, I reckon in the future when I need to make that 50/50 judgement call between two steps as to which I should take I'll now try erring more often to the lower figure and see how it sounds. As maybe I've been having a slight internal bias towards the hotter one instead.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Everybody does. Subconsciously we think the louder one sounds better unless it obviously distorts or hurts. You're right though, start with specs then dial it in with your ears. There are varying levels of gain staging and is important to gain correctly at the source then work your way back to the recorder. Do that to ear and you can be assured your sound will be the way it should.

[@seanjulian7565]

Curious about using an MM1 in a field recording set up. I know there are options from Sound Devices like the Mixpre 3 or 6 with the recorder already built in, but I was wondering about using an MM1 with my Sony PCM M10 recorder. This would require using a female xlr line out to a TRS 3.5 minijack to go into the line input on the Sony. A.) Do you recommend this as far as quality? B.) Is there a specific cord I need to find that will this take the mono signal from the preamp and split it into two signals, so the same mono signal records onto both the left and right audio channels? C.) or do you recommend something different like the Mixpre D for instance, which btw isn't made anymore.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Depends completely on your application. An MM1 into a recorder isn't something I'd recommend. For that I'd use a MixPre or something similar. If going into a transmitter, the MM1 is the way to go unless using pro UHF wireless.

[@tv510]

At the risk of sounding like a rube, where in the chain does this MM-1 go?. Boom mic, down to the MM-1 then on to the Sound Devices 688? Do I even need one for that recorder? I Was considering it for pre amping to my ZoomH5. Thanks.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Yes, that would work but with the 688, the preamps are great so you don't need an MM1 unless you want an extra gain stage or monitoring position or to go line level before a cable run. Usually you go boom into MM-1 then into a wireless transmitter.

[@linelevelmedia7357]

Great video! And I would think the same principle applies to lavalier microphones? I see on Sankens website the COS-11D has a listed sensitivity at 17.8mV/Pa or -35dB. So say with a Lectro transmitter connected to it, you would want your baseline gain to be about 35dB? Or does this all go out the window due to Lectros guidelines with "kissing the red" etc?

[@SoundSpeeds]

It used to say in the Lectrosonics SMDA, SMA, SMV and SMQV manual that you should set the gain so that the -10dB barely lights up green and the -20dB light occasionally pops red. I don't know if they've changed that now but a similar rule applies today with more modern transmitters, I'm sure.

[@ahmedadambd1939]

Thank you for all those details. I was surprised when I last used the Sanken CS-M1 for the first time. When I plugged it into the MixPre II (with ordinary gain around 36/38 dB) I felt there was too much noise... The microphone has a sensitivity of -22 dBV/Pa. Besides in this example, can we conclude even if we are working with a 32-bit "resolution", the choice of the gain can have an influence on the quality of the recorded audio? Thank you

[@SoundSpeeds]

I explain 32 bit floating point here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqqwhnSNjc-lnqM

[@LeoMahoney70]

Howdy- you suggested a padded audio cable if I output to a Z series Lectro plug-on TX. How many DB & where would I order it from? Thanks again- Leo

[@SoundSpeeds]

10-20dB should do it.

[@zbyszekolko3998]

Great video! Thank you. 1. Where do you locate +4dBu (or 0) on dBFS scale with 24bit recorders? 2. Where do you locate it with 32 bit recorders? 3. Is MM1 any better than 302?

[@SoundSpeeds]

1: This is an analog device and all the MM1 has a line out and all switches are on the back. 2: Depends on your gain staging. More info on 32 bit floating point: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqqwhnSNjc-lnqM 3: Yes, in my opinion.

[@zbyszekolko3998]

@@SoundSpeeds 1, 2. Sure, every mic pre is analog device and has its headroom and how you locate your +4dBu on your dBFS scale is your gain staging decision, so my questions are justified. 3. Thank you.

[@SoundSpeeds]

But you don't set levels for +4dB, you set your levels to peak around -18-12dB according to preference. You're talking about dBFS vs analog voltage. This video goes into it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6bXgnqwo5mInJY

[@zbyszekolko3998]

@@SoundSpeeds In professional work (here in Europe) we don't set our level to peak headroom but rather use a generator to set our gain to gainstage our AD converters. This is why we know what dBu value corresponds to 0dBFS and vice versa. That also helps to get desired loudness target when broadcasting live. You use some other methods?

[@SoundSpeeds]

You're talking about broadcast TV and I show that technique in the EIN I linked. On film sets, it's digital from an internal tone generator at -20dB and you watch the meters. Post will vibrate the tracks based on the tone of they desire.

[@rahoolsyam9538]

Vehicle Recording Esp exhaust and other high spl ones i have couple of sm58 so i thought of using those what are your suggestions any other dynamic or condenser options usually seen or heard about dpa 4061 for these purpose but looking for a lil cheaper but efficient ones and would like to see your ideas or methods for rigging mics for car/vehicle sounds know most of the ways for dialogue recordings but would like to see your methods and perhaps help more people also to come up with solutions and always thank you for sharing

[@SoundSpeeds]

I'm not a sound effect recording specialist and recommend listening to Matt Price's Sound Chats with Watson Wu and Rob Nokes. They both give a lot of info about technique and some gear suggestions. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWTFh5KwZ7CUhqM As for mic recommendations... there's a reason why Simon Hayes used DPA lavs on set when recording vocals for the Les Miserables soundtrack during production. They are the best sounding lav and if you can't get a boom on them, that's where you go. To my knowledge there's no alternative.

[@rahoolsyam9538]

thanks allen will check it out

[@SoundSpeeds]

@@rahoolsyam9538 They're great

[@rahoolsyam9538]

Yes i know one of the best people in the field and i do follow matt haven't checked his sound chat with Watson wu and rob nokes yet i have talked with watson about him trying the new ntsf1 from rode thanks for the link

[@SoundSpeeds]

Sorry I don't have more info on this topic but I wouldn't want to make anything up just to tell you something.

[@LeoMahoney70]

My MM1 is on the way! Is outputting the MM1 to a Lectrosonic L series plug-on TX, an ok way to go wireless with a boom??

[@SoundSpeeds]

Totally! I strongly recommend using a padded cable out of the MM1 into your transmitter though.

[@LeoMahoney70]

@@SoundSpeeds Can you detail?

[@LeoMahoney70]

I would be recording to a 633

[@SoundSpeeds]

A cable that attenuates the line level out of the MM1 by 20dB or so will allow you to gain up the TX a bit and that will give you a better signal level for the transmitter without it sounding too hot.

[@VotoPrivateUploads]

Great video! Is there an alternative to the MM-1 in the sub $400 range? An MM-1 is just what I need but its a little out of my budget.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Not in pro circles but if you are patient you can find them used for around $400.

[@VotoPrivateUploads]

@@SoundSpeeds Thanks Allen. What are some good sites for shopping second hand pro audio gear?

[@SoundSpeeds]

Trew Audio's Used section, Facebook film sound people forums, etc. Email me and I'll send you some links.

[@rumorscameras]

you have to get a better voice microphone man

[@SoundSpeeds]

Care to elaborate? This was a video about the MM1.

[@rumorscameras]

@@SoundSpeeds i do not mean that in a bad way, in the contrary, i looked around your channel, you are a sound guy and i figured your sound is a bit too sibiliant and thin or mid rangy to my ears that is. so i hope you upgrade your sound so we can enjoy watching you mate

[@SoundSpeeds]

This was an old video. Honestly, I don't remember it so I'll have to rewatch it later. I have a lot of very good gear but know myself well enough that I can selay that if I picked a particular mic for that video, there was a reason. Thank you for watching and I encourage you to watch my newer content on the new background.

[@rumorscameras]

@@SoundSpeeds 😎🎤

[@SoundSpeeds]

😏