I have an old signal generator in which i am measuring the output voltage
to get a basic mic level [ my math is not so good , but .7 v is considered
+ 4 Line level ? ] for checking out a preamp i built .

tia for any help , regards Greg

"GKB" wrote ...
I have an old signal generator in which i am measuring the output
voltage
to get a basic mic level [ my math is not so good , but .7 v is
considered
+ 4 Line level ? ] for checking out a preamp i built .

There is a FAQ for this newsgroup at...
http://www.recaudiopro.net/faq/index.htm

But, to my surprise, this question is not actually addressed there.

I'm sure someone will be along shortly with a good link to a dB
levels FAQ somewhere.

GKB wrote:
I have an old signal generator in which i am measuring the output voltage
to get a basic mic level [ my math is not so good , but .7 v is considered
+ 4 Line level ? ] for checking out a preamp i built .

tia for any help , regards Greg



Professional Line Level equals 1.228v. +4dBu=1.228v.

--
Eric

Practice Your Mixing Skills
www.Raw-Tracks.com
www.Mad-Host.com

In article PT8de.1186302$6l.202027@pd7tw2no writes:

I have an old signal generator in which i am measuring the output voltage
to get a basic mic level [ my math is not so good , but .7 v is considered
+ 4 Line level ? ] for checking out a preamp i built .

0 dBu is 0.775V. +4 dBu "nominal line level" in round numbers is about
1.2V. A good healthy mic levl is around -35 dBu which equates to
0.014V (14 millivolts).

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

GKB wrote:

I have an old signal generator in which i am measuring the output voltage
to get a basic mic level [ my math is not so good , but .7 v is considered
+ 4 Line level ? ] for checking out a preamp i built .

0.775V is 0dBu

1.23V is +4dBu ( 0VU ) commonly taken as the 'line level' reference.


Graham

-35dBU might be a good o/p from a capacitor mic. What if it's not that
genre?
A good dynamic mic reference level for speaking voice is -54dBU or about
1.5mV rms. Add 8dB above that for peak (to -46dBU).
Some dynamics give a lower ref level (about 0.9mV).
A ribbon mic produces even less voltage and usually that needs to be
increased with the use of a step-up transformer by about 7-10dB to nurture
lower-gain preamps.

Line-up (ref) line level in UK is 0dBU or 0.7746mV, at 400 Hz, 800 Hz, or
1kHz.
Peak is strictly 8dB on top of that.

"Mike Rivers" wrote in message
news:znr1114971924k@trad...

In article PT8de.1186302$6l.202027@pd7tw2no writes:

I have an old signal generator in which i am measuring the output
voltage
to get a basic mic level [ my math is not so good , but .7 v is
considered
+ 4 Line level ? ] for checking out a preamp i built .

0 dBu is 0.775V. +4 dBu "nominal line level" in round numbers is about
1.2V. A good healthy mic levl is around -35 dBu which equates to
0.014V (14 millivolts).

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

"GKB"

I have an old signal generator in which i am measuring the output voltage
to get a basic mic level [ my math is not so good , but .7 v is
considered
+ 4 Line level ? ] for checking out a preamp i built .

tia for any help , regards Greg



** There is no such thing as "mic level" - any fool here who says there is
is an ass.

Depending on the actual mic and its usage the output level varies from
almost nothing to several volts.

Why do you think mic pres have an input gain control with 50 - 60 dB range
????




............... Phil

On Sun, 01 May 2005 18:05:35 GMT, "GKB" wrote:

I have an old signal generator in which i am measuring the output voltage
to get a basic mic level [ my math is not so good , but .7 v is considered
+ 4 Line level ? ] for checking out a preamp i built .

That's near enough 0. +4 is 1.228v.

Thanks for all the replies , Mr Rivers was the closest to what
i was looking for [ thanks Mike ] , and if that wasn't clear , it was "
what would
an " average " mic put out voltage wise so i can set the signal generator
in the ballpark !
something in the middle not a ribbon , not a modern condenser being yelled
into ,
perhaps a voltage down 50db from 0 , Not critical just a place to start
from .

spread the love , regards Greg



"Mike Rivers" wrote in message
news:znr1114971924k@trad...

In article PT8de.1186302$6l.202027@pd7tw2no writes:

I have an old signal generator in which i am measuring the output
voltage
to get a basic mic level [ my math is not so good , but .7 v is
considered
+ 4 Line level ? ] for checking out a preamp i built .

0 dBu is 0.775V. +4 dBu "nominal line level" in round numbers is about
1.2V. A good healthy mic levl is around -35 dBu which equates to
0.014V (14 millivolts).

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

In article writes:

-35dBU might be a good o/p from a capacitor mic. What if it's not that
genre?
A good dynamic mic reference level for speaking voice is -54dBU or about
1.5mV rms. Add 8dB above that for peak (to -46dBU).
Some dynamics give a lower ref level (about 0.9mV).

Because of all the idiots hooking mics to recorders today and saying
things like "my mic isn't hot enough" or "my mic is too hot" without
considering things like gain structure, manufacturers are making mics
with pretty much similar sensitivity. It's no longer univerally true
that condenser mics have a higher output level for a given SPL than
dynamics.

It's very true, however, that speaking a foot or so from a microphone
will give an eyeball average output level around 20 dB lower than
someone singing into a mic at a few inches. This is why a microphone
preamp needs to have good performance over a wide dynamic range.

The original poster was looking for a test signal to run through a mic
preamp, and something in tne order of -35 dBu is a good middle-of-the
scale level - not high enough to overload, not so low that noise
becomes a problem.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

In article writes:

** There is no such thing as "mic level"

Depending on the actual mic and its usage the output level varies from
almost nothing to several volts.

There's no specific number for calibration, but there's a voltage
range that's usually considered "mic level" and a range that's
considered "line level." There are mics that put out line levels, and
there are lines that put out mic levels.

Why do you think mic pres have an input gain control with 50 - 60 dB range
????

So that they can accommodate what comes out of most microphones most
of the time. But you won't find too many mic preamps that will take a
"line level" signal (say in the range of -20dBu to +24 dBu) at the
same input connector as a mic without at least switching in an
attenuator.



--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

"Mike Rivers"
Phil Allison

** There is no such thing as "mic level"

Depending on the actual mic and its usage the output level varies from
almost nothing to several volts.

There's no specific number for calibration, but there's a voltage
range that's usually considered "mic level" and a range that's
considered "line level."


** Bull**** - there is no such thing as mic level.


There are mics that put out line levels, and
there are lines that put out mic levels.


** Is that the first line to some new ****ry& Western music dirge ??

The "Arse Lucking Parrot's Lament " ???



Why do you think mic pres have an input gain control with 50 - 60 dB
range
????

So that they can accommodate what comes out of most microphones most
of the time.


** Which contradicts the asinine Parrot's previous verbal diarrhoea.


But you won't find too many mic preamps that will take a
"line level" signal .......


** Massive straw man .

Parrots do so love to **** in straw - when they have bad diarrhoea.




............... Phil

In article writes:

"Mike Rivers"
Phil Allison

** There is no such thing as "mic level"

Depending on the actual mic and its usage the output level varies from
almost nothing to several volts.

There's no specific number for calibration, but there's a voltage
range that's usually considered "mic level" and a range that's
considered "line level."


** Bull**** - there is no such thing as mic level.

There's no such thing as bull**** either. It's just a term that people
who can't interpret the English language use when they're frustrated
and don't have anything else to say.

But you won't find too many mic preamps that will take a
"line level" signal .......


** Massive straw man .

Massive truth.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

EricK wrote:
GKB wrote:

I have an old signal generator in which i am measuring the output
voltage
to get a basic mic level [ my math is not so good , but .7 v is
considered
+ 4 Line level ? ] for checking out a preamp i built .

tia for any help , regards Greg



Professional Line Level equals 1.228v. +4dBu=1.228v.

0=.775

"Mike Rivers"
Phil Allison

** There is no such thing as "mic level"

Depending on the actual mic and its usage the output level varies from
almost nothing to several volts.

There's no specific number for calibration, but there's a voltage
range that's usually considered "mic level" and a range that's
considered "line level."


** Bull**** - there is no such thing as mic level.

There's no such thing as bull**** either.


** ROTFLMAO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of the planet's truly monumental BULL**** artists says there is no such
thing !!!!

He would say that - wouldn't he ???

What a hoot!!!!!


It's just a term that people
who can't interpret the English language use when they're frustrated
and don't have anything else to say.


** Any dictionary will tell you that "bull****" = "nonsense" and that a
"bull**** artist " is a deceiver and pretender.



But you won't find too many mic preamps that will take a
"line level" signal .......


** Massive straw man .

Massive truth.


** Better go look up "straw man" - you pathetic pooing parrot.




................ Phil

David Kowalski wrote:

0=.775

0 does not equal .775, it equals zero.
Always has, always will.

--
Eric

Practice Your Mixing Skills
www.Raw-Tracks.com
www.Mad-Host.com

GKB wrote:

I have an old signal generator in which i am measuring the output voltage
to get a basic mic level [ my math is not so good , but .7 v is considered
+ 4 Line level ? ] for checking out a preamp i built .

tia for any help , regards Greg

Ok - I think you got the numbers regarding the accepted reference levels.

When designing a mic amp you should consider the situations in which it is
likely to be used.

Quiet singing from a distance from the mic may require as much as 80dB gain.

Rock 'n roll usage with close miking may result in overload of your mic pre (
assuming typical circuitry ) if you can't wind the gain down to around 20dB (
or less even ! ).

Graham

Mike Rivers wrote:
In article
writes:

"Mike Rivers"
Phil Allison

** There is no such thing as "mic level"

Depending on the actual mic and its usage the output level varies
from almost nothing to several volts.

There's no specific number for calibration, but there's a voltage
range that's usually considered "mic level" and a range that's
considered "line level."


** Bull**** - there is no such thing as mic level.

There's no such thing as bull**** either. It's just a term that people
who can't interpret the English language use when they're frustrated
and don't have anything else to say.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" -
Arthur C. Clarke

"Any sufficiently advanced philosophical discussion is indistinguishable
from bull****" - unknown


Kevin Aylward

http://www.anasoft.co.uk
SuperSpice, a very affordable Mixed-Mode
Windows Simulator with Schematic Capture,
Waveform Display, FFT's and Filter Design.

To perpetuate the story , it's an old tube model signal generator with
numbers for markings, as i've never had much for test gear [ check , check
! ]
and not even for design , more to trouble shoot .

thanks again ALL

regards Greg


"Pooh Bear" wrote in message
...
GKB wrote:

I have an old signal generator in which i am measuring the output
voltage
to get a basic mic level [ my math is not so good , but .7 v is
considered
+ 4 Line level ? ] for checking out a preamp i built .

tia for any help , regards Greg

Ok - I think you got the numbers regarding the accepted reference levels.

When designing a mic amp you should consider the situations in which it is
likely to be used.

Quiet singing from a distance from the mic may require as much as 80dB
gain.

Rock 'n roll usage with close miking may result in overload of your mic
pre (
assuming typical circuitry ) if you can't wind the gain down to around
20dB (
or less even ! ).

Graham