Wish the Tonedexter and other preamps had mic level DI outs

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

I did look. (I don't own one, just contend with them on occasion). Yep, there's a knob that controls the TS 1/4" output, and there's a switch that will allow that knob to control the XLR-out level in tandem.

Good to know. And it might also be good to know what setting on that knob will put your Tonedexter's output in the DI-friendly zone.

By default, that switch is off, so XLR output will be at full volume. Don't ask me how I found out!

[Gordon Currie]

I had the same thing happen once with a showcase host who is a musician but not audio equipment savvy.

Once I showed him where the mic/line switch was and to set it to LINE, all was good.

I've never had that happen with a pro sound person. Yet.

[James May]

Personally, when performing and not also being the sound guy, I always ask the sound person if they want mic or line level on the XLR. Depending on what they say, I know what to give them. In the case of a them giving me a blank stare, I will automatically turn the level down to mic level.

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by James May

In the case of a them giving me a blank stare...

Uh-oh!

(padding for minimum message length!)

[Gordon Currie]

Originally Posted by sdelsolray

Most mic preamps and mixers have a -20 dB pad. That's the same circuit that is missing in the Tonedexter for its DI out.

The only pad I've ever seen on a mixer is a channel INPUT pad. This was originally done to allow a mixer to accept a variety of signals. You would use the pad any time you had an instrument level signal (hotter than mic level and lower than 'true' line level).

Where have you seen a pad on the OUTPUT?

[buzzardwhiskey]

Originally Posted by James May

Personally, when performing and not also being the sound guy, I always ask the sound person if they want mic or line level on the XLR. Depending on what they say, I know what to give them. In the case of a them giving me a blank stare, I will automatically turn the level down to mic level.

This is sage advice.

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

Where have you seen a pad on the OUTPUT?

My Grace Alix has one. It's labeled "DI output line/mic level select". But that's what it is.

Edited to add: Oh, maybe you are referring to a pad on a mixer output. Nope, never seen that.

[buzzardwhiskey]

Originally Posted by Chipotle

My Grace Alix has one. It's labeled "DI output line/mic level select". But that's what it is.

Edited to add: Oh, maybe you are referring to a pad on a mixer output. Nope, never seen that.

The switch on the Alix is exactly what I was wishing other manufacturers would supply.

[Brent Hahn]

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

Where have you seen a pad on the OUTPUT?

They don't call it that; you'll see a Mic/Line level switch. But the Mic position shunts the signal through a pad.

[varmonter]

Like said above the Grace stuff has the
line/mic level switch.
My felix is set to mic.
Which is what the board likes.

[Gordon Currie]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

They don't call it that; you'll see a Mic/Line level switch. But the Mic position shunts the signal through a pad.

Any piece of gear that has an output level control could also be said to have a (variable) pad.
In fact, ToneDexter could be said to have an output pad - just not switchable between two values.

I was referring to mixers in my original response. I've never seen an output pad on a mixer (unless we define the main output level pots as pads).

[guitarwebguy]

One way to solve the problem of the sound folks not being able to cope on their end, is to slip a line attenuator before the XLR cable - https://hosatech.com/products/analog...pters/att-448/

[RockerDuck]

I've gigged far and wide and never had a sound engineer say that an input is too hot. Any decent board has a trim control for input. This combination with the volume knob/slider can put you at zero output. Studio's need mic preamps to boost the signal up. This is the sound engineers problem, not the Tonedexter.

[mandowilli]

Do you have access to a mixing board that has PFL Solo capability?

If so, set up your rig and plug it into a mic input and set the input gain to 0.
PFL Solo that channel to the meter and you will have your signal level displayed as you play. Adjust your rig accordingly. Now you know your signal level is good.

If sound guy says you are too hot on his setup tell him to set your input gain at 0. What he really saying is that your signal is too hot compared to the other mic channels he is looking at such as passive mics that he has to set the input gain way high on or a bandmate with a puny signal level that he must crank the gain on.

A decent mixing board will have an input gain setting. Powered mixers used at many small venues do not. They have a dial labeled "Level" and a button that says "Pad". Pad lowers the input gain a predetermined amount which may or may not help.

I played a gig last year where the sound guy told me that my rig through a Grace Felix was too hot. I went to talk to him (look at the mixer) and he had all the input gains set at 12 noon. He didn't know their function and had been told to put them like that by the guy that trained him!

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by mandowilli

Do you have access to a mixing board that has PFL Solo capability?

If so, set up your rig and plug it into a mic input and set the input gain to 0.
PFL Solo that channel to the meter and you will have your signal level displayed as you play. Adjust your rig accordingly. Now you know your signal level is good.

If sound guy says you are too hot on his setup tell him to set your input gain at 0. What he really saying is that your signal is too hot compared to the other mic channels he is looking at such as passive mics that he has to set the input gain way high on or a bandmate with a puny signal level that he must crank the gain on.

A decent mixing board will have an input gain setting. Powered mixers used at many small venues do not. They have a dial labeled "Level" and a button that says "Pad". Pad lowers the input gain a predetermined amount which may or may not help.

I played a gig last year where the sound guy told me that my rig through a Grace Felix was too hot. I went to talk to him (look at the mixer) and he had all the input gains set at 12 noon. He didn't know their function and had been told to put them like that by the guy that trained him!

Definitely not always the case but if I am playing a bar where my band is making $300-400 for the night, chances are the sound tech is not the best there is out there. I too have run into this issue. Honestly my first thought to a hot signal as a sound man would be to check the input gain on the channel as well as ask about the mic/line level setting on the pedal. It's definitely odd how many sound techs don't do this and just ask for the di/preamp to be turned down.