Help with Lav gain structure

[superwack]

I was hoping someone could give me some advice about the proper gain structure when using a wireless lav. I’ll admit I really don’t have any experience using wireless mics/Lavs and am kinda trying to apply “studio” knowledge so I may be over/under thinking this all. I did do a search but didn’t find the info I was looking for.

A friend loaned me a LECTROSONICS UM200 pack and a UCR210D receiver and I downloaded the manuals from the website to get started.

I adjusted the trim on the mic pack until it only occasional lit the red light during normal volumes (as it said to do in the manual). I noticed, however, that BOTH red lights lit up on the receiver (which the manual says is an indication of limiting/peaking) long before the red light on the mic pack illuminated! It makes me wonder which I should be watching… I’m assuming the receiver’s LEDs as the mic pack won’t be visible when hidden on the talent.

Aas far as I understand it - the LEVEL switch on the back of the receiver (-20, 0, +8) relates to the scale of the knob on the front… -20 equals a scale of -50 to -20, 0 equals 0 to +30 and the +8 is a “fixed output” is that correct? If the receiver is plugged in to a mixer (then on to a camera line in) what would be the proper level to set the output switch to? If it is important, let’s say the operating level of the editing system I would be transferring this in to would be at -12 or -20. I don’t think I should be adding/subtracting output gain - shouldn’t that be done with the mixer?

So... does this “gain structure” make sense:

LAV (adjusted until one red light on RECIEVER lights irregardless of the mic pack) with 0 gain from the receiver in to the mixer then the mixer line out in to the camera line in - monitoring the return from the camera on the mixer? Perhaps I’m all wrong - happy to find that out too!

As with all recording, I’ll use my ears to judge BUT I’d feel a little bit better knowing that I wasn’t totally destroying my headroom, frequency response, etc.

Thanks for your help…

Mark

[eastwestaudio]

you might consider posting this question over on r.a.m.p.s. or jwsound.net. there are primarily location mixers on those sites who can probably best answer your question.

-greg-

[superwack]

thanks - will do!