Need Help, Zoom Q4N 4K

Drummerskey

New Member
I am having two issues that are driving me insane. My setup is: mic'd drums/overheads/computer mp3 player --> mixer -->phone jack out --> Zoom 1/8 in. The mixer phones out volume is a quarter of max, the Zoom is manually set at 3 (anything higher on either and it clips). The "auto audio" features on the Zoom is off, the audio quality is at the highest level and the low cut is off. Nothing running through the mixer clips at the mixer.

I cannot get the mix in the Zoom right. The constant problem is that the volume levels of recorded video is always low in volume. If I play an mp3 on the computer, the db meter is around 3 of 6 lights (green). When I playback video on that same computer with no changes, 2 lights and sometimes lower.

However, the reason I am posting is because the mix from the Zoom is not consistent. The issue now is that the playback on recorded video will play mp3 audio at volume but when the drums start with the music, the mp3 audio drops by like half. It stays dropped until a handful of seconds after the drums stop. I don't know why. It has recorded other videos at equal levels and unless I inadvertently changed something while handling the camera, I haven't changed anything.

I have tried re-leveling each component, changing the wires to new ones going into the Zoom, increasing the mp3 volumes, putting the low cut on the mp3 at the mixer, nothing changes it (unless it blasts the mp3 and lowers the drums). The video I captured right before this problem was pretty close to perfect and when I thought the settings were right, it started doing this.

I know there is better gear out there. I'm not looking for suggestions for better/different gear. The videos are largely for personal use and not monetization so I would like to keep what I have. Thank you in advance.
 
Could be an impedance problem. Perhaps the Zoom is expecting a mic signal and getting a line signal.
 
How is your computer connected to the mixer? What input and connection on the mixer? What kind of mixer is it?
 
I bet the gain is fine for music but drums it’s will blunt it . Make sure levels don’t shoot off scale on Zoom
 
Essentially, it is the "phones' out on the laptop, split into 2 1/2 adapter to two of the mixer channels. It's a Beringer mixer. I'd need to look at the model

It's the phones out of the mixer, not RCA out. I'd have to check but I don't know if it has an RCA out.

I can try to level everything down if the drums levels are blunting but as stated, the overall volume of recorded videos is already low.

Does anyone know why the results are sporadic? As stated, the last video shot was completely fine (except the clipping occasionally) I actually turned down the levels and now the music volume is fading. That's what is confusing me.
 
It's the phones out of the mixer, not RCA out. I'd have to check but I don't know if it has an RCA out.

Use a different output on the mixer if you can, like the tape out. The phones output might be damaged, or the wrong impedance.

Normally, the audio ins on a camera are for external mics, ( Mic in, not line in ).

I've used the Q2N, and line level is fine for this camera's audio input.
 
Use a different output on the mixer if you can, like the tape out. The phones output might be damaged, or the wrong impedance.



I've used the Q2N, and line level is fine for this camera's audio input.

I came real close last week to buying the QN2 but went with a GoPro and will be getting a Rode SVM Stereo Video Mic for it.
 
However, the reason I am posting is because the mix from the Zoom is not consistent. The issue now is that the playback on recorded video will play mp3 audio at volume but when the drums start with the music, the mp3 audio drops by like half. It stays dropped until a handful of seconds after the drums stop. I don't know why. It has recorded other videos at equal levels and unless I inadvertently changed something while handling the camera, I haven't changed anything.
Your output, once set, will be consistent with that setup. That really sounds like some auto level issue within the Zoom unit. Factory reset and start over maybe?
 
Worth a shot to reset. I can try a different out. Thanks. I agree, it has to be something stupid. It worked close to fine other than clipping + low volume, or my errors previously.

Don't bother with the GoPro. This set up with the GP, the mic's equipment is all that worked with numerous mics/set up. The only audio/mp3 that worked was what the mics picked up. I have an older GP so, maybe but.... When it's right, the Zoom sounds good. Clearly better with better equipment but if given the chance, I wouldn't buy the GP again. I use it as a different camera angle because, why not.

p.s. Sorry, I didn't read that you already bought. I tried the "official" adapter, a few non-official adapters, bought a phantom power converter for dynamic mic, legacy mics, lots of stuff. I couldn't get the GP to work without recording live (music through a PA) and even then, it sounded muffled.
 
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As an update and possibly a bump in the thread here........

I did a factory reset of the settings in the Zoom. I updated the firmware, I changed the outputs. (it was headphones on the mixer, I move it to the "control room" out. I turned off the phantom power on the mixer (not that I thought that would do much), I lowered the mixer volume and raised the Zoom volume, I changed the setting to "auto" on the Zoom rather than the manual. None of this fixed it. It either lowers the volume of the music or it lowers the volume of the drums. I turned off any leveling on the pc's soundcard just in case that was doing it.

I have set it nowhere near the peak on the Zoom and it's not doing anything different. Watching the db meter on the Zoom, you can see the levels while recording and then on playback, you can see them drop.

Again, this has worked for months now (with only some clipping here and there). Now, all of the sudden; it is lowering one of the two sources and I cannot fix this.

The only thing I can think of now is to contact Zoom to see if they will do anything with their camera. It has to be the issue. The mixer works fine when it is played through the PAs.
 
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