Nagra Nagra-VI, VI Operating Instructions And Reference Manual
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
AND
REFERENCE MANUAL
NAGRA-VI
NAGRAVISION SA, Kudelski Group, Rte. de Genè ve 22, 1033 Cheseaux, Switzerland. Tel :+41 21 732 0101 W eb : www.nagraaudio.com e-mail: audio_pro@n agra.com
GUARANTEE / WARRANTY
NAGRA/KUDELSKI certifies that this instrument was thoroughly inspected and tested prior to leaving our
factory and is in accordance with the data given in the accompanying test sheet.
We guarantee the Nagra VI products of our own manufacture against any defect arising from faulty
manufacture for a period of TWO years from the date of delivery.
This guarantee covers the repair of confirmed defects or, if necessary, the replacement of the faulty parts,
excluding all other indemnities.
All freight costs, as well as customs duty and other possible charges, are at the customer's expense.
Our guarantee remains valid in the event of emergency repairs or modification being made by the user.
However we reserve the right to invoice the customer for any damage caused by an unqualified person or a
false manoeuvre by the operator.
We decline any responsibility for any and all damages resulting, directly or indirectly, from the use of our
products.
Other products sold by NAGRAVISION / KUDELSKI S.A. are covered by the guarantee clauses of their
respective manufacturers. We decline any responsibility for damages resulting from the use of these products.
We reserve the right to modify the product, and / or the specifications without notice.
ABOUT THIS MANUAL
This instruction manual is broken down into several chapters. Each chapter covers different aspects of the
Nagra VI recorder, the settings, actual use, eventual problem localisation and technical specifications.
The operation section is divided into five different parts, the contents of each is listed below.
GUARANTEE / WARRANTY
ABOUT THIS MANUAL
INTRODUCTION TO THE NAGRA VI
Chapter I
Battery packs, charging and external DC power
Chapter II
keys, switches, connectors and more
Chapter III
Part 1
Part 2
Filters, Internal Mixer, Reference Generator,
M/S decoders, Outputs AES In / Out, Monitoring Page 22
Part 3
Working drive, Directory functions, Index / take
iXML METADATA, False start, Wild track, Pick-up
COPY functions, Autocopy and copy manager Page 32
Part 4
clock ref., sampling freq., File type, File name / size,
Screen settings, Beep, Speaker, Auto skip,
Start stop polarity User keys, Meter programming. Page 49
Part 5
(RTC), Auto folders, Name, Keyboard Selection,
Software Updates and Default settings, TEMPLATES Page 57
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
ANNEX I - Recording times Page 74
ANNEX II - iXML implementation Page 75
ANNEX III - The entire menu tree Page 76
ANNEX IV - Report example Page 84
ANNEX V - Template model Page 85
ANNEX VI - USB keyboard template Page 89
ANNEX VII - Conformity certificate CE Page 90
INDEX - Alphabetical index Page 91
Note: In addition to the alphabetical index at the end of this manual, the “footer” on the lower left
corner of each page indicates the section of the machine covered by the particular page.
This helps the reader navigate through the important areas.
The “POWER”
The “EXTERIOR”
The “INTERIOR”
The “MENUS”
The “AUDIO”
The “MEDIA”
The “SET-UP”
The “TOOLS”
TIME CODE
SOLUTIONS
SPECIFICATIONS
You need power first Page 5
Panels Left (input), Front, Right (output) and Back Page 9
– OPERATION
Menu tree structure and menu navigation Page 20
Settings > AUDIO, Inputs and input matrix, Limiters
DRIVES, FOLDERS, FILES, DIRECTORY
SETTINGS > pots assignment, Pre-record,
Media speed test, Re-formatting, Date / Time
Time code system, Internal Chase synchronizer Page 64
Error messages and problem solving Page 71
Full technical specifications Page 73
Introduction to the Nagra VI
The Nagra-VI is a 24-bit solid-state 8-track digital audio recorder / player with built-in mixing functions
designed for classical music and film / TV location recording. It uses a 120GB internal hard drive (HDD) as
its principal storage medium and a removable Compact Flash card (CF) as a secondary media and file
transportation format. It is designed and built as an “on-location” recorder with the traditional Nagra
ruggedness. The audio information is stored as a digital linear Broadcast Wave file, and the recorded files
are iXML compatible. Equipped as standard with SMPTE/EBU time code generator and synchronizer, audio
limiters and filters (integrated into the microphone pre-amplifiers), high-speed USB-2.0 interface, a sunlight
readable 3 ½” TFT colour display and a detachable lithium-ion battery pack.
The front panel, chassis and features were all designed using the experience of previous NAGRA recorders
which render the Nagra-VI to very user-friendly and comfortable to operate even in harsh environmental
conditions. It is powered by a Lithium-Ion rechargeable pack (4.6 or 13.8 Ah). The record autonomy with the
standard 4.6 Ah pack is approximately 4 hours. With the optional high capacity pack this is increased to
more than 12 hours. It is equipped with two Hirose connectors allowing external RF receivers or digital
microphones to be powered from the battery box of the machine while on location.
The Nagra VI has six analogue inputs on XLR connectors, four of which are equipped with extremely high
quality microphone pre-amplifiers. They include, as one expects, +48V phantom powering and in-house
wound NAGRA transformers offering an improvement of +6dB in the noise floor when set to the 2.8mV/Pa
(for dynamic microphones) position. The other two connectors double up as AES A and B inputs for
connection to digital signal sources.
A system of user-friendly software menus are used for general machine configuation and for all internal
selections such as input sources, time code settings and the metadata entry or editing. Software updates
will be made available, from time to time, on our web site www.nagraaudio.com offerring additional features.
Explanations concerning the procedure for updating the software and the new features is covered under
“SOFTWARE UPDATES” in this manual.
Any questions you may have concerning the Nagra VI can be sent to us through the “Contact us” form on
the professional side of our web site www.nagraaudio.com
KUDELSKI GROUP
NAGRAVISION
Route de Genève, 22
CH-1033 CHESEAUX
SWITZERLAND
Tel : +41 21 732 0101
Fax : +41 21 732 0212
audio@nagra.com
www.nagraaudio.com
We would like to offer our special thanks to Peter Weibel, Los Angeles, USA for his assistance in the realization of this manual, and his
various inputs into the software ergonomics.
We’ve made it user
We’ve made it user----friendly!
We’ve made it userWe’ve made it user
friendly!
friendly!friendly!
CHAPTER I THE P O W E R
YOU NEED POWER FIRST
Introduction
The Nagra-VI can be powered from one of the detachable Lithium-Ion battery packs or external DC through
the 4 pole XLR connector on the left side. It can also supply power to external equipment, such as RF
microphone receivers or a digital microphone, through the two Hirose connectors, each of which can supply
up to 500 mA at 12V.
Fuses
The power supply board is accessible in the bottom of the recorder by removing the lower panel and is
equipped with 4 fuses to protect various elements. These fuses are of the OMF 63 type and manufactured
by Schulter and do not require soldering. A pack of 4 fuses (2 of each) is included with each new recorder
and additional replacement fuses are available through your Nagra agent
Fuse Value Protects
F1: 5A 4 pole XLR DC input connector
F2: 5A Detachable battery pack
F3: 500mA Hirose connector
F4: 500mA Hirose connector
Replacement fuse part numbers:
F1 & F2 # 54 82001 500
F3 & F4 # 54 82000 500
F4 F3
F2 F1
.
Detachable battery packs
The Nagra VI is delivered with a 4.6 Ah Lithium-Ion battery pack NVI-BB1 (KSA# 70 32110 000) weighing
800g (1.75 lb), it will power the recorder for approximately 4 hours of continuous operation. This pack will
take about 3 hours to be fully charged, and it is strongly recommended to fully charge the battery before
using the recorder for the first time.
As an option a heavier 13.8 Ah high capacity Lithium-Ion battery pack NVI-BB2 (KSA# 70 32115 000)
weighing 1.3 kg (2.8 lbs) is available as an option and this will power the recorder for up to 12 hours of
continuous operation. This pack will take around 5 hours to be fully recharged.
Both battery packs have identical external physical dimensions. However
the larger capacity pack with more internal Lithium-Ion blocks is heavier
and has a different identification label.
Chapter I
(Power, batteries and charging…)
July 2010 5
Mains power unit
The NVI-PSU (KSA# 20 32250 000) external mains power unit supplied with the Nagra VI is a 100 - 240V
50/60Hz supply rated at 5A. It is fitted with a three pole LEMO connector and should only be connected to
the Nagra VI battery packs. As soon as the power supply is connected to the mains, the green LED on the
top of the supply will light.
The Nagra VI can be operated while the mains power is connected to the battery box on the rear of the
machine without danger, and it will supply enough energy to power the recorder and recharge the attached
pack at the same time.
Charging of the battery packs
The detachable battery boxes are fitted with two LEDs on the rear side. The green LED will light when the
external power supply is present, and the yellow LED will light to indicate that the internal Lithium-Ion battery
pack is being charged. No harm will be caused to the lithium packs if the external charger is left connected
as they cannot be “Overcharged”.
The detachable battery packs WILL ONLY BE CHARGED if the external mains power supply (supplied with
the recorder) is connected directly to the battery box (The battery pack can be attached to the recorder or
not).
The battery pack WILL NOT BE CHARGED from an external DC source connected to the 4 pole XLR
connector on the left side panel of the recorder.
Charging times
NVI-BB1 4.6 Ah pack is approximately 3 hours
NVI-BB2 13.8 Ah pack is approximately 5 hours
Power indication
The top right corner of the main display shows a “fuel gauge” type charge indication of a battery at all times.
The right portion (green in the picture) corresponds approximately to the remaining operating time for the
machine. This means with the 4.6Ah battery pack a half-full battery indication represents about 2 hours
running time remaining, and three times more with the larger 13.8Ah pack.
The RED section should be considered as “reserve” and represents “Low Battery”. This portion corresponds
to about 10-15 minutes on the standard pack and 25-30 minutes on the larger one.
When the yellow zig-zag “flash” is present, this indicates that external DC power is present on the 4 pole DC
connector and the coloured fuel gauge battery will now indicate the external voltage supplied to the XLR
connector rather than remaining time. This means that with 16V applied the battery symbol will be “full” and
with 9V applied then it shows empty. This feature allows the user to monitor the condition of external
batteries (in voltage terms).
- Half-full battery
- Battery full
- External DC connected to the 4-pole XLR connector
- External Mains power connected to the battery box (Lithium-Ion is charging)
Note: All times and durations indicated in this section assume that the phantom powering is OFF and that
no external equipment is connected to the Hirose connectors. In addition it is assumed that the
battery packs are in good condition and are fully charged where necessary.
Chapter I
(Power, batteries and charging…)
July 2010 6
Time Code and Real Time Clock (RTC) powering.
A “super capacitor” will keep the time code and real time clock running for about 3 minutes if the battery box
is removed from the machine and no external DC is present on the 4 pole XLR connector. This ensures that
the time code will remain accurate while the battery pack is replaced. If the date and time is lost, then it will
automatically be requested when the next power on is made.
External DC powering
The Nagra VI may be powered through the 4-pole XLR connector on the left side of the chassis with a DC
supply ranging from 9 to 16V and is designed to power the recorder from car batteries and so on. As soon
as an external DC supply is connected the recorder will switch seamlessly to this supply and the battery
pack on the rear will no longer be consumed. It may even be removed entirely from the recorder if
necessary.
With external DC power present on the 4 pole DC connector, the battery indicator on the main display will
show the yellow “flash” across it to indicate that sufficient external DC is available and the red “Low battery”
portion is eliminated. This means that with 16V supplied the battery symbol will be “full” and with only 9V
applied the indicator would be at the left end.
- No external DC present with a full battery pack attached
- External DC connected with about 13V applied
Note: The external DC supply can be connected and disconnected at any time without any interference to
the machine even during recording as long as a charged battery pack is fitted to the rear of the
recorder.
Chapter I
(Power, batteries and charging…)
July 2010 7
Lithium-Ion battery life and care
Lithium-Ion battery packs will last for between 500 and 1’000 charge cycles before being replaced, which if
correctly cared for, in the case of a Nagra VI would represents about 5 years or so. However there are some
important points to be made concerning the “housekeeping” of such packs.
Contrary to NiCd packs, the most damaging event that can happen to a Lithium pack is for it to discharge
completely. If this happens it is very likely that the pack will be irreparably damaged. In the Nagra VI the
software will close the machine down well before the battery pack gets to a critical charge point thus
protecting the cells. In addition, a security circuit inside the pack itself will also cut-in should the pack get too
drained, however in any event running the battery flat is strongly inadvisable.
It should be remembered that even with the recorder turned OFF, the Time Code circuit WILL CONTINUE
TO DRAW POWER from the pack. The time code circuit will completely drain a fully charged 4.6 Ah battery
pack in about 1 month, and a 13.8 Ah pack in about 3 months.
A Lithium-Ion pack will have a longer lifetime if it is regularly recharged (even when half full) and it is not
possible to “overcharge” the pack. Unlike a NiCd battery, the “memory” effect does not exist with Lithium-Ion
packs.
A charged Nagra VI battery pack, in good condition, can be stored, disconnected from the recorder, for a
period of 1 year without risk. If one wishes to store a Lithium pack for an extended period at room
temperature (a year or more) then ideally it should be charged to about 50% before storage (suggested by
the manufacturer). In such a case, after 1 year the pack will have lost about 4% of its total capacity, whereas
if the pack is charged to 100% before storage, after 1 year it will have lost nearly 20% of its total capacity.
(At lower storage temperatures, this effect is minimized). One should always verify from time to time that the
pack remains at around 50% and recharge a little as necessary.
So remember:
- DO NOT store the Nagra VI for long periods with the battery box attached.
- NEVER allow the pack to be drained completely.
- ALWAYS keep the battery charged as no harm will occur.
Chapter I
(Power, batteries and charging…)
July 2010 8
CHAPTER II THE EXTERIOR
LEFT SIDE “Input” PANEL
External DC Input Connector
A standard 4-pole XLR connector: Pin 1 is ground, pin 4 is the +ve pole
(pins 2 and 3 are not connected). The input voltage range is from 9-16 Vdc
(max) and the recorder requires a minimum 3.3 A.
This connector delivers power to the machine, as well as to the 2 Hirose
outputs, and will NOT charge any attached Lithium-Ion battery pack.
DC Output Connectors
Two Hirose connectors: 12 Vdc output, maximum current drain for each
connector is 500 mA. These connectors are suitable for supplying power to
RF receivers or external digital microphones, or even external USB drives.
Time Code Lemo Connector
The time code input and output is located on a traditional 5-pole LEMO
connector, the pinning of which corresponds to that of the IV-STC, the
NAGRA-D and T-Audio-TC as indicated.
(QCTCU cable # 70 16909 000 – LEMO to “open-ended” TC cable)
Input Connectors 1 to 4 (Mic / Line)
These inputs can be used for dynamic or condenser mics or as analogue
line inputs. The sensitivity for the different microphone input sources is
selectable from 2.8 mV/pa to 30 mV/pa (10 mV/pa on version 1 audio
cards) in the audio settings menu. When used for line inputs, they will
accept up to +24 dB.
Input Connectors 5 and 6 (Line / Digital)
The input connectors 5 and 6 (Line / Digital) can be used as the two
additional analogue line inputs or as the digital AES “A” & “B” inputs. This
selection, as well as the analogue line input level pre-set, is made in the
menus. The AES inputs are standard AES 31 stereo audio inputs.
Chapter II
(Exterior of the recorder – Left side)
July 2010 9
The FRONT “Operational” PANEL
MAIN DISPLAY SCREEN
The main screen of the Nagra VI is a 3½” TFT display and is used to show the status as well as levels and
menus of the recorder. It was specially chosen for extremely wide “sunlight readable” viewing angle as well
as its performance over a wide temperature range.
1. Internal Real Time Clock set in the Date & Time menu.
2. Selected working drive (HD / CF / USB) followed by selected working folder name.
3. Remaining time for the selected drive in HH:MM:SS according to the current file type selection.
4. Battery status. The example shows a fully charged pack.
5. Previous peak position for the modulometer.
6. Modulometer 8 tracks. The display is darker when not armed for recording (e.g. 3 + 4 here).
7. Track numbers.
8. Indicates the tracks that are active “armed” and will be recorded. In this example: tracks 1,2, and 5 - 8.
9. Indicates the input source. In this example: 1 & 2 are Mikes, 3, 4, 5 & 6 are Line, 7 & 8 have no input but
the modulometer is active meaning that a down-mix is being made to tracks 7 + 8.
10. Indicates + 48V phantom power. In this example: 1 & 2 only have +48V.
11. Indicates audio limiter. In this example: No limiters are activated.
12. Indicates vortex filter. In this example: No filters active.
13. Phase indication. “N” (grey) indicates normal and “I” (yellow) for inverted phase of the channels.
14. File type to be recorded. In this example, the files are 24 bits 48 kHz, 6 channel recording in polyphonic
format, and the auto copy feature is activated.
15. Time code user bits and current frame rate selection.
16. Time code time information.
17. Metadata Scene and take number. In the example the wild track has been chosen ( -W)
18. Metadata project name.
19. Actual index number and timer position.
20. Function icon and status.
21. “H” / “C” / “U” indicator of hard disk, CF or USB drive access.
Chapter II
(Front panel)
July 2010 10
User Programmable Keys
The keys U1, U2, U3, are “short-cut” keys and are USER pre-programmed via the
menus, they give rapid access or short-cut to different menu positions.
Programming of the keys is covered in the menus section of this manual under the
User keys programming screen in the “Settings” section of chapter III part 4. The
chosen programming for these keys is stored in the internal machine templates, if
they are being used. Thus, each template can have three different sets of functions
on the user keys if desired. These user keys are duplicated on an external USB
keyboard on the function keys F1, F2 and F3.
Menu Navigation keys
Access, navigation and excecution of the menus.
Pressing the center key accesses the main menu and serves as the “Select” key.
The Up/Down and Left/Right keys navigate through all the sub-menus and settings.
The ESC key moves one step backwards through the menu tree. If ESC is held,
the cursor will jump completely out of the menu mode. These keys are duplicated
on the arrow keys of an external USB keyboard when connected.
Additional functions depending on the current operating mode (or menu position):
Screen / Mode Key(s) Function
Default / Main Up Indicates the highest audio level on the bar graph display,
since the last time its memory was reset
Up+Down Reset the highest audio level memory.
Right Display the Modulometers screen while the key is pressed.
Left Display the default “status” screen while the key is pressed.
Left + Right Temporarily return all pots to their analogue input and
headphones for the monitoring pot.
Mixer Up Increase the fader position.
Down Decrease the fader position.
Up+Down Toggle from Maximum to Minimum fader positions.
Left Pan to the left
Right Pan to the right
Left + Right Toggle between full left, centre and full right for the pan pot.
Mixer out Left + Right Jump to 0dB position
Up+Down Toggle from OFF to +12dB output gain.
Character / data entry Up Step to the next character in the alphabet.
Down Step back one character in the alphabet.
Up+Down Delete a character (metadata, directories, naming…).
Right Move one position to the right.
Left Move one position to the left.
Right+Left Insert a blank space character (metadata, directories, naming…).
Pot. Assign Offsets Up Increase the pot offset by 0.1 dB per press.
Down Decrease the pot offset by 0.1 dB per press.
Up+Down Reset a selected pot offset to zero.
Chapter II
(Front panel)
July 2010 11
Light key
When pressed, the display illumination and led brightness will
alter. The display will start to “dim” to its minimum position. If
pressed again it will start to increase to its maximum illumination.
The setting of this illumination intensity is stored in the internal
memory of the recorder, however this is not saved in the
templates.
Alarm / Warning Led
This is a warning indicator. Different errors are indicated by various
blinking combinations.
Rapid blinking: Clock unlock error (Clock reference menu)
Double blink: AES error (No AES present on inputs)
Loudspeaker switch
Used to switch ON or OFF the built-in monitoring loudspeaker on
the top panel. Depending on the menu settings, the speaker can
be automatically turned OFF when not in PLAYBACK. The signal
fed to the loudspeaker is selected using the monitoring selector
switches and the volume is adjusted with the headphone level
control.
REF, Reference Generator
This momentary snap-switch activates the internal reference tone
generator on all channels. The signal level, desired frequency and
operating mode can be pre-set in the reference generator menu.
This switch can be set to toggle ON/OFF upon each consecutive
press in the reference generator menu, allowing long reference
tones to be recorded without holding the switch down.
SLT, Slate mic (built-in)
This momentary snap-switch activates the internal “slate”
microphone located behind the main selector knob. The signal will
be fed to all channels.
Monitoring Matrix
This group of switches determines the matrixing of the audio
channels to the headphone outputs and built-in loudspeaker.
The top row of switches allows Left / Centre / Right for each
input, and the lower row selects On / Off or Solo (Mono centre) for
each input.
If all 6 switches are set to the upper OFF position two additional
monitoring possibilities are available “Mix if mon off” will monitor
the mix and “7-8 if mon off” will set the monitoring to channels 7
and 8. Both these selections are made in the monitoring menu.
These will also affect the audio outputs if this feature is selected in
the Line / AES out menu, in which case the audio outputs will
follow the monitoring matrix selections. If the mix has been
recorded on 7 & 8 then both positions will be the same
except during playback.
Momentary mono can be achieved by pressing the headphone
level pot.
Chapter II
(Front panel)
July 2010 12
Potentiometer Panel
These four programmable potentiometers are used to finely trim
the input sensitivity of the four microphone inputs when in their
default mode.
In the Potentiometer Assignment menu, each of the four
potentiometers can be assigned to one or more microphone or
line inputs, one or more mixer gain controls or left unassigned (no
action, locked). The corresponding input level is automatically
memorized as soon as it no longer has a potentiometer assigned
to it.
The levels and assignments can all be saved in the templates.
The default setting for all four potentiometers is for the
microphone input sensitivity.
LED level indicators
The 3 led’s above each potentiometer indicate signal presence for
each microphone pre-amplifier. They indicate in parallel with the
bar graph displays of the main screen.
The first green led indicates a signal level above -40dB
The centre yellow led will light for a signal above -12 dB
The right (red) led will indicate a level above -1 dB. (These
illumination levels / points can be programmed in the meter
programming menu)
Limiter indications
The 4 yellow led’s above the level indication leds show the activity
of the audio input limiters. (Menu selectable individually or in pairs)
The limiters start to activate at a signal level of -8 dBFs and from
the range of -8 dB to -2 dB they compress the audio by 36dB (max
+ 36dB for -2dBFs).
Marker Keys
During record and playback, the “Mk” key adds a marker
position to the recording. During playback, the “➨Mk” key will jump
to the marker position. These two features could be considered
as “Reset counter” and “Goto Zero” as used in analogue
recorders. This marker is not saved in the file headder and will be
reset when the machine is switched off.
Chapter II
(Front panel)
July 2010 13
Forward, Rewind Skip Keys
These transport keys have the similar functions as a CD player.
The recorder will always return to its previous operating mode after
use, ie Playback, SYNC (Chase) or Stop.
From left to right:
I< Skip to the beginning of the current take. (Ctrl + F1 on external
USB keyboard)
Each consecutive press will jump back by 1 further take.
If held, the skip back command will auto repeat.
<< Reverse search at 4x nominal speed in playback (Ctrl + F2 on
external USB keyboard) and rapid rewind at 127x in STOP (Alt
+ F2 on external USB keyboard).
>> Forward search at 4x nominal speed in playback (Ctrl + F3 on
external USB keyboard) and fast forward at 127x in STOP (Alt +
F3 on an external USB keyboard.
>I Skip to the beginning of the next take.
If held, the skip forward command will auto repeat.
(Ctrl +F4 on external USB keyboard)
Additional functions:
>I Pressing this during record will increment the index number by 1.
Each press during record will start a new file (not a new take).
Pressing while in chase mode will momentarily skip forward then
return to chase mode.
I< Pressing this key while selecting REC with the main selector will
activate the “False Start” command in the metadata.
Pressing while in chase mode will momentarily skip back then
return to chase mode.
<< + >> If pressed while moving the main function selector to PLAY the
internal time code chase synchronizer will be activated according
to its programmed mode of operation. (Alt + F5 on external USB
keyboard).
Chapter II
(Front panel)
July 2010 14
Main Function Selector
The rotary main function selector is the principle operating and ON / OFF switch for
the Nagra-VI. It is a five position rotary selector. Each position is explained below.
OFF: This is the main power OFF position of the Nagra VI. None of the circuits
of the machine are powered in this position except the real time clock and
the time code generator.
When OFF is selected the main display will show “POW OFF” while all the
machine settings are being saved. Moving the selector during this phase
Int / Slate Mic. will prevent the machine from stopping but will save all the internal settings
of the recorder.
Power OFF is completed 3 seconds after selection but will NOT occur
while the machine is copying files, only once the copy procedure is
completed.
TEST: In this position all the circuits are powered allowing recording level, audio
monitoring adjustments, menu verification and alteration. This can be
considered as a "stand-by before record" position. If the Pre-record
function (Ctrl + F11 on external USB keyboard) is active the REC led
flashes and some menu alterations are prohibited. In this position the time
code to be recorded will be fed to the time code lemo output.
REC: This is the standard position used for recording. When recording, the red
led beside the main function selector will be alight. Recording will only
occur on the pre-selected channels. Always remember to select or “arm”
the channels to be recorded. (Ctrl + F12 on external USB keyboard)
STOP: In this position the push-button transport keys are active for rewind, fast
forward and skip functions. Access to all menus and machine settings is
also enabled. (Ctrl + F6 or Ctrl + Space bar on external USB keyboard).
In this position the time code output will be frozen at the last value read.
In this position the audio inputs are not fed to the outputs.
PLAY: This is the PLAYBACK position. The Nagra VI will start playback from
either from its current position, or from the beginning of the last recorded
take if the machine had previously been in record mode. (Ctrl + F5 on
external USB keyboard).
In this mode the push-button transport keys for play and search (4x) are
active.
In this position the time code from the take being played will be fed to the
time code lemo output.
Headphone Jack & Level adjustment
The potentiometer adjusts the output level for both headphone outputs (front and
right side panel) as well as for the loudspeaker on the top panel.
Pressing and holding the potentiometer will make the selected audio signal(s)
available in mono on both channels.
In the POT ASSSIGNMENT menu it can be programmed to adjust the line output
level or the output level of the internal mixer if desired. Whenever a new attribution
is chosen for the potentiometer, the previous setting will be stored in the memory of
the recorder.
Pressing the Left and Right arrow keys simultaneously will temporarily
return the pot assignment to the headphone level control mode.
Chapter II
(Front panel)
July 2010 15
CARRYING CASE, STRAP and HANDLES
The red-fronted Nagra VI in the carrying case shows the shoulder strap attached, and a grey machine is
fitted with the supplied carrying handles.
The front sides of the recorder are fitted with 4 screw threads, into which either a shoulder strap or carrying
handles can be attached. The carrying handles also serve to protect the front panel of the Nagra VI and to
support if it is up-ended while changing the battery pack.
Supporting legs
The Nagra VI is supplied with two metal supports that can be easily attached to each of the handles without
removing the fastening screws. They lift the front of the recorder by about 10cm (4 inches) to make tabletop
operation more comfortable. Replacement feet can be ordered from your nearest NAGRA dealer using the
part number 01.32050.028
Chapter II
(Case, strap and handles)
July 2010 16
RIGHT SIDE “Output” PANEL
(Standard panel)
(Panel showing the optional second USB host connector)
Compact Flash Slot
This slot permits the use of removable compact flash memory
cards type I & II. To remove the CF card, press the white button
once to unlock / release the button, then press it in fully and the
card will eject. If the CF activity led is alight continiously or
blinking, this indicates that the CF card is being accessed, so
removing it at that moment may result in errors. If the led is alight
and the main selector is set to OFF then the machine will only
switch off once it has completed the operation in progress (for
e an auto-copy instruction).
Headphone Jack
This is a standard ¼" (6.3 mm) stereo jack connector and is in
parallel with the jack on the front panel. The level of both
headphone outputs is adjusted using the headphone level control
on the front panel. The audio supplied to the two headphone
connectors depends on the menu settings and the monitoring
switches.
Start / Stop Mini Jack
This miniature 3.5mm jack is a remote start / stop connection or
“fader start”. It is a simple contact closure and activation is
achieved by making a short-circuit between the terminals. The
“polarity” can be selected in the menus, and if the position
“Inverted” is selected, then the function will be activated when the
connection is shorted out rather than “open”. The function depends
on the position of the main function switch. In the record position, it
will switch between record and test. If the pre-record function is
active then the start / stop will switch between record and Pre record. In playback it will switch between play and stop.
Chapter II
(Exterior of the recorder –Right side)
July 2010 17
USB connectors Host / Device
These USB connectors are high speed USB 2.0 ports.
The HOST port (left connector in the picture) can be used to
connect an external USB keyboard, USB memory key, external
hard drive or even a DVD-RAM burner.
The device port (right side of the picture) connector links the Nagra
VI to a PC or MAC and will be recognized as two generic external
disk devices (the Hard drive and the CF card will both be shown),
allowing rapid file transfer from the internal HDD. An external USB
drive connected to the HOST port will not be seen by the computer
via the device port.
USB keyboard
This is an optional second USB host connector that allows a USB
keyboard to be connected to the Nagra VI while the main host
port (above) is being used by another USB device (USB key,
External Hard Drive….). Contact your Nagra agent to find out
about the installation of this option.
Extension Connector
This female miniature “D” type 9-pole connector has two AES
outputs (tracks 1-2, & 3-4), Word clock In/Out video reference.
Pin# Connnection
1 MIDI (low) (future)
2 AES 1 + 2 Out (low)
3 Ground
4 AES 3 + 4 Out (low)
5 External Word clock / sync IN
6 MIDI (high) (future)
7 AES 1 + 2 Out (high)
8 AES 3 + 4 Out (high)
9 Word clock OUT
AES Output connector
The 3-pole male XLR AES output connector is a digital output
corresponding to the format of the AES bus used throughout the
professional audio industry. The resolution is of 16 or 24 bits
depending of the current machine settings, and if the machine is in
24 bit mode this output can be redithered to 16 bits to feed a
lower resolution output. In the default mode, it will correspond to
the digital outputs of channels 1 and 2 although it can be set to
other channels in the menu mode in the AES out source menu.
This liason allows direct connection to any other digital equipment
fitted with an AES interface.
Line Output Connectors
These two 3-pole XLR connectors are the standard analogue
audio transformerless symmetrical floating outputs. The output
level on these connectors is adjustable from -6 to +15 dBu for
0dBFS on the meters. It can also be adjusted using the
headphones pot if assigned to do so. The audio signals fed to this
output is selectable in the Line out source menu.
Chapter II
(Exterior of the recorder –Right side)
July 2010 18
The BACK and BATTERIES
Rear view of the Nagra VI showing the two battery support brackets.
On the right side the eight pin connector where the external batteries are connected.
Serial number
The serial number is also burned into the internal memory of the recorder and cannot be altered or erased.
The serial number can be seen in the “Tools / software / about” menu screen and can also be found on the
sticker on the rear panel.
Battery packs
The Nagra VI comes with a 4.6 Ah Lithium-Ion battery pack NVI-BB1 (KSA# 70 32110 000) weighing 800g
(1.75 lb) that will power the recorder for approximately 4 hours of continuous operation. This pack will take
about 3 hours to be fully charged and it is strongly recommended to fully charge the battery before using the
recorder for the first time.
As an option a heavier 13.8 Ah Lithium-Ion battery pack weighing 1.3 kg (2.8 lbs) NVI-BB2 (KSA 70 32115
000) is available and will power the recorder for more than 12 hours of continuous operation. This pack will
take around 5 hours to be fully recharged.
Both battery packs have identical external physical dimensions.
However the larger capacity pack however with more lithium-ion blocks
is heavier and has a different identification label.
Power and charging indication leds.
Chapter II
(Exterior of the recorder - Rear side)
July 2010 19
CHAPTER III (Part 1) The M E N U S
A POWERFUL SOFTWARE-BASED MENU STRUCTURE
General structure of the menus
The Nagra VI incorporates a system of menus similar to the "tree" of directories and sub-directories on the
hard disk of a computer. The functions that are available through the menus are, in principle, settings of the
Nagra VI rather than operations that need to be done frequently during normal use of the recorder. The
menu mode access is achieved using the centre key, and viewing and modification is made by using the
navigation keys located on the front panel. If an external USB keyboard is connected, then access to the
menu mode is achieved by pressing the “Return” key.
User-friendly menu software
Navigation through the menus is straightforward and couldn’t be easier.
To enter into the menus, press the centre cursor key, and the “root” menu below will be displayed.
The ROOT menu
The current position (Settings) is highlighted in yellow.
Current selections for each menu are indicated on the right side of the
list wherever possible. In the example, one can see that the Internal disk
(HDD) is selected as the working drive. If a setting is not standard (i.e.
line output level has been set using the headphones pot, or a value
defined in an external template) then no value will be indicated on the
right side of the display.
Navigation through the various menus is made using the Up, Down, Left and
Right cursor keys.
To move one step backwards or to quit the menu mode, press the Escape
key. Holding the ESC key pressed will jump completely out of the menus to
the status screen.
Access any menu position with the right arrow key and the display will
indicate the currently selected setting / value. To choose an alternative, either
use the up or down arrow keys, or press the right key to display the sub-
menu of the selection.
Pressing the centre “EXE” key will activate the selection.
Note: In the menu illustrations of this manual, the horizontal black lines
between the menus shows that the right key was pressed to go to
the next sub-window, the red lines shows that the drop-down
window was obtained by pressing the EXE key.
Note: Certain parameters cannot be changed while the machine is in the “PRE-RECORD” mode (i.e. the
TEST position of the main selector). Such settings can only be changed when the main selector is
in the STOP position or the pre-record buffer is turned off.
Saving menu settings
All machine/menu settings are saved at the moment the machine is powered down. If the battery is
removed before the power OFF procedure is completed settings may be lost. To save the settings, select
OFF, and as soon as the indication “POW OFF” appears on the main display, select TEST or STOP and
the settings will be saved without stopping the recorder.
Chapter III
(Part 2 – The Audio)
July 2010 20
Menu tree
The complete menu tree can be seen in Annex III at the end of this manual.
There are several menus, some with one or more sub-menus as shown in the overview version below. In
the list, the actual selections possible are not shown.
Directory-------- (Index list of recordings)
Folder------------ W here to record files
Working drive-- Internal HDD, CF card or USB drive
Copy------------- Manager and set-up
Settings--------- Audio settings----------------------------------------------Inputs
Pot. Assignment ---------------Channel offsets Mixer
Pre-record Mic display scale
Clock reference Line in level
Sampling frequency Reference generator
File type M/S decoder 1-2 and 3-4
File Naming Monitoring mode / boost
Max File Size Output Matrix
Colour theme (screens) Line / AES out source
Screen templates (display) AES out word length
Beep level Line out level
Loudspeaker
Automatic Skip
Start/ Stop polarity
User Key programming
Meter programming
Metadata-------- (Entry and editing)
Timecode------- Generator (TC settings)
Synchronizer
Tools ------------ Media speed test
Reformat (USB drive, CF or HDD)
Date and time
Automatic folder
Machine name
Keyboard layout (USB keyboard)
Software (defaults and updates)
Templates ------ 1 to 6 (store, name and recall)
The indications in the lower corners of some of the screen illustrations are not actually shown on the display
of the Nagra VI but are used in this manual to indicate the possibilities available to the user in each position:
“” means that the left / right arrow keys can be used
“” means that the up / down arrow keys can be used
“EXE” means that the centre key can be pressed
“ESC” means that the escape key can be pressed
User Programmable Keys
Menu shortcuts can be made using the programmable user keys U1, U2 and U3. (see Set-up)
Templates
Six templates which store complete recorder setup profiles of all the menu settings (except metadata,
working drive and working folder) are available. (Refer to page 63 for a full explanation of the templates and
Annex V shows a complete template file in text format)
Chapter III
(Part 2 – The Audio)
July 2010 21
CHAPTER III (Part 2) THE A U D I O
SETTINGS >> AUDIO
This section covers all aspects of the audio chain of the
Nagra VI from the explanation of the different set-up options
to the operation of the microphone inputs, limiters etc.
The menu explanations below are grouped together by theme
rather than a step-by-step path through the consecutive
menus.
The audio settings
screen will show
currently selected
values wherever
possible.
The Audio menu
The audio menu gives access to all the principal features that will have a direct effect on the recordings.
This covers all the set-up possibilities for the inputs and outputs, as well as additional mixer facilities and
certain monitoring options. Each of the different sub-menus is covered below in more detail. Once a basic
grasp of the menu system has been achieved the overall understanding becomes very straightforward.
Audio level Adjustment and indications
The audio levels are indicated on the main display on the vertical bar graphs. In the picture below, channels
2 and 3 are in a darker shade because they are NOT armed for recording. The ballistics of the level meters
corresponds to those of a modulometer as on previous Nagra models. As soon as a potentiometer is
moved, the signal level is instantly displayed on the bottom of the TFT display as a blue “fuel gauge” with
the corresponding input number and audio sensitivity in dB SPL clearly indicated.
The scale of this display is changed according to the sensitivity
selection made in the Mic display scale menu, to give an
accurate sound pressure level indication according to the
specific microphone being used. The left end of the fuel gauge
is a digital fade area, and no dBSPL indication is shown in this
region.
While the potentiometer is being adjusted, two small vertical
lines on the outside edges of the fuel gauge can be seen to
indicate the position the potentiometer was in prior to being
touched. This indication is very useful to return the pot to the
previous position, especially if it was moved accidentally.
Chapter III
(Part 2 – The Audio)
July 2010 22
The audio input signals for the 4 microphone pre-amplifiers are also indicated on the three LED’s mounted
above each of the input pots. The first led comes on at a signal level above -40 dB.
The yellow led will light when a signal of -12 dB is attained and the red led will indicate a level of -1 dB or
above.
The maximum levels (hold MAX) can be seen at any time by pressing the UP arrow key.
The maximum value can be reset by pressing the UP and DN keys simultaneously.
It is possible to record 0dBFS throughout the whole range of the potentiometer without risk of saturation
while the dBSPL value is displayed (Not in the digital fade area).
AUDIO INPUTS, OUTPUTS AND MIXING
The Nagra VI has six independent audio line inputs labeled 1 through 6.
Inputs 1 – 4 are equipped with high quality dynamic and condenser microphone pre-amplifiers.
Inputs 5 – 6 also double up as two digital inputs marked AES A and B.
The audio chain of the Nagra VI will accept audio frequencies up to 45 kHz, and this can be recorded
assuming the 96 kHz sampling frequency is used.
6 Line inputs
The inputs are selected to LINE operation in the Audio Settings menu. The six line inputs of the Nagra VI
will accept up to +24 dBu signal levels, and the input level is adjusted in the Line in level menu screen in 3
dB steps from – 6 to + 24 dB. The potentiometers on the front panel can also be used to adjust the line
input levels, but they need to be defined for this function in the pot assign menu first. The currently selected
input source selection “L” for line or “M” for microphone is clearly shown on the machine status display.
4 Microphone inputs
The four microphone inputs can be selected to one of three different sensitivity settings, of 2.8 mV/Pa,
10mV/Pa or 30 mV/Pa (Version 1 audio circuit only has the first two of these sensitivity settings available) in
the inputs settings menu via the main screen, depending on the sensitivity of the microphones being used.
Changing this selection will automatically change not only the input sensitivity selection, but will also switch
in and out the high quality dynamic transformers used to increase the signal-to-noise ratio when using
dynamic microphones in the 2.8mV/Pa position. It is also possible to turn on a +48V phantom power supply
on each of the four microphone pre-amplifiers.
Once the corresponding microphone type selection has been made, the input sensitivity of the pre-amplifier
is adjusted using the corresponding potentiometer on the front panel. The potentiometers, although digital,
use a special zipper noise suppression system, and behave in the same manner as traditional analogue
potentiometers.
The indications 2.8, 10 and 30 mV/Pa correspond to the sensitivity of the pre-amplifier, and this is an
international norm. If a microphone having the same sensitivity (i.e. 10mV/pa) is connected to the input set
to 10 mV/Pa this means that -9dBFS will be indicated on the meter when the pot turned fully clockwise for a
level of 74 dBSPL (which = 1µBar or 0.1 Pa) on the diaphragm of the capsule in the microphone.
Do not confuse the sensitivity of the input of the pre-amplifier with the sensitivity of a particular microphone.
The input of the Nagra VI has a sensitivity of 2.8, 10 or 30 mV/Pa depending on the setting.
For some examples:
A microphone with a sensitivity of 10mV/Pa connected to the Nagra VI set to the same sensitivity:
at 0.1 Pa (1 µBar) will show -9 dBFS corresponding to 74 dBSPL
at 0.282 Pa (2.82 µBar) will show 0 dBFS corresponding to 83 dBSPL
at 1 Pa (10 µBar) will saturate the input by 11 dB and corresponds to 94 dBSPL
Chapter III
(Part 2 – The Audio)
July 2010 23
2 Digital AES inputs
The two AES inputs are available and designated AES “A” and AES “B” and use the input connectors for
inputs 5 and 6 on the left hand side of the recorder. In the input setting menu either of the two AES inputs
can be allocated to any of the four pairs of audio tracks (1+2, 3+4, 5+6 or 7+8).
This is achieved by menu selections SETTINGS > AUDIO > INPUTS. Use the down arrow key to highlight
one track of the pair of tracks that you wish to route the AES inputs to. Press the centre key and the
CHOOSE INPUT menu will appear. Now select either AES A or AES B and press the centre key and the
selected pair of tracks will record the AES signal fed into input socket 5 or 6 depending whether AES A or B
has been selected. As soon as the selection is made the recorder will expect an AES signal at the
appropriate input connector. If it is not present then the yellow error LED will double flash.
It is very important to remember when using an AES input to set the reference frequency of the recorder to
the incoming AES signal. If the Nagra VI and the incoming AES signal are not in perfect sync then “slipped”
sample errors will occur.
To do this go to the SETTINGS menu CLOCK REFERENCE and select the AES input in use (A or B) and
select the sampling frequency of the incoming AES signal. Otherwise the internal clocks of the Nagra VI will
not be synchronous with the incoming AES signal causing clicks on the recordings.
If both AES inputs are being used at the same time it is necessary that both sources are set to the same
sampling frequency and the clocks of the two AES devices are locked together, as the Nagra VI can only
synchronise to one AES signal. Most AES devices have the facility to both output a clock signal, and, accept
an external clock signal. The AES device connected to the AES input of the Nagra VI must be selected as
the reference for the Nagra VI. The clock signal of this external device should also be fed to the clock signal
input of the other AES device in use. That way the two AES signals and the recorder will be synchronous.
Selection of these inputs to AES will cause the letter “D” (digital) to be shown below the modulometer
display for the channels selected to digital inputs.
Chapter III
(Part 2 – The Audio)
July 2010 24
The Input configuration screen (Matrix)
The inputs screen (matrix) is used for the configuration of the audio inputs. The channel-to-track
relationship is such that, when in the analogue mode, each of the inputs is fed to its own track carrying the
same number as the input, thus allowing microphones 1, 2, 3 and 4 to be recorded on tracks 1, 2, 3 and 4
and the additional line inputs 5 + 6 to be fed to tracks 5 + 6. Channels 7 and 8 are principally used to record
the mix (of 1 to 6) but they can be used as additional digital inputs is a mix is not being made.
Use the up / down / left / right and centre EXE keys to move around the display and make the selections.
Highlight the input type and press the EXE key to display the sub-window shown above.
For inputs 1 to 4:
Analogue Line, Microphone or AES digital signals can be chosen. If microphones are chosen, then
Phantom +48V powering, the use of limiters (ganged or not), the low cut filter activation as well as the
normal or inverted signal phase can also be selected..
If digital inputs are to be selected then each pair of inputs can be selected to either AES “A” or “B” as
desired.
Warning: If an input is connected asymmetrically while the +48V phantom supply is active in the
2.8mV/Pa position this will cause the input to burn out. For this reason the +48V is
automatically disabled when the 2.8mV/Pa position is selected as a safety precaution. It
can subsequently be reselected if needed.
48V: This is the Phantom +48V powering of the chosen microphone input. Press the centre key
to turn ON (√) or OFF(X). This mode will cancel automatically if the 2.8mv/Pa (transformer)
sensitivity is selected, but can be reselected if desired. This is to prevent accidental
damage to the inputs if an asymmetrical connection is made. It can be re-selected to allow
use of a very low output condenser microphone in the 2.8mV/Pa dynamic position if
desired.
LIM: Analogue limiters are selected in the same manner and can be ganged (1+2) or (3+4) by
selecting the “¦” sign between the 2 channels in the limiter column. A solid green line means
that the inputs are ganged, and an interrupted red line means not ganged.
FIL: Turns the vortex (Wind) filter located in the preamplifier on or off.
PHA: The phase of an input can be inverted and is indicted by “N” for normal and “I” for inverted.
If the channels 5+6 are set to the mix position then the phase selection is no longer
relevant and turns grey on the display.
REC: This is the channel “arming” selection. It is in parallel with the selections in the file format
menu and indicates which channels will be recorded on the Nagra VI.
For inputs 5 and 6:
Only analogue Line or AES inputs can be chosen. A mute position is added in the event that the user has
already used input 5 or 6 for an AES signal for another pair of channels, allowing the “unused” channel to
be muted.
Chapter III
(Part 2 – The Audio)
July 2010 25
For inputs 7 and 8:
On inputs 7 and 8 the “MIX” option is added to the list of choices in the drop-down menu, allowing the
output of the internal mixer of channels 1 – 6 to be recorded.
In the above picture, inputs 1, 2 and 3 will be recorded and they are set to the dynamic microphone mode
and the audio limiters activated and “ganged” together on inputs 1 and 2, meaning that if one of the
microphone input limiters is activated then the other will react in exactly the same manner limiting the
second input, to maintain the stereo image. Input 3 is set to the sensitivity of 10 mV/Pa with the +48 V
phantom power supply applied.
Note: If the symbols below 48V, LIM, FIL and PHA appear in grey colour (X) on this screen, it indicates
that the mode can not be changed due to the input type selection. (Example: 48V cannot be
switched on when the input is set to Line mode).
Microphone input limiters
All four microphone inputs are equipped with audio limiters. These limiters can be turned ON and OFF in
the audio settings menu in the same manner as the phantom power supplies and filters. These audio
limiters are embedded in the microphone pre-amplifier and are designed to limit the audio gently without
causing the side effects often inherent in audio limiters. The limiters for channels 1 + 2 and 3 + 4 can be
ganged together as pairs so that if one limiter is activated the other one in the pair will be activated
automatically in the same manner. Below the operational point of the limiter, the quality of the audio will not
be affected in any way. The audio limiters and indication led start to operate at -8 dB, and from the range of
-8 dB to -2 dB they compress the audio by 36dB.
The activation of the limiters is shown by the yellow led on the front panel above each of the input
potentiometers. When the limiters are ganged, then a green link line is shown between the two indications
on the main status display and inputs screen.
Input filters
Unlike most other pieces of equipment, the filter in the Nagra VI is embedded in the very front-end of the
microphone pre-amplifier. It is a vortex filter specifically designed to give ultimate protection against wind /
boom microphone noise. This filter is designed to allow the Nagra VI to be used in the most difficult
conditions on location.
The input filter on the Nagra VI is a hardware filter and is therefore not software programmable. The reason
for this choice is simple. A software programmable filter is a digital filter in the heart of the digital part of the
audio chain. Wind noise coming into the pre-amplifier will already have done its distortion and overloading
directly in the pre-amplifier long before it gets to the digital filtering stage. The filters in the Nagra VI roll off 3db at 250 Hz and then at 12 dB per octave. If an alternative curve is required, then provision is made on
the input circuit board to add capacitors accordingly and the necessary values can be supplied if necessary.
The filter can be activated for each pre-amplifier in the input settings menu and this activation is indicated
on the status screen by a green “Tick” below the bar graph level displays.
Chapter III
(Part 2 – The Audio)
July 2010 26
The Mixer menu
The internal mixer of the Nagra VI is designed as a 6 to 2 mixer where the inputs of channels 1 to 6 can be
mixed and then sent to the outputs or recorded on tracks 7 and 8.
In the Audio Mixer display the inputs can be selected one by one, and the level and pan position for each of
the inputs can be adjusted as desired using the up / down + left / right keys respectively.
Pressing the L/R keys simultaneously will toggle the pan to the fully left, fully right and center positions.
Likewise, pressing the Up + Dn keys will reset the fader to the maximum position at the top of the scale,
and a second press will go to the bottom of the scale.
It is possible to assign any of the four pots to control the mix in the pot assign menu. In this case, the
Up/Down keys are no longer active.
To record the mix onto the Compact Flash card, simply select the channels 7 + 8 in the copy menu to (√)
and channels 1 – 6 to the (X) then only the mix will be copied to the CF card. Of course, this mix will also
remain on the hard disk along with the primary or “ISO” tracks.
Beneath the output level slider, the mixer can be set to Stereo (as shown) or MONO operation by pressing
the execute key. In the mono position the pan feature is deactivated.
Playback mixing
The Nagra VI offers the possibility to mix 6 audio tracks using the internal mixer during playback. The
resulting mix can be fed to the audio outputs for recording onto another two channel device.
Audio monitoring of the mix output (to the line / AES outputs) can be selected by setting all the headphone
monitoring switches to the OFF position as long as “Mix if mon. off” has been selected in the monitoring
menu.
Mixer Output Level
The output level of the internal mixer can be adjusted using the “fader” on the right of each of the mixer
screens. The output gain can vary from +12dB to -46dB. This gain control fader can be attributed to the
headphone potentiometer using the pot assignment menu.
A small white horizontal line shows the “0 dB” point. If the
headphone pot is not attributed to this function then the level is
altered using the Up / Down arrow keys. Pressing them
simultaneously will toggle between MAX, MIN and pressing the
Left / Right keys simultaneously will jump from the current
position to 0 dB. The current output level of the mixer is shown
at the bottom of the fader.
Chapter III
(Part 2 – The Audio)
July 2010 27
Microphone display scale selection
The microphone display scale menu permits to adjust the scale of the level indication “fuel gauge” so that it
will correspond to the actual dBSPL value according to the specific sensitivity of the microphone being
used. If the sensitivity of the microphone is known (supplied by the manufacturer in the technical
specifications of the microphone), select the corresponding sensitivity for the microphone. The correct
dBSPL indication will now be shown as soon as a potentiometer is touched. If the microphone sensitivity is
unknown, select “Not indicated”, and the “fuel gauge” will no longer appear when the potentiometer is
touched.
In the Automatic position, the sensitivity selected in the inputs menu will be used as the scale for the fuel
gauge.
If Attenuation is selected, then the indication will be in dB’s from 0 when the pot is touched.
If a particular potentiometer is assigned to more than one input gain, then when the blue fuel gauge is
indicated it will only show the corresponding level in “dB” rather than “dB SPL” if their sensitivity settings are
different.
Note: This selection will NOT alter the actual sensitivity of the pre-amplifier which is adjusted using the
potentiometer for the corresponding input.
Line input level adjustment
The analogue line input level for each input can be adjusted via the menus in fixed 3 dB steps or
continuously variable using one of the pots on the front of the recorder assuming it has been assigned in
the pot assign menu. The available range from the menu is 30 dB from 24 dBu to -6 dBu in steps of 3 dB.
Chapter III
(Part 2 – The Audio)
July 2010 28
Reference generator menu
If the REF snap-switch is pushed down, the reference signal will be activated. In the REC position of the
main selector switch, this signal will be recorded on all selected “armed” channels. The level can be
adjusted from -20 dB up to -6 dB. The reference frequency can be selected to 500 Hz, 1 kHz or 2 kHz. The
operational mode of the REF switch can be set to Toggle ON and OFF upon each consecutive press. In the
NORMAL position the reference signal will only be present while the button is held down.
M/S Decoders
As the Nagra VI has 4 microphone inputs, two M/S decoders are available. The M/S decoder only acts on
the headphones and not on the outputs (unless the outputs have been set to the monitoring output mode in
which case the M/S decoder will also affect the outputs). This is used to decode an M/S microphone signal
into normal left / right signals for stereo monitoring.
Chapter III
(Part 2 – The Audio)
July 2010 29
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