Microphone overload/attenuation switch question

[Rhythm]

Hi all,
I was wondering is anyone has something to say about microphone overload and the use of the attenuation switch. I have never had an audible problem with my KSM-27 but I wanted to find what others think. I have tested the mic with the same sound source and all I can hear is a little more ART tube sound and a little less mic sound after the levels have been matched to test. At 132dB without the attenuator on this mic should be able to handle a gunshot at 20ft or whatever the measured SPL level is, but how loud is my marshall at 2 inches? An obvious way to tell if the switch is necessary is when the recorder is overloading and the preamp is at 0 (or 15db, whatever the lowest knob level is) but even with drums I've never had this problem. Is there a chance I'm slightly or not so slightly overloading the mic itself and I should have the attenuator on and the preamp higher for certain applications?

Any thoughts are appreciated,
David R. Pullin

Comming Soon:
www.TwelveToneStudios.com

[bigtoe]

i used the pad when i hear something distorting or when it's overloading the preamp.

otherwise i don't.

i live the simple life...by default...i am simple.

Mike

[Mark Alan Miller]

Same here, mostly - if the mic is distorting, or clipping the front end of the mic pre, it's pad time, otherwise, usually not.
However, sometimes mics sound different with pads, or interact differently with pres, and should be listened to and considered as sonic options. Use your ears to tell you what sounds better.

[djdrake13]

Same here, mostly - if the mic is distorting, or clipping the front end of the mic pre, it's pad time, otherwise, usually not.
However, sometimes mics sound different with pads, or interact differently with pres, and should be listened to and considered as sonic options. Use your ears to tell you what sounds better.

Yea, I've found mics that can really sound different with the pad on. I've found some help with background noise too, and its not just cause of the lowered volume, but when I match the levels, there seems to be less background in the PAD'ed track.