After some reasearch I found out I am not alone. H4n seems to have a cheap PreAmp and NTG-2 low recording level too. At the moment my bugdet is low too so what would be best to improve the situation? Buy a new affordable mic? A preamp like Rode D Power Plug or TritonAudio FatHead? It should be a portable, battery powered and able to be handled easily by one person (the one with the boom)

Thanks for sharing your experience.

The mic features a matched pair of ½” true-condenser capsules, configured in a stacked X-Y configuration, providing a highly-immersive soundscape. Each capsule is supported by the Rycote® Lyre® shock-mounting system, providing isolation from vibration as well as knocks and bumps.

Digital switching on the rear of the SVMX allows the user to control the level adjustment (-10dB or +20dB), high-pass filter (0/75/150Hz) and an innovative high-frequency boost (+6dB @ XHz) designed to boost the intelligibility of dialogue.

In a first for the VideoMic range, professional-grade balanced outputs are available on the side of the body, in addition to the RF shielded 3.5mm stereo output cable.

Price : $46 including shipping

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/HOT-SALE-OXLasers-tie-clip-lapel-2-4G-wireless-microphone-for-teachers-conference-microphone-for-sales/1818930351.html

Isn't there some premade adapter cable that could do this? I can imagine a cable that splits the stereo output from a mic into two mono signals. One of the mono signals would have a device that lowers the sound level (maybe even with a volume control), and the other would not. These two mono signals would be recombined into a stereo plug that would input two separate channels into the GH2 (eg. Left would be a bit louder and Right would be a bit softer).

Does this idea make sense? If so, does a premade product exist? If not, does anyone know how I could make one from radio shack parts? Thanks for your input!

Do you guys think this is the best value I can get for around $1000? I really can’t spend any more than that. Should I just get a better recorder and ditch the preamp? Also would be interested to hear opinions on Tiny Box vs MP-1. Your advice is appreciated.

what do you guys recommend i do? Ill also be renting a voigtlander 25mm lens when Im in Sf as well for $55 for 4 days.

Thank you.

will this work with the VMP?

Very interesting headphones from Takstar, quite cheap (<$60 shipped, usually).

Mostly at Aliexpress - http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?SearchText=Takstar+TS-671&catId=0&manual=y

They are really big and very comfortable. Thick soft ear pads. One of the most comfortable headphones I had.

TS-671 are good example of really open headphones. They sound really airy.

From all Takstar headphones these are most involving. They kind of make most music fun to listen.

Of course, they have minuses, main being bass. I really suggest to use equalizer with them with some bass boost on your preference. They have bass, and quite deep one, but it is really recessed.

Main plus - they present music as spacious and involving (I said it again :-) ). More spacious than AKG K702 known for their sound stage.

Of course, they lack some detailing of top headphones, but I really like them.

So, I am looking to have a few things sorted out in the sound dept. for a doc I am working on. I have decided that the subjects will have lavs with Tascam DR-05 recording on 16GB cards (enough space for the 12hrs or so quoted by Tascam on battery life with Eneloop Pros) I can't afford wireless, so the recorders are the best combo right now for lavs (opinions welcome on this) I heard samples of Zoom H1 vs the Tascam and the Zoom has too much hiss to my taste.

On camera:

This is where I am finding a bit of a hard time deciding. I want a compact kit (preferably without a rig)

Kit 1: Roland R-26 using all of its mics recording to their own independent channel (thats 2 omnis + XY) AT875r recording into the Roland R26 Since this test showed that the Roland has a bit of a hiss, I thought that using a Fethead attached the already short AT875r will give me a lower noise floor.

• Omni + XY + Shotgun channels to mix in post along with the lavs. --For this kit, I would need to get a cage to have both the Roland and the Shotgun mounted on the GH2.

Kit 2: For a lower price as the above: Zoom H6/H5 w/ SSH-6 mic. This module mic is a XY and short shotgun at the same time, which (with Zooms software) you can then choose how much of each set (XY and shotgun) you can have in your final mix later.

Sample of software and mic tests:

• on this one is that the AT875r takes the bench of gets sold because the module replaces it. The recorder mounts directly on the hotshote (no cage, or rig)
• Not enough samples from the SSH-6 mic out there, especially indoors and with dialogue, so it's a bit of a gamble and I don't know how well the noise floor will be with that combo. -/+ XY and Shotgun only left to mix later in post with the lavs. Hearing samples from the Omni+XY+Shotgun on the Roland leaves me with a bit of nice feeling.

Kit 3: The original kit I imagined I would get.

Tascam DR-70D AT875r

• cheaper than both above
• Dr-70D pre-amps are very nice but could also compliment them with a Fethead
• DR-70D built-in mics may be stereo...but they don't really give a stereo feeling so kind of pointless and the main reason for me to look at the above

That's pretty much what I have right now as options.

I also read about the Olympus LS-100 which has nice quiet pre-amps (for the XLRs) but I was advised by a friend that the 16bit recording may be too limiting if I need to compensate for either noise or for mixing. Any opinions on that?

Sadly enough no shop in London has all of these so I can test them all in one place and see what may fit best.

Also, my doc stuff is multi-field (indoor, outdoor) fly on the wall style 95% of the time so I really like the idea of having mixing options between the lavs, stereo and shotgun.

What do we think??

When I run an audio source into my GH4 through the microphone jack, it usually works just fine.

However, as soon as I connect my GH4 to either of my Tascams, I get this loud grating noise. It happens regardless of whether I connect to the GH4 via the Camera-Out / Line-Out or the Headphone port on the Tascams. Even weirder, I get the same noise in the GH4 if I plug the cable from its Mic port into the Camera-In / Line-In port on the Tascam.

I'm beginning to wonder if this is some weird electrical problem? I am running both the GH4 and the Tascam off of the same battery supply...

I put together a quick video demonstrating the problem:

• Records directly to SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards, up to 128GB
• High-quality 160° wide angle lens with selectable viewing angles (F 2.0/16.6mm)
• Uses a system of interchangeable audio input capsules that can be swapped out as easily as the lens of a camera
• Supplied detachable stereo X/Y microphone (XYQ-8)
• Compatible with all Zoom microphone capsules (sold separately)
• Full-color rotating LCD touchscreen
• Support for five HD video modes, up to 2304 x 1296 pixels (3M HD), as well as two WVGA modes
• Frame rates of up to 60 fps for capturing fast action video and slow motion playback
• $399
• http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1116341-REG/zoom_zq8_q8_handy_video_recorder.html

Specs:

• Electret Condenser
• Freq. Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
• Low-Cut Filter: Selectable @160Hz, 3dB/Oct
• Super-cardioid
• Dynamic Range: 115dB 48V phantom / 110dB battery
• Sensitivity: -38dB at 1kHz (0dB = 1V/Pa)
• Max Input SPL: 132dB 48V phantom / 127dB battery (1kHz at 1% T.H.D.)
• S/N Ratio: 77dB (1kHz at 1Pa)
• Power Requirement: 11-52V Phantom or AA battery
• Output: 3-pin XLR
• Dimensions: 250mm x 21mm (9.84” x 0.83”) (Length x Diameter)
• Weight: 160 g (5.65 oz)

http://www.azden.com/products/microphones/shotgun-microphones/sgm-250/

Can the H4n power the omni mono lav from GS?

Thanks!

The Beachtek DXA-POCKET is a two-channel, compact audio adapter for camcorders or DSLR cameras.

This adapter is designed to easily attach wireless mics and small, self-powered, camera mounted microphones such as the popular RØDE VideoMics that have unbalanced mini-plug connectors.

http://beachtek.com/products/dxa-pocket/

• Sensitivity: -38dB at 1kHz (0dB = 1V/Pa)
• Dynamic Range - 115dB 48V phantom / 110dB battery
• Max Input SPL: 132dB 48V phantom / 127dB battery (1kHz at 1% T.H.D.)
• S/N Ratio: 77dB (1kHz at 1Pa)
• Power Requirement 11-52V Phantom or AA battery
• Weight - 160 g

I´ve just now stumbled upon the Rode RodeLink Wireless Lav system.

In their specs they state a digital transmission of 44,1KHz which seem about 44,1KHz too low for serious usage. I can´t even find a specification on this on Sennheisers EW G3 series.

Could anyone enlighten me on what is going on there?

Thanks very much!

Patrick

I have seen those mixers from azden but they don't have a lot of reviews on the net. One like the 4 channel FMX-42a has some very good feedback on BH and I have seen this review http://www.anythingsound.com/2012/01/25/azden-fmx-42-a-field-mixer-review/ which is very positive. There is another 3 channel FMX-32a which is in the $ 450 (a review of the previous model http://www.eventdv.net/Articles/News/Feature/Review-Azden-FMX-32-3-Channel-Field-Mixer-37893.htm) that seems to be better than the previous model reviewed above.

So if any people had any feedback would be nice. The price are very affordable and would be interesting even to the lot who have bought recorders with not so great preamp like the zoom. I find it strange that we don't have more people talking about them because they seem to be real step-up from those low end recorders with better preamp, sound control, built etc.

What is the usage of this?

It allows to select proper channel for your wireless audio system.

More expensive version also works in 2.4Ghz bands, useful if you have Bluetooth or new 2.4Ghz sets.

• http://www.ebay.com/itm/RF-Explorer-Handheld-240-960MHz-USB-Digital-Spectrum-Analyzer-WSUB1G-TES82252P-/360940090994
• Combo - http://www.ebay.com/itm/RF-Explorer-ISM-240-960MHz-Handheld-Digital-USB-Spectrum-Analyzer-2-35-2-55GHz-/381131406044* http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40%7CR40&_sacat=0&_sop=15&_nkw=rf+spectrum+handheld&rt=nc

Would Rode Reporter + H4N or H6 be a good combination?

Would the H4N suffice or would I get significantly better sound using the H6?

Would it be a professional audio quality or for what one has to go to reach ideal sound?

Or should I got for another portable audio recorder?

Some of the ideas I've looked at:

Rode videmic go (£60) -> Zoom H1 (own it) or something like the new Tascam DR-10c (£200).

Shure Lenshopper VP83F with built-in recorder (£300).

Any experiences with small external-audio setups would be appreciated. The first project I'm going to use this for will be trying to video an outdoor winter bobsled/skeleton event at the end of January.

The reason why the Rode Videomic Pro comes to mind as a possible canditate, is because of it's +20 DB setting. This gives much better and especially 'cleaner' audio when recording directly to the camera, in this case a GH3 or a G6.

So actually, it doesn't need to be a on-camera-mic but it should be a good sounding shotgun, like the Videomic Pro, with a hot noiseless signal. The +20 DB and the price are the only reasons I'm after the videomic, so maybe you guys know any similary prices alternatives?

There is the Shure VP83(F) lenshopper which is around the same price. Again an on-camera-mic, with a +20 db setting. There is also the 'F' version which has it's own flash recorder built-in, which is very nice but a bit more pricey.

See here: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/966010-REG/shure_vp83f_condenser_shotgun_mic.html

Any other mics I should consider? I don't want to use lavs and if possible no other mics which require senders / receivers. I would like to use it directly plugged in to the camera so again, a 'hot' signal is required.

If you know anything, let me know. Thanks!

azden? audiotechnica?

get one with XLR cable and get the irig pre?