Sound

Microphone for GH2

JP_91 — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 11:12:38 +0000

Hello everyone!

First of all, sorry for my english but I'm italian, so maybe I'll do some mistakes during the topic.

Now, that's the question. I am a videomaker and I decided to record a low-budget movie, after 3 years' experience with short-movies.

I have the screenplay, I have the cast (almost all), I have the camera (gh2) and I have a problem with the audio.

As long as I want to produce a professional (or semi-pro) work, I can't be satisfied with the internal mic's quality of GH2. The problem is that the budget is limited (300-350 €), so I can't spend a lot of money.

Surfing on the internet, I have found two solution: the H4N Zoom and the Rode Videomic Pro.

Now, many say that for obtain a good quality is necessary to combine the two microphone and so attach the RVP to the H4N and record the audio track on it.

But, it's possible to have a good quality of sound by using only one of this two microphone? If yes, wich?

Or there are other choices (considering the budget) that can provide a good quality audio?

Thanks for reading and for any replies :)

Yamaha Pocketrak PR7

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 20:45:43 +0000

24bit/96kHz recording
micro SDHC support
2GB build in
MSRP - $249

Alesis TwoTrack recorder, $38

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:17:15 +0000

Handheld SD/SDHC Recorder
Affordable, high-quality stereo recording for any application
Two condenser microphones in XY configuration for superb spatial imaging
Simple controls and backlit LCD for use in low-light situations
Auto-gain option keeps levels consistent and virtually eliminates distortion
Record in uncompressed 16-bit PCM wav
Easy file transfer to computer via high-speed USB 2.0 interface
Low power consumption for hours of recording with just one AA battery
Stand or tripod-mountable

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alesis-TwoTrack-Handheld-SD-SDHC-Recorder-with-Built-in-XY-Stereo-Microphones-/300878282497

Fostex Fr2-LE vs Tascam 60-d

f1lm3r — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 20:21:19 +0000

Any thoughts? I currently have a Fr2-le, but the 60-d sure does look good for the price. Would it be a downgrade, upgrade or lateral?

Medeli DR2 recorder aka Alesis Palm Track

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 05:34:54 +0000

Specifications:

24 Bit WAVE / MP3 Recorder
Recording Media: SD/ SDHC memory card (64MB~16GB)
Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz / 48 kHz
MIC Select: 2 MICS / 4 MICS
Effects: 5 types ( Delay, Chorus, Room, Hall, Pitch Shift)
Record Format: WAV 16 bit, WAV 24 bit , MP3 64 kbps, MP3 96 kbps, MP3 128 kbps, MP3 196 kbps, MP3 224 kbps, MP3 320 kbps
Built-in Speaker
Display: 128 x 64 dots OLED
Input: 1/8" Stereo Line Input, 1/8" External MIC input, Built-in Stereo MIC
Output: 1/8" Headphones.
USB Interface: Mini-B type
Power Requirements: AC adaptor (DC 3V) or AA size (LR6) battery x 2
Dimensions: 67(W) x 29(D) x 107(H)mm

More info: http://medeli.com.hk/products/dr/dr-2.html

Price: below $90

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alesis-Palm-Track-Handheld-SD-Digital-Stereo-Recorder-24-bit-Audio-/170932733029

Sound Devices PIX recorders topic

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 01:23:51 +0000

As you may know, Sound Devices presented very interesting recorders at NAB.
Price for lower model will be not low - about $1600 as far as I remember.

Two XLR inputs, etc.

Important question is - does it have any form of audio monitoring?
I do not see any mention of headphone output.

DIY Foam wind screen for the internal microphone of GH2

CoolColJ — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 22:13:18 +0000

Did a little test with an old foam wind screen from my Shure SM8 microphone, which has an internal diameter of 25mm.

Was a bit tight to get on, so 35 mm would be better.

Works pretty well and is dirt cheap - just ordered a set of five 35mm internal diameter foam wind screens from Ebay for well under $10 :)

Help me to understand that mike to get

Lumens — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 07:20:29 +0000

Hello

i have recently watched the luminous landscapes video tutorial (dslr) i am a little confused as to which type of sound mic i should purchase? if it is at all needed for the purpose of video making ,there are some rode mics on ebay, are these a good choice for a newbie. any advice would be appreciated regards paul.

Cheap fur for lavalier mics?

evero — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 17:05:27 +0000

I struggle to find cheap fur for use on lavalier mics. The foam type is cheap and easy to find, but the fur type (which is much better outdoors IMO) is harder to find.

I only found two types on ebay, typically around 25 dollars for each. http://www.ebay.com/itm/UK-FUR-Windscreen-Lavalier-lav-lapel-mic-windshield-microphone-deadcat-windcut-/150993824135?pt=UK_MusicalInstruments_Other_Pro_Audio_Equipment&hash=item2327eee987

Do you know any cheaper?

Portable audio recorders tests

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 06:41:52 +0000

This is topic only about tests that include two or more different recorders, use specific topics for test including only one recorder

Value lapel mics - 1/8"

zcream — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 18:09:00 +0000

I have used 2 so far. 1. Olympus ME-15 20/- 2. Audio Technica ATR3350 16/- (Needs battery)

So far, I prefer the ME-15 as it does not need a battery.

Are there others that may be more rugged ? The ME-15 is a bit filmsy.

DIY Boompole Case

solarwnz — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 03:14:34 +0000

Nice! Since I have a rather pricey carbon-fiber boom pole that I want to protect when transporting I am totally going to implement this guy's design - except that I am going to add some 1 cm foam, cut its width to the inner diameter of the PVC pipe and push it through so that I have a good cushion for the boom pole inside. This is a really cheap, rugged and functional design.

Microphones used is movies

kronstadt — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 09:01:54 +0000

Reading around the internet can get you a lot of disinformation, or rumours at best. So I thought I'd create this thread to see if the microphones that are mentioned have indeed been used in movies, and which ones.

For example, there is a rumour going around that Sennheiser MKH 416 has been the "industry standard" throughout 70s and 80s (and even 90s) in many Hollywood films. Is this true? If yes, which films? Please mention them. I would love to listen to those films.

There is another rumour that Rode NTG-3 (and even NTG-2) is being used in film productions. If you KNOW this to be the case, then,please, list the movies that use NTG-3. (and I don't mean movies made for Vimeo, or amateur movies that don't stand the chance of being accepted into any decent festival)

If there are other microphones that you know of, please add them to this list and please mention which movies they were used in. Movies from any decade are welcome. (like, I'd love to know what mics were used in Taxi Driver, The Godfather, Network, Blowout, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction etc)

Field Mixer, worth buying?

AfricaGH2 — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 12:23:54 +0000

Ok, so I appear to be hung up on sound lately and am wondering if it's worth buying an expensive field mixer like the Sound Devices 302 for my future projects - I plan to record separate sound. As a one person show most of the time I have heard that it's preferred to use just an external recorder, one device compared to two. But it seems that a field mixer it set up better to be adjusted quickly and set levels compared to the fiddly buttons found on a digital recording devices such as those by Roland and Zoom. (I fully aware of the pre-amp, noise level issue) So in theory I'd just have to mess with the Field Mixer and then just hit record on the Zoom. Ok, so on the negative, two devices to dick around with, two on switches etc AND just me .......

I've asked this question to Philip Bloom and he says I'm wrong -- "because this is one man band kit…i had help here but still…why on earth would you bring a mixer unless you had a sound man?" but I still don't see why so please if you're an audio professional and have actually used a field mixer digital recorder combo get back to me. I'm sure I'm missing something here but as I've not actually do any work with an external sound recorder I'm sure what I'm saying is pure conjecture :) There is a difference I think too compared to what he was he was doing, filming a person interview in a very controlled environment compared to chasing tornadoes and trying to get audio from people in a very difficult environment.

So sound pro's your feedback please!

AKG C747 Premium quality mini shotgun on GH2 (+ audio test)

gameb — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 02:33:58 +0000

Inspired by @balazers topic about the AT875 shotgun (thanks balazer) http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/3197/at875r-mic-phantom-powered-directly-by-the-gh2, I tested an AKG C747 electret mini shotgun and it works perfectly on the GH2 with its 2.5V plug-in power "phantom power"). The signal is strong, I am running it on level 1 or 2, using the Per Lichtmanns Pasadena audio hack (thanks @thepalalias) http://perlichtman.com/pasdenapulse/wordpress/2012/03/14/panasonic-gh2-audio-settings-file-pasadena-pulse-audio-v2-beta-2/.

The sound of this little jewel, built in the well renowned german/austrian AKG house, is superb - very natural and clean, voices sound warm. It has a particular strong directional characteristic/off-axis rejection and wide frequency range. It supports very strong signals as much as it picks up clearly sounds and voices coming from the distance. Reading the reviews you can see how versatil this microphone is http://www.proaudio.com/product_info.php?products_id=3480.

It is very small, 137mm x 9mm, size of a pencil, is very light, perfect for using on any small hybrid or DSLR cameras.

Talking to the AKG tecnicians in Austria, they had their doubts whether it would work with such a low (2.5V) "power supply" of the GH2. Normally it works with 9-52V. But: it did work (Thanks Mr. Amon for your advise).

Connection is: red to "tip" and "ring" and white and ground to "sleeve". Basically the same way as described in @balazers topic. You have to cut off the 48V phantom power plug previously.

The microphone shock mount on the photo, was custom built out of a stainless steel tube, with my local boat-welder in my Marina and a few rubber bands.

The lack of any existing 2.5mm stereo plug in an angled version (I only found crap), made me change the "interor" of an angled 3.5mm plug and substitute it with the interior part of a normal metal 2.5mm plug. Works fine. No need of annoying 3.5/2.5 adapters.

For my purposes this is a very satisfying setup. With the great picture quality of the GH2, using balazers stable cake settings (thanks @Vitaly and @balazer), now I finally found a very small high end on-camera microphone with a wonderful sound quality, no need of any further batteries or power supply, and the whole thing still keeps this small, flexible, moving character which I love to work with.

The AKG C747 is not cheap, the actual version MK II costs around 500€ or more, but the previous version, which is basically the same microphone (a part from a filter and a few other things), you can find it used for around approx 300€, add approx 30€ for the Windscreen.

Would love to hear your opinions about it.

EDIT: Cheap deal on AKG C747 on ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150918575896?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649#ht_1249wt_1219

Shock mounts for your shotgun mike

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 03:37:07 +0000

Cheapest option (with standard mike thread useful for boom pole)

Price: $12-15 + shipping

http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_nkw=shotgun+mount&_sacat=0&_odkw=shotgun&item=290695305551&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&gbr=1&_fcid=168&_osacat=0&_clu=2&hash=item43aeca594f&_ssn=wgt-1979

Next option, longer and with hotshoe mount.

Price: $25 + shipping

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hot-Shoe-Shotgun-Mic-Shock-Mount-fr-5d-7d-ex3-ex1-/280650927490

Similar to previous and a bit pricey, but comes with rod clamp.

Price: $56, free shipping

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shotgun-Mic-Microphone-Suspension-Mount-Holder-Hotshoe-Single-15mm-Rod-Clamp-/170870543414

XLR cables topic

kronstadt — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 13:56:53 +0000

My setup is real simple: EM320E microphone (I love it, but may also add NTG2 or NTG3) in a Rode blimp on a 3 meter Rode boom-pole going directly into Zoom H1. The question is: which XLR cable would be best bang for the buck? Which one is best in terms of cost/performance ratio?

A friend (sound recordist) recommended Klotz MC5000 xlr cables http://shop.klotz-ais.com/cgi-bin/quickorder/lshop.cgi?action=showdetail&artnum=M5_&wkid=2004g&ls=e so I thought to get a 3m gold-plated version of that, but they seem to exist only in XLR-to-XLR configuration. This would mean that I would need to get an additional XLR-to-3.5mm adapter, but I was told that the more connections there are the more is the loss of sound quality.

Then another another alternative would be something like this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170332397463 Neutrik XLR to 3.5mm

Yet another question would be regarding "balanced" vs "double screened" ... the Klotz MC5000, for example, doesn't seem to be "balanced", but "double shielded" etc.

So which cable would you folks recommend for recording cinematic dialogues, ADR, Foley sound etc?

Using shotgun with GH3

clyde_t — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 09:17:56 +0000

I'm having trouble getting the GH3 to recognize my audiotechnica shotgun. when i plug it in the special mic icons remain greyed-out. does external mic only work with the new panasonic shotgun?

Tascam DR-40 and the GH2

Mckinise — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 13:33:26 +0000

I am trying to use the GH2 (Pasadena Pulse Audio/Flow Motion 2.02) with a Tascam DR-40.

I a using an Audio Technica with XLR phantom power attached to the DR-40, and the DR-40 Attached to the GH2.

I noticed there are 4 levels on the GH2:

Level 1: Level 2: Level 3: Level 4:

What is the best level for recording dialog?

What settings will work best for getting crisp, clear sound with very little noise?

Que Audio Mini Shotgun Pro

jamagara — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 22:07:57 +0000

I'm having a really hard time finding reviews for the new Que Audio Q Mini Shotgun Pro microphone. It's a beefed-up version of the Q Mini Shotgun and was presented at the NAB2012.

Compared to it predecessor (which is now sold as a lite version) the interference tube has grown a bit (its still slim compared to the Videomic Pro) and there is a new switch to enable a 20dB gain. The microphone is sold as part of the „Q DSLR-Video PRO Microphone Kit“ (1) and the „Q Sniper PRO Microphone Kit“ (2).

I'm especially interested in the latter kit, since the idea of a super compact booming kit intrigues me. Another advantage of this kit is that it includes an XLR adapter which enables a true balanced connection. This gives me the option to upgrade my VDSLR setup with a powered XLR adapter like the JuicedLink RM333 later on. But I want to make sure the microphone has a good quality justifying the hefty price tag of 450$ for the Sniper Pro Kit. Videomaker published a very positive review of the kit (3), and there is also a video review (4), but both of them didn't seem very substantiated. Has anybody made experiences with this microphone? How does it compare to the Videomic Pro or the Sennheiser MKE400?

Cheap lapel, lavalier mike

Jspatz — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:10:44 +0000

I had a couple of these $22 lapel mics that B&H sells lying around so I tried them on the GH3 with the mic volume set midway. They sounded very accurate with low noise. I am asking some of the more experienced audio people what I should worry aboout or why I should not consider using them for interviews.

Thanks

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/659062-REG/Pearstone_9111930_OLM_10_Omnidirectional_Lavalier_Microphone.html

Problem with TASCAM DR-100 work with 5D2

Shome — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 02:53:02 +0000

Before I ask my question, I did look into a lot post here. But still I found my problem it's like a bug in my 5D2.

I try to find a good solution for sound in my 5D, just for some normal interview( could be in the studio and any place clients are). Before I used HDV to get some sound, 5Dget image, and sync in post with pluraleyes. But I found a lot people do get better solution. Now I try to learn it.

So what I'm trying to do is just get the quality sound directly into my 5D2, without post work with pluraleyes. My buddies are: TASCAM DR-100, SONY UWP-V1(Radio mic)，Audio Technica AT897, also got Rode NTG-1(but this one no AA power supply). 5D2(hacked with Magic Lantern 2.3)

First, I try sony radio mic directly plugin to 5D, it's reasonable sound for event interview stuff, but definite not really good quality, as 5D doesn't have good sound handling ability( I guess).

Then I get this TASCAM thing.(A lot people use H4n, i guess similar thing). Tascam has 2 XLR input, So I use sony radio mic and AT897 (both powered by themselves). My tascam get decent sound these two mic. I used tascam's 3.5 line output, send the sound to 5D's 3.5 mic input. monitor the 5D's sound through AV mount. (wiki ML says we will need a RCA-3.5 adapter, i didn't see that before so i just plugin my 3.5 headphone in to that AV end, it works, I did get the sound there, amazing! ) It worked for a while but I don't when it suddenly just can only get one track, only left channel, there is no infos came into right channel. No matter what i try on all the settings in the ML menu, I can't get that right channel back...

Can anyone help me figure this out?

Interesting shotgun mike

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 11:10:06 +0000

Price: $93 with free shipping

Manufacturing quality seems better than cheap shotguns. Plus it comes with mount.

Description is completely off, as it is copied from different mike page.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SG-209-Shotgun-DV-Stereo-Microphone-Equipped-DSLR-Niokn-Canon-Olympus-Panasonic-/130802546079

Infra Red Headphones, transmitters and receivers

goanna — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 20:09:28 +0000

Among the common causes of camera damage is the operator walking away from the tripod with headphones still on. IR headphones can be useful on set as well as at home or in the car, too. They have excellent sound reproduction and prices are dropping.

For location work, the usual 6 meter range is close enough from camera to headphones, but the mic and transmitter may be further away from the camera.

Look for at at least 10 meter headphones on Ebay

Transmitters often come cheaply and with better range. I got a 12V, 10 meter model for $12.00. Look on Ebay too.

Transmitters and headphones can be bought together as a set. Of course, several crew members can receive the same sound via phones.

This is just one more example of domestic equipment which has improved (for in-car DVDs) so much that in can trickle-up to pro applications. Of course, if you're like me you'll find domestic uses as well. (Think kids, peace at home, long drives...)

There are some domestic and car appliances (eg NextBase) which already include IR transmitters. Almost all seem to share the standard stereo IR transmission frequencies of Right: 2.8 MHz. Left: 2.3 MHz.

You can get IR receivers, too. The old Sony 6V IFT-R10 also comes with good quality composite video as well as line-level audio suitable for monitoring. Maybe somebody has experience with camera-mounted IR receivers for audio signal input.

Sound Devices 664 Field Production Mixer

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 21:52:29 +0000

The 664 has six ultra-low noise, high-dynamic-range analog inputs.
The 664 can send its main left/right outputs to three cameras simultaneously.
The 664 can record each of its inputs and its four output buses, for 10 record tracks. Recordings are saved to CompactFlash and SD cards. Recordings are either 16- or 24-bit Broadcast WAV files with extensive metadata.
With the mixer's built-in, rock-steady Ambient time code generator, multiple devices can operate in synchronization.

See more - http://www.sounddevices.com/products/664/key-features/

Phantom power voltage

peternap — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:50:33 +0000

A stupid question I should know the answer to, but I always set the recorders for 24 volts. No reason, I've just always done it.

On the mics that are designed for it, does 48 volts give better performance?

I'm using MXL FR 300 mics which use 9-52 volts.

Two mono mikes with the stereo jack into the GH2

AKED — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 19:12:20 +0000

Hello I have a question: I want to record from 2 mono mikes into the GH2. For an interview in a noisy room. I have a Shure XLR mike and we made a cable XLR female from the mike to the 2.5" jack. Does not work. I have a collar mike that works when I go directly into the GH2. We made an Y-cable, 2 x 2.5" mono female jacks, that go to one male 2.5 stereo jack into the GH2. Does not work. The collar mike gives no sound when at this Y cable. Any suggestions what to observe?

Will this be possible at all?

Thanks for any input

Shock mount for external audio recorder

mrbill — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 05:42:06 +0000

I have a zoom H1. Has anybody seen a shock mount for this recorder (or similar) - along the same lines as the rubber band suspension mounts you can get for mounting a shotgun mic? Thanks.

Need power supply for Tascam DR100

brianluce — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:03:09 +0000

Looking for a power supply for my DR100. Anyone used one from here? http://www.ebay.com/itm/AC-Adapter-Tascam-MPGT1-psp520-mp-gt1-GT-R1-DR-100-Charger-Power-Supply-Cord-/110768544753?pt=COMP_EN_Networking_Components&hash=item19ca51dbf1

MXL FR-310 on camera mike

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Fri, 18 May 2012 01:46:03 +0000

Three-position gain switch
Bass roll-off (high-pass filter)
Standard hot shoe mount
Up to 500 hours per AAA battery
Integrated foam windscreen

More Info: http://www.mxlmics.com/microphones/field-recording/FR-310/

Available for about $129 at: