Portable compact audio preamps at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > The Tools of DV and HD Production > All Things Audio

All Things Audio
Everything Audio, from acquisition to postproduction.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old November 18th, 2007, 09:56 AM   #1
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 42
Portable compact audio preamps

I'm looking at battery-powered audio stereo preamps with phantom power to fit on a Canon HV20 camera, overall still cheaper and smaller than the Canon XH-A1 camera. After search I came across:

Beachtek DXA-6HD
Sound Devices mixpre
CEVL IM2
Grace Design Lunatec V3

I'm not going to ask which is best :-) but rather is there another obvious one I haven't seen? Like some Japanese- or German-made (after all they make good mikes and lenses)? Any other?

Thanks,

Alex
Alexandru Petrescu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 18th, 2007, 10:16 AM   #2
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Pasadena, CA
Posts: 152
Beachtek DXA-6vu is the one you want for the HV-20. This one is not a preamp, just +48 phantom with level meters and some trim. It's a smaller profile because the HV-20 is a shorter cam.

MixPre is a good pre, but no way to mount it, you would need a sound operater, or carry it over your shoulder. I hooked up to the HV-20 once, and it mic level only going in. Mix Pre only has line level out.

Never heard of Cevl

Grave V3 is good, but not for your application, and I don't think it's battery operated.
Brooks Harrington is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 18th, 2007, 10:29 AM   #3
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 111
The Apogee Mini-MP comes highly recommended, though it's probably overkill for you. Like the MixPre, no way to mount it on the cam.
Abe Dolinger is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 18th, 2007, 10:36 AM   #4
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 42
For mounting, I was thinking of drilling a small whole in the device's upper plate and attach a quick release adapter and plate (used to attach cameras to tripod heads, like this http://tinyurl.com/33j782). It may be overkill or it may simply work.
Alexandru Petrescu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 18th, 2007, 11:15 AM   #5
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 42
Quote:
Originally Posted by Abe Dolinger View Post
The Apogee Mini-MP comes highly recommended, though it's probably overkill for you. Like the MixPre, no way to mount it on the cam.
Thanks for this pointer to Apogee Mini-MP, looks interesting. I can't find its dimensions, are they public somewhere? Would you compare it larger/wider than the mixpre for example, or to another?
Alexandru Petrescu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 18th, 2007, 10:47 PM   #6
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 111
Its dimensions don't seem to be available online. I only saw it briefly, but it was definitely larger than the MixPre. I remember it being approximately the MixPre's width and very long, maybe twice as long.
Abe Dolinger is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 19th, 2007, 03:54 AM   #7
Major Player
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 383
While there is no place for batteries on the Grace V3, many people use it in the field, you simply have to find a power source that you find acceptable (from a weight perspective).

Another option is the Wendt X2 mixer. It's actually about the same size as the V3 and MiniMe, and uses the same pre-amps that are in the larger Wendt X4/X5 mixer. I use to own the X2 and liked it quite a bit. The only downside is the LEDs on the unit. Even in the dimmest position, the LEDs seemed overly bright to me.

I don't know how you would mount any of these on a camera, but I suppose it could be done as somebody pointed out by drilling holes in the case and using the proper mounting hardware.

However, there are two things that strike me about most of these options. First, most are as much, if not more, than the camera you're using. Second, most of the cameras that require you to use 3.5 mm input connectors really don't provide much in the way of sound. What I mean by that is that even with the beachtek, and other devices providing the A/D, they are still very noisy and I still recommend that editors only use it as a guide track. If your goal is to get much better sound, you might consider using an off camera recording device like the Microtracker, R4, or something similar, and use it's line output to go into the camera. This way you have a better version of the audio, which you can use to replace the audio from your camera. This might be overkill depending on what you're doing, but I've never been happy with the audio on the GL-1 when using a beachteck, but I'm pretty picky when it comes to audio.

Wayne
__________________
Mics: KMR 82 i, NTG-1, MKH418S, MKH8040, SR77, QTC1, QTC40, SR30
Recorder: Zaxcom Deva 5.8 & MIX-12. Wireless: TRX900 stereo, Lectro 411
Wayne Brissette is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 19th, 2007, 10:36 AM   #8
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 42
Portable solid-state audio recorders

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wayne Brissette View Post
While there is no place for batteries on the Grace V3, many people use it in the field, you simply have to find a power source that you find acceptable (from a weight perspective).

Another option is the Wendt X2 mixer. It's actually about the same size as the V3 and MiniMe, and uses the same pre-amps that are in the larger Wendt X4/X5 mixer. I use to own the X2 and liked it quite a bit. The only downside is the LEDs on the unit. Even in the dimmest position, the LEDs seemed overly bright to me.

I don't know how you would mount any of these on a camera, but I suppose it could be done as somebody pointed out by drilling holes in the case and using the proper mounting hardware.

However, there are two things that strike me about most of these options. First, most are as much, if not more, than the camera you're using. Second, most of the cameras that require you to use 3.5 mm input connectors really don't provide much in the way of sound. What I mean by that is that even with the beachtek, and other devices providing the A/D, they are still very noisy and I still recommend that editors only use it as a guide track. If your goal is to get much better sound, you might consider using an off camera recording device like the Microtracker, R4, or something similar, and use it's line output to go into the camera. This way you have a better version of the audio, which you can use to replace the audio from your camera. This might be overkill depending on what you're doing, but I've never been happy with the audio on the GL-1 when using a beachteck, but I'm pretty picky when it comes to audio.

Wayne
That sounds about right, I think this brings me to the other topic of portable compact solid-state audio recorders I came across:

Zoom H4
M-Audio MicroTrack II
Marantz PMD-620
Ikey Audio
Sony PCM-D50
Edirol R-09

A rather wide range to consider...

Alex
Alexandru Petrescu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 19th, 2007, 11:18 AM   #9
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Pasadena, CA
Posts: 152
Don't forget about this one for a backup too.

http://www.fostexusa.com/index.php?f...ucts/pfr/fr2le
Brooks Harrington is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 19th, 2007, 05:33 PM   #10
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Baltimore, MD USA
Posts: 2,337
Beachtek DXA-6vu is the one you want for the HV-20. This one is not a preamp, just +48 phantom with level meters and some trim. It's a smaller profile because the HV-20 is a shorter cam.

MixPre is a good pre, but no way to mount it, you would need a sound operater, or carry it over your shoulder. I hooked up to the HV-20 once, and it mic level only going in. Mix Pre only has line level out.

>> I've seen guys with brackets. Call Sound Devices.
>> Sound Devices sells cables with built-in pads for mic leve inputs


>>Regards,

Ty Ford
Ty Ford is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 20th, 2007, 02:57 PM   #11
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 42
More preamps

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alexandru Petrescu View Post
I'm looking at battery-powered audio stereo preamps with phantom power to fit on a Canon HV20 camera, overall still cheaper and smaller than the Canon XH-A1 camera. After search I came across...
To not follow up my own post, here are some more portable preamps I came across after search other forums. Just FYI.

Church Audio Stereo mic preamp ST-8 on ebay
Denecke AD-20
Hitec Audio PreMobile 2 Vorverstärker (! :-)
NADY Systems DMP-2
MINIATURE LOW NOISE GAIN-SELECTABLE PORTABLE STEREO PREAMP
Aerco MP-2
Wendt X2

Alex
Alexandru Petrescu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 20th, 2007, 04:03 PM   #12
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 42
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ty Ford View Post
Beachtek DXA-6vu is the one you want for the HV-20. This one is not a preamp, just +48 phantom with level meters and some trim. It's a smaller profile because the HV-20 is a shorter cam.

MixPre is a good pre, but no way to mount it, you would need a sound operater, or carry it over your shoulder. I hooked up to the HV-20 once, and it mic level only going in. Mix Pre only has line level out.

>> I've seen guys with brackets. Call Sound Devices.
>> Sound Devices sells cables with built-in pads for mic leve inputs
Ty, thanks for the reply. On another dvinfo thread Don and Alan mean the HV20 camera has a MIC ATTenuation feature that could be used with the camera's Mic in (no line-in entry on consumer camera).

By "cable with built-in pad" you mean some attenuation resistor? Would this be better in some wizardry way than the built-in MIC ATTenuation feature? (considering mixpre-to-hv20).

Thanks,

Alex
Alexandru Petrescu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 20th, 2007, 05:03 PM   #13
DVCreators.Net
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 892
How 'bout a PSC DV Promix 1
http://www.professionalsound.com/Cat...Promix%201.htm

Dropped into a Bracket1 box
http://bracket1.com/brackets.php

Or Rover Aux Box
http://www.videosmith.com/shop/index...products_id=18

I haven't checked the size, but it should fit. You'll still need an XLR to 1/8" mini cable for the short run from mixer to camera.
Attached Thumbnails
Portable compact audio preamps-dv-promix-1.jpg   Portable compact audio preamps-auxbox3-copy_lrg.jpg  

Attached Images
  
__________________
Guy Cochran
DVinfo Sponsor, Cool Gear - DVeStore!
Guy Cochran is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 20th, 2007, 05:37 PM   #14
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 42
Quote:
Originally Posted by Guy Cochran View Post
How 'bout a PSC DV Promix 1
http://www.professionalsound.com/Cat...Promix%201.htm

Dropped into a Bracket1 box
http://bracket1.com/brackets.php

Or Rover Aux Box
http://www.videosmith.com/shop/index...products_id=18

I haven't checked the size, but it should fit. You'll still need an XLR to 1/8" mini cable for the short run from mixer to camera.
Thanks for listing these. That bracket looks indeed promising, I'd prefer it instead of the box under...

Alex
Alexandru Petrescu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 7th, 2008, 02:14 AM   #15
Trustee
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Burbank
Posts: 1,811
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Rozak View Post
As a point of information, I wanted to let the group know about a new alternative. juicedLink offers 2-4 XLR inputs, great frequency response, and low-noise preamps. Maybe there are some features that interest you here. Check it out:
www.juicedlink.com

(in the interest of full disclosure, I am indeed a representative from juicedLink)
Those are very interesting looking!
Jack Walker is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > The Tools of DV and HD Production > All Things Audio

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:02 AM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network