Eliminating the mic hiss at DVinfo.net

Andrew Petrie · June 16th, 2003, 02:31 PM

Arlight, so I've played with the ME66 with an XLR-RCA cable ( figured I'd save a few hundred buying the XLR adapter and onboard mixer). I do get a hiss, and setting the onboard input to Mic ATT helps, but overall recording sound is just too low.

So, I think it may be best for me to purchase a seperate mixer, like that MM-1 I've heard people talk about, instead of the MA-x00.

However, I'm also going to get a wireless setup, like a Lectrosonic which, if I'm not mistaken, come with mixer-like options on the receiver? Wouldn't a full wireless solution make an MM-1 redundant?

Matt Gettemeier · June 16th, 2003, 09:27 PM

Unfortunately I can't comment on the effectiveness of a mixer, but I use a Beachtek w/ phantom power on my me66 and the hiss is super-low... with a minidisc it's even lower... the camera is probably bringing in all the hiss you're hearing anyway...

Using the me66 with the Beachtek into either my cam directly or into a minidisc the level of signal coming in is VERY GOOD... high as you need it for certain... I'd be surprised if you needed the gain a mixer provides with an me66, but I guess it's possible. I can overload my cam or minidisc easily with the me66 and NO gain... I usually have to pot it down on the Beachtek if I'm using another mic... otherwise the shotgun is just WAY hotter.

Also since you mentioned Lectro I can tell you that on the VHF Lectro's there is a mic level control which can make the mic HYPER-SENSITIVE... it's amazing what it will pick up... but as I said earlier it's boarderline unusable because the mic will over-amplify the first "non-delicate" sound you hear... but if you want to mic the sound of a wasp crapping crey-paper into a nest you can get it like that... of course if somebody coughs during the wasp-crap-session you'll pop an eardrum.

There really isn't a "mixing" feature on my Lectro VHF jobbies per se' but you can run two mics into the Beach and that gets the job done pretty well... if I need a third mic source I bust out the minidisc and set final levels in post.

Andrew Petrie · June 17th, 2003, 07:36 AM

I wanted a mixer just to bypass the camera's onboard gain/amplifier which seems to be causing the noise problem. So, I was going to get a clip on mixer/recevier that's shielded better so I can get cleaner sound.

Dean Sensui · June 20th, 2003, 12:47 PM

Andrew...

I use the MA-100 and the results (signal level as well as noise level) are OK. One thing to be aware of is that the Canon headphone amp could be a whole lot better. Not only does it not have enough oomph to drive a pair of Sony headphones decently, it also has a significant amount of hiss. I had to slap on an external headphone amp just to be able to get the volume high enough to hear the details.

Your recording might be cleaner than what you're hearing on the headphones. Check it with your edit system just to make sure -- unless that's where you're hearing it in which case this is all moot.

Also, no matter what route you take, you'll end up going thru the RCA jacks at the back of the XL1.

Hope this helps
Dean Sensui
Base Two Productions

June 16th, 2003, 02:31 PM	#1
Andrew Petrie Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 484	Eliminating the mic hiss Arlight, so I've played with the ME66 with an XLR-RCA cable ( figured I'd save a few hundred buying the XLR adapter and onboard mixer). I do get a hiss, and setting the onboard input to Mic ATT helps, but overall recording sound is just too low. So, I think it may be best for me to purchase a seperate mixer, like that MM-1 I've heard people talk about, instead of the MA-x00. However, I'm also going to get a wireless setup, like a Lectrosonic which, if I'm not mistaken, come with mixer-like options on the receiver? Wouldn't a full wireless solution make an MM-1 redundant? __________________ Andrew \| Canon XL1s, ME66, Vinten Vision 3, GlideCam V16 (for sale!)

June 17th, 2003, 07:36 AM	#3
Andrew Petrie Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 484	I wanted a mixer just to bypass the camera's onboard gain/amplifier which seems to be causing the noise problem. So, I was going to get a clip on mixer/recevier that's shielded better so I can get cleaner sound. __________________ Andrew \| Canon XL1s, ME66, Vinten Vision 3, GlideCam V16 (for sale!)

June 16th, 2003, 09:27 PM	#2
Matt Gettemeier Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: St. Louis, Missouri Posts: 936	Unfortunately I can't comment on the effectiveness of a mixer, but I use a Beachtek w/ phantom power on my me66 and the hiss is super-low... with a minidisc it's even lower... the camera is probably bringing in all the hiss you're hearing anyway... Using the me66 with the Beachtek into either my cam directly or into a minidisc the level of signal coming in is VERY GOOD... high as you need it for certain... I'd be surprised if you needed the gain a mixer provides with an me66, but I guess it's possible. I can overload my cam or minidisc easily with the me66 and NO gain... I usually have to pot it down on the Beachtek if I'm using another mic... otherwise the shotgun is just WAY hotter. Also since you mentioned Lectro I can tell you that on the VHF Lectro's there is a mic level control which can make the mic HYPER-SENSITIVE... it's amazing what it will pick up... but as I said earlier it's boarderline unusable because the mic will over-amplify the first "non-delicate" sound you hear... but if you want to mic the sound of a wasp crapping crey-paper into a nest you can get it like that... of course if somebody coughs during the wasp-crap-session you'll pop an eardrum. There really isn't a "mixing" feature on my Lectro VHF jobbies per se' but you can run two mics into the Beach and that gets the job done pretty well... if I need a third mic source I bust out the minidisc and set final levels in post.

June 20th, 2003, 12:47 PM	#4
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	Andrew... I use the MA-100 and the results (signal level as well as noise level) are OK. One thing to be aware of is that the Canon headphone amp could be a whole lot better. Not only does it not have enough oomph to drive a pair of Sony headphones decently, it also has a significant amount of hiss. I had to slap on an external headphone amp just to be able to get the volume high enough to hear the details. Your recording might be cleaner than what you're hearing on the headphones. Check it with your edit system just to make sure -- unless that's where you're hearing it in which case this is all moot. Also, no matter what route you take, you'll end up going thru the RCA jacks at the back of the XL1. Hope this helps Dean Sensui Base Two Productions