Microphone(s) help - please

[Paul Deaney]

You guys in the states ever heard of "new vista sales" - they are coming up in search engines for some of the gear that Mike as suggested. They are in the USA but operate via Amazon.com and will post to UK/Ireland. Prices look too good to be true?

[Jeff Harper]

Zoom H2 is a fine device and is inexpensive.

[Mike Beckett]

Don't forget you're liable to get hit with excise (if order is over £96 or something like that) and VAT, as well as a handling fee by the courier. I got stung a few times, I think they're clamping down on imports (or else I just get unlucky).

Zoom4u.co.uk only have the original Zoom H4 for £229 (as far as I can see). The H4n is £346 there, unless I'm missing something.

I got my original Zoom H4 from Planetgizmo.co.uk; they have the H4n for £329 with a couple of minor freebies thrown in. Good service, nothing to complain of, based on 1 out of 1 orders I placed working out OK. They also have an Amazon.co.uk shop with the same items.

Jigsaw24.com have the H4n (new model) for £303 inc. VAT and I can recommend them, but check for non-UK mainland delivery, they certainly upped their prices for NI recently.

[Mike Demmers]

Originally Posted by Paul Deaney

Before you read any further please sit down! The Mackie is $440, Fostex is $775, the Motu $980 although it looks like I could get from B&h in NYC cheaper! - even with the post & imports tax.
I've checked how much it would cost to fly you(Delta, Skymiles for me) from Portland to Dublin (Ireland) via Atlanta: $800 return - coach mind you not 1st...! It might just be cheaper to do that and you can get some sightseeing of Ireland too!
Seriously I'm glad I posted this question 16 days before the gig. Any more ideas/thoughts - just keep them coming. Cheers

My prices were from a popular online retailer whose name suggests sleep Zz.....

B&H shows the Mackie at $329.95, but of course shipping etc ...

Now considering a new career in smuggling to the oppressed Irish. I understand things are better now, but a few years ago I probably could have hidden some items inside a gun shipment and customs would never even notice...

These items are all popular wth musicians. Perhaps a local music store would have better prices than an audio dealer? I don't know where your prices came from though.

Given that the ruling class here seems to have been taken over by escapees from some insane asylum, you could save even more money by making that a one way ticket. I always liked the Irish attitude. ;-) The spelling of some of your names though... I'd need some remedial education for sure.

A small mixer is always a useful bit of kit for many situations.

Soundcraft used to have a line of small mixers which were quite good. They are more expensive here than Mackie, but they are more local to you, so maybe worth a check?

-Mike

[Mike Demmers]

Originally Posted by Paul Deaney

You guys in the states ever heard of "new vista sales" - they are coming up in search engines for some of the gear that Mike as suggested. They are in the USA but operate via Amazon.com and will post to UK/Ireland.

Their site New Vista Sales comes up blank here.

A US company apparently targeting foreign sales?

Prices look too good to be true?

No way would I bite on this one.

-Mike

[Paul Deaney]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

Moving around with just camera mics for a music video is a bad idea unless your expectations are very low. Sound manifests itself differently in a space. What sounds good at one position may sound like crap three feet further over. Even if it doesn't sound like crap, it may sound VERY different.

Two cameras roaming around are a guaranteed recipe for bad sound if you expect to use each camera's sound. If you edit from one camera's soundtrack to the other the difference will be very noticeable.

Camera mics preamps are not always very good in live sound situations. At some point the sound may get too loud to record. You simply can't turn the audio controls down far enough.

If the expectations are low, you'll probably be OK, and will later think, "Oh, THAT'S what he meant!"

Life is to learn. Enjoy.

Ty Ford

PS: In general, using just a board feed won't work either unless there are room mics up to catch the room. That's mixing for recording. Most of the time the mix is created for PA, so it reinforces the sound in the air with direct sound of whatever's coming through the board. Two VERY different tasks.

Well here's the feedback (pardon the pun). Did a sample recording beforehand, (I) roaming around with the camera mics = rubbish - sound was every which way but right. (II) took feed from board - vocalists reasonable, backing singers - what backing singers? couldn't hear them. (III) set up 2 mics for PA through dedicated mixer = much better except for a child screaming - couldn't get rid of it (screams). (IIII) set up 4 mics = nearly good enough but couldn't borrow/buy any more. In the end I went with (IIII) + 2nd Camera Mic = acceptable.
I agree/recommend to anybody get your own kit - mics & mixer etc it's the only way. Cheers guys - Another day in paradise for life is to live, learn & enjoy.