Beach-Tek directly to computer? at DVinfo.net

Marc Safran · September 23rd, 2004, 11:11 AM

I'd appreciate someone's advise.

Thanks to this forum, I purchased a Beach-Tek DXA-8 and an Octava MC-012 Hypercardiod mike this August for my Sony camera.

My question concerns using the mike and BeachTek to do a voice over for a short video of my son. Is there a recommended way to have the ouput of the Beachtek (a stereo RCA jack) make it's way to the mike in port of my Dell? Are the gains correct for each other?

I don't want to spend any more money on audio equipment and was hoping that this setup would be reasonable for capture within Soundforge.

THanks,

MarcS
Syracuse, NY

David Ennis · September 23rd, 2004, 02:42 PM

Point of information: the output jack of the DXA-8 is a 1/8" :stereo mini plug. An RCA plug is the kind you use for separate right and left inputs and outputs on consumer audio gear.

With it's adjustable gain preamp you can certainly get a level match for the Dell's mic input, but the Beach's stereo plug may be mute when plugged into the Delll's mono mic jack. I'm not sure. Set the Beach to mono for your best shot at success because that will send the Oktave to both channels. If that doesn't work for you, you'll need a stereo to mono mini plug adaptor from Radio Shack or the like.

But with the preamp cranked all the way up, the DXA-8 has a gain of +15dB, which will boost many mics up close to line level, so plugging into the line input, which is no doubt stereo, on the Dell is worth a try.

Tor Salomonsen · September 24th, 2004, 12:22 AM

Marc,
Both Fred's suggestions should work, but as a general advise I'd like to remind people that you can use your camera as a digital audio recorder. You may or may not leave the lens- cap on. Capture the recording as if it were regular video and use only the audio.

PS. I have a DXA-8 too. I like it a lot.

Marc Safran · September 24th, 2004, 08:31 AM

THank you. I've done just that in the past. However, as a new owner of a high quality mike and pre-amp I was trying to go the better audio route.

I did hook up the Beachtek stereo mini plug into the mike input of the Dell and I was able to attain nice wave forms with high quality sounding audio.

With appreciation,

Marc

Bryan Beasleigh · September 24th, 2004, 11:18 AM

What Tor said is very true. The audio quality on the VTR function is fairly high, the only drawback ois the auto gain control..

The Your next step should be a better quality sound card. creative labs stuff is for gamers. A good low cost card is the M-Audio2496

September 23rd, 2004, 11:11 AM	#1
Marc Safran New Boot Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Syracuse,NY Posts: 8	Beach-Tek directly to computer? I'd appreciate someone's advise. Thanks to this forum, I purchased a Beach-Tek DXA-8 and an Octava MC-012 Hypercardiod mike this August for my Sony camera. My question concerns using the mike and BeachTek to do a voice over for a short video of my son. Is there a recommended way to have the ouput of the Beachtek (a stereo RCA jack) make it's way to the mike in port of my Dell? Are the gains correct for each other? I don't want to spend any more money on audio equipment and was hoping that this setup would be reasonable for capture within Soundforge. THanks, MarcS Syracuse, NY __________________ www.clayeyecenter.com

September 23rd, 2004, 02:42 PM	#2
David Ennis Fred Retread Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hartford, CT Posts: 1,227	Point of information: the output jack of the DXA-8 is a 1/8" :stereo mini plug. An RCA plug is the kind you use for separate right and left inputs and outputs on consumer audio gear. With it's adjustable gain preamp you can certainly get a level match for the Dell's mic input, but the Beach's stereo plug may be mute when plugged into the Delll's mono mic jack. I'm not sure. Set the Beach to mono for your best shot at success because that will send the Oktave to both channels. If that doesn't work for you, you'll need a stereo to mono mini plug adaptor from Radio Shack or the like. But with the preamp cranked all the way up, the DXA-8 has a gain of +15dB, which will boost many mics up close to line level, so plugging into the line input, which is no doubt stereo, on the Dell is worth a try. __________________ "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence..." - Calvin Coolidge "My brain is wired to want to know how other things are wired." - Me

September 24th, 2004, 08:31 AM	#4
Marc Safran New Boot Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Syracuse,NY Posts: 8	THank you. I've done just that in the past. However, as a new owner of a high quality mike and pre-amp I was trying to go the better audio route. I did hook up the Beachtek stereo mini plug into the mike input of the Dell and I was able to attain nice wave forms with high quality sounding audio. With appreciation, Marc __________________ www.clayeyecenter.com

September 24th, 2004, 11:18 AM	#5
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	What Tor said is very true. The audio quality on the VTR function is fairly high, the only drawback ois the auto gain control.. The Your next step should be a better quality sound card. creative labs stuff is for gamers. A good low cost card is the M-Audio2496 __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ".......holy smokin rubber lips...what a ride!"

September 24th, 2004, 12:22 AM	#3
Tor Salomonsen Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Stavanger, Norway Posts: 265	Marc, Both Fred's suggestions should work, but as a general advise I'd like to remind people that you can use your camera as a digital audio recorder. You may or may not leave the lens- cap on. Capture the recording as if it were regular video and use only the audio. PS. I have a DXA-8 too. I like it a lot.