All Things Audio -- topics from 2002 thru 2004

Chris Hurd · July 7th, 2003, 03:27 PM

John

I think a better solution for you is to sell that RCA camcorder (put it on Ebay maybe) and use that money toward getting a DV camcorder that *does* have a mic input jack, such as the Canon ZR60 (which is only about $500). Hope this helps,

Alex Knappenberger · July 7th, 2003, 03:30 PM

With no mic input, the really only way to record good audio is either a DAT recorder (which cost a lot) or a MiniDISC player/recorder with a mic input (which still cost a decent penny, $200 minimum)....

You can also try a standard old-school cassette recorder, and rip it onto your computer via line in on your sound card (like you'd have to do with minidisc) but the quality isn't going to be all that great.

Chris - thats a good suggestion, i'd say it's really the most logical one, but i'd rather take that RCA with no mic input then a ZR (with a 1/6" ccd) with a mic input....

John, if you do decide to take back/sell the RCA for some reason, I can suggest Panasonic DV cameras, good cameras, must get one with a mic input though. :D

Marty Wein · July 7th, 2003, 05:53 PM

If you have not yet figured it out let me know and I will have the answer tomorrow.

Matt Stahley · July 7th, 2003, 07:23 PM

Thanks but i figured it out today.They just pull off!

Giff Gfroerer · July 25th, 2003, 01:13 PM

XL1 Onbard Mic or Boom

We will be shooting a children's video. We will have children watching as the ins and outs of various pieces of equipment are explained. We are tight on a budget. What loss of quality will we experience if we choose to shoot without a boom for children's questions and instead just use the onboard mic to pick up the children's voices? Our host will have a lav, but getting extra help for the boom and using the boom may be a little much. I know we SHOULD use a boom, but honestly, do we really need one?

Who has experience in shooting just using the onboard mic and will we suffer for using it and not a boom???

Thanks!

Giff Gfroerer · July 29th, 2003, 12:10 PM

We currently produce children's videos. We will always have one host, sometimes two. We shoot with a Canon XL1. Our hosts will always be within 15 yards, but for the most part much closer at maybe 5 yards. We are set to buy a wireless lav kit. Here are the options we were given for being under severe price constraints:

1 - $119.50 Audio-Technica PRO-88W Wireless VHF Lav Mic Kit
2 - $149.50 Azden WLX-PRO Wireless VHF Lav Mic Kit
3 - $319.50 Azden Dual Wireless VHF Lav Mic Kit (allows recording from two transmitters simultaneously)
4 - $459.50 Sennheiser EW-122P Wireless UHF Lav Mic Kit

We need to purchase in the next few days for a project in early August.....

Please, all comments will be most appreciated. We hear from our seller that pretty much the Audio-Technica and Azden are the same quality wise. But is the Sennheiser that much better?

Thank you so much!

MFP

David Hurdon · July 30th, 2003, 05:48 AM

If a VX2000 could talk how would it tell you to set its mic/line switch when connected to a BeachTek DXA-4?

David Hurdon

Boyd Ostroff · July 30th, 2003, 06:46 AM

You must set the VX-2000 for mic when using the Beachtek. It told me so itself... ;-)

Yang Wen · July 30th, 2003, 12:57 PM

I'm about to do a couple of weddings in a month or so and planning on having multiple(more than 2) wireless mics. I gather that I would need a mixer to combine all the audio since my DVX100 only has two XLR inputs. But I don't want to be tied down by being tethered to the mixer either. So how does something like this usually work?? Get a small mixer and strap it and the receivers onto the cam?? thanks

Rob Wilson · July 30th, 2003, 01:04 PM

Yang,

In the situation you defined, you'll be best served by having one wireless feed your camera, use the on camera mic on the other channel. Have other wired/wireless mics feed a mixer that is connected to an alternate recording device (Mini Disk, another stationary camera...). This set up ensures you'll get some usable audio regardless of a single point failure anywhere in your system.

Rob Lohman · July 30th, 2003, 01:33 PM

I had some good experience with it, but I'm definitely no audio
pro. I suggest you do some test runs (try simulating the room
and the amount of people etc. as much as possible) and see/
hear for yourself.

Mike Morrell · August 1st, 2003, 02:02 PM

Does anyone use the 896 with a laptop? I use the 896 now with a dual xeon 2.8 with 1gb ram. I use 7200 RPM ATA 100 data drives to record 24bit 96khz sound. I can record live all 8 channels without any dropouts for at least 1 hour. But I'd like to switch to using a laptop and an external 1394 (or usb2) data drive for ease in portability. Before I plunk down $2000 for a laptop with 2.8P4, 1GB DDR ram, I'd like to make sure that I can record 8 24/96 tracks simultainiously with NO dropouts like I can with my large workstation. Anyone doing this now sucessfully?

Bud Kuenzli · August 1st, 2003, 08:05 PM

I don' t know if that sennheiser is diversity or not. If it is, it's probably a good choice. If not, take a look at the Azden 500 series. It is true diversity and seems to work very well. I got a receiver, transmitter and Sony mic for ~$500 a short time ago. I recently used it in a large auditorium with numerous others using wireless mics and security on radios everywhere with no trouble. I haven't had it a long time, but at first blush it seems quite good and the price is good for a diversity system. I think the first three choices you mentioned are not diversity systems, which is a big deal when using a wireless mic indoors where room reflections can cause real headaches in terms of reception.

Luke Andrews · August 5th, 2003, 07:59 AM

Hi Mike, I have been looking at the 896 for my studio and on the road.
I know your looking into the laptop but how has the Motu drivers been too you. I am a little nervous about Motu drivers on a XP workstation they don't have the best track record. Any comments would help.

Luke Andrews

Marc Martin · August 11th, 2003, 02:01 AM

Impossible to find a review of this mic. How it compares to an ME66 or an AT835?

Thanks.

July 7th, 2003, 03:27 PM	#106
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	John I think a better solution for you is to sell that RCA camcorder (put it on Ebay maybe) and use that money toward getting a DV camcorder that does have a mic input jack, such as the Canon ZR60 (which is only about $500). Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

July 25th, 2003, 01:13 PM	#110
Giff Gfroerer New Boot Join Date: May 2003 Location: atlanta, ga Posts: 12	All Things Audio XL1 Onbard Mic or Boom We will be shooting a children's video. We will have children watching as the ins and outs of various pieces of equipment are explained. We are tight on a budget. What loss of quality will we experience if we choose to shoot without a boom for children's questions and instead just use the onboard mic to pick up the children's voices? Our host will have a lav, but getting extra help for the boom and using the boom may be a little much. I know we SHOULD use a boom, but honestly, do we really need one? Who has experience in shooting just using the onboard mic and will we suffer for using it and not a boom??? Thanks! __________________ mfp

July 29th, 2003, 12:10 PM	#111
Giff Gfroerer New Boot Join Date: May 2003 Location: atlanta, ga Posts: 12	Which wireless Lav system? We currently produce children's videos. We will always have one host, sometimes two. We shoot with a Canon XL1. Our hosts will always be within 15 yards, but for the most part much closer at maybe 5 yards. We are set to buy a wireless lav kit. Here are the options we were given for being under severe price constraints: 1 - $119.50 Audio-Technica PRO-88W Wireless VHF Lav Mic Kit 2 - $149.50 Azden WLX-PRO Wireless VHF Lav Mic Kit 3 - $319.50 Azden Dual Wireless VHF Lav Mic Kit (allows recording from two transmitters simultaneously) 4 - $459.50 Sennheiser EW-122P Wireless UHF Lav Mic Kit We need to purchase in the next few days for a project in early August..... Please, all comments will be most appreciated. We hear from our seller that pretty much the Audio-Technica and Azden are the same quality wise. But is the Sennheiser that much better? Thank you so much! MFP __________________ mfp

July 30th, 2003, 05:48 AM	#112
David Hurdon Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 484	VX2000 mic/line and BeachTek If a VX2000 could talk how would it tell you to set its mic/line switch when connected to a BeachTek DXA-4? David Hurdon __________________ Site:http://www.faceliftmarketing.ca Blog:http://www.websitevideo.blogspot.com

July 30th, 2003, 12:57 PM	#114
Yang Wen Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 991	How to do a wireless shot I'm about to do a couple of weddings in a month or so and planning on having multiple(more than 2) wireless mics. I gather that I would need a mixer to combine all the audio since my DVX100 only has two XLR inputs. But I don't want to be tied down by being tethered to the mixer either. So how does something like this usually work?? Get a small mixer and strap it and the receivers onto the cam?? thanks

July 7th, 2003, 03:30 PM	#107
Alex Knappenberger High School Student Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canton, Ohio, USA Posts: 609	With no mic input, the really only way to record good audio is either a DAT recorder (which cost a lot) or a MiniDISC player/recorder with a mic input (which still cost a decent penny, $200 minimum).... You can also try a standard old-school cassette recorder, and rip it onto your computer via line in on your sound card (like you'd have to do with minidisc) but the quality isn't going to be all that great. Chris - thats a good suggestion, i'd say it's really the most logical one, but i'd rather take that RCA with no mic input then a ZR (with a 1/6" ccd) with a mic input.... John, if you do decide to take back/sell the RCA for some reason, I can suggest Panasonic DV cameras, good cameras, must get one with a mic input though. :D

July 7th, 2003, 05:53 PM	#108
Marty Wein Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 229	If you have not yet figured it out let me know and I will have the answer tomorrow.

July 7th, 2003, 07:23 PM	#109
Matt Stahley Major Player Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Waynesboro, PA Posts: 648	Thanks but i figured it out today.They just pull off!

July 30th, 2003, 06:46 AM	#113
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,801	You must set the VX-2000 for mic when using the Beachtek. It told me so itself... ;-)

July 30th, 2003, 01:04 PM	#115
Rob Wilson Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 473	Yang, In the situation you defined, you'll be best served by having one wireless feed your camera, use the on camera mic on the other channel. Have other wired/wireless mics feed a mixer that is connected to an alternate recording device (Mini Disk, another stationary camera...). This set up ensures you'll get some usable audio regardless of a single point failure anywhere in your system.

July 30th, 2003, 01:33 PM	#116
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	I had some good experience with it, but I'm definitely no audio pro. I suggest you do some test runs (try simulating the room and the amount of people etc. as much as possible) and see/ hear for yourself. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

August 1st, 2003, 02:02 PM	#117
Mike Morrell Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Norcross GA Posts: 119	Moto 896 and Windows Laptop Does anyone use the 896 with a laptop? I use the 896 now with a dual xeon 2.8 with 1gb ram. I use 7200 RPM ATA 100 data drives to record 24bit 96khz sound. I can record live all 8 channels without any dropouts for at least 1 hour. But I'd like to switch to using a laptop and an external 1394 (or usb2) data drive for ease in portability. Before I plunk down $2000 for a laptop with 2.8P4, 1GB DDR ram, I'd like to make sure that I can record 8 24/96 tracks simultainiously with NO dropouts like I can with my large workstation. Anyone doing this now sucessfully?

August 1st, 2003, 08:05 PM	#118
Bud Kuenzli Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 197	another option I don' t know if that sennheiser is diversity or not. If it is, it's probably a good choice. If not, take a look at the Azden 500 series. It is true diversity and seems to work very well. I got a receiver, transmitter and Sony mic for ~$500 a short time ago. I recently used it in a large auditorium with numerous others using wireless mics and security on radios everywhere with no trouble. I haven't had it a long time, but at first blush it seems quite good and the price is good for a diversity system. I think the first three choices you mentioned are not diversity systems, which is a big deal when using a wireless mic indoors where room reflections can cause real headaches in terms of reception. __________________ on the Internet, when you get where you're going you still don't know where you are

August 5th, 2003, 07:59 AM	#119
Luke Andrews New Boot Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Medina, OH Posts: 13	MOTU 896 ? Hi Mike, I have been looking at the 896 for my studio and on the road. I know your looking into the laptop but how has the Motu drivers been too you. I am a little nervous about Motu drivers on a XP workstation they don't have the best track record. Any comments would help. Luke Andrews

August 11th, 2003, 02:01 AM	#120
Marc Martin Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Paris, France Posts: 80	Shotgun: Beyer MCE Impossible to find a review of this mic. How it compares to an ME66 or an AT835? Thanks.