Shotgun Mic Help... Thanks! at DVinfo.net

Andrew Falzon · April 21st, 2003, 04:29 PM

Hello all

Could you please tell me what you think of, know about, or your experience with this shotgun mic:

http://www.nrgresearch.com/sa568.htm

It's a Schriber SA-568 Dual Mode shotgun mic.

It has everything I need/ want. However, I don't know if it's compatible with my GL2 in terms of output impedance and all those other little numbers that I am clueless about.

I have the opportunity to land one for about $100. Is it worth it.

Thanks!
Andrew

Don Palomaki · April 21st, 2003, 05:43 PM

Per the specifications it should work ok. Have not seen any posts from users though.

Andrew Falzon · April 21st, 2003, 06:37 PM

Thanks for the reply Don!!

--Andrew

Will Fastie · April 22nd, 2003, 07:25 AM

According to my research, a good impedance match occurs when the input impedance of the camcorder is 10 times the output impedance of the microphone.

The input impedance of the GL2 is 5600 ohms.

The SA-568 has an output impedance of 500 ohms when used with the cardoid setting, so that's a good match. When used with the hypercardoid setting, the output impedance is 1600 ohms. It will work, but it is not as good a match.

Jeff Price · May 21st, 2003, 11:25 AM

I've just ordered one of these from Zotz digital. It should arrive this week and I'll try to post some comments on it next week.
Zotz says they are selling a lot of them. Not a bad kit for $135 - microphone, wind screen, mount, two cables (mini and XLR), batteries, soft case and hard case.

Joe Sacher · May 21st, 2003, 12:55 PM

I am looking at getting one with my GL2 from Zotz. It looks like a much better option than the DM-50, for nearly the same coin. This also could be used off the camera or on other camera's that don't have the GL2 smart shoe, which adds to its value for me.

Aaron Rosen · May 21st, 2003, 02:55 PM

Is this mic similar in quality to the ME66/K6 combo?

Jeff Price · May 21st, 2003, 03:16 PM

No. It's frequency range is not as good and it weighs more. But, it is also substantially cheaper. I'd have gone with the ME66 if I could see the budget for it on the horizon.....

Since I needed some better sound, and couldn't see getting an ME66 this year then the Schriber looked like a reasonable compromise. Only time will tell.

Aaron Rosen · May 21st, 2003, 03:51 PM

Great. Thanks for the input. How much heavyer is it? Also, I am worried that I will need a mic pre. with my GL2 and MA-300. I have bought 2 mics and they are BOTH about as good as a paper weight without the preamp. I would rather have a good mic work so I do not have to carry 1 more thing.

Any ideas?

Jeff Price · May 21st, 2003, 03:57 PM

You could talk to Tom over at Zotz Digital to see what he has to say. Otherwise, I'll be getting mine on Friday and should get out for at least a little while to test it over the weekend.

It all depends, I think, on what you are trying to record.

Aaron Rosen · May 21st, 2003, 04:58 PM

I will be recording Weddings, Bar Mitzvah's and other events. Have a MDA walk / run in Aug.

Jacques Mersereau · May 21st, 2003, 07:18 PM

This is what I would recommend.

Low: Audio Technica 815b and 835b (like $210-240?)

Mid: Sennheiser K6 and ME-67 (long reach) or ME-66 (Medum) ($440?)

High: Sennheiser 416 (mono) 418 (Stereo) ($1K+ but sound GOOD)

RollsRoyce: Neumann USM 69i (Two independent capsules each with
its own pattern switch. Sounds almost like it did.) ($3300)

***No promises on the accuracy of the price quotes. Note: You will still need
an XLR adapter for camcorder input, and maybe even one that provides
phantom power to make some of these mics work :)

Aaron Rosen · May 21st, 2003, 07:36 PM

I think that the best bet for me will be the ME66 / K6. No phantom pwr needed, good sound.

Lester DeLeon · May 23rd, 2003, 12:31 AM

I just bought the SA-568, and it is a great buy. However I have a couple of concerns: first, it is a little too heavy. Second, it does not have a nice shock mount, so any camera handling is easily picked up by the sensitive mic. Also, at the hypercardoid setting, I hear some very audible hissing. This I assume is due to the unmatched impedance (I don't know much about this).

My main solution is to first get a Beachtek SLR adapter. Secondly, I am am actually going to exchange this mic for the slightly pricier ($220) Azden SGM-2X. This mic is a lot lighter, a little longer, and it has a nice shock mount. I will need an SLR cable though. I know people on this post rave about the ME-66, but I am not yet ready to spend that amount of money. I need to save some for a light. I also have the Li-10, which is the Canon 10W light, and it is really bright. But I am thinking of getting a more professional light, the Pag C-6 kit.

Jeff Price · May 24th, 2003, 09:41 AM

I hoped to have comments by the end of this weekend. Zotz did a good job of getting the microphone out the door but UPS put it on the truck and forgot about it. So, I won't have it for the long weekend :( and don't know when I'll get to try it out now. I'm especially concerned about the hiss issue mentioned above.

UPS - When you really want to get it sometime but we won't say for certain when.

April 21st, 2003, 04:29 PM	#1
Andrew Falzon New Boot Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Queens, NYC, NY Posts: 13	Shotgun Mic Help... Thanks! Hello all Could you please tell me what you think of, know about, or your experience with this shotgun mic: http://www.nrgresearch.com/sa568.htm It's a Schriber SA-568 Dual Mode shotgun mic. It has everything I need/ want. However, I don't know if it's compatible with my GL2 in terms of output impedance and all those other little numbers that I am clueless about. I have the opportunity to land one for about $100. Is it worth it. Thanks! Andrew

April 21st, 2003, 06:37 PM	#3
Andrew Falzon New Boot Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Queens, NYC, NY Posts: 13	THANKS DON Thanks for the reply Don!! --Andrew

May 21st, 2003, 11:25 AM	#5
Jeff Price Major Player Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Chico, California Posts: 357	I've just ordered one of these from Zotz digital. It should arrive this week and I'll try to post some comments on it next week. Zotz says they are selling a lot of them. Not a bad kit for $135 - microphone, wind screen, mount, two cables (mini and XLR), batteries, soft case and hard case. __________________ Jeff Price Flickerflix Nature Videos flickerflix@yahoo.com

May 21st, 2003, 03:16 PM	#8
Jeff Price Major Player Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Chico, California Posts: 357	No. It's frequency range is not as good and it weighs more. But, it is also substantially cheaper. I'd have gone with the ME66 if I could see the budget for it on the horizon..... Since I needed some better sound, and couldn't see getting an ME66 this year then the Schriber looked like a reasonable compromise. Only time will tell. __________________ Jeff Price Flickerflix Nature Videos flickerflix@yahoo.com

May 21st, 2003, 03:57 PM	#10
Jeff Price Major Player Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Chico, California Posts: 357	You could talk to Tom over at Zotz Digital to see what he has to say. Otherwise, I'll be getting mine on Friday and should get out for at least a little while to test it over the weekend. It all depends, I think, on what you are trying to record. __________________ Jeff Price Flickerflix Nature Videos flickerflix@yahoo.com

April 21st, 2003, 05:43 PM	#2
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,488	Per the specifications it should work ok. Have not seen any posts from users though.

April 22nd, 2003, 07:25 AM	#4
Will Fastie Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Jarrettsville, MD Posts: 353	According to my research, a good impedance match occurs when the input impedance of the camcorder is 10 times the output impedance of the microphone. The input impedance of the GL2 is 5600 ohms. The SA-568 has an output impedance of 500 ohms when used with the cardoid setting, so that's a good match. When used with the hypercardoid setting, the output impedance is 1600 ohms. It will work, but it is not as good a match.

May 21st, 2003, 12:55 PM	#6
Joe Sacher Regular Crew Join Date: May 2003 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 177	I am looking at getting one with my GL2 from Zotz. It looks like a much better option than the DM-50, for nearly the same coin. This also could be used off the camera or on other camera's that don't have the GL2 smart shoe, which adds to its value for me.

May 21st, 2003, 02:55 PM	#7
Aaron Rosen Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: HB, CA - USA Posts: 298	Is this mic similar in quality to the ME66/K6 combo?

May 21st, 2003, 03:51 PM	#9
Aaron Rosen Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: HB, CA - USA Posts: 298	Great. Thanks for the input. How much heavyer is it? Also, I am worried that I will need a mic pre. with my GL2 and MA-300. I have bought 2 mics and they are BOTH about as good as a paper weight without the preamp. I would rather have a good mic work so I do not have to carry 1 more thing. Any ideas?

May 21st, 2003, 04:58 PM	#11
Aaron Rosen Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: HB, CA - USA Posts: 298	I will be recording Weddings, Bar Mitzvah's and other events. Have a MDA walk / run in Aug.

May 21st, 2003, 07:18 PM	#12
Jacques Mersereau Trustee Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 1,334	This is what I would recommend. Low: Audio Technica 815b and 835b (like $210-240?) Mid: Sennheiser K6 and ME-67 (long reach) or ME-66 (Medum) ($440?) High: Sennheiser 416 (mono) 418 (Stereo) ($1K+ but sound GOOD) RollsRoyce: Neumann USM 69i (Two independent capsules each with its own pattern switch. Sounds almost like it did.) ($3300) ***No promises on the accuracy of the price quotes. Note: You will still need an XLR adapter for camcorder input, and maybe even one that provides phantom power to make some of these mics work :) __________________ Jacques Mersereau University of Michigan-Video Studio Manager

May 21st, 2003, 07:36 PM	#13
Aaron Rosen Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: HB, CA - USA Posts: 298	I think that the best bet for me will be the ME66 / K6. No phantom pwr needed, good sound.

May 23rd, 2003, 12:31 AM	#14
Lester DeLeon Regular Crew Join Date: May 2003 Location: Melville, NY Posts: 28	Shotgun Mic I just bought the SA-568, and it is a great buy. However I have a couple of concerns: first, it is a little too heavy. Second, it does not have a nice shock mount, so any camera handling is easily picked up by the sensitive mic. Also, at the hypercardoid setting, I hear some very audible hissing. This I assume is due to the unmatched impedance (I don't know much about this). My main solution is to first get a Beachtek SLR adapter. Secondly, I am am actually going to exchange this mic for the slightly pricier ($220) Azden SGM-2X. This mic is a lot lighter, a little longer, and it has a nice shock mount. I will need an SLR cable though. I know people on this post rave about the ME-66, but I am not yet ready to spend that amount of money. I need to save some for a light. I also have the Li-10, which is the Canon 10W light, and it is really bright. But I am thinking of getting a more professional light, the Pag C-6 kit.

May 24th, 2003, 09:41 AM	#15
Jeff Price Major Player Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Chico, California Posts: 357	I hoped to have comments by the end of this weekend. Zotz did a good job of getting the microphone out the door but UPS put it on the truck and forgot about it. So, I won't have it for the long weekend :( and don't know when I'll get to try it out now. I'm especially concerned about the hiss issue mentioned above. UPS - When you really want to get it sometime but we won't say for certain when. __________________ Jeff Price Flickerflix Nature Videos flickerflix@yahoo.com