ive recently got a beachtek for my fx1 (dxa-4) and have just got around to playing about with it, but im having a bit of trouble setting it up correctly. i have the audio settings on manual on the camera (dial is at around 4) and with the beachtek on 'mic' sounds appear to be very quiet and weirdly recorded. when i switch to line mode everything is fine (bar a hissing, which i would imagine isnt recorded and due to the headphones) and the audio levels are good both in playback and whilst recording. im using a rode ntg2.

should i be using line mode or mic on the beachtek? can anyone give me any maintenance tips on making sure my beachtek stays in decent shape?

thanks a lot

I shoot with a ME66, with the Beachteck, and FX-1. I set the Beachteck to mono, so it feeds both tracks, and set plug the mic into either XLR port. I set the dials on the mic Beachteck around 8, and then adjust the camera input to a point where the speakers loudest voice keeps things still under
0 db (doesn't go into red). You have to have manual selected on the audio input and be sure display is set to on to see the sound bars.

Don't forget that you have to set the FX1 to EXT MIC otherwise the sound is going to be very thin.

I've had an FX1 and a dxa-4 for nearly three years and the maintenance regime for the Beachtek is ...

1. Use it
2. Throw it into your camera case/equipment bag till next time.
3. Repeat 1 & 2 a hundred or so times.
4. Think about spraying the sockets and plug with some WD-40

Its the perfect piece of kit - no moving parts, no power supply, no microprocessor - it should last forever.

yeah its set to ext mic, and i figured maintenance could be as easy as that!

i was just wondering what setting the switch on the beachtek should be on, mic or line? line sounds much louder (and the levels are much higher), but im not sure what the difference would be.

Setting on beachtek should be mic.

thanks chris

The thing is that the BeachTek is a passive device (no gain, no amplifier) and can only attenuate the signal. If the recording situation would require 6 on the camera to get a good recording, then setting that on the camera will require your Beachtek setting to be at maximum. Similarly, it must be set to "mic" for a microphone input.