Should this audio config work?

[Harry Simpson]

I've just ordered a HOSA STEREO 3.5mm (M) - TWO XLR(M), 3m (9.9 ft.) which for concert gigs I plan to plug directly into the soundboard and run the cable to a Boostaroo R234 Revolution® Headphone Amplifier & Sound Enhancer and then out to the camera and to headphones to monitor sound realtime.

Last night late this sounded like a great idea. But I'm having second thoughts about the Boostaroo R234 Revolution® Headphone Amplifier & Sound Enhancer since it could be more of a spoiler than enhancer. Is there another splitter that would allow headphone monitoring and possible control of volume etc.

Or is the two XLRs directly into the soundboard all I really need anyway?

I tried the manual level control pre-shoot and it tended to not work as well as regular auto for widely varying audio levels. I mean the rock music can go from a cymbol to a three guitar onslaught in a second.

I'm avoiding the Zoom Zn4 yet to see if a lined XLR to 1/8" connection may offer a solution. Any ideas?

[Harry Simpson]

Hot topic eh? :-)

[Peer Landa]

Originally Posted by Harry Simpson

Hot topic eh?

HA !
Well, maybe this post should be moved to All Things Audio..?

-- peer

[Harry Simpson]

Let me see if I can make that happen. It's just that it's specific to the 5D Mk2. But I'm the only one trying this set up so maybe All things Audio is the way to go.

[Marcus Marchesseault]

I don't think I can answer your specifics, but the summary of audio recommendations for the 5D is to eliminate all possible gain/volume within the camera and offload mic pre-amplification to another device. My guess is that your setup will work as long as you feed a strong signal (but not too strong) to the 5D. If you have mic level coming out of the board instead of line level, that shouldn't be a problem. If you have line level, look at other recent posts about adding a -25 or -10db pad inline. If the dynamics are still a problem, you might consider a compressor-limiter externally instead of using the 5D auto-gain since it's circuits are quite noisy.

[Harry Simpson]

I was thinking of using manual gain control if possible - i've never pull audio input from the sound board before so i'm really green to that...I used manual with my RODE mic last concert and didn't anticipate the louder sections of the rock music well and a lot of the sound was pretty barreled looking in Vegas Studio.

Interviews I know I'd always use manual gain control with the camera but may go back to auto since the songs have such a wide range of volume.

The splitter is also a 4x amplifier which I don't think i need before entering the camera. Wonder if the sound board direct to camera would provide the best sound?

[Jay Massengill]

See my comment in the audio forum, but I'll add here that I think you would do best when taking a feed from the soundboard to use a purpose-built XLR-to-camera type adapter like those from BeachTek or Juiced Link.

[Dave Beaty]

It's been my experience with the C5D 3.5mm mini stereo input, that you'll need some sort of mixer in the long run, be it a Beachtek or similar (BTW the current DSLR plastic version with LED panel is way too big and costly. It swivels when mounted to the camera w/ one screw..I don't like it, IMO). The biggest prob with cable only mic adaptors (XLR to mini) is there is no phantom or audio monitoring. If you can live without this, I would say it's the way to go...to mimick camcorder type inputs.

We use a PSC M3 Mixer, with mini aux outs that have Mic/Line level switches. The C5D needs Mic Level. If you feed it Line Level (as most live audio mixers will send) you'll overdrive it. Markertek sells a mini to mini -25db inline pad to address this mismatch. Without audio monitoring, you really have to be careful and playback a test to be sure.

Dave Beaty

[Harry Simpson]

<<If you feed it Line Level (as most live audio mixers will send) you'll overdrive it. >>

Yikes so the XLR to mic in on the 5Dmk2 could damage the camera? I'm an audio newbie learning through boards like this. The mixer produces line output?

That's what i'd gotten the Boostaroo for initially cause I could plug the headphones into it to monitor but i think it may just be for amplifying mic to mic signal and that would prob distort too much.

Thanks for the comments!!

[Jon Fairhurst]

By "overdriving", you're not likely to damage the camera; you'll just clip the audio waveform.

Electric guitars overdrive their amps all the time. It doesn't harm the equipment, but you don't want your dialog to sound like a Jimi Hendrix solo. :)

[Dave Beaty]

Originally Posted by Harry Simpson

<<If you feed it Line Level (as most live audio mixers will send) you'll overdrive it. >>

Yikes so the XLR to mic in on the 5Dmk2 could damage the camera? I'm an audio newbie learning through boards like this. The mixer produces line output?

That's what i'd gotten the Boostaroo for initially cause I could plug the headphones into it to monitor but i think it may just be for amplifying mic to mic signal and that would prob distort too much.

Thanks for the comments!!

Think of it like this: microphone level outputs are very very low, line level outputs are much hotter and headphone outputs are really strong - enough to move the drivers in your phones. These three are not mix and match, you need the same type of input to go with the output. The 5Dmk2 has stereo mic level inputs.

Most pro mixing boards - actually just about any mixing board will have line level outputs - like two RCA outputs, or two XLR outputs. Some very nice mixers offer switchable Line/mic outputs. ..but it's best to ask the owner. If they have line only -You may need a pad to bring the line level down to mic level. Markertek sells a cable that does this, but there are many inline line to mic pads you can buy. If you want to monitor your audio, you'll need a splitter or mixer, with a splitter, one side goes to your headphone amp, the other to the camera...

A very big problem when we can't monitor the recorder is sending a line level into a mic input and adjusting the manual setting way down, like on 1 out of 10 or something...it's still sounds like Jimi Hendrix guitar - totally distorted.

HTH

Dave

[Harry Simpson]

Looks like i've been steered in the wrong direction by my sound engineer friend. Think about ready to revert to waht I know works most of the time - RODE SVM using AGC for load live rock concerts and the RODE SVM on boom using manual audio for interviews.