4 lavs into SONY FS7

Kent Beeson · June 9th, 2020, 08:34 AM

haven't ever recorded 3 or 4 interviews at same time without an audio engineer on board with all his gear - SO, how do I record up to 4 interviewees at same time into the SONY FS7 II?

There's only 2 XLR inputs, so have to rent a mixer? Shoot is run/gun, so how to do this?

thanks very much

Brian Drysdale · June 9th, 2020, 10:05 AM

The battery powered mixers used by location sound recordists are pretty small, so you may get away with one of those. They usually come with a shoulder strap and are extremely portable.

SQN mixers are popular in the UK.

Doug Jensen · June 9th, 2020, 10:40 AM

The best way would be to use a XLR-K2M adapter on the Mi-Shoe to add two more XLR jacks. Put each mic on its own discreet channel. Much simpler than doing dual-system sound and syncing in post.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...2855/KBID/3801

Kent Beeson · June 9th, 2020, 12:59 PM

thanks folks, good link Doug

so I guess you'd have to velcro the sennheiser receivers to the camera or something? I'd have 4 mounted to the camera?

Doug Jensen · June 9th, 2020, 01:33 PM

Is this a run & gun shoot where you have to be mobile? If not, then I'd just put the receivers on a table or in a mixer bag and feed them into the camera via short XLRs. There no reason to have them all hanging off the camera if you don't need to be mobile. And if you DO need to be mobile with four mics, I'd be calling an audio guy (or gal) to come in and take care of it for me.

I just noticed you said in your first post "run and gun". There's no way I'd want to manage four mics on a run and gun. I'd get assistance so I could focus on other stuff like shooting, lighting, directing, producing, etc.

Kent Beeson · June 9th, 2020, 01:39 PM

yep, run/gun, mostly in a moving car but also walk talky - I really want a sound guy but may have to do this myself - 2-4 interviewees I was told.

Doug Jensen · June 9th, 2020, 01:52 PM

You probably won't want to spend the money for a one-time shoot, but if this might be a common situation you could invest in a Sony wireless system with two transmitters and a dual-channel receiver for the Mi-Shoe rather than using the XLR adapter. I have the single-channel version and it works great. No cables, no batteries, nothing but a little receiver the size and weight of a deck of cards. That would give you two wireless mics and then you could hang the other two receivers off the back.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1259500-REG/sony_urx_p03d_14_urx_pd0214.html/BI/2855/KBID/3801

Kent Beeson · June 9th, 2020, 01:54 PM

nice stuff thanks - yes I don't usually have to wire more than 2, not a standard thing for me so investing more $ for such, is an issue.

Donald McPherson · June 10th, 2020, 08:35 AM

Another idea of mine. What about a Tascam DR-60DMKII 4-channel audio recorder. Then you could adjust them easily in post.

Paul Cronin · June 11th, 2020, 06:20 AM

Hi Kent,

I did this often with my FS7. With two dual receivers from Lectrosonic. I owned one and rented the second when needed. I was on the move all day between boats, docks, and boat to boat shoots. Lectrosonic is great for their with scanning and getting four clean channels. Make sure you use good mics. Saken COS 11D works great for me.

I used the two mounts on top of the handle for mounting both receivers. Each had its own XLR which only gives you one input each. I never found this a problem in post and had a custom setup in PP CC for editing the narrative.

Hope you find a easy solution? Nice there are a lot of rental houses looking for business.

June 9th, 2020, 08:34 AM	#1
Kent Beeson Major Player Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: West Texas Posts: 266	4 lavs into SONY FS7 - how? haven't ever recorded 3 or 4 interviews at same time without an audio engineer on board with all his gear - SO, how do I record up to 4 interviewees at same time into the SONY FS7 II? There's only 2 XLR inputs, so have to rent a mixer? Shoot is run/gun, so how to do this? thanks very much

June 9th, 2020, 10:05 AM	#2
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,152	Re: 4 lavs into SONY FS7 - how? The battery powered mixers used by location sound recordists are pretty small, so you may get away with one of those. They usually come with a shoulder strap and are extremely portable. SQN mixers are popular in the UK.

June 9th, 2020, 10:40 AM	#3
Doug Jensen Vortex Media Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,450	Re: 4 lavs into SONY FS7 - how? The best way would be to use a XLR-K2M adapter on the Mi-Shoe to add two more XLR jacks. Put each mic on its own discreet channel. Much simpler than doing dual-system sound and syncing in post. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...2855/KBID/3801 __________________ Vortex Media http://www.vortexmedia.com/ Sony FS7, F55, and XDCAM training videos, field guides, and other production tools

June 9th, 2020, 12:59 PM	#4
Kent Beeson Major Player Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: West Texas Posts: 266	Re: 4 lavs into SONY FS7 - how? thanks folks, good link Doug so I guess you'd have to velcro the sennheiser receivers to the camera or something? I'd have 4 mounted to the camera?

June 9th, 2020, 01:33 PM	#5
Doug Jensen Vortex Media Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,450	Re: 4 lavs into SONY FS7 - how? Is this a run & gun shoot where you have to be mobile? If not, then I'd just put the receivers on a table or in a mixer bag and feed them into the camera via short XLRs. There no reason to have them all hanging off the camera if you don't need to be mobile. And if you DO need to be mobile with four mics, I'd be calling an audio guy (or gal) to come in and take care of it for me. I just noticed you said in your first post "run and gun". There's no way I'd want to manage four mics on a run and gun. I'd get assistance so I could focus on other stuff like shooting, lighting, directing, producing, etc. __________________ Vortex Media http://www.vortexmedia.com/ Sony FS7, F55, and XDCAM training videos, field guides, and other production tools

June 9th, 2020, 01:39 PM	#6
Kent Beeson Major Player Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: West Texas Posts: 266	Re: 4 lavs into SONY FS7 - how? yep, run/gun, mostly in a moving car but also walk talky - I really want a sound guy but may have to do this myself - 2-4 interviewees I was told.

June 9th, 2020, 01:52 PM	#7
Doug Jensen Vortex Media Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,450	Re: 4 lavs into SONY FS7 - how? You probably won't want to spend the money for a one-time shoot, but if this might be a common situation you could invest in a Sony wireless system with two transmitters and a dual-channel receiver for the Mi-Shoe rather than using the XLR adapter. I have the single-channel version and it works great. No cables, no batteries, nothing but a little receiver the size and weight of a deck of cards. That would give you two wireless mics and then you could hang the other two receivers off the back. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1259500-REG/sony_urx_p03d_14_urx_pd0214.html/BI/2855/KBID/3801 __________________ Vortex Media http://www.vortexmedia.com/ Sony FS7, F55, and XDCAM training videos, field guides, and other production tools

June 9th, 2020, 01:54 PM	#8
Kent Beeson Major Player Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: West Texas Posts: 266	Re: 4 lavs into SONY FS7 - how? nice stuff thanks - yes I don't usually have to wire more than 2, not a standard thing for me so investing more $ for such, is an issue.

June 10th, 2020, 08:35 AM	#9
Donald McPherson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Aberdeen Scotland Posts: 815	Re: 4 lavs into SONY FS7 - how? Another idea of mine. What about a Tascam DR-60DMKII 4-channel audio recorder. Then you could adjust them easily in post. __________________ A little knowledge goes a long way but not long enough.

June 11th, 2020, 06:20 AM	#10
Paul Cronin Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 4,048	Re: 4 lavs into SONY FS7 - how? Hi Kent, I did this often with my FS7. With two dual receivers from Lectrosonic. I owned one and rented the second when needed. I was on the move all day between boats, docks, and boat to boat shoots. Lectrosonic is great for their with scanning and getting four clean channels. Make sure you use good mics. Saken COS 11D works great for me. I used the two mounts on top of the handle for mounting both receivers. Each had its own XLR which only gives you one input each. I never found this a problem in post and had a custom setup in PP CC for editing the narrative. Hope you find a easy solution? Nice there are a lot of rental houses looking for business. __________________ Paul Cronin www.paulcroninstudios.com Last edited by Paul Cronin; June 11th, 2020 at 04:46 PM.