Need Help with Audio Setup with XHA1

[Raji Ahmed]

Hey All,

I haven't chimed in for a while. My husband and I have been trying to get our website up and get started with photography and videography. I'm very excited and we've already done a couple of events. But I'm realizing I'm way behind in my audio setup.

I've done research on this website and others, but I'm in a slightly diffent position. We're focusing on the Indian community and will mostly do weddings, variety shows, religious events, etc. In our weddings, the B/G don't have vows. There is a priest that performs rituals and chants for half an hour or upto an hour. I've read where a lot of people will use a wireless lav mic or something onthe groom or the priest, but the audio of the Indian ceremony isn't a priority the way it is during the traditional exchange of vows.

I have a Rode Video Mic on my XH-A1 and that picks up sound pretty well. Similar to an event we did at a temple where there was a religious ceremony going on and a lecture by a priest, which had I known earlier, I would've liked to plug that right into the camera. But I've not played with that setup either, so is that just basically plugging a mic into the Line In 3mm port on my camcorder? I've seen some people's setup and its so massive, do I need all that? A receiver, mixer, 4-5 recorders or mics?

Back to the wedding scenario - now during the reception its similar to any other reception. When speeches and toasts are being made, I've read how people will setup Zoom Recorder close to the stage mic or something. Now is that a wireless setup thats records onto the camcorder or is it a standalone recorder which you basically just synch up later in post-processing? I guess I could also put a feed into the DJ system from what I hear, but again, the technical side of how to do that is unknown to me.

Also, Is a mixer really needed for events such as these? If yes, what for? I'm so clueless about audio. I just need to know exactly what I should buy that will be enough for the XHA1 and I can learn play around with it at home. I just don't know specifically what I need, forexample, if I buy a Zoom recorder, do I need adapters or other cables or receivers?

My next event isn't for 3 weeks, so I hope to be more knowledgable about this. I know at that event there will be some lectures and the audio is curcial. I thought I was prepared, but now this audio thing is throwing me for a loop. I don't want to start off on a bad note while we try to build our company name.

You guys have always helped a lot. I would appreciate any input.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Raji

Normally the guys that use Zooms use it as a standalone recorder and sync in post later!! I'm however lazy so I just clip a wireless lav mic onto the mic used for the speeches so at least I don't have any sync issues. If the speeches use a fairly decent sized lectern or table for the speeches I might also drop a boundary mic on the table and plug that into my Azden transmitter...gives nice crisp audio with excellent results but they do need a minimum surface area of about 2' x 2'

I have never bothered with a mixer at all...just audio from the person giving the speeches into XLR channel one and then also a Rode on the camera turned on just in case as a backup.

I think it was Don Bloom who was also using a drum mic close to the PA speaker and although I have never tried it, it seems to be anoth good alternative. Over here we are lucky as 99% of venues use lecterns at the reception so the speaker stays in one place and makes audio a whole lot easier!!

I gave up doing ethnic weddings over here...the receptions just require way too much footage...you are expected to shoot from 6pm to midnight virtually continously which is too much for a single operator!!! However our Indian weddings in Australia are only receptions (they go back to India for the actual wedding) and are very much Westernised and easy to do!!

Good luck, I'm sure others will give you more ideas


Chris

[Raji Ahmed]

Thanks Chris, as always - I think I'll get a Zoom Mic. They seem highly recommended.

I hear ya about ethnic weddings. They do require a lot of footage. But since I'm also Indian, it's been great getting started with something you're so familiar with. I look foward to posting some of my work here. You guys are truly inspiring.

[Roger Van Duyn]

I usually use an Azden wireless setup on one channel of my XH-A1, with a shotgun mic plugged into the other channel. I often use a Zoom to record audio separately too, but usually it's just for backup purposes. Like Chris, I like having the audio come directly into the camera to minimize the amount of work in post production. For concerts and music recitals, of course I do use the Zoom, unless I have a good feed from the house's board.

On occasion, I run into RF interference, and quickly turn the channel that the wireless is plugged into off. If the type of event allows, I switch channels on the transmitter and receiver. I also bring a 25 foot xlr cable for a handheld mic or the shotgun just in case. There have been 2 instances where wireless interference was on every available channel. Not sure exactly what caused that. Both times were near firestations and emergency vehicles.

Sometimes you must quickly adapt to changing circumstances. Most times, the wireless setup works great. And when it does, you'll have a hard time beating the sound quality. You'd need a 2nd person managing a mic on a boom pole.

Hope this helps.

[Raji Ahmed]

Thank you Roger. Yes, that helps quite a bit. I was a bit leary about wireless because of issues with distance, interference, etc...but I will look into that for sure. And good idea to carry that extra long XLR.

Roger, since you use the XHA1, do you know if you can use the Line In Jack on the camcorder to plug in a mic? Someone came up to me and was handing me a microphone that wasn't XLR. Is that where the mic would go into the Line In port? Sorry to sound like a 5 year old about this, but I literally don't know and don't wanna blow out anything onthe camera by plugging in something I shouldn.t.

[Ed Roo]

Hi Raji,
I do oral history interviews. When I first got started, I decided that my end product was something that would be preserved for future generations, so I wanted the best equipment I could afford to produce that product.
As I gained experience, I learned that I could have saved a lot of money in some areas of my equipment purchases, some that I got right the first time, and some that I needed to spend more in others.
Audio is the one area you do not want to cut corners on. You can achieve the same results with a variety of audio gear. For good audio, you want XLR microphones. The -AH1 has only two XLR microphone inputs, so if you want to source more audio, you will need a mixer/pre-amp. How many audio sources you want will dictate how many channels you will need on the mixer.
You have three choices as to how to acquire the equipment you want to use: 1) purchase; 2) rent; 3) borrow. Renting or borrowing will allow you to try out what you think you might need and gain experience.
I started out with three wireless mic systems, a wired shotgun mic and a four channel mixer/pre-amp. I have since added another wired mic and a wired adapter to use the wireless mics.
As for wireless systems, purchase the one with the most channels that you can afford. The more channels you have, depending on where you live, the better chance you have of being able to find a free frequency to work with.

[Roger Van Duyn]

Originally Posted by Raji Ahmed

Thank you Roger. Yes, that helps quite a bit. I was a bit leary about wireless because of issues with distance, interference, etc...but I will look into that for sure. And good idea to carry that extra long XLR.

Roger, since you use the XHA1, do you know if you can use the Line In Jack on the camcorder to plug in a mic? Someone came up to me and was handing me a microphone that wasn't XLR. Is that where the mic would go into the Line In port? Sorry to sound like a 5 year old about this, but I literally don't know and don't wanna blow out anything onthe camera by plugging in something I shouldn.t.

Hey Raji,

Don't know what you are calling the Line In Jack. As far as I know, there isn't a separate Line in on the A1. However, there is a Line In/Mic switch for the XLR ports. See page 48 of the manual. It sets both XLRs to either mic in or line in. That's why I haven't done line in recordings on my A1. I'd have to really, really trust the guy running the house sound board.

There is also a mic port for microphones with the mini jack. It's located directly below the microphone holder ring thing. But on the A1 you can't use it and the XLRs to. It may be different on the XH-A1S model. I know the firewire port is different.

Don't know if this is what you are calling the line in port, but the jack at the back of the camera with an L on it is for a Lanc controller.

[Raji Ahmed]

Its the Line in right on the handle where the built-in mic is...I think thats the stereo mini jack.

Thanks for clearing things up. I'll just make sure to use the XLR mics for speeches and such. And I just bought the Zoom H1. Can't wait to test it out.

[Roger Van Duyn]

I don't think it's safe to use that port for line in, just mic in. I'd stick to the XLR ports for line in.