Advice plz! (don't want to regret)

U

USLatin

Panamaniac
I recently purchased my starting pieces to an audio kit for the HVX...
I got the camera, a great tripod, software necessary, a case and then I also got an NTG-1
with which I'm very satisfied! Great mic for the money! I got a 9.2ft. K-Tec aluminum pole,
an ok shock mount, a $40 furry, the mic came with a wind foam, Sony MDR-7506 headphones,
a 30ft. and 50ft. XLRs, and a 90 degree 1ft XLR. that came with the mic.

Mi intention now is to get the Oktava MK012A to get better Voice Overs and better indoor
performance, and I might also be able to get a Pre Amp with Phono Out and some cheapo
$20 senheiser circumaural headphones so the boom operator can monitor signal volume
and not have to operate blindfolded (earfolded) and maybe also monitor the quality with
the better headphones depending on the operator... I'd also be able to boost the signal
when needed without using the HVXs line ampification which I read and heard for myself
does add a ton of noise...

So $200 for the Oktava and $300 for the box... Is that money well spent?
Do you guys have better suggestions? If you like the idea, what box should I get?
 
Well, for boom op monitoring, you may want to think about starting to go wireless. I use my ListenTechs (competitor to Comtek) and my boom op gets one, along with script and the director. Greater flexibility, one less wire and more options. For the these wireless monitors, I'm using $20 folding Panasonic "digital" headphones. They sound pretty good, are really sturdy, and reasonably priced.

Do a quick search for my posts on my ListenTechs. They've been working out really well for me.

Phil
 
sounds like your definatly on the right path:
i have a couple of mics i use for voice-overs ( i work in News )
my favourite is a Coles Lip-mic, but i also love the sound from using a standard dynamic mic (sm-58, RE50), but make sure you put it on a mic stand and use a popper stopper,
i have the luxury of running both of these mics through a 16 channel soundcraft mixing desk, but you would get away with a little 4-channel Behringer mixer (£50)

ian
 
Ptalsky, that sounds intetesting... I know nothing (just a tad) about wireless and prices, but I am thinking.... if the boom is gonna remain thetered to the camera to prevent quality loss/noise then wouldn't transmitting out to the boom operator's headphones mean you'd also need to transmit from the mic to the camera for this flexibility? I think wires might be the way to go for me now even if only because of budget. Also, I like the idea of the box being attached tightly to the belt of the boom op so the long XLR doesn't tug on the boom. I think I'd get a short 10-15ft. XLR for the box to pole connection so the cables I allready have remain available as my extensions... But I have no clue as to wireless setups, it they were much cheaper than the Pre Amp then I might consider it as a smaller step, and later these could be used for clients/directors (but that's me! :happy: ) so it wouldn't be a bad investment... Isn't the Pre Amp capability something worthy of the cost in itself? $300 Or should I consider other equipment that is closely priced and can also be carried by the operator in a Kangaroo type pouch...

Ian, you say to look at the 4-channel Behringer mixer (£50) if you really ment 50 and not 500 then I'd get it even though I have no clue what the hell it does just ause it had 4 channels, can't be bad... lol now seriously, is this a mixer like my friends use in recording studios for music? but the type that is small and can be carried around? Is is self powered or do I have to buy expensive batteries? Does is have pre amps for each channel? Phono out? has to have one...

500 pounds is about $650-700 right, so if there is (multiple channel) mixers with pre amps for each line out there maybe I should consider biting the bullet and going long... getting a porta brace walking sound guy bag and starting a little package that way... unless this would end up being a realistic $1200 plus, right?
 
I'd recomment the MM-1 - the MP-1 doesn't have headphone monitoring; rumour here has the DV Promix a step down in quality.

I'd personally also avoid wireless anywhere near the mic/preamp at all cost if possible. It can be convenient for many reasons, but can also cause interference in the audio signal; it can also fail at a critical moment. Blech!
 
so the DV Promix isn't as good...?
thank you for pointing out the lack of the headphone jack on the MP-1!

So it looks like I'll get either the cheaper Wirlwind MD-1 or the logical choice to spend the extra $50 get the only one anyone would vouch for Sound Devices MM-1... anyone know other alternatives? Anyone use any of these two?

The operation vs. mic quality balance of power tells me to make my operator be able to hear first, then spend the $$$ on a better mic... but still, nobody disagrees as this being the only way expand my audio package right now? What if I added a $100 or $200 in the mix? I thought I should save them for the better shotgun purchase
 
If your objective for the boom op is to help him/her ensure they are on target and hear communications from you, then there is no reason you have to go wireless from boom to camera (although this is a nice to have, it is very expensive to do it reliably - i.e. high end Lectro or Zaxcom setups). Remember, it is not the boom op's job to listen for audio quality, that's the mixer's job. The boom op's job, among other things (and by no means am I making light of what a boom op does, they work very very hard) is to point the microphone in the correct direction and keep it pointed correctly. Wireless monitoring is perfect for this job function.

Phil

I use wireless monitoring for boom and others without any problems. And from a purchase perspective, you are laying the foundation for something that will be very useful moving forward (and something you can bill extra for).
 
I am with Phil on this. I use to use a hp amp for my boom op but through a series of events eventually started just sending my boom op the Comtek. It saves a lot of extra hassle, allows my boom op to quickly set the boom down and go help with something, etc. Only disadvantages is I can't have private conversations with my boom op.

Buying a ListenTech tx and rx (I use Comteks, but trust Phil's recommendation) will be a bit more then a good hp amp but it has the added advantage of later, when you can afford it, you can cheaply add recievers for the people that need to hear the sound feed (director, script sup, producers, producer's girlfriend, etc).

Cheers
 
hmmmm..... so how much would it be to have the wireless transmitter? oh and one reciever/headphone too! How much are each additional heaphones? (of the good ones, don't want to go cheap and then have to change all)
 
Order is arriving Wednesday!

15ft. XLR
Seinheiser Headphones
Sound Devices MM-1

Thanks to all repliers!
Next up... boom upgrade (NTG-1 now) for quality? A lav or two for versatility?
 
Guess what, I just picked up a MIX PRE down the street after this thread

It was $684 new... now I feel bad I didn't get one of those used 4 channel mixers for $900 MAN!!! No matter how you look at it you just can't get the right stuff! Unles you had a 2400 channel vacum tube nuclear power mixer that recorded 320GBps that was only 5lbs.

good thing the most important part is the way you use it
 
USLatin,

Congrats on getting the mixpre! I am learning how to adjust the levels for best results by using advice from Oleg, Dean Wuhl and Noiz2 on another thread. I think you'll like it. I have had good results on some interviews I have been taping for a corporate company.

You will have good control over multiple inputs now with a good way to monitor away from the camera :)
 
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