Rylan Zolinski
Well-known member
Or can I get a long cord for the mic and still be able to use the boom pole and mic? If it's not a good idea, how much is a basic mixer? I know nothing about mixers...
Do I need a mixer if I plan on having a boom pole?
- Thread starter Rylan Zolinski
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ullanta
Veteran
What does the mixer have to do with the boom pole? If you are asking, "can I use a mic on a boompole, connected by a long cable to the camera's XLR input", then the answer is yes (assuming either your mic is battery-powered or your camera provides phantom power).
As for, "do I need a mixer", there's lots of discussion here on mixers and their benefits.
As for, "do I need a mixer", there's lots of discussion here on mixers and their benefits.
MichaelMichael
Member
You need a MICROPHONE PRE-AMPLIFIER.
A mixer is needed if you want to record 2 or more signals and mix them together to a stereo/2channel signal to record with a simple stereo/2channel recording device (a camera with line inputs for example. some cameras have built-in mic preamps for external mics but when it comes to comfortable accessibility of mixing parameters an external mixer is highly recommended)
There are some cheap mixers (not line mixers) on the market that can do both of it.
A mixer is needed if you want to record 2 or more signals and mix them together to a stereo/2channel signal to record with a simple stereo/2channel recording device (a camera with line inputs for example. some cameras have built-in mic preamps for external mics but when it comes to comfortable accessibility of mixing parameters an external mixer is highly recommended)
There are some cheap mixers (not line mixers) on the market that can do both of it.
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
timapter said:
What he said.
:thumbup:This is one of the many posts which tells you something about the poster based on the question... where I would offer a different answer then I might had it been phrased differently.
By this guy's own admission he is new to sound... there's NOTHING wrong with that... but the gist is that you'll want a mixer before you really need one... and you'll need one before you think you do. As long as you don't have anything riding on complex location sound you may as well get familiar with that mic and pole first... and just plug the mic-cable directly into the DVX... The DVX can still send phantom power over a hundred feet of XLR cable if you needed that... so no worries there.
In past posts I said the same thing... which is over-simplifying the issue for more advanced users... but generally speaking... a mixer provides monitoring and control. It's those two things that help your production more then anything.
The only time you'd 'need' it is if you have more than two audio channels to record (e.g. if you had multiple radio mikes) and need to mix them down to two for the camera.
But in almost all cases you're best to use a mixer for monitoring and control. You don't want to get into the edit and find that some shots have really quiet sound and others are clipping because it's too loud... poor sound is the bane of low-budget shoots in my experience. I've seen far more shorts ruined by bad sound than any other single cause.
MarkG said it fairly well - but let's look at the DVX or the HVX. It is virtually impossible to adjust the levels on the audio during a take without causing some level of camera jiggle. It is just not designed for it.
So even the cheapest mixer will give you one level of control that you won't otherwise get. We've had lots of discussions here about the best mixer to get (please do a search) and there are tons of opinions - but ultimately it is all about usage.
Keep in mind also that having a mixer means that someone will have to operate it, and this, most likely, not the camera operator. Also, even more important, is that you have someone listening to what is being recorded with a good set of headphones (the headphones you use with your iPod, no matter how much you spent on them, are not good headphones to listen to your movie audio with.) Invest in a set of Sony 7506's and you can't go wrong. (And, you can use your 7506's with your iPod, if you're so inclined... ;-)
Phil
So even the cheapest mixer will give you one level of control that you won't otherwise get. We've had lots of discussions here about the best mixer to get (please do a search) and there are tons of opinions - but ultimately it is all about usage.
Keep in mind also that having a mixer means that someone will have to operate it, and this, most likely, not the camera operator. Also, even more important, is that you have someone listening to what is being recorded with a good set of headphones (the headphones you use with your iPod, no matter how much you spent on them, are not good headphones to listen to your movie audio with.) Invest in a set of Sony 7506's and you can't go wrong. (And, you can use your 7506's with your iPod, if you're so inclined... ;-)
Phil
Rylan Zolinski
Well-known member
I must be confusing a mixer for something else. I want the best way to capture sound and if plugging the mic directly into the camera was not a very good idea, I was looking for a different option. I mean, I invested into a pair of Sennheiser HD-280 headphones, a mic and boom pole, but won't I need extension cords for both in order to plug into my camera?
By the way, I use an XL2, not a DVX.
By the way, I use an XL2, not a DVX.
Rylan Zolinski
Well-known member
FilmBoy77 said:
I assume that it's an extension to the cord that was already on the mic?
I purchased a Rode NTG2. What kind of extensions do mics usually take? :huh:
wabbit
Evil has Ears
http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/location_sound.html
Try that link, read the stickies, get Jay's books. Have a complete understanding of the audio chain before you start shelling out money. The gear is not what gets you good sound, it's understanding why you need the gear that gets you good sound.
Cheers
Try that link, read the stickies, get Jay's books. Have a complete understanding of the audio chain before you start shelling out money. The gear is not what gets you good sound, it's understanding why you need the gear that gets you good sound.
Cheers
SMuir
Well-known member
Then I think you may have a bit of a problem using external mixers with your camera. If memory serves, the XL2 (like the XL1 before it) will not accept line level audio input when shooting. In other words, even with an XLR adapter, the incoming audio will have to be mic level. If the mixer in question will output a mic-level signal (my PSC M4 mkII will do this), then you can simply take a mic-level output from the mixer into the camera's mic inputs (switching off the camera's phantom power of course). If your mixer lacks that feature, you'll have to place a line-to-mic-level attenuator between the mixer and the camera. Otherwise, the incoming audio will be hopelessly distorted.Morox said:
Of course, I may be mistaken about the "mic level only" limitation on the XL2. The last few times I've mixed for shows shot with Cannon cameras, I've just recorded double system onto a Fostex FR-2.
saneproductions
Veteran
the sd302 can match the levels with any camera, that is one reason it is so cool.
Rylan Zolinski
Well-known member
SMuir said:
The XL2 doesn't need an adapter. It already has two built in XLR ports. EVERYTHING is changed on the XL2 from the XL1, except for the mic.
Rylan Zolinski
Well-known member
SMuir said:
Yes it has line-in.
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