2 audio recorders instead of 1?

A

aregias

Member
Would you ever see a need for 2 audio recorders instead of 1?
I was thinking of getting the Tascam DR-40, price in europe is 198 euros and similar price here too :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)

Then i look at the zoom H1 and it's going for like 80$ here. so 2-3 recorders instead of 1?

I do realise this is like getting 2 toyota cars instead of a ferrari. (relatively)

for now, i do not have any mics so the mic inputs aren't such a big deal as yet. but i would be escaping the scraping sounds from the lens when i pull focus.
shooting a D800 for now, audio is pretty good by itself but the L/R separation isn't as good as i'd like it to be.
 
2 isn't a bad idea. There are many occasions where it can be useful to simultaneously record audio from multiple spots - from as simple as recording an interview, to something more complicated like like a wedding or concert.

And having 2 means you're more likely to have a working spare if one dies. (Doesn't help if you let the batteries go flat on both, of course :) )

But the other issue is whether the Tascam records 'better' sound than the Zoom (or has other features important to you) - which probably depends on the type of filming you'll be doing.
 
Starting a long form documentary later (year end) must keep that in mind
For now, just a web series. so dialogue recording is a big deal. getting 2 H1's with a decent mic would make more sense, but that brings the price back close to the tascam.

how effective would a DR40 be at the end of a boom pole?
 
Putting any handheld recorder at the end of a boom pole is a horrible idea. First and foremost, the XY stereo mic array is not the right choice for dialog recording. One mic will always be off-axis, and you may find that both are if you're not paying attention. Dialog is a mono source and should be recorded as such. Aside from that, having the meters and controls at the end of a pole means there's no way to see what's going on with the recorder. Sure, you can get a headphone extension cable and be able to hear, but what do the meters say? Is the device still recording? Is the battery low? No way to tell mid-take if it's located 9 feet away.

If you are starting to take sound recording for your videos seriously, and have projects coming up where it will matter greatly, cheaping out will be counterproductive. Read through the yellow stickies at the top of the audio forum and you'll get a good starting place on how to figure out what you need.
 
so it's kinda struck me that serious recorders might not have auto levels. and thank you for pointing out my stupidity. I did go through the stickies.

Then it's a Tascam DR40 near cam with dialogue recorded from a boom mic.

but i'm kinda thinking there isn't going to be a shotgun which will play nice with the tascam without a preamp. and nothing for 50$ i bet.

looking at the rode videomic pro, would a 1/4 to 1/8 adapter be enough to connect the mic and the recorder?
 
The DR40 can supply Phantom Power that most pro and semi-pro shotgun mics need via a balanced XLR connection, which BTW allows long cable runs. A mic with an 1/8" plug is unbalanced, so the cable length must be kept short. The DR40's preamps ain't stellar.. but usable, so getting an external preamp/mixer is not a step-up is quality unless you're prepared to spend another $500+.
 
The Zoom H1 has horrible interface/menu controls. It's the only digital recorder that I own and I never use. ( I've had it for 18 months now )
 
So if i want the actor's voice to pan(?) with camera (L/R movement), i have to do it manually?
I don't have a console as such and my experiments with using keyboard/mouse to adjust audio are horrendous. i do sometimes use my tab for this, though the lag makes this an invalid setup.

Okay, so no zoom H1, what about the DR-07mk2
 
Where do you want to place the recorder? Is this to be used as a "body pack" on your actors, or is this to be used externally by a sound-op or camera-op?
 
Dialogue is ALWAYS produced as center...... Unless the person is completely off screen, then it should be regarded as FX.
Dialogue moving is incredibly distracting.
 
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The Tascam DR-40 is a good starting point, but keep in mind that it's difficult to adjust recording levels while recording.

I recently bought a Fostex DC-R302 Mixer/Recorder which does a pretty good job of being a mixer and digital recorder, especially at the $600 price point. ( it was priced at $1,200 when it first came out )
 
As Ozmoz stated, dialog should be panned to center in a stereo file or assigned to the center channel in a 5:1 mix.
If by chance one desires a brief off center sound, that is done in post.
 
Rick R said:
As Ozmoz stated, dialog should be panned to center in a stereo file or assigned to the center channel in a 5:1 mix.
If by chance one desires a brief off center sound, that is done in post.
Click to expand...

Man you guys are so 2012! Gravity panned the dialog around so that is the "new" standard, only a luddite would leave it all in the center ;~)

Just thought I would short circuit that part of the thread before it starts...

You do want dialog center ,really, trust us.

Though if your planning on recording it with a $50 shotgun I'm not sure it's going to matter where you put it. I love cheap mics but for $50 your not likely to get anything that isn't a noisy mess.
 
Two recorders is often a good idea - I have both a Nagra VI and an AETA 4MinX - so there is always a high quality back-up available.

However, if you are down at the cheap end and getting two cheap recorders stops you getting one better one - then I would go for the "one better one" option.
 
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