Anyone heard of this - Targus Soundup? (For 5dmk2)

A

andrew00

Well-known member
http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.aspx?sku=AEA03US

(You can get it a lot cheaper than they list it with a good google)

Anyone heard of this and/or have any thoughts? It's basically a powered headphone splitter that claims to boost the audio signal. It's essentially a cheaper version of the (supposedly effective) creative xmod, which aims to 24 bit a 16 bit source.

I'm not really interested in any of that though, what I'm interested in is the splitting. I own a 5dmk2 and am often confronted by the inability to monitor sound going into the 5dmk2 from an external source b/c the headphone jack is also shared by the external in.

The issues is, say one is using an external mic or a zoom h4n or whatever and feeding that into the 5dmk2, you are also using your headphone slot so can't monitor.

One solution is to use Magic Lantern and monitor through the a/v out. The issue I have with this is that you're monitor the 5d audio. This is ok if you're using an external mic into the 5d, but what if you want to use an external recorder, like the H4N into the 5d.

In the second case you're recording on the H4N and the 5d source becomes a guidetrack, but also serves the useful function of being a second audio source in case you, for some reason, have problems with the H4N source - the card malfunctions, you screw up somehow etc.

Therefore I've been looking for a solution which'll allow you to monitor the output from the Zoom H4N, whilst also feeding that output to the 5D for a double system setup.

The probem is if you use a normal splitter you halve the signal, losing the levels on both, but also run the risk of degrading the quality. So I've been looking for a powered splitter that can connect directly to the H4N and from that you can split the signal, connecting to both the 5d and to headphones, to give a nice and loud signal.

The Targus soundup is what I've found. It doesn't seem perfect, it's not massive but isn't small and I'm wary of it's 'boosting' qualities - I'd be much happier if it kept things as is, although the reports I read seem to suggest it actually tends to negatively affect the sound if connected but in bypass, so the enhancements might actually improve it so to bring it back to the original signal.

You can get them for £10 so I'm tempted to get one just to see if it has a positive effect, I'm thinking Zoom h4n --> targus --> headphones + pinknoise pad cable --> 5dmk2.

I expect, tbh, it'll sound average, and I will do some testing when I get it. Alas I'm no audiophile so I doubt I'd be able to spot the difference unless it was dramatic, so thought I'd see if anyone has heard of it, used it and has any opinions.

a x
 
From looking at the page, the primary function of the device is to 'improve' the music you're listening to on your mp3 player. You don't want anything like that in your signal chain messing with what you're hearing. If you're looking for a small cheap headphone splitter/amp, look more at things like the Boostaroo.
 
Aye the reports I've read seen to suggest it doesn't really improve it, as more correct the negative effect of having it in the chain in bypass! I.E. It comes out pretty equal all in heh.

I've ordered one anyway, at £10 I felt it was worth a try and the lack of responses to this thread suggest no-one's heard of it/used it before so thought I'd give it a go.

When I get it I'll try do a simple, see if we can compare!

I actually has a boostaroo back in the day at school, it was ok heh.
 
However you put it, the targus unit actively changes the sound that you're hearing. That's not what you want any device in monitoring chain to do.
 
This arrived today - can anyone suggest the best way to test it's effect? I can set the camera up in front of some speakers and put a record on or something? A nice old vinyl one maybe.

Or I can do some folly and do some sound effects, or just record my voice etc.
 
You can get/ make a headphone splitter with out much trouble BUT the Mrk2 is crappy for audio and there isn't any way to fix that so spending just about any money to work with the onboard sound is a waste. The only thing its good for is for making a guide track to sync your "real" audio to. Even folks doing little run and gun docs have gone double system with a Zoom h4 or better.
 
Yes that's why I wanted a splitter, to be able to monitor the H4N audio, as that would be recorded at 24/96 and the primary audio source, but also send an feed to the 5dmk2 to record as a guide track for syncing and/or backup just in case.

The h4n only has the one output so if one is using the magic lantern hack, to disable the auto gain, you want to send the h4n to the 5d. This gives pretty decent audio on the 5d, which I think records 16/44 and in fact I did just this last night and the 5d audio sounds pretty decent. I was also using the pink noise attenuating cable and with that the signal was often quite hot.

I actually have, from back in the day a m-audio micro-db or something that does a -10db attenuation so technically i could stack that if needed.

You can't monitor the 5dmk2 recorded audio unless you use the magic lantern hack, and even then it has to come from the av/out. I've ordered, but not yet received, a cable from pink noise that'll split the a/v and adds a mini-amp to the audio part so you can monitor that and use the amp to boost the monitoring if it's quiet.

However, I was looking more in this case at being able to split the signal from the h4n, with one output going to headphones to monitor the h4n, as after all it's the main audio source, not the 5dmk2, and the second output connecting to the 5dmk2 as normal (again prob w/the pink noise pad cable).

I received the Targus today and have done a prelim listen. It has three modes, off, on and soundup, where on is meant to basically be a bypass, but it's actually splitting the signal and soundup is meant to boost the sound to make it sound better. From a prelim listen it seems it boost the mid-high frequencies as the bass sounds the same when in On mode and Soundup mode, but the mid/high range gets louder.

I'll try do a test tonight,basically playing a song through the h4n into the 5d with various combos. I'll just do an mp3 to save time which might not be perfect but should hopefully do for now.
 
I bought this years ago to use for a separate headphone amp.

Rolls PM50s Personal Amp
http://www.rolls.com/product.php?pid=PM50s


I have since used it for all kinds of production "MacGuyvering".

I believe it would work well in your situation and many others. The 9V battery can last for many days of shooting (although I am to old school to actually use yesterdays batteries) so old batteries can work in a pinch.

Big plus the mic input has a pass through that is not effected by the gain on the headphone out.
 
Doesn't seem like its worth half that much trouble or $$.

You do NOT need any kind of amplifier (Targus, Boostaroo, Rolls, or anything else) to split the output of a Zoom H4 between headphones and feed the input of another device. A simple, inexpensive Y-adapter will do perfectly fine. $5-10 at the nearest Radio Shack. (274-879 and several equivalents)

The output from the Zoom H4 (or the Targus or the Boostaroo) is headphone level (which is roughly equivalent to LINE level). The camera (like most camcorders with 3.5mm mic input connectors) wants MIC level. You will need to knock the headphone level down to MIC level to feed into the camera. Radio Shack also sells a "Attenuating Dubbing Cord"42-2152 which does exactly that. $5 at your nearest Radio Shack storefront.

Reason: Any mic input is VERY sensitive and will NOT load down any kind of line level or headphone level output. In fact the mic input is so much more sensitive that you must use an attenuator (the OPPOSITE of an amplifier) in order to avoid overdriving it.

Furthermore, I would question the basic theory that you must feed the camera with audio at all. Even if you don't use a slate with clap-sticks (which you SHOULD do), the microphone on the camera will pick up enough sound to allow you to sync in any decent NLE. I've done it many times and I speak from first-hand experience.

I deeply distrust hardware, software or magicware which claims to make the sound "better". Wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot mic boom.
 
A good reference is necessary

A good reference is necessary

Hello All,

It seems some of you don't see a reason for needing an attenuated feed to the camera in addition to the ability to monitor the H4n directly. Yes, double-system is the way to go, but you also need to have a clean reference from the recorder. In many situations, the camera is far away from the sound source so the onboard microphone is just getting a barely perceptable reverby wash of your main sound. It would be way better to record what the zoom H4 is recording to the camera when you are dealing with wireless lavs and booms.

Obviously, if the camera is close to the sound source this becomes less of an issue. It is also important to be able to monitor your good audio source directly. The ideal product would be a cable that gave you a pigtail split at the output of the H4n for headphones in addition to the attenuated feed to the camera. As long as the camera feed is 'clean enough' for Plural Eyes to grab on to, I am fine. Until the ACG is disabled and the audio circuitry in the camera is improved, there is no sense in using that as your primary audio.

Another benefit of having a cleaner feed to your camera is that you can instantly playback your quicktimes for the client without going, "this is the rough sound, that will be replaced in post".

Just my two cents.

-Robert
 
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