Building a ENG audio Kit

[jmm]

Sorry for my english im french

Hi, i have been working in sound, television and film industry for 1 year. Now im looking to build a ENG audio kit to offer my service. I already have some client and contact.

I had tips when building my kit, since i will use it for professional use in this order documentary, coorporate video, Fiction, Short film, and publicity. A lot of run and gun, this is why i choose the big porta brace bag whit the harness, i will need to have everything whit me and boom 95% of the time myself.

First i was supposed to buy the alphamix 4 channel because there is a boom remote control, but the spec sheet says that the mixer work from -4 to 150 celcius ... and i plan tu use it at -20 and -30 during canadian winter...

I come around whit this set-up



Sennheiser Evolution G2 100 Series - UHF Lavalier System (A) more info
MFR #EW112PG2 - A • B&H #SEEW112PG2A Free Shipping (USA)


Sennheiser Evolution G2 100 Series - Wireless Microphone Combo (B / 626 - ... more info
MFR #EW100ENGG2 - B • B&H #SEEW100EN2B Free Shipping (USA)



Remote Audio NP-1 Cup Adapter with 4-pin Hirose Connection to SQN-4S, PSC M4mkII, ... more info
MFR #NPADCSQN • B&H #RENPADCSQN



Hardigg Storm Case iM2950 Storm Trak Case with Foam (Black) more info
MFR #IM2950-00001 • B&H #STIM2950B



Sound Devices 442 Portable 4 Channel Field Mixer - with Mic or Line Level Input and ... more info
MFR #442 • B&H #SO442



WindTech BG-60 Windscreen - 1" Inside Diameter - will fit Sennheiser MKH60 more info
MFR #BG-60 • B&H #WIBG60




Rycote 18cm Large Hole Softie - for Beyerdynamic MCE86 / MCE87, Sennheiser ... more info
MFR #033053 • B&H #RYS18L



K-Tek KE-110CC Avalon Series Aluminum Boompole with Internal Coiled XLR ... more info
MFR #KE-110CC • B&H #KTKE110CC Free Shipping (USA)

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Edirol / Roland R-44 Solid-State Four-Channel Portable Field Recorder more info
MFR #R-44 • B&H #EDR44 Free Shipping (USA)



Porta Brace AO-1X Audio Organizer Case (Signature Blue) more info
MFR #AO-1X • B&H #POAO1X



Porta Brace AH-3H-MEMS Audio Harness & Belt, (Small ) more info
MFR #AH-3H-MEMS • B&H #POAH3MEMS



Pearstone Universal Plug-In Transmitter Holster Case (Black) more info
MFR #UPOH • B&H #PEUPOH



Rycote Furry Windjammer for Lavalier Mics (Single) (Black) more info
MFR #065514 • B&H #RYWFLB



Pearstone WSM-0LM2-5 Metal Windscreen for OLM2 and ME2 Microphones (5-Pack) more info
MFR #WSM-0LM2-5 • B&H #PEWSMOLM2



Pearstone Tie Clip for Pearstone OLM2, Sennheiser ME2 and Sony UWP-V Lavalier ... more info
MFR #TC-OLM2-5 • B&H #PETCOLM2



Hardigg Storm Case iM2050 Storm Case with Foam (Black) more info
MFR #IM2050-00001 • B&H #STIM2050B



Remote Audio HN-7506 High Noise Isolating Headphones with Sony MDR-7506 Drivers ... more info
MFR #HN7506 • B&H #REHN7506 Free Shipping (USA)



Porta Brace PS-6 Piggin String 6" Touch Fastener Cable Wrap (Set of 4) more info
MFR #PS-6 • B&H #POPS6

Im not gonna buy all of this at B&H but i used the website to make my list since they have everything. Some of you may be like why he have a r-44 and a sound device 442 ...

Its because the 442 gives you direct output for each channel, so im gonna loop each channel to the r-44 and record them individually into one uncompressed wav file has a master file and a back up to the camera stereo mix. So if one lavalier clip or make some contact clothing noise when somebody is talking , and you are stuck whit the BZZ in the camera stereo mix because these mic where on the same channel .... Just pick up the r-44 wav file and mute it. ( do you understand ... )

And what do you think about this set-up ? Sounds like a good idea or im really to paranoiac to back up each channel like this and for the price of these 2 together i should get 1 sound device 552 and back up sound only in stereo like the camera mix. But i like the every channel back up fact, its a verry good security and if you take the time in post you can do all the mix yourself instead of taking the live camera mix that sometimes, well always, include no-talking person mic open so you have more bg noise.

So here goes my problem, first i read all the shotgun article on the website ( ok not all but a lot ). And i still have a problem whit my choice of shotgun.

- I shot a lot of indoors
- I shot a lot of outdoors
- I shot at -20 and +30 celcius
- I shot near the sea ( WIND )
- I want quality sound
- It will be mounted on a pole
- It will be operated by a skilled person
- I have 1500$ for 1 or 2 ( if needed ) mic, but overhall 1500 not even 1550.
- I dont want anything cheap that sound ..... I might go on a documentary in Europe and i dont want to be stuck there whit a no-good mic.

Total kit budget : 7850us$ whitout tax and shipping and cable and np-1 battery and charger ...
Any comments or suggestion ?
About the shotgun choice or the kit configuration.

 

[Steve House]

I don't see any mention in your list of specific boom mics you're considering. And you've jumped the gun on the windscreens until you select your microphones. Don't forget the shock mount for the pole ... I like the Rycote Invision - good isolation and it's relatively inexpensive ($75).

For your boom mics, I suggest you look for a hypercardioid for your first mic, then a shotgun for the second. The hyper is the mic of choice for indoors booming in normal reflective spaces and is also usable outdoors. The shotgun is good for outdoors work where shots may need more subject to mic distance but suffers from colouration in a reflective environment such as normal interiors. Shotguns are fine indoors when you're in an acoustically conditioned space such as a stage but ENG and Doco work doesn't take you onto a soundstage all that often. One exception to this general rule of thumb is the Sanken CS3 ($1350) which, though it resembles a shotgun, achieves its directivity from different acoustic principles and doesn't suffer the drawbacks indoors that a conventional shotgun does.

A couple of other options for hypers to consider might be an AKG SE300CK93 hyper ($475) or Audio Technica AT4053b ($600) combined with a Rode NTG-3 shotgun ($700).

 

[JordanBlock]

Bonjour, JMM, welcome to the board. Your english is far better than my French!

Overall it looks like you have a decent kit put together.

As for the boom mics, perhaps an NTG-3 for your shotgun, and maybe an AKG blueline set with a CK93 hyper capsule for interriors. Toss in a decent shockmount and you should be under your 1500 still.

You could also look at some of the kits Guy over at the DVeStore has. They've got a couple good NTG-3 kits with booms / blimps / etc, and he'd probably customise something for you if you need. Tell him you're from this board and he'll give you a good deal.

 

[jmm]

Thanks,

But i always saw the RODE mic on amateur production. I guess the rode NTG-3 by is spec try to be the new MKH-416 Shotgun Microphone, but if i had to choose between the two i guess i would still go the MKH-416. But this mic would be the outdoor one...

Well at first i planned to go whit the MKH-416 for outdoor, and a around 500$ mic for indoor ( i know its more than 1500 in total ... i want good mic ! ).

I would love the have more feedback on the Sanken CS3, i have read a lot of thing about this mic but does he work better than the MKH-416 for outdoor at long distance ( like wider camera shot ). So im just thinking, im better whit a verry good mic for everything ( Sanken cs3 ) or a combo MKH-416 whit a other one specific for indoor around 500$ ?

And, i would also like to have some feedback about my sound device - ediroll r-44 configuration ( see my first post ), i never worked whit these ( well the shure fp-33 and the sound device 302 ) but i just want to know if this make sense. I would love to buy the ediroll whit time code but i would have to pay around +1500$ just for a timecode input ....

 

[Steve House]

I suggested the NTG-3 to keep the total for the two mics under $1500 since you said going over that was not possible, even by as little as $50. If you do in fact have a little bit of leeway, the MKH416 is certainly an industry mainstay.

I own an SD442 and it is a great mixer. Sound is very good, very flexible for various configurations. and built like a tank - you can't go wrong with it. Should work well any quality recorder. In addition to the direct outs on each channel for recording iso tracks, you also have 3 pair of stereo outputs you can use too. You might also want to look at the new SD552.

You have left out the cables to get the signal from the mixer to the camera and the monitor return from the camera back to your headphones. The best bet is a "ENG Breakaway Snake" such as one of these http://www.remoteaudio.com/cables_adapters/eng/ that plugs into the mixer's 10-pin Hirose connector.

The Edirol R-44 is reputed to be a good quality unit but you're paying for recording effects that you should never use in the field (6-band equalizer, noise gate, compressor, enhancer, etc) and are not getting timecode capability, something that as a pro you should be able to provide on request. That means the Edirol R-4PRO, SD 744T, or similar for a four channel recorder with timecode, plus a smart slate. It would also be good to have a recorder that can sync its sample clock to video blackburst like the SD788T but that can be accomplished in other ways if the recorder lacks a video sync input.