extremely low volume with Rode Stereo Videomic using Magic Lantern

K

killmaster

Active member
I was trying to use my Rode stereo videomic to do some interviews and was surprised just how low the volume was. Here's my settings.

1) Mic turned to 0db no rolloff (as opposed to -10db)
2) Magic Lantern build from Mar 12th
3) analog gain set to 32
4) digital gain set to 12 (its been recommended not to go above this)

With someone speaking at a distance of 3 feet, the sound never goes above -20 db and averages around -30db.

This seems wrong but might also be as good as it gets and "normal". Just not sure what to expect since I haven't done this before... Any help greatly appreciated.

Greg
 
Ideally, you want a mic that can deliver a "hot" signal into the camera to avoid using the camera's gain entirely (More detail in this thread: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?240822-The-Canon-DSLR-Audio-thread ).

Using a Sennheiser wireless lav, I was able to raise the AF out and sensitivity of the mic high enough to keep all camera gains set at ZERO, which has yielded excellent results.
Demonstration and settings used here:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?240884-In-Camera-Audio-demonstration-and-rant


I don't own a rode videomic, so I'm not sure what its limitations are, but I know that some mics (especially XLR mics from my old DVX cam run through an adapter) need some serious amplification to be any kind of useable. I think the Rode was made for 3.5mm mic-in level recording, so it SHOULD be possible to amp it higher, but I recall one of the selling points of the VideoMic Pro versus the non-pro was an extra +20db of gain or something, and designed more for todays DSLRs.

If your VM is turned up as high as it can go already, maybe you need an external amp boost, like a juiced link or something.
 
You just ran into 2 different things.

One is the Canon pre-amps and their limitations, you can crank it higher but you'll get a lot of noise.

Two is physics. 3 feet on a pair of stereo cardioid capsules is fairly far, this microphone was NOT created for interviews, AKA wrong tool for the job.

solutions:

Get the mic closer, less than 18" or use a VMP which gives you that extra 20db of gain built into the mic.

Either way the mic being on the camera is the wort place for the mic.
 
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