Getting the most out of my hardware:

S

sbryan

Well-known member
Here's what I have:

Sennheiser ME66/K6 with Sennheiser's Pro Foam Windscreen (which doesn't stand up to actual wind because it's so thin . . .) and a K-tek 2-7.5' foot boom pole. I'm primarily an indoor shooter, and I've been less than satisfied with my results lately.

As an example, the ME66 in combination with the DVX picked up on the hum of an overhead ventilation unit, which was imperceptible to me and the others there. First I guess I should ask how I would go about monitoring audio. I have a set of noise-canceling headphones that set me back $60, can I somehow use them on my shoot?

I have the windscreen on at all times just because it's so thin, and it offers a certain amount of protection to the mic. However, is it degrading the sound quality?

The XLR cable is standard issue from Radio Shack, could I rack up some sound points if I ditched this cable for something better (any suggestions?)

What about the levels on the DVX? I usually half the input signal, just so I don't push into the red.

I attached the mic to the camera, because lately it's been so cold outside that I can't find a boom operator, and also the tight space in a bar doesn't allow for a boom mic.

I shouldn't have bought the ME66... I was young and I didn't know any better! I'm consulting the sound gurus now to find out how to maximize my "investment", and as you can tell, I'm not interested in spending money unless a different XLR cable will give me better results.
 
sadly results often end up meaning money if you're working the ME66. The foam isnt degrading the audio, the mic is :) sorry.

Dont use self cancelling phones they dont give a good indication of whats actually going to tape, get a good set of sennheiser or sony headphones. not too expensive, so you should definately do that.

you also arent recording hot enough. read your dvx manual and you'll see that red isnt distortion, its just audio APPROACHING distortion. which is actually where you want to be for your peaks. high, but not hitting zero. turn on ALC (which is a limiter, not auto-gain, on the DVX) to protect yourself against peaks.

cold air means no boom op? you cant be paying very well. no boom generally equals poor sound. no way around that. and ive boomed plenty of times in bars, bathrooms and even cars so tight spaces arent an excuse really - get a boom in there!

the two golden rules of (basic) production sound:
quiet location, or location MADE quiet.
mic as close to mouth as possible with the shot.

general guide, if you cannot abide by one rule, then apply the other one double - meaning: change the shot to get the mic closer in noisier locations, or change the location if the shot cannot be changed.
 
First off, get yourself a pair of Sony MDR-7506 headphones. Noise-cancelling headphones will typically be less usefull than conventional `phones, since the noise cancellation algorythms will be thoroughly mauling the headphone signal you're trying to monitor. The `7506's seal tightly enough to block out headphone leakage in most situations (unless you're recording live bands or aircraft), and they'll reliably tell you exactly what's going onto your tracks.

Next, get a shock mount and propper wind protection. Foam windscreens aren't much good for anything stronger than a weak draft, although they're cheap, light-weight, and accoustically transparent (to answer your question). K-Tek has a verry cost-effective windscreen/shockmount kit that performs very well, at a fraction of the cost of Rycote's products.

The Radio Shack cable will probably get the job done, but you should head over to a pro-audio shop and get yourself a couple extra cables. Better cables will last longer and give you cleaner audio. As a general rule, pro audio gear from Radio Shack will be more expensive (and of dubious quality) compared to most pro-audio and music stores. Furthermore, you should always have at least one spare mic cable, in case your main cable is damaged or just wears out. When cable shopping, look for cables that have Neutrik connectors.

As for akward-to-boom shots, even hand-holding a shotgun mic just below the edge of frame will typically give better results than mounting the mic on the camera.
 
Ditto above advice and.... If the ME-66 were the same price as the Rode NTG-1, people wouldn't diss on it so much. It is an overpriced mic, yes, but it is still decent for eng work outside (it is used a lot in news, it just sounds shrill). You main problem is not micing close enough. Yes, you should replace your ME-66 with a Sennheiser 416 at the next availble cash flow time. The k-tek zepp above is a great thing for the money. If you only have $40 for more wind protection the Rode dead cat (B&H) is a fur and cloth sleeve that you can pull over your stock foam and improve things quite a bit (not nearly as good as the k-tek or other options). The problem with the dead cat is that it doesn't actually fit all the way down the mic . It still helps a hell of a lot for $40. Get the right thing if you can afford it.
 
I think our perception of "cold" differs. We had to shoot on a Sunday, because that's the only day of the week where the downtown parking lots are virtually empty. It was a nippy -5 degrees, if not -10 -- that's some Hoth weather right there. In response to my payroll, it's nonexistent. A college kid can't pay for anything. Even if I did pay something, minimum wage isn't incentive to put yourself in situations hazardous to your health, which prolonged exposure to the cold is. At least a boom operator gets to wear gloves, I can't operate anything with gloves on...

Anyhow, I may try to pawn the ME66, but because of the bad buzz around it, I may not be able to recoup 65-75% of the purchase price. Hypothetically speaking, if I sold the ME66, which mic should I replace it with? (where was the bad buzz when I bought the ME66 :crybaby: )

SMuir, I'll definitely look into buying some headpones and a new cable or two. I do need wind protection, and Rycote's out of the question. K-tek I have no qualms with, so I'll check them out.

Oh, and the DVX levels are news to me! I'll check those settings when I get home.

Thanks for the input guys,
SB
 
The Audio Technica 4073a is about $550 and at that price it is a steal!

If you can afford the Sennheiser 416 it is a seriously good mic.
 
sbryan said:
It was a nippy -5 degrees, if not -10 -- that's some Hoth weather right there.
Click to expand...

Chemical hand-warmer packs are your friend. Whenever I'm heading out for a winter shoot, I always make sure I have plenty of those things in my aide kit. Beyond tucking them into my gloves and boots to stave off frostbite, I'll often put a couple in a mini-cooler with my batteries (cold whether will suck your batteries right down).

Gloves and mittens will get in the way when your mixing, so you'll need a pair of heavy-duty fingerless gloves. I have a nice pair with mitten-flaps that I can flip over my fingers between shots. Look for a pair insulated with Thinsulate, since they'll be a lot less bulky than most ski or snowmobile gloves.

If you or your crew are in physical danger because of the cold, someone's not dressing propperly.
 
Listen to the Canuck...they know cold weather :)

BTW Smuir, I like your new avatar. Is it one of the double vision things because I only see a monkey profile.

Cheers
 
Thanks, Wabbit.

As far as I know, its not a double vision thing. I'll try looking at it upside down in case there's some kind of hidden message in there that I missed.

I just finally got around to working out a new logo (Dreamin Monkey Sound Services).

And yes, it gets pretty cold up there. This winter's been pretty mild, though.
 
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