Improving my "run and gun" audio? New wireless lav options, pre-amps (juicedlink),etc

BTW the only caveat I can think of with the DR-10L and the Oscar 802 is that IME the Oscar is not as sensitive as the stock Tascam mic, although acoustically light years ahead. I find it to be generally -5db to -6db lower, so you'll need to adjust accordingly in post. Anyone else notice this about the 802?
 
Microphones have different sensitivities. If the 10L had an XLR input and you were using something like the Sony ECM-44B, which has a sensitivity of -53dB, you may barely hear it. (I imagine there are others that are even less sensitive.)

The 10L's stock microphone is -42. Not sure what the 802 is, but I do remember it needing some gain when I had one a while back.

A Rode Lav for comparison is -33.5 and much more sensitive than the Tascam mic.

I used to search far and wide for sensitive 3.5mm microphones as they worked amazingly well for me with Zoom H1 recorders, and that's pretty much the only way I recorded audio for a long time.
 
The stated sensitivity for the Tascam mic is -42 dBV/Pa, I recall the 800 series OSTs are in the -50dBV range but higher sensitivity mics generally have more self-noise. The Countryman and Sanken lavs can be ordered in different sensitivity levels. A low sensitivity mic is less likely to break up in a high SPL environment, musical theater for instance. A low-talker interview would call for a high output mic, though normalizing a low level 24 or 32 bit recording should not be an issue.
 
Thanks, I've been compensating by clipping the mic close to or on the subject's collar when possible and setting the gain on the unit to its highest (H+ I believe) but as the pres on the Tascam are not great it introduces more noise...
 
scorsesefan said:
Thanks, I've been compensating by clipping the mic close to or on the subject's collar when possible and setting the gain on the unit to its highest (H+ I believe) but as the pres on the Tascam are not great it introduces more noise...
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That's an amateur move many of us used to do. If it works, it works - but an upgrade would help you.

That's why I liked the sensitive mics with the H1 as I could set the levels between 45-55 and get clean audio, instead of 75-85 with a less sensitive mic and get noise and hissing that really frustrated me.
 
puredrifting said:
I'm using the Tascam DR10Ls until the Tentacle releases. For me, OMB doc shooting, worrying about wireless, my Mix Pre3, bag, batteries, that is just too much gak and gear to deal with as I need to be a good interviewer/producer and cinematographer too. Syncing multiple subjects is SUPER easy in FCP X, not sure why anyone couldn't make that all work but perhaps Premiere and Resolve don't sync audio as well? Doing a shoot this weekend with one of our main talents running a meeting. Will have a Tascam DR10L on her, two camera mics on two cameras and we get what we get. We don't have budget or resources to have a sound mixer. I could be the dedicated sound mixer myself, but not while doing camera, interviewing, etc. I've been running the Tascams now for a year and half on this project. So far, bullet proof, they've been amazingly good and reliable and we always get at least usable and sometimes really great sound. The Tentacles, when they hit, will be a timecode version of the DR10L on steroids with the 32 bit.

Wireless is fine for certain situations. But OMB/run & gun is not one of them as far as I'm concerned, unless you have a sound mixer on crew. Too many gotchas, variables, UHF/2.4Ghz issues. I have two of the Røde wireless, they are great and we have the Deity Connect which is also good. So far, no problems with the Deity battery life, although that could be a factor if you are shooting 12-14 hours straight, but we rarely do, especially with wireless. I rent the Lectros, they are the best but at $6k per pair, they should be the best.
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Dan,
I emailed tentacle and they said the e recorder will drop at NAB and be sold shortly after. Was hoping it would be sooner...
 
That’s a shame. A few retailers had it listed as 14 Feb. I’d thought about hanging on to grab a couple of the Tentacles, but looks like I might need to pick up something between now and then. Rentals aren’t very handy to where I live (an hour out of town + not very competitively priced).
 
Yeah I was hoping for sooner, too. In the meantime I picked up another dr10l. Btw $ will be around the same as a single Tentacle Sync unit...
 
Will one need a separate Sync E if running a multiple Track E recorders on different speakers? Presumably you still need to purchase a Sync E if you want to have timecode on camera, but I've been running dual audio without any timecode for years without much extra hassle...
 
Good question. I don't generally use timecode so I'll probably just use the standalone recorder without it and sync in post...
 
junct said:
Will one need a separate Sync E if running a multiple Track E recorders on different speakers? Presumably you still need to purchase a Sync E if you want to have timecode on camera, but I've been running dual audio without any timecode for years without much extra hassle...
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A couple things to think about:

As you have experienced, TC isn’t absolutely necessary in many cases. I’ve shot a whole lot of non-sync material over the years, and as long as shot logs and sound reports are clear there’s never an issue. And for a one-man-band shooter, if you’re handiling post on your own footage, you’re already familiar with what was recorded and when. Field notes and daily logs are still advisable. TC sync isn’t 100% necessary unless your post process is set up to handle it or if working on a larger production that requires it.

There are automated processes these days that make matching audio and video files a snap. FCP X has a built-in tool, and there’s also PluralEyes. Tentacle even has their own app that can help, but it uses TC so that means everything needs sync.

Non-sync isn’t a big deal when you have one video file and one audio file. Multiple audio files for each video file can be kind of a PITA. With the Track E recorders, though, if you’re going to be using more than one, you’ll have TC on each audio file. That can be helpful. It also means that having matching TC on your video footage can make scrubbing through footage a little easier.

So yes, if you want to have Track E recorders and matching camera TC, you’ll need to grab a Tentacle Sync E as well.
 
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