Line to Mic Cable - H4n to T2i 550D

D

djbobbyrhodes

Well-known member
After editing a shoot with 100+ clips for the past few days, I've decided that I'm done syncing audio with my T2i footage for a while.

So I want to get a line to mic cable. I know Sescom makes a few, including one with an audio monitoring jack as well. http://www.sescom.com/product.asp?item=LN2MIC-ZMH4-MON Anyone have any experience with this or similar cables?

Two questions: If I install ML, and use this cable to go from H4n/H1 to camera, am I going to get the same exact quality audio as I would as just using the audio recorded directly to the Zoom?

And Two: Is there a different retailer that is selling these cables? I don't mind paying for it, but all the places I can find right now are charging $10-$20 for shipping.

I want this cable, and I know if I took some time and a bit of DIY-itude I could make one for like $5.00. But I don't know where I put my soldering iron and I don't want to damage my mic in port if I do it wrong.
 
The answer to your first question is: No. Although I would not put the Zoom preamps and A/D converters in the same league as those found in production mixers and recorders, I suspect they are much better than the preamp and a/d converters found in the T2i. Now, will the quality be adequate for what you are trying to achieve? Only you can decide.

While ML offers some great features not found in the T2i stock firmware, it can only work with what happens after the signal has been converted and by that time, the damage has already been done.

In production sound, some of us subscribe to the notion that the only thing a sound guy can do with the sound of a source is make it worse, never better and much of the time and money we invest centers around doing as little damage as possible. Quality microphones, preamps, and recorders and, above all, technique are the tools we use and while some of us dismiss the idea of running a microphone into the input of the T2i, you are the one who has to decide if it's good enough for you. My guess is the same kinds of decisions are made when using bottom shelf lens as opposed to quality glass for the image side of things.

djbobbyrhodes said:
Two questions: If I install ML, and use this cable to go from H4n/H1 to camera, am I going to get the same exact quality audio as I would as just using the audio recorded directly to the Zoom?
Click to expand...
 
Hmm I suppose that makes sense. I was hoping that the camera would be able to just record a clean signal if one was provided to the mic input. Wishing for the moon I guess. Well, it'll be cleaner than what I'm getting and if the difference in quality is at all an issue, it'll be easier to sync because it will be practically the same exact thing.

Anyone have any leads on a retailer who doesn't have outrageous shipping costs?
 
If you use ML you can turn the T2i AGC off and the in camera gain all the way down. Then if you are using the Sescom pad cable you will get a very clean recording that should be similar to the Zoom recording. The camera records in 48 khz 16 bit. Will the audio be as good ? You'll have to test and see if it suits your purposes. However, using a double system to record, is a good practice. It never hurts to have a back up file.

Don't underestimate the build quality and the cost and quality of the components that go into making that Sescom cable. The cable is wire mesh shielded and the pad capacitor has to be soldered onto both left and right audio channels. It wold be tough to DIY for $5. Wait till you need other supplies and then buy them together wiht the cable to defray shipping costs.
http://bit.ly/eoND64
 
Here are the shorcomings of using a line-to-mic cable for dual-system audio between the H4n and T2i:
1) you will lose the ability to monitor with headphones
2) to dial-in the exact signal level for the camera, you may be reducing the H4n headphone amp from 100% (where it gives you the best SNR)
3) the T2i does not have manual control of its audio

The juicedLink DS214 overcomes these, and it also has AGC Disable to force the T2i to throttle back its noisy amplifiers, so you can replace the noisy gain with clean gain from the juicedLink low-noise preamp.

DS214_pub_04.jpg
 
Will you get the same? No. Will you get passable? Maybe, it depends on your standards and who is doing the recording.

I would say that the boom op/ mixer probably is going to have more ability to trash the sound than the choice of recorder. A good sound person going direct to the T2i will trump a bad sound person going into, well anything.

You will loose some quality, if that's acceptable is up to you.

Personally if your not willing to take the time to sync the sound, maybe five min per take if your slow, then?????
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top