Mystery intermittent problem...

[HansonD]

I'm stumped... maybe someone here has an idea I haven't thought of.

So I'm running my usual eng setup (Alphamix in bag, recording on a 722, sending audio to camera and booming) when I start to get intermittent cracks, pops, and drop outs on my boom. I was able to force the problem to happen by jiggling and moving the mixer end of the boom cable (where the cable plugs into the mixer input). so.. bad cable right? Well I just used that same cable in the same setup for four days straight a few days prior and had no problems. And then when trying to replicate the problem tonight on my workbench I could not get the problem to occur again.. everything seems fine now.

Any thoughts?

- list of gear in the signal flow that was in use when problem occurred:

mkh416T
VDB coiled cable boom
psc Alphamix
Sound devices 722

Canare L-4E6S star quad
neutrik xlr connectors (wired ground to pin 1 & housing)

 

[TVSound]

couple of possibilities:

when i was using a fp33, the input for xlr would get "loose" and moving the cable would make snap crackle and pops

another situation was an internal coiled ktek boom where the internal mini xlr housing was cracked causing drop outs and crackles

try plugging and xlr into the questionable input and jiggle it lightly. that will tell you if you should check a separate cable or open the boom up

 

[Oleg 2]

it might be your cable been twisted that way that one of the hot touched the ground . if you know where it happened , cut the connector and solder it again as if it happened ones it will come back
how many days it worked before the problem accrue doesnt counts - it could work 2 years or 1 day