Need Zoom H4N Lo-Cut filter advice

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Filmkid2003

Well-known member
Hey everyone. I am recording audio for my GH13 footage using a Zoom H4N digital recorder. I am mainly recording dialog since my film is a drama. This is my setup sequence:

Rode NTG-3 mic inside Rode Blimp with dead wombat covering the Blimp -> K-Tek boompole -> Coiled mic cable -> Mixpre preamp -> -20dB attenuators on both left and right outputs -> balanced XLR cables -> XLR inputs on the Zoom H4N.

I am recording audio at 24/48. On the Mixpre, I have the lo-cut filter set to 80 Hz. On the H4N, I have the "Mic" lo-cut filter set to 80 as well. I still hear wind noise even though I ALWAYS point the mic towards the talent and AWAY from the wind. My question is, should I set the H4N "Input" lo-cut filter to something like 115 Hz or even higher to cut out more wind noise? Should I change the "Mic" lo-cut filter on the H4N to something higher like 237 Hz? The wind noise that I hear on my footage has a very bass like sound to it, if that helps you answer my question.

One more thing, I notice that when I apply a high cut filter to the audio clips in Premiere Pro CS5, and set it to 118 Hz, that bass like wind noise pretty much goes away completely and I hear no wind noise whatsoever. What I want to do though is cut out all the wind noise when I'm recording so I don't have to apply the filter to every clip in post. Thanks.
 
I realize you trying to avoid the extra post work - but I would not use the filter during recording. You will have a better chance of matching sounds if everything is recorded flat.

How deep of a voice do your actors have? 118 would thin out many male actors voices too much.
 
You should have no wind noise with the NTG-3 inside the RODE Blimp. The 80Hz filter is handy if you have distant highway rumble, or handling noise through the fish pole.

Is it possible that you are in 4-channel mode recording from the Zoom's built-in mics at the same time? That would explain why you keep hearing wind noise.
 
One thing I noticed while recently testing my friend's NTG-3 vs my AT875R. Two mics which are certainly at different quality levels of sound, but nonetheless it told me a lot. The NTG-3 has a much more pronounced low end which I just didn't like at all for voices or ambient. Personal preference. Both mics were essentially identical in side rejection.

While I can't think of what would be causing the issue for you, the fact that the NTG-3 I tested out has much pronounced low end, I'm not surprised by your situation. I use the Zoom regularly, so I am curious what may be the issue for you.

I would perform the lo-cut in software though, so you have the original recording as is. Jacking up the lo-cut/high pass will only thin out the sound.

I'd also say, is it really wind noise? Have you setup everything identically indoors? Are you getting the same thing in different locations?

In 24/48 mode, the Zoom's built in mics record to a separate file from the XLR file, so unless Premiere Pro isn't separating the XLR and built in mic files as they exist, the Zoom mics haven't any effect here.
 
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Where do you have you mic residing inside the blimp? I use the rycote with lyre suspension. Make sure that the mic head is the same distance from the front of the blimp and the space around the side between the blimp and the mic. Mounting your mic so the front of the mic is nearly touching the front of the blimp does not allow the blimp to work properly to suppress wind noise. In the case of my rycote, with an Me-80, the front of the mic is about 1-1/2" away from the front surface of the blimp.

Most of what makes a blimp work is the difussion of air currents before they reach the mic head. There must be air space in front of the mic inside the blimp for this difussion to take place.
 
C2V beat me to it, but I ran into the same thing with the H4N. Especially if I was recording all 4 channels.

I can't remember for sure, but it seems like even if I was in Stereo recording mode using the XLR inputs coming from my SD302 I would still hear the Zoom's internal mics on the headphone feedback. I think I ended up turning down the Zoom mics to nothing so that the only feedback I'd hear was what was actually getting recorded.
 
So true, but the OP is having the sound issue show up in his NLE and the built in mics would be in a different audio file.

mmzgully said:
C2V beat me to it, but I ran into the same thing with the H4N. Especially if I was recording all 4 channels.

I can't remember for sure, but it seems like even if I was in Stereo recording mode using the XLR inputs coming from my SD302 I would still hear the Zoom's internal mics on the headphone feedback. I think I ended up turning down the Zoom mics to nothing so that the only feedback I'd hear was what was actually getting recorded.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for all the feedback, guys. To answer some questions... I do set the NTG-3 in the middle of the Rode Blimp. I only record in Stereo (through the XLR inputs) on the Zoom, never in 4 channel or Multi-track. I forgot to mention that I am filming the scene under a small bridge which almost becomes a kind of wind tunnel, if that might be a factor. I guess I'll just have to apply the filters in Premiere CS5. :crybaby:
 
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