Ntg 2 h4n help needed

ollywood88

ollywood88

Well-known member
Hi all,

I know this has been answered loads of times and I am sorry about re- posting.

But I have done some corporate work over the last few weeks.

I have recorded the interviews with a zoom h4n and NTG2 and as usual the levels are weak even at max 100 recording levels.

What I need help with is.

1) Should I sell my NTG 2 and maybe get a better mic such as the ME 66. Do you need to pay for the K6 module too?
2) Get a better recorder maybe sell the Zoom H4N for a Tascam DR40 OR DR100.

And what I need help with now is audio editing. I have very weak noisy signals what is the best way to take these out I seen nois prints and various eq methods I am using Prem Pro CS5 at the moment and adobe soundbooth.

Any Tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again

Sorry again if this has been asked a million times.

(Y)
 
You need a mixer with good pre-amps to boost the signal from your mic. This will likely mean buying something like a Sound Devices MM-1 ( about $500 new ) or try and find a used Sound Devices MixPre. ( about $500 for the older, non digital model )

As for cleaning up your recordings, can you post a sample WAV file that we can check out? ( it will give us a better idea of how bad your audio is )
 
thanks for the reply.

I am shooting solo. So I am using a boom pole on a manfrotto K clamp and lighting stand. and doing audio myself.

So anything big an external would be a pain. I was looking at the ME66. or even the Audio technica.

Thanks again
 
The H4n has weak preamps. The preamps in the DR-40 and DR-100 aren't much better, although they are, perhaps, marginally quieter.

The NTG-2 has a weaker output signal than most shotgun mics. So does the AT897.

The NTG-1 and AT875 are less expensive and have a stronger output signal than the NTG-2 and AT897.

As far as recorders you can consider the Roland R-26, the Marantz PMD-661, the Fostex FR-2LE and Tascam HD-P2.

Or, you could consider getting a decent mixer like the PSC DV ProMix 3, or a good preamp like the Sound Devices MM-1.
 
A mixer won't change anything, other than fix your problem which is a weak audio signal coming from your mic into your recorder. You simply connect your mic to the mixer ( or MM-1 unit ) and then plug this into your recorder.

The Zoom H4n recorder does have a small problem with LINE level audio signals ( both of the Sound Devices units I mentioned output LINE level audio ), which can be fixed with a 20 dB inline XLR pad. ( a 20 dB XLR pad costs about $20 )
 
Hi Bob,

thanks for the reply.

I have been looking at the Sennheiser ME66. What are your thoughts on this mic? Does it have to have the K6 power module.

I have read this works well with the zoom h4n.

Thanks
 
ollywood88 said:
I have been looking at the Sennheiser ME66. What are your thoughts on this mic?
Click to expand...

The ME66 is my least favorite shotgun mic ( very "tinny" sound ), while the new $400 Sennheiser MKE600 shotgun sounds much better to my ears. The MKE600 outputs a stronger signal than the NTG-2 does, but it still won't help much when your recorder has weak pre-amps. ( a mixer or MM-1 unit will change things in a big way )
 
Is it worth maybe looking at a Juicedlink? I have a rig for my DSLR for most shoots so it would be hard to mount this on a camera. ( Juicedlink).
 
as I am more of a camera guy, I wouldnt want to spend a lot of money on audio i.e new mic etc.

I been looking at the Juiced Link for a while now. So I would just feed this in via a line out?
 
ollywood88 said:
as I am more of a camera guy, I wouldnt want to spend a lot of money on audio i.e new mic etc.
Click to expand...

...Which is one of the biggest mistakes I keep seeing Indie film-makers make. Sound is more important than the video image you produce.

i.e. People will watch bad visuals with good sound, but will walk out on good visuals with bad sound

ollywood88 said:
I been looking at the Juiced Link for a while now. So I would just feed this in via a line out?
Click to expand...

JuicedLink Riggy units have MIC outputs ( -50 dB ) which you can apply up to +30 dB of clean gain to. ( -50 dB + 30 DB = -20 dB audio signal )

So you would connect the Riggy output to the mic inputs of either your camera or recorder.
 
I completely agree, Sound is very important and is so important you get it right and heightens your production value. I was just saying I work more in camera, but as I have set up my own company now I sometimes hire sound guys but some jobs the budget doesn't have enough for a sound guy.

What worries me with the juiced link is the mounting options as I use a rig at the moment adding in extra height would be a pain for my follow focus unit.. is there any other mounting methods?

Also, is their a headphone socket to monitor this if you are not using an external recorder? on the juiced link thanks again
 
ollywood88 said:
I am shooting solo. So I am using a boom pole on a manfrotto K clamp and lighting stand. and doing audio myself.
Click to expand...

Well, there's problem number one, and it's much, much more serious than your equipment problems.

The mic needs to be as close to the actors as you can get it without being in the frame and it needs to be pointed at the actors mouths when they speak. This will greatly improve your sound. So perhaps you should find someone who can swing the boom for you.



Your film will only look as good as it sounds, because
"Sound is half of the experience."


​
 
ollywood88 said:
but with some jobs the budget doesn't have enough for a sound guy
Click to expand...

I'm in the same boat, so I use a Manfrotto 420B Combi Boom stand which converts from a 13 foot tall light stand to a 6 foot boom in about 5 seconds. To make the most of this boom, I use a Manfrotto 023 Counter Balance Weight - 10 lbs so that I can use almost all the boom to extend the mic and be able to nest the stand right up against a wall. ( the boom length is adjustable, so you can easily make it 3 - 6 feet long ) I use this set-up with an AT4053b hyper-cardioid as my main dialog mic, which either goes directly into a recorder, my camera, or a Sound Devices MixPre-D and then to the recorder.


ollywood88 said:
What worries me with the juiced link is the mounting options as I use a rig at the moment adding in extra height would be a pain for my follow focus unit.
Click to expand...

You can mount it on top of your camera, or clamp it to a tripod leg, or somewhere near the back of your camera rig. It doesn't have to be under the camera.


ollywood88 said:
Also, is their a headphone socket to monitor this if you are not using an external recorder? on the juiced link thanks again
Click to expand...

Yes, the JuicedLink Riggy RA models have a headphone out and an audio meter. ( JuicedLink RA222 or RA333 models )
 
thanks for the replies. I am thinking of selling my Zoom H4N and going with the Riggy Micro RA333. Looks great been readings reviews.

Gary what setup do you use? Will the rode be fine working with a better pre amp . I was looking at the Audio Techinica Mic and the Sennheiser ME66

Thank you
 
I had a rode ntg1 with my old sony Z7 but found it lacking even compared to the stock camera mic so I changed to the at875r which I find superb and now use five of them with my HPX 371 P2 camera, radio mic boom and with my various mixers!

The AT875r has a very focused sound for a small shotgun and has very good gain for a variety of recording sources, I use them as my general purpose shotguns now!
 
I also love my AT 875r, great sound easily blended in with other 'nicer' mics. especially when used with external mixer/ preamp.
 
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