Random Audio Questions...?

hazelwould

hazelwould

Well-known member
So I have been a lurker here for sometime, and I have been doing just TONS of research on different Mic and audio set-ups etc. I need some advice on which set up to choose.

I am going to be shooting a short in the near future with an XL-1, and am trying to get decent audio. I have come up with a few ideas from researching here. Here they are:

1. Purchase a TAPECO Firewire interface, run it into the laptop, and control it with Boom operator.

2. Purchase a Beach-tek and run it straight into the XL-1 (though I hear it's noisey).

3. Purchase an old DAT (16 bit), or an H2, H4, Microtrack, or something similar. And if I got an H2 (or similar), how would I go about getting a clean track (since there is no XLR in)? I read on the dvinfo fourm that someone was saying that his 16-bit Minidisc recorder had a cleaner signal than his H2. So maybe a MD recommendation?

And here are a few mic questions:

1. What is the low-pass filter on the Oktava used for?

2. I am not planning on a TON of outdoor audio, can the Oktava pass outdoor with the proper support? Otherwise I was considering a NTG-2, to give me basic outdoor audio.

I appreciate all of the advice anyone can give me! I am really new to audio, so please excuse me if I sound like a moron. I have read (stickies etc) and done TONS of searches on the fourm. I have a basic knowledge and have just come up with the Oktava, and NTG combo being a good starter set. If anyone has any other recommendations please let me know. :violin:
 
In no order,
MiniDisk can sound as good as DAT. But only if you have a really good Mic Pre/ Miver as a front end and go in line level and then transfer out digitally. Some new models allow recording uncompressed on high capacity MD, but you still need a good front end. Or you could buy an HHB MD. But none of the MD choices make any sense unless you already own a lot of what you need because for the same money you could get the Tascam HDP2. Plus there are some serious issues with MD, like loosing the whole disk if your batteries run out and such.
Don't use DAT unless you are getting it for free, and maybe not even then. I loved DAT when it came out, great sound in a small package (the alternative was a Nagra at $$$ and a LOT of weight, or cassitte...) but it's time is gone. Tape is getting scarcer and will probably be very hard to find a few years down the road. You need to transfer in real time (should also be done on a deck rather than your portable -so you really should own two), naming and logging etc. And of course it had issues also like tape getting eaten.

I also have heard that the XL1 is noisy so probably not a good choice, plus you should have a Mic Pre/mixer as the front end so your still spending.

Boom Recorder is great but if your not on a cart or in a fixed location then it's going to be a pain to set up the computer. You are not mobile with this setup. Also I would probably vote for one of the Alesiss mixers over the Tapeco (which I have never heard of).

I would get the Tascam HDP2, most cost effective and versatile. I own and like the Marantz PMD671 and you might find that at a good discount over the Tascam but unless your saving a LOT of cash I would go with the Tascam, it's much better suited to your needs.

I don't think there is a low pass filter on the Oktava. If you have one it's to roll off the low end and help get rid of handling noise and wind etc. What I think your looking at though is the -10 dB pad. That will just lower the signal to help recorders that can't handle a really hot signal. I've never used and of the pad's on the oktava's.

I've used the oktava outdoors plenty of times. In a zep it's fine. Of course whether it will work in your setup has more to do with using a hyper VS using a shotgun and that's your call.
 
Wow, thanks for the information! So in the short I am shooting there is one scene where there is dialog (primarly yelling), outdoors. It will be next to a large van, and I can cut alot of the wind by placement of the van. I am still going to keep it in a zep. This should suffice?

I know the whole point of the shotgun is to reach in and grab that dialog (thus the long tube), in a much tighter, more focused range. If I am wrong correct me on this. Now, with the Oktava, I am assuming that if I can set the shots up correctly I can get in close enough (the yelling scenes will be shot really tight). Correct?

Also, I was looking at these modified recorders:

Marantz PMD660

http://www.oade.com/mm5/merchant.mv...duct_Code=PMD660BM-GND&Category_Code=PMD660BM

Fostex FR-2LE

http://www.oade.com/mm5/merchant.mv...Code=FOSFR2LEBM-GND&Category_Code=FOSFR2LE-BM

I have read and heard samples of these mods, and they seem to be noticebly better than the orignals. Do you think these would work at least close to the Tascam HD-P2? Because that would at least save me a couple hundred.

Also, I couldn't find any offical documentation for the Oktava "Low-cut filter," but here's a link to one on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Low-Cut-Filter-...ryZ41466QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I appreciate your help!
 
Well that looks like it is a low cut but with no specs who knows what it does? It could be very useful if your using a recorder or mixer with out a low cut AND it's cut off is at a good place etc. But? Since the usual suspects for Oktava's (the Sound Room & Oktava Mod) don't list it I would be skeptical till I knew more. Also it's a bit pricey, the pad is $45 from The Sound Room. There are chinese knock offs of the Russian Oktava mic's and this might be from them. With out knowing more I would stay away.
The 660 with mod is I think pretty decent. Don't know what it's going for these days but it used to be around $600 and I saw the 671 listed for $650 new the other day so...
I personally realy disliked the FR-2 so I probably would not recommend the FR-2le, but I haven't worked with it so?

However neither is very far away from the 671 in price and both to some extend suffer from not having everything visible when hanging off your shoulder in a bag.
I would be more inclined to the Zoom H4. That's around $300
http://www.zzounds.com/prodsearch?form=prodsearch&cat=2869&cat2=3496
Folks I know that have used it really like it. BUT we are using it for FX recording. Any of these little recorders you would have to get with the idea that your getting by for now and you'll upgrade when you do something more complicated and at that point these are nice backup recorders and FX gathering tools. The Tascam is the better investment, unless your really interested in sound so you WILL upgrade or your going to hire someone in the future so this is a starter/ better than the camera thing. They are all (the mini's) poor choices as long term production recorders.
 
Hey, that low-cut filter is interesting! Recording Services is a reputable long-time Oktava dealer I've worked with in the past; they're very helpful by phone, and I'm sure a phone call would clear up the questions...

I've been impressed by my intial experiments with a MixPre/Microtrack combination... the "poor man's 702"...
 
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