Sound Devices MM-1 or Juicedlink/Beachtek?

K

KnoxHotch

Well-known member
I was looking at a preamp for my Pansonic PV-GS500 and Rode NTG-2, and while the juicedlink looks like a great little preamp, I had a different idea. For about the same price as the phantom-powered Juiced box, I could get a single-channel sound devices preamp (the MM-1, sadly no money for the mixpre). While it lacks tripod screws and dual inputs, I was thinking I could put the SD on my boom op's belt and send the signal to my camera via xlr and into the cam via the ever-popular Line Matching Transformer cable. My reasoning is that my camera, as well as the Juiced link, lack a headphone jack which is crucial for the boom op to hear unwanted noises, and the SD has a good limiter, and in circumstances when I shoot with an XL2 or HMC150, I could send return audio from the cam's headphone jack.

My only concern is the transformer cable introducing noise, I'm not sure what it does on longer xlr runs with the high impedence part on the short end.

The setup would look like this: Rode NTG-2>>10ft XLR>>SD Preamp>>10-15' XLR>>Line Matching Transformer Cable>>Camera

What do ya'll think? Am I out of my mind or is this a good idea?
Thanks in advance!
 
Personally, that is probably the choice I would make. The downside is the level control is in the hands of your boom op, but it sounds like your boom op IS your sound person so maybe that isn't so bad. Your likely to get less noise/ RF because most of your run in balanced line level rather than a long mic run. A short run of unbalanced line level is pretty safe. Your getting a really good mic pre. as oposed to a??? mic pre. I LOVE the SD limiters, though they are aperently slightly different on different models (I love the ones on the MixPre - but the MM-1 is the same vintage so maybe the same limiter?). And truthfully I'm not sure why (for narrative work) you need two inputs. Your not going to shoot "stereo", lav and a boom is a reason but then you could feed the lav direct. My somewhat limited (in production work) experience is that once you need more than one channel you really need more than two. The only time I use two channels seems to be to have one lower as a safety (and you should be able to do that in the camera with a single input. The next step up always seems to be 5-14 tracks (for me). Now the more experienced production mixers can probably show me the error of my ways but this is my experience.
Cheers
SK
 
Well, I'm typically the "everyman" (sound, camera, lighting) on my projects at school, so my boom op would have the phones to listen for external noise, but I'd have to watch the meters on the camera for a good level and work with him to set the preamp's output level correctly for the shot. Since it's a consumer cam, I'd set have to set the levels on the camera as low as possible to bypass the camera preamp while dialing back the SD's line level output (cam takes mic level).

I'm pretty sure I read SD puts the same great preamps/limiters in all their gear, so I'd get the sound quality of the mixpre or 302 minus the extra channels, meters, and tone/slate mic.
 
You will probably want to add an attenuator before the transformer to get closer to mic level.
 
KnoxHotch said:
My reasoning is that my camera, as well as the Juiced link, lack a headphone jack which is crucial for the boom op to hear unwanted noises
Click to expand...

I have received emails recently from Juicedlink stating that they are about to introduce a tiny module that will fit between their mixer and the cam, and it will have headphone jacks, visual meter, and automatic gain control defeating tones. That is when I purchase both their mixer and the module.
 
I wouldn't mind if the creator of juicedlink made a full-on mixer to replace the CX471 with a switchable line/mic xlr outputs (as well as the standard 1/8"), limiters, meters, headphone jack, and larger pots (AKA JuicedlinkPRE lol).
 
philiplipetz said:
I have received emails recently from Juicedlink stating that they are about to introduce a tiny module that will fit between their mixer and the cam, and it will have headphone jacks, visual meter, and automatic gain control defeating tones. That is when I purchase both their mixer and the module.
Click to expand...

Juicedlink is having these made at this moment, and it should be a great device. Mostly geared towards DSLR shooters (Canon 5d Markii, 7D) with the presence of AGC, but it's not meant as a stand-alone, so you'd still want to go with a juicedlink XLR adapter.
If you're using an NTG-2, then you really don't need the model with Phantom Power, a CX-211 should suit just fine, especially if your second audio source will be wireless lav or something.
 
philiplipetz said:
I have received emails recently from Juicedlink stating that they are about to introduce a tiny module that will fit between their mixer and the cam, and it will have headphone jacks, visual meter, and automatic gain control defeating tones. That is when I purchase both their mixer and the module.
Click to expand...

Juciedlink has introduced the DN101 for $139. It defeats AGC by overloading one channel, and it also has a meter and headphone jacks. http://juicedlink.com/index_files/DN101_tour.htm
 
I am planning on using the MM-1 inbetween my boom and my Canon XH-A1. Do I need an attenuator? How does this set up sound to you folks?
 
No, but make sure the input on your cam is switched to accept Line Level. I think it's a pretty good, cheap solution if you can't afford a mixpre or 302 but still want the same sound quality.
 
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