Upgrading audio kit?

[paulears]

If you have to move a mic in closer because of pre-amp noise, then there is something a bit askew. Virtually all condenser mics have reasonable output level, and unless the source is very quiet, or a too far away, then gain is not that common a problem.

I've been reading all the advice as to which bit of kit is the most important, but for me - it's not the kit, it's the operator. As soon as you start using mixers, then you need a dedicated sound recordist, who knows their stuff. Add a mixer, or pre-amps even and they cannot be treated as work themselves devices. Recording on three devices gives you guaranteed audio, even if two get paused, have flat batteries or have a critical setting knocked. One mixer and a recorder, and you have no safety net at all. A bag full of radio receivers, a mixer and a recorder is NOT beginners kit.

 

[swaneon]

If you have to move a mic in closer because of pre-amp noise, then there is something a bit askew. Virtually all condenser mics have reasonable output level, and unless the source is very quiet, or a too far away, then gain is not that common a problem.

I've been reading all the advice as to which bit of kit is the most important, but for me - it's not the kit, it's the operator. As soon as you start using mixers, then you need a dedicated sound recordist, who knows their stuff. Add a mixer, or pre-amps even and they cannot be treated as work themselves devices. Recording on three devices gives you guaranteed audio, even if two get paused, have flat batteries or have a critical setting knocked. One mixer and a recorder, and you have no safety net at all. A bag full of radio receivers, a mixer and a recorder is NOT beginners kit.

i definitely appreciate that!
I'm much more of a video-oriented person
but my basic structure for the test is
avantone ----marantz 661
attentuation at -6 (i tried -12 and 18) and d. mono with phantom power one

any quick glance where it might be off?

here is a sample directly off the card https://www.dropbox.com/s/6clepmkf4xjlofg/1001.WAV

it sounds very low

 

[Rick R]

"here is a sample directly off the card.. it sounds very low"
Not when brought up to normal levels... however there's a lot of acoustical borne noise.
That said, the 661 has 'OK' preamps and the Avantone CK1 mic has a 'stated' output spec sensitivity
of 15mv/pa, which ain't bad... though I have not used the mic.

 

[swaneon]

"here is a sample directly off the card.. it sounds very low"
Not when brought up to normal levels... however there's a lot of acoustical borne noise.
That said, the 661 has 'OK' preamps and the Avantone CK1 mic has a 'stated' output spec sensitivity
of 15mv/pa, which ain't bad... though I have not used the mic.

much thanks
i found using audition can clean it up quite a bit
does audio normally require post?

 

[TheDingo]

here is a sample directly off the card : 1001.WAV

Yes, this looks like it was recorded about 20 dB too low for optimal results, but the noise floor of your recorder is low enough that you can boost the audio in post and get it back into a "normal" range without introducing too much noise.

Here's your audio sample boosted 29 dB, EQ'd to open up the lower end, slightly compressed to lessen the peaks, and with a tiny bit of noise reduction to keep the noise floor low.

1001.WAV Processed

 

[swaneon]

thank you all
i bought a sound devices 302 since the 442 size was considerably larger than I need
I'll get the g3 and probably the mkh50 later down the road.

 

[Rick R]

"would a mixer improve my signal to noise ratio?"
Yes, a high quality mixer would improve the 'system' signal to noise. Acoustically borne BG noise would be the same.. and may even sound louder due to masking.
A high-quality (expensive) mic/preamp/recorder would be of little value if the mic is not placed properly. Same goes for gain-staging the (expensive) devices.