used neumann - good deal?

If you are going to spend $300 on that, why not spring for the mix pre? At very least get the version of that preamp that has a headphone jack. You will hear a difference over the HVX. If you are going to bother getting a better pre, stick with Sound Devices. I bought the 302 even though I started looking around in your price range. Read the SD302 manual, the mix pre manual etc.
 
djembeplay said:
For example, something small and cheap like this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=8011&A=details&Q=&sku=292990&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

Would this or any other option similar to this size and price be of any sound benefit over the HVX pre-amps?
Click to expand...

you will discover that anything that not sits on your camera , powered by that and has cables is adrag ,
you ar e one man doco - at least meke your photograpy work the sound will not be better if you place preamp as you cant deal with both jobs in the same time
 
Sorry I didn't sift through the whole post (14 hour day). Like Oleg said 1t is sometimes easier to just go into the camera if you are alone. If you are at an event and you need to make adjustments on the fly, it is nice to get the level control off the camera though (to keep from shaking it). I also really like the limiters on the 302. Once you get it set up (thanks oleg) than you have the ability to run things much hotter than you would be able to do otherwise without risking clipping.
 
Heh, ya I know I am probably being silly entertaining the idea of toting a pre-amp / mixer around with me everywhere I go... I would almost certainly need a second person to handle one when I shoot, right?

They do run off of AA batteries... I suppose that is actually what is keeping me hanging on to the idea. I mean, in theory, couldn't I strap one to my tripod somehow?

I would really like to hear a comparison between a mic running through a pre-amp like the 302 or MP-1 and the same mic running straight to camera.

How great is the sound difference going to be with a pre-amp like the 302 or MP-1 as opposed to going straight to camera pre-amps? I understand that this is a subjective opinion, but in your opinions?

Toting around a pre-amp isn't something I would be looking forward to doing, but if the sound clarity is that distinct with a pre-amp, then I am torn...
 
The main thing with the 302 is that it is quiet and it also has limiters. You can run the audio much hotter without risking driving it into distortion. You should read the manual for the 302, you will be sold. I won't go anywhere without mine.
 
Do you use it yourself? What sort of shooting do you do? I am wondering if it would be practical for me to bring it around. Is it a very noticable difference from the camera pre-amps?
 
I do mostly a/b roll docu style for education and corporate (great samples on my site). I use the 302 for interviews all the time. It lets me just not worry about clipping at all (once it is setup with full scale tone). You also get a much quieter, nicer-sounding preamps and many other features (I implore you to read the manual yto see what you get/why you need it).

It is nice to use on events too since you can adjust levels w/o jiggling the camera.

There are too many reasons to list here.

If you are running around with the mic on the cam (I hope you aren't) it is not really useful.

Get Jay Rose's book!!
 
Hmm, I dont have much choice but to run around with the mic on the cam.

I shoot rough and rugged usually... Nature videography... involving hikes to who knows where... Basically I need to stay pretty light and free in my setup.

Also, I am only going to be using one good shotgun mic usually for my sound. I cannot hire a sound person because the process would be way to cumbersome on the way I like to work.

So, I am wondering if there is a really clean and small one or two channel mixer that I could run my camera-mounted shotty into.

Moreover, I am wondering if I would hear much benefit in doing this. See, the tricky thing is, I want to get really clean ambient recordings of what I shoot in nature... so it's tough.

Everyone makes it sound like the camera pre-amps are pieces of trash and the actual sound quality difference is VAST... so I remain torn... Thoughts?

Oleg, I took your advice to heart as you had been listening and helping me from the beginning of this post. The only reason I am still going is because if there truly would be a huge benefit to picking up a small one or two channel pre-amp, I would / could make that sacrifice...
 
whithout secend hand , dont see any benefit , the hvh input quit desent and the mic is quit hot ,
the good preamp will help when you work with very low levels , not when you have good sound presure , also if you run the 40 73 it is very hot mic which will give plenty of gain
put money on wierless to get another sourse , much better investment
 
Awesome, thanks Oleg! I am going to do just that. I feel a huge burden lifted off of my shoulders knowing that I need not worry about toting around a pre-amp to get good sound. It's tough finding a balance between quality and portability when shooting primarily solo, I must say...

So, just to be sure, a little pre-amp like the SD MM-1 that I could mount to the camera, even that wouldn't be worth it? Would I get any noticeably / substantially cleaner sound going through this little guy instead of straight to the HVX?
 
Oleg-

You know, I have been looking through a TON of audio posts doing research on this... and you seem to be helping out on almost every one it seems. This is a good thing you do for people. For shooters like me who choose to work alone, we need to dabble in all aspects of the film-making process since we are responsible for every aspect of out work. To have the privilege of guidance from you, an experienced professional with years of specialized experienced in the audio field... it really is an invaluable guiding light.

But don't get the wrong impression, I'm not asking you out on a date or anything...

Happy trails, and thanks again on behalf of myself and all the other DVXers that you have helped along the way.



Thanks to everyone else who helped me out on this thread as well.
 
as long as you dont ask stupid questions :)
dating - sorry i only go with team players , you are one MAN gang :)
best and success
 
djembeplay said:
Awesome, thanks Oleg! I am going to do just that. I feel a huge burden lifted off of my shoulders knowing that I need not worry about toting around a pre-amp to get good sound. It's tough finding a balance between quality and portability when shooting primarily solo, I must say...

So, just to be sure, a little pre-amp like the SD MM-1 that I could mount to the camera, even that wouldn't be worth it? Would I get any noticeably / substantially cleaner sound going through this little guy instead of straight to the HVX?
Click to expand...

its worth for its limiter and low pass filter , dont think you will get more benefit on the sound it self . also could be use as beter headphones amp ( the mp-1 even it would be mono if you take the sound from rca outs )
the problem is the gain is with 5 db steps what would be notsible if you try to adjust on the fly , you will heare the clics .
as i said not really wort for the situation you are in . also that one is another half kilo in your hand what become problematic since you dont use shoulder camera .

forget about and kust buy the mixer next time you are going to do not one man show and really would need get presise your audio sourses
these toys ( single preamps ) are mainly good for people who have normal gear as me and looking for point to point solutions ( i use one like that to work with my booman as he can get feed from me and i run fixed gun mike /hyper or what ever in line level over ac and dimmered cables without problem . or use the mic level outs from my mixer to run to video vilage disterbutor .
skip on that one , really not something for independnt filmmaker
 
Beautiful. Thanks again. I figure you just helped me save at least $700 in gear I dont need. So... ya, the check is in the mail :)

"( i use one like that to work with my booman as he can get feed from me and i run fixed gun mike /hyper or what ever in line level over ac and dimmered cables without problem . or use the mic level outs from my mixer to run to video vilage disterbutor ."

Hmmm... I am having a bit of trouble picturing what you mean... I think mostly because I dont know what a 'video village distributer', 'ac', or 'dimmered cables' are...?
 
djembeplay said:
Beautiful. Thanks again. I figure you just helped me save at least $700 in gear I dont need. So... ya, the check is in the mail :)

Hmmm... I am having a bit of trouble picturing what you mean... I think mostly because I dont know what a 'video village distributer', 'ac', or 'dimmered cables' are...?
Click to expand...
video village - there is monitoring section for director , script supervisor and of camera recording for fast take pb - they get the sound from me and the picture from the camera .
ac - powered lines with ac voltage , could add humm to low mic level espesialy you run in paralel
dimmers are even worse with adding hum on power lines
so if you run line level and still get these buzes and humm it relativly be very small to the signal s/n ratio
with mic level you can find yourself recording signal with allot of noise.
these usially are problems you have in large studios when your cables run over these odstakles . it almost doesnt hapends in documentary world .

if i saved you 700 you can donate 5 % for the gueness next time you in the pub :)
 
I could go for a good black & tan right now actually...

Thanks for the clarification on the terms. Now I think I got what you were describing with them before.

Is there a standard measurement for how 'hot' a mic is? Is that the same thing as what signal-to-noise is measuring?
 
out put voltage from 1 meter distance at 94 db
igf one mic give 10 mv and the other is 20 , it is 6 db hotter , if it 10 and 70
thats about 16 db
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top