FS7: Wireless Levels Survey

[jasonbrooks]

Hey all,

I pondered posting this in the audio sub-forum, but since I'm talking about using radio mics with the FS7, and therefore the Sony preamps are part of the equation, I thought I'd ask you lot about your preferred configurations too

I'm using Sennheiser Ew-100 G3 radios (with a Sanken COS-11 lav mic FWIW), and have always used -21dB on the transmitter, with AF out on the receiver at 0dB. I find this leaves my pots on the FS7 at around 5-7 out of ten depending on how loud the subject's voice is.

I usually find that I have to add between 8-14dB of gain in the NLE, but prefer that than having to deal with clipping when someone laughs or suddenly raises their voice.

Anyone else using a similar setup have similar or different preferences, and/or any particular theory or rationale behind it?

Thanks!

jason

 

[puredrifting]

Hi Jason:

I don't have time to write out a whole lesson here but sound mixers would tell you to learn what gain staging is and how to effectively deploy it.
Google it, watch some YouTube videos, read some articles. You have two devices (three if you could editing software) that can boost or cut gain.
The general principal is to minimize gain on the device that is the noisiest and using the quieter device to add gain. You need to listen to the noise
floor of each device and adjust appropriately.

 

[NorBro]

Hey all,

I pondered posting this in the audio sub-forum, but since I'm talking about using radio mics with the FS7, and therefore the Sony preamps are part of the equation, I thought I'd ask you lot about your preferred configurations too

I'm using Sennheiser Ew-100 G3 radios (with a Sanken COS-11 lav mic FWIW), and have always used -21dB on the transmitter, with AF out on the receiver at 0dB. I find this leaves my pots on the FS7 at around 5-7 out of ten depending on how loud the subject's voice is.

I usually find that I have to add between 8-14dB of gain in the NLE, but prefer that than having to deal with clipping when someone laughs or suddenly raises their voice.

Anyone else using a similar setup have similar or different preferences, and/or any particular theory or rationale behind it?

Thanks!

jason

I think that's the safe way to do it if you're working by yourself, especially if both of your inputs are full (you can of course do a safety track on just one).

I used to stress about the same thing but that went away with 32-bit as I now would have 95% of the audio at the perfect levels (no further adjustment in post for most of it), and then anything that would clip (the random laughs, coughs, excitement) would be lowered back down in post to match the rest.

 

[Run&Gun]

For what it’s worth, I run all external wireless into my cams at Line Level(+5), bypassing the cams mic pre-amps. And with properly gained Tx’s, the camera pots are usually somewhere between 50%-70%.

 

[IronFilm]

You should strongly consider getting the Sony UWP-D21 instead, as not only are they a better quality buy at this same price point than Sennheiser, but also they give you beneficial features when working with a Sony camera (such as going via the FS7's smartshoe).