Zoom H4 + NTG-2?

B

butler360

Well-known member
So I'll be doing some low-budget/no-budget film projects for class. I'd also like to be able to do some general videography work later on. I've read a good amount about each of these devices, but little about both together.

I'm thinking of using the on-camera mics from the X1 HA as a backup and use the NTG-2 with the H4 via XLR. I'd like to just plug the mic into the camera but I know there's a few places/shots where it would be easier to keep them separate. The H4 is supposed to have pretty good stereo mics as well so I'd appreciate the flexibility of being able to get sounds effects, ambiences, and dialogue all from such a cheap device. Then there's the use as a USB interface, guitar recording/amp modeling, etc. I'm aware of the "beep" problem and I'm prepared to make my own battery if necessary.

The problem is that I've heard the H4's preamps are too weak for an external mic. Is this the case with, say, the NTG-2? And, if so, would I need a mic amp of some sort? I haven't done much research with those, and I'd like to stay as cheap as possible!

Finally, given what I'm trying to do would anyone suggest a totally different approach that would maybe do better (for the same price or cheaper)?


:dankk2:
 
I've used the H4 for double-system audio and it works very well.

However, the XLR ins are not the best. The preamps are a little noisy, with or without Phantom power in use. The best thing is to get either a mixer or a pre-amp for the NTG-2.

A Sound Devices MixPre would be a good place to start. That'll give you the option of sending the one mic to two channels for recording. I'd get a 1/8" TRS (stereo) > dual 1/4" TS (mono) cable and take the tape out of the MixPre into the 1/4" line ins on the H4. Then, you can send the XLR outs to the camera and have audio on both.

No, that doesn't fit your "same price or cheaper," but better audio for less money is the chimera that so many chase...

The other option, that WOULD be about the same price but would leave recording only to camera, is to get the Sound Devices MM-1 instead of the H4. It's about $50 more. It's a single-channel preamp with headphone monitoring (the less expensive MP-1 has no monitoring). You'd have to set the XH-A1's record channels to feed from the same input. Unfortunately, on that camera, this does not allow individual record channel level/input control. But it still gives you a better preamp than what's in the camera, and can allow a longer cable run from the mic to the camera.

You can also save a few bucks and go with the NTG-1... the only real difference there is that you give up the option of powering the mic from internal AA, as the NTG-1 is phantom only. But that's a small, and basically insignificant, sacrifice.
 
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Butler , I have the same configuration, zoom h4 + Rode NTG2 , I have to say that the pre amps whit the NTG-2 works well when you are in highest level of gain, its a little noise , try to not use the included comp efects from the zoom, so I had probe whit a At 815B , long shotgun for exterior shots , It works better than ntg-2 , sometimes ntg-2 its very sensivity for ambient noise , but I thing that this pair of low budget audio stuff , makes a wonderfull work (if you thing the price payed for both) you have to makes you a battery pack , AA battery life for the H4 its one or two our whit a 2800 ma pair, i will post soon a diy battery pack an a case for the H4 whit compraments for 2 battery packs and for protected the H4 , it´s very skinny construcction but a great recorder, I haven´t hearing any pulse when i used, I put a sdhc 4 gb kinsgton card , works terrifyc , sorry my bad english
 
I also use the Zoom as a handy recorder for non-TC related things and as a backup. Make sure to have at least a mixer in front of the Zoom, that way you have Trim and Fader control of the source.
 
Thanks for your input everyone! I've now got an H4 sitting in front of me. Got it for $220, free shipping, no tax!

I'll be using it for ambiences and interviews and until I can afford a proper mic amp and/or mixer I'll be checking out the school equipment.

Also interesting is that my H4 doesn't appear to have the dreaded "beep" problem. I've put it through spectral analysis at 96, 48, and 41 in WAV and MP3 and I see nothing resembling a beep. So that's good news!
 
hello, i recently got the zoom H4 and have been recording with its built in mics so far no problem... now getting to the next level and got oktava MK-012 mic and cable. plug it into zoom h4 input1. set h4 to record from input mics, and nothing happens on recording, no sound at all is captured.

is there anything i'm doing wrong? any special settings, power, etc.
 
alexandroff said:
hello, i recently got the zoom H4 and have been recording with its built in mics so far no problem... now getting to the next level and got oktava MK-012 mic and cable. plug it into zoom h4 input1. set h4 to record from input mics, and nothing happens on recording, no sound at all is captured.

is there anything i'm doing wrong? any special settings, power, etc.
Click to expand...

Did you remember to enable the 48V Phantom Power for your Oktava microphone? The Oktava is a condensor microphone.
 
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