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Advice on using Rode NTG-3 with Zoom H4N
Hello there,
I’ve recently acquired a Rode NTG-3 microphone (with a blimp) to use along with a Zoom H4N unit, which I’ve already had for a little while. If anyone has used this combination before, I’m curious to hear any thoughts/tips/suggestions when it comes to using these particular microphone and recorder. That could include settings which yield best sound (e.g. ideal mic and headphone volume levels for indoor and outdoor shoots) or additional accessory recommendations, such as a separate source of phantom power. From the quick tests I’ve conducted, H4N seems to die fast while supplying the 48V phantom that NTG-3 needs. I wonder how many packs of batteries I’ll need to bring with me for the first day-long shoot I do with my H4N+NTG-3 combo.
I’m excited to use this combination for future projects and would appreciate any ‘heads up’ from anyone who has used these products already.
Kind regards,
Aleksey
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7 Replies
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You might want to consider getting an external battery power supply to extend your H4N battery life. Barring that option, you need to figure out how long the H4N will run with 48v phantom and then do the math.
Eric
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The other way to go about it is to use a field mixer to provide the phantom power and take a feed off of that into the H4n.
Either way, I would try to use wall power whenever possible – batteries are certainly expendables, but in the field you want to have them when you need them.
Wolf
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I use a field mixer to run my NTG-3 into an H4n. Phantom power comes from the mixer, so I get more life out the H4n before I need to change batteries. I’m looking at getting a battery distribution system to power both the mixer and H4n, as well as wireless receivers.
As for settings, I use the tone from my mixer and set one channel on the H4n to -12 and the other to -20, then use the mixer to control levels from there.
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Thank you very much to everyone for providing these suggestions. I think I’ll rent out a couple of mixers and see how long the H4n+mixer+NTG-3 setup lasts for each of them. Are there any suggestions for an optimal mixer for this setup (2-4 channel mixer)?
Once again, I appreciate all the feedback!
-aleksey -
Any of the Sound Devices mixers will be just fine. The Mix-pre, the 302 or the 442.
Eric
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how do you connect the H4n to the Sound Devices MM1 for the best audio quality? I’ve heard some mention an attenuator, would you know how to connect those two for optimal audio quality. I’d really appreciate a response. Thanks!
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Eric,
Can you recommend any battery supply packs that you’ve had luck with for powering the H4N? I’m also looking to power a JuicedLink preamp as well, and I’ve seen really mixed reviews.
Thanks,
Tom
P.S. Do you still put high-gain antennae on Sennheiser G2’s? I saw that in another post, but the email came back dead.
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