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How to connect 2 mics (shotgun + neck mic) into the one 3.5mm “Sony PCM D50” input
Hi All,
I will be recording sound on set for a short documentary and I only have little experience in sound for films but I am familiar with sound in general as I am a musician.
Most of the time I will be using 1 Sennheiser neck mic for the person speaking and a Rode NTG2 shotgun for the ambient sound. As a recorder I bought a Sony PCM D50 and I was disappointed to discover that it only has one mini jack input. I’ve seen people using the Zoom H4N for that purpose and I assumed that the Sony PCM D50 would be more heavy duty/professional and would certainly do that same job.
Could anyone help with this?
– What is the best/industry standard way to connect those two mics into the PCM D50 and keep them separated?
– Is using a “stereo mini jack to 2 XLRs” a right way of doing it?Thanks for help
Allen -
3 Replies
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Ok lets work through this…………
Yes there are cable suitable for your needs.
https://www.trewaudio.com/store/DV-Cam-Stereo-Input-Cable-REM-CAMCXY.htmlThe Rode NTG2 is known for a low output level and not ideal to feed into ‘pocket recorders’ as the recorder preamp needs to be wound up quite high to get good signal levels and this will give a poor and very ‘noisey’ recording.
How are you going to adjust the levels of the different mics independantly from each other?
The Rode NTG2 would be powered with a AA battery, how is the Lav mic powered? (what sort of Lav mic)?
And if you do use it as a 2 track recorder do the limiters / compressor from one channel effect the other channel as is common with ‘stereo’ recorders. If you are using different signals on each track they must be able to work as split tracks and not just as a stereo track.
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Hey Brian thanks for your help, so appreciate it.
1- I don’t actually have the NTG2 yet, i was planning to buy one (i read good reviews and it’s affordable). If like you said it has low output level, what shotgun do you recommend that I could use with the Sony PCM D50?
2- Regarding adjusting the levels … as far as I know you can’t split the levels of right and left from inside the Sony … I guess I would be adjusting the volume on the recorder to suit the shotgun and then accordingly I would adjust the output level of the Lav which is actually a Sennheiser ew100 G2.
3- Again as far as I know the limiter can’t be split … it effect both left and right together.
4- In this case and the fact that I own the PCM D40 and I am investing in mics and stuff … is there any device that I can use between the mic and the recorder that would solve the issue?
I find it disappointing that the Sony considering its price doesn’t have those features while the Zoom H4n with third the price has two separate inputs, split levels etc …
Regards and thank you tremendously.
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Putting a mixer between the mic and the recorder will solve so many of the problems that you might encounter.
Mixers have better preamps, deliver phantom power for the mics, (so better mics could be used), some portable recorders can give phantom power but drains the batteries quickly. Mixers have better level controls and limiters.
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