[Ty Ford]

Oh well I took a course at the Recording Arts Institute of Saskatoon, and they said it’s gotta be 48 volts and that if I am having low quality, than that’s likely my problem if the pre-amplification is not going high enough.

Not quite correct. The standard, for years, has been 48 V DC, but not all condenser mics require 48 V DC. Some work with 24, 16 and even 12 V DC.

Per my previous comment. Even if it is 48 V DC, if the supply doesn’t have enough current, the mic is starved and won’t sound good.

You may just have a mic with a lot of noise. What’s the make and model of you mic?

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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[Ty Ford]

Hello Ryan and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

What instructor at what school told you that?

This link indicates that the unit will run on a 12 volt supply.
https://www.wildlife-sound.org/resources/equipment/2-uncategorised/48-fostex-fr2le

For some years now, units that are powered by 12-16 VDC have the ability to supply 48 V DC for Phantom Power. Internal circuits use more current to boost the voltage.

Phantom Power, or any power, for that matter, is expressed in some number of watts or milliwatts.

The simple formula P = I x E, where P = power. I = current and E = voltage explains it nicely.

An externally polarized mic requires Phantom Power. That power is a combination of voltage and current. If you have less voltage, you need more current. If you have less current, you need more voltage. Otherwise you starve the mic and that usually results in lower sensitivity, higher noise and more distortion.

The spec of the unit says it supplies 48 V DC. The real question is, how much current? Enough to power the condenser mic you want to use!

Some condenser mics require a little current, some more. Phantom power can be set at 12, 16, 24 or 48 V DC. But, again, how hungry is your mic and how much current does the Phantom Power supply?

You instructor was ill-informed.

Any questions?

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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[Ty Ford]

Hello Clyde and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

Peaking on your recorder at -10 (with a few exceptions going up to -6 or so is what I shoot for.

If I’m feeding a camera with my mixer, I will calibrate the two. Set the camera for line level input. Set the mixer for line level output. Send tone to the camera and adjust the level on the camera to -20. My mixer goes up to +20 before clipping, so, in effect, I’m calibrating so that +20 on my mixer is 0dB on the camera.

I use a limiter on the mixer. It’s set to hold back any audio over +12. That leaves me 8 dB of headroom in case something unexpectedly LOUD happens and pushes through the limiter too quickly.

The camera meters show -8 + or – and that’s what you see on the file when you bring it in to edit.

My mixer to camera cable has a headphone return. I plug it into the camera headphone jack and adjust it for a good output. I flip a switch on the mixer and ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS listen to the camera return when shooting. That way I don’t get surprised if something gets out of alignment; like you decide to shoot some b-roll between interviews and switch to your camera mic, then forget to connect the cable to the mixer when you do the next interview. Hey, how come it’s dead? Oh, I forgot to reconnect the cable! How come the levels are stupid? Oh, I readjusted them for the on-camera mic! I have to recalibrate the mixer and camera.

Any questions?

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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[Ty Ford]

Hello Robert,

Nice to have you here again. If you read the entire thread, it all becomes fairly clear. Studio Design and Sound Design are obviously different.

What’s up with you these days?

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
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[Ty Ford]

Hello Kevin and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

I didn’t know we had a Sound Design Forum!

Where is it?

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
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[Ty Ford]

Hello Tangier, and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

And if you’re wondering if Bouke can do this, yes he can. ☺

It’s nice to have really smart friends.

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
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[Ty Ford]

Hello Mark and welcomer to the Cow Audio Forum.

Can you please post a bit of the problem audio so we can hear it?

Thanks,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
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[Ty Ford]

Bill,

Thanks for stepping in. I was having log in problems and had to call in the boss to figure out why I couldn’t log in. You’ve done a great job in explaining the landscape.

James, yes you probably can use your new CMC641 as a podium mic. You’ll need a good suspension mount to isolate the mic from the podium. Something like this – https://bhpho.to/2IXVYYM or a combo for

If you ordered the CMC641 with the B5D pop filter, you’ll need another layer of foam on top of the B5D to keep close talkers from popping through the B5D. Maybe something like this – https://bhpho.to/2J0rXYc

Try to position the mic so each person is about 6 inches to a foot away from the mic.

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader.

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
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[Ty Ford]

Hello James and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

Eric has given you very sound (pun intended) advice. As you may know, feedback happens when sound coming out of the PA makes its way back into the microphones.

Fewer speakers and/or fewer mics are the answer. You say “mics.” How many mics are you using at one time?
Are you wrapping anything around the back-side ports of the mics? Closing the back ports instantly makes a directional mic into an omni and increases the possibility of feedback.

Perhaps you could show us an overhead view of the mics and speakers.

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Ty Ford Blog: Ty Ford\’s Blog

[Ty Ford]

Hello Trevor and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

Is it possible that the left and right channels are out of phase (reversed polarity) with each other?

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