[Ty Ford]

Were you looking at the meters at the time of the yell?

We’re they reading overs?

Are you positive you had the line/out/line in or mic out/mic in settings on the mixer and camera set properly?

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: https://home.comcast.net/~tyreeford/AudioBootcamp.html
Watch Ty play guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RZJ9MptZmU

[Ty Ford]

Hello Rick,

-12 on your camera (which would be +8 on the 302) is a little low for peaks of regular conversation; like narrator stuff. I like peaks up around -6 on the camera (+14 on the mixer). Maybe a dB or two hotter. Again, set the 302 output limiter threshold to +16.

If you’re doing dramatics and you know there will be excitement, then -12 might be OK for unattended operation. If you have someone mixing as you record, then the should be riding gain unless the ambient noise is so high that you really hear the noise get sucked up when you increase gain on a pot.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: https://home.comcast.net/~tyreeford/AudioBootcamp.html
Watch Ty play guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RZJ9MptZmU

[Ty Ford]

Hello Danny and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum

Many people were left confused and hurt by that deal. We will (probably) never know the real reasons for either merger other than someone thought it was a good idea on each side.

The press release says they are “planning to merge.” This means they haven’t done the deal yet. It is not at all unusual for companies to put out a “trial balloon” press release to see how the market will react. If the market response is negative enough, the deal may not happen.

Anyone with concerns about Gibson’s previous actions with Opcode, and what might happen with TC, might try posting their concerns to the TC forum and any other professional forums. If there is enough concern, they may reconsider.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: https://home.comcast.net/~tyreeford/AudioBootcamp.html
Watch Ty play guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RZJ9MptZmU

[Ty Ford]

Welcome to the Cow Audio Forum Rick,

Set the 0 VU output of the SD 302 mixer to -20 on your camera.

Also please make sure you have the correct mic or line level positions on each device,
Line out to line in or mic out to mic in.

If your camera only has mic level inputs, always use the mic level output of the 302.

Also, also, put the 302 meter in peak and RMS mode and watch the peaks. Remember, in this mode, seeing +18 peaks on the mixer are hitting the camera at 2 dB below clipping.

Also, also, also set the 302 output limiter to +16 to catch unexpected peaks.

Good choice in mixers, btw.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: https://home.comcast.net/~tyreeford/AudioBootcamp.html
Watch Ty play guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RZJ9MptZmU

[Ty Ford]

FYI,

My speeds don’t go that low.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: https://home.comcast.net/~tyreeford/AudioBootcamp.html
Watch Ty play guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RZJ9MptZmU

[Ty Ford]

Hello Tom and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum,

The shows were shot film style and I’m going to guess that Hitch used Fisher Booms. These are wonderfully elaborate rigs. There’s a company that’s been at NAB for years in the big central hall that usually has one. The guy running it has a lot of fun following folks as they wander up and down the aisles.

And, you’re right. These were studios designed for filming. High ceilings, three wall rooms, allof which reduce reflected sound so a shotgun can actually be used. These acoustically designed spaces bear little resemblance to real interiors.

Several years ago I was reviewing a new shotgun mic. Sounded pretty good! Then I caught myself….um, I was in my acoustically designed recording studio. Upstairs in the normal space of my living room the mic sounded a LOT more roomy.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: https://home.comcast.net/~tyreeford/AudioBootcamp.html
Watch Ty play guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RZJ9MptZmU

[Ty Ford]

It’s very much about the preamp in this situation. A really good preamp has a lot of good gain.
The better the preamp, the more clean gain, especially at higher gain levels. Cheap preamps get noisy (in addition to being louder) as you turn them up.

Camera preamps are OK. Cheap mixers may be OK, but the price frequently means they are not.

Sound Devices makes the MM1, a plain preamp that’s nice. They also make the MixPre; a quality little mixer with the exception that it has a line level output. If your camera only has mic level inputs, they sell a set of adapter cables that reduce the line level to mic level. It also has an unbalanced stereo output that you can plug in to the little prosumer cameras.

Mark McQuilken’s RNP preamp is an exception. It requires AC, but it’s a nice little preamp.

Preamps and mixers are different. I mention this here because some folks have bought preamps thinking that they will save a few dollars, only to find they bought the wrong thing. You find preamps IN mixers, but not mixers in preamps.

Preamps usually have only one output. Mixers have several preamps (inputs) and an output stage that allows the input to be routed to different places including a master stereo output.

Mixers are also usually designed to be adjusted on the fly, allowing the user to ride gain during recording. All of these things can make a big difference in the quality of the recording.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: https://home.comcast.net/~tyreeford/AudioBootcamp.html
Watch Ty play guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RZJ9MptZmU

[Ty Ford]

Hello Marc and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum,

I have several 1/4″ reel to reel decks here that stay in service for just this reason. If you get no results from your search, let me know. If the speed and tracks match, I can help you.

Two years ago I transferred about 20 CASES (10-12 reels per case), some one sided, some two sided) and did substantial noise reduction on them for a University in the mid-west. These were tapes used as teaching modules. The project took me from February to December of 2006. I did 4-6 hours per week. A little like eating an elephant.

I also have non-timecode DAT machines.

Regards,

Ty (audio museum) Ford

Want better production audio?: https://home.comcast.net/~tyreeford/AudioBootcamp.html
Watch Ty play guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RZJ9MptZmU

[Ty Ford]

Hello WIll and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum,

The SM7B is a dynamic mic. Dynamics generally are not a sensitive and condensers, if the diaphragms are of equal size. You have the mic, you have the camera. Plug it in and see what happens. Compare it to one of your lavs, which will surely have a smaller diaphragm.

Distance from the source also plays a big part in whether the SM7b will work for you. You can work that mic almost with lips on it. An experienced radio person can do that.

What’s the application?

Regards,

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: https://home.comcast.net/~tyreeford/AudioBootcamp.html
Watch Ty play guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RZJ9MptZmU

[Ty Ford]

Roland, and folks,

I agree. I think it’s been pretty much proven that 24-bit, 48 kHz is the baseline spec for audio today, even though I’m pretty sure Digi-beta is only 16-bit, 48 kHz.

I get a bit pragmatic when I know how much good technology there is out there and see formats like HDV. It’s really an interim format (as many are). Something to sell until the next format is invented. Video format wars have been around before I started writing about technology twenty years ago. The battle is not likely to end.

Soon after HDV hit the market, I spoke to a technical rep from a leading equipment company. He said that if you really wanted good audio, of course, you would not used HDV audio. You would double record.

This begs the question, “How good does your audio need to be?” I can’t answer that for you. I have sent radio spots out as 384 kbps stereo mp3 files. I did not lose a minute’s sleep over it because, for better or worse, it is common practice today.

Again, specs aren’t everything. A very good recordist with average gear may get better sound than someone less experienced with all the best gear.

For more information on lossy (destructive) and lossless (non or not as destructive) compression), try this, https://flac.sourceforge.net/

Regards,

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: https://home.comcast.net/~tyreeford/AudioBootcamp.html
Watch Ty play guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RZJ9MptZmU