Best Audio for Epic & Scarlet

[Kevin Gansemans]

Hi guy's,

In 3 weeks We are starting a documentary/film arround the world. Following a Dj and extra.
We are taking the Scarlet and Epic. But we are stock with one problem.... The audio!

Does anyone of you guy's know what the best solution/material is to record the audio?
It needs to be handy for travelin. It would be nice to work with portable audio devices aswell that I can fix on the person himself.

Thanks.

 

[Chris McKechnie]

You can go with a Zoom h4n for the primary recording device if you're booming or laving someone. You can also go with Zoom H1's for a wireless type device which you could hook up with a rode Lavalier mic and have pristine audio with no wi-Fi interference. The only issue with the h1's, is tha you really won't be able to monitor it unless you're close to your talent. You can set it to auto-level, which is what I do, and you'll be fine as I have done that on all of my shoots. It can record for like 7 hours.

Yiu cold also get a device like the Juiced Link DT-454 which has great preamps it's like you have a mini mixer.

 

[Kevin Gansemans]

You can go with a Zoom h4n for the primary recording device if you're booming or laving someone. You can also go with Zoom H1's for a wireless type device which you could hook up with a rode Lavalier mic and have pristine audio with no wi-Fi interference. The only issue with the h1's, is tha you really won't be able to monitor it unless you're close to your talent. You can set it to auto-level, which is what I do, and you'll be fine as I have done that on all of my shoots. It can record for like 7 hours.

Yiu cold also get a device like the Juiced Link DT-454 which has great preamps it's like you have a mini mixer.

Thanks for the advice. I'm considering buying the Zoom h4n with 2 Rode Lavalier. Do you have a suggestion for a wirless transmitter?
When travelin, I would like to bind the Zoom h4n on my camera. So I can record when it's intresting.
And I would like to give the Rode Lavalier to the main person with a wireless audio transmitter that sends the signal straight to the Zoom h4n.

Best,

 

[Kemalettin Sert]

same here..i need sound equipment.i have sennheiser mkh 416 it works with phantom power +48V and not working with epic right now.
please do not recommend SoundDevices 722T or 744T dont have that much money for sound.
im between Zoom H4N vs Tascam Dr100 MKII

 

[Kevin Gansemans]

I'm kind of a nub in Audio, but is it possible to connect the Zoom H4n with the Red camera so that when you push record on the RED it automaticly records the audio on the Zoom h4n?

 

[Chris McKechnie]

The H4N does provide phantom power. I personally hate using wireless devices...always seem to get interference and lavs are MUCH cleaner.

No it's not possible to have the H4N automatically engage recording when you hit record on the RED. The H4N is significantly bigger than the H1...so for scratch audio, I just mount the H1 and take the mini output out of that into the epic. Much more compact and does a good job (again for scratch audio).

Sennheiser is probably the most common wireless device out there, however some of them are expensive. A cheaper alternative would be something like Azden Wireless Mics. Again there are inherent issues when dealing with wireless signals. Even if you were to use the rode lavalier mic into a wireless transmitter, you're still using RF's to transmit that signal, so using the lavalier doesn't really do you any better than to use the actual mic that may come with a transmitter/receiver combo.

I always will try and have a sound guy for run-n-gun stuff when audio is a must!

 

[Kevin Gansemans]

The H4N does provide phantom power. I personally hate using wireless devices...always seem to get interference and lavs are MUCH cleaner.

No it's not possible to have the H4N automatically engage recording when you hit record on the RED. The H4N is significantly bigger than the H1...so for scratch audio, I just mount the H1 and take the mini output out of that into the epic. Much more compact and does a good job (again for scratch audio).

Sennheiser is probably the most common wireless device out there, however some of them are expensive. A cheaper alternative would be something like Azden Wireless Mics. Again there are inherent issues when dealing with wireless signals. Even if you were to use the rode lavalier mic into a wireless transmitter, you're still using RF's to transmit that signal, so using the lavalier doesn't really do you any better than to use the actual mic that may come with a transmitter/receiver combo.

I always will try and have a sound guy for run-n-gun stuff when audio is a must!

Thanks for the advice. I'll consider to buy the Zoom H4n or H1 with Rode Lavalier and just let it record.
But for the surround audio, hopefully they release a new firmware soon with Phantom power enabled. Would be a great aid.

 

[Marc Wielage]

Does anyone of you guy's know what the best solution/material is to record the audio?

Yes -- the best solution is to hire an audio mixer to go along with you and be responsible for recording the talent, keeping all the tracks separate, and feeding a work track to the camera.

Trying to do everything yourself is not the most efficient way to go.

 

[Arnold F.]

The best solution is to have the audio person on the shoot handle the audio. It is as proper to make a documentary with the camera guy doing audio as it is to make it with the audio guy working the camera! They are both full time jobs and each 50% of the project! Good luck!

Hi guy's,

In 3 weeks We are starting a documentary/film arround the world. Following a Dj and extra.
We are taking the Scarlet and Epic. But we are stock with one problem.... The audio!

Does anyone of you guy's know what the best solution/material is to record the audio?
It needs to be handy for travelin. It would be nice to work with portable audio devices aswell that I can fix on the person himself.

Thanks.

 

[Chad Lancaster]

what dj are you following? love your Hard Driver video

 

[Antonio Ribeiro]

same here..i need sound equipment.i have sennheiser mkh 416 it works with phantom power +48V and not working with epic right now.
please do not recommend SoundDevices 722T or 744T dont have that much money for sound.
im between Zoom H4N vs Tascam Dr100 MKII

Tascam DR100. Sturdy and consistent.

 

[Marc Wielage]

The best solution is to have the audio person on the shoot handle the audio. It is as proper to make a documentary with the camera guy doing audio as it is to make it with the audio guy working the camera! They are both full time jobs and each 50% of the project! Good luck!

Great minds think alike!

I would add that, even on a small crew, the sound man can assist with tons of set-related stuff. I have no problem lugging sand bags, helping the electricians, moving a prop out of the way, anything that will allow the shoot to move faster provided I'm not stepping on any toes or crossing any union/job description boundaries. And provided I'm not overwhelmed with audio duties.

As far as I'm concerned, we're all fighting the same battles and on the same side. As I've often advised clients: just having an extra crewmember who's only concerned with audio will save you time and money in post. Making the poor camera operator responsible for sound is one more headache they don't need, and will often result in substandard audio.

 

[J_Norris]

For our Epic X we found these XLR adaptors from Fortis Cinema, it connects to the top or the bottom plate. They have helped solve our problem of the 3.5 mm plugs disconnecting.

Great set up! Just bought mine about 2 weeks ago, really helps keep things out of the way! They were also nice enough to send me new XLR cables that worked more efficiently at no cost.