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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Is it me, or does audio SUCK on Scarlet?

Josh Kameyer said:
Not really sure why people are dropping $199 for the Wooden Camera box when you could just use a less expensive cable.
Click to expand...

Because 1/8" ports are non-locking and not even very snug. Putting a stationary (it clamps to a rod) adapter between the mic and those ports gives you a lot more security.
 
Lee Saxon said:
Because 1/8" ports are non-locking and not even very snug. Putting a stationary (it clamps to a rod) adapter between the mic and those ports gives you a lot more security.
Click to expand...

This. It's well made and well designed and gets you two full-size XLR inputs in a nice little package that removes stress-points for cables to get yanked. Great mounting options as well, ideal solution other than simply having XLRs on the camera body.
 
How is the cable you are using wired? The connector has nothing to do with audio quality by itself. Is the Azden a mono balanced low impedance microphone?
 
Lee Saxon said:
Because 1/8" ports are non-locking and not even very snug. Putting a stationary (it clamps to a rod) adapter between the mic and those ports gives you a lot more security.
Click to expand...


What you say is misleading. It's true that the XLR cable from the mic to the A-Box is secure. But, as far as I know, there's nothing special about the 1/8" jacks on the A-Box. They have the same chance of coming out as the 1/8" connectors on the single cable.

If you have no trouble with the 1/8" jacks getting unintentionally unplugged with the A-Box you shouldn't have a problem with 1/8" jacks on a cable only solution. A right angle 1/8" connector will probably be the best option.

Also, I think the 1/8" size is confusing people because they're used to seeing these as stereo headphone jacks on consumer electronics. They're NOT stereo on the Scarlet. If you get two mono 1/8" jack (one for left, one for right) to female XLR cables you should be fine. This is essentially all the A-Box is - just in a little neater package.
 
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Brian Boyer said:
What you say is misleading. It's true that the XLR cable from the mic to the A-Box is secure. But, as far as I know, there's nothing special about the 1/8" jacks on the A-Box. They have the same chance of coming out as the 1/8" connectors on the single cable.

If you have no trouble with the 1/8" jacks getting unintentionally unplugged with the A-Box you shouldn't have a problem with 1/8" jacks on a cable only solution. A right angle 1/8" connector will probably be the best option.

Also, I think the 1/8" size is confusing people because they're used to seeing these as stereo headphone jacks on consumer electronics. They're NOT stereo on the Scarlet. If you get two mono 1/8" jack (one for left, one for right) to female XLR cables you should be fine. This is essentially all the A-Box is - just in a little neater package.
Click to expand...

If I were mounting an on camera mic or wireless receiver I would use a cable, not the adapter. The A-box is a good solution for cabling to off camera mics or a mixer to prevent accidental disconnection of the 1/8" jacks.
 
Josh Kameyer said:
Hi Matt. That is good to know. So how is this different than running a PSC 1/8"- XLR cable from the front to the mic?
Does the Wooden Camera box have a circuit in it?
Because it seems like you are adding an additional connection, and creating another point of potential failure if you go from the camera, to WC box, to XLR cable, to mic.
Why not just go from the camera to cable to mic?
Click to expand...

Hi Josh.

You are absolutely correct.

You could do that.

For my money, the Wooden Camera adapter is better because it mounts either to rods, or in my case to the Easy Top X, pointed to right side of the camera where audio guys are used to finding the xlrs on other cameras. I'd be worried more about stress relief on a loosely unbound cable.
 
Apart from what sounded like a cable or powering problem (clicking), I thought it sounded fine for an Azden mic and suitable for getting minimal ambient noise. The production mixer on the project will worry about the rest.
 
Brian Boyer said:
Also, I think the 1/8" size is confusing people because they're used to seeing these as stereo headphone jacks on consumer electronics. They're NOT stereo on the Scarlet. If you get two mono 1/8" jack (one for left, one for right) to female XLR cables you should be fine. This is essentially all the A-Box is - just in a little neater package.
Click to expand...

Not sure that's accurate for the A box, but I can say if you use mono cables you must select UNBALANCED audio at the camera.

if you select BALANCED it does use a "stereo" configuration, "left" and "right" are now differential "+" and "-" of the mono signal


In any case, whatever you do, don't select BALANCED audio at the camera, and then use "mono" cables.

If you do that the "+" and "-" will cancel each other out.... i.e. no audio
 
Ok, found the problem.
It's the crappy Azden mic!
It can't power it's self enough to work without phantom.

I got my audio kit back last night and within 3 minutes was recording good audio through my mixer.
Azden sounded very good with phantom as did the Neumanns.

I really don't want to lug around the audio kit up in the mountains just to get ambience audio.

Looks like I'm going to have to get a Rode mic as others have had success with those.
 
Glad to hear you figured out the issue, Chris... and I'm glad it was the mic.
Have my Scarlet sitting here and haven't been able to test audio yet, and I have to admit your sample clip made me a little nervous.
 
Well Kudos to Chris for posting the "problem" ;)
Your faux pas led to a lot of useful info coming up, and even a step-in by the Red Team!
So I'm saying "thanks Chris". Helped me plenty. Oh, and I 'll be sure not to repeat yer dumb mistake...

Onward to the Next Lesson...

Stu Aull
Alaska
 
Brian Boyer said:
What you say is misleading. It's true that the XLR cable from the mic to the A-Box is secure. But, as far as I know, there's nothing special about the 1/8" jacks on the A-Box. They have the same chance of coming out as the 1/8" connectors on the single cable.
Click to expand...

I'm not saying the 1/8" connectors are any different. If you tug on the A-Box's 1/8" cables, they're coming out just as easily as if you tug on a cable-only adapter.

The difference is that it's much harder to tug on the A-Box's 1/8" cables. The A-Box is locked down to a rod between your mic and the 1/8" cables. Those cables don't move at all unless you tug your mic hard enough to move the A-Box (aka way too hard).

With a cable only solution there's no such "buffer."

But I don't deny that at $200 it's a really expensive buffer.
 
Chris Luker said:
Yes, I know that true audio needs to be on a second system - I am an audio guy by trade - but this is not acceptable at all for run and gun stuff.
Only use I can see is for a scratch track.

This sucks.
Ya, ya, Pro I/O is coming in the next year or so... for $3k?
Click to expand...

Tend to agree... Would be good to be able to get quality sound straight into the EPIC as it is....

I've only got 4 little gripes about the EPIC... Audio in quality, EVF playback issues, EVF Blacks and RED MOTE range....

Other than that. It's near perfect.
 
Stuart English said:
Not sure that's accurate for the A box, but I can say if you use mono cables you must select UNBALANCED audio at the camera.

if you select BALANCED it does use a "stereo" configuration, "left" and "right" are now differential "+" and "-" of the mono signal


In any case, whatever you do, don't select BALANCED audio at the camera, and then use "mono" cables.

If you do that the "+" and "-" will cancel each other out.... i.e. no audio
Click to expand...


Damn. I hate being wrong. Now that I look at the picture of the A-BOX more closely, the 1/8" plugs do have a double ring on them, indicating they're balanced.

Thanks for the clarification.


EDIT: Actually, Stuart, I think I stand by my original statement, albeit with some qualifiers. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

My understanding of audio is this: Mono is the alternative to stereo. Balanced is the alternative to unbalanced. When I stated "mono" I didn't mean "unbalanced". A balanced cable, as in the case of the A-Box, is still a mono cable. Just as a balanced cable with XLR connectors on both ends still carries a mono signal.

Yes, two signals travel the length of the wire, but not in the left-right sense we think of when we think stereo. The two signals in a balanced cable are, as you put it, '"+" and "-" of the mono signal', in order to cancel out any noise or interference introduced into the cable between connections.

However, the way products are labeled in many cases, a person should be looking for a stereo (double black ring) 1/8" to female XLR cable and choose "Balanced" on the Scarlet (even though that will only produce a balanced mono signal at the input of the Scarlet).

A person using a mono (single black ring) 1/8" to female XLR cable would choose "Unbalanced" on the Scarlet.

Is this correct?
 
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Lee Saxon said:
I'm not saying the 1/8" connectors are any different. If you tug on the A-Box's 1/8" cables, they're coming out just as easily as if you tug on a cable-only adapter.

The difference is that it's much harder to tug on the A-Box's 1/8" cables. The A-Box is locked down to a rod between your mic and the 1/8" cables. Those cables don't move at all unless you tug your mic hard enough to move the A-Box (aka way too hard).

With a cable only solution there's no such "buffer."

But I don't deny that at $200 it's a really expensive buffer.
Click to expand...

I knew what you were saying, only there was room for the uninitiated to get the wrong idea. But, hey, I threw out some bad info, so...

EDIT: Or did I? See post above.
 
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Brian Boyer said:
... the way products are labeled in many cases, a person should be looking for a stereo (double black ring) 1/8" to female XLR cable and choose "Balanced" on the Scarlet (even though that will only produce a balanced mono signal at the input of the Scarlet).

A person using a mono (single black ring) 1/8" to female XLR cable would choose "Unbalanced" on the Scarlet.

Is this correct?
Click to expand...

Correct...
 
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