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Quick Epic-W Vlock IO with Rode Stereo Mic

Steve DiMaggio

Steve DiMaggio

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Figured I would toss this up here, just did a quick test last night to see how the dynamic range was with the vlock io inputs. Pretty much on course with the 3.5 input on my pix e5h. Better than a dslr, much cleaner gain. I am not going to hesitate using this with a dpa wireless mic and shotgun for quick interview style stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6hZvgXDNaE

does anyone know how to embedd youtube here

Steve
 
Wow that sounds incredibly clean... my I/O V Lock doesn't sound that clean at all. Maybe it's worth sending it to RED because that sounds really solid for being a 3.5mm input.
 

Use the little video button in the bar (second from right) or just enclose in a VIDEO tag... like any HTML tag.
 
huh I have been trying to do that, weird. Yes it is clean, I also have some dpa mic into lectrosonic wireless here. It was raining like crazy and my first go around, this is not the finished product just a draft to make sure the song and content was correct for the couple
https://vimeo.com/188762930

 
also regarding how clean it sounds, it is important to know where you are introducing gain into your signal and how you monitor ect to get the most of the input, took a little tweaking but once its correct you can just use the levels, I never use headphones anymore in the field

Steve
 
Hey Steve - Great test. Have you ever used the 3.5mm to dual XLR from Wooden Camera? Interested to see how that sounds. I'm often a single operator, so having some good sound is paramount. I'll eventually get the Omod XLR when it's available, but curious if you've ever used the Wooden Camera setup.
 
I have not, but knowing what I know about audio, I would guess it would be a better solution for noiser mics that need a pre amp than some of the other inline stuff. I purposely do not use any mics that can't supply power via battery, even with my pix I find that my sennheiser shotgun is cleaner with the battery than the built in phantom. No matter what I think that getting clean power from good charged batteries will always be best. I use ansmann batteries and feel like they really have made a difference.

You want the cleanest power to get the cleanest signal. At least that is what I found owning studios, piling tracks on tracks the noise just rises, almost like grading something beyond its capabilities.

Not sure if I answered your question, lol.

What mics are you using and what are you using them for?

Steve
 
Steve DiMaggio said:
I have not, but knowing what I know about audio, I would guess it would be a better solution for noiser mics that need a pre amp than some of the other inline stuff. I purposely do not use any mics that can't supply power via battery, even with my pix I find that my sennheiser shotgun is cleaner with the battery than the built in phantom. No matter what I think that getting clean power from good charged batteries will always be best. I use ansmann batteries and feel like they really have made a difference.

You want the cleanest power to get the cleanest signal. At least that is what I found owning studios, piling tracks on tracks the noise just rises, almost like grading something beyond its capabilities.

Not sure if I answered your question, lol.

What mics are you using and what are you using them for?

Steve
Click to expand...

Steve, sorry for threadjacking this a bit, but what would be the mics, following your experiEnce (brand, model) that would best serve a scenario where one would need to use the W's inputs directly ? Camera mounted or in an attached boom?
 
My two go-to mics that I almost always have on my camera are the Rode NTG4+ (battery powered) and the Sennheiser AVX Lav (battery powered). I sometimes use my Sennheiser 416, which is by far my favorite mic - seems way more sensitive, directional, and crisp than the Rode NTG4+ - but it's been a bit on the fritz lately (crackling and humming).

But my main two microphones are battery powered. Do you think the Epic-W 3.5mm port with the dual XLR adapterhttp://woodencamera.com/RED/RED-Weapon-Raven-Accessory-Kits/A-Box-Weapon-Scarlet-W-Raven.html would still be pretty good sound?







Steve DiMaggio said:
I have not, but knowing what I know about audio, I would guess it would be a better solution for noiser mics that need a pre amp than some of the other inline stuff. I purposely do not use any mics that can't supply power via battery, even with my pix I find that my sennheiser shotgun is cleaner with the battery than the built in phantom. No matter what I think that getting clean power from good charged batteries will always be best. I use ansmann batteries and feel like they really have made a difference.

You want the cleanest power to get the cleanest signal. At least that is what I found owning studios, piling tracks on tracks the noise just rises, almost like grading something beyond its capabilities.

Not sure if I answered your question, lol.

What mics are you using and what are you using them for?

Steve
Click to expand...
 
Hey guys, I am gonna be out on shoots until sunday night will respond when I get back

steve
 
Sergio Perez said:
Steve, sorry for threadjacking this a bit, but what would be the mics, following your experiEnce (brand, model) that would best serve a scenario where one would need to use the W's inputs directly ? Camera mounted or in an attached boom?
Click to expand...
I have never used a boom, my brother in law does for his work, but since I do weddings mostly booms are out of the question. Are you looking for dialog or ambient sound? I am going to do a test with my senhhieser sometime this week with the Epic-W. I know it kills going into my pix e5h for dialog in a noisy house. This is what I use now for dialog when I dont break out the rode which is much smaller, but not great for dialog in noisy conditions
https://en-us.sennheiser.com/camera-mic-dslr-shotgun-video-mke-600

Steve
 
Kerrin Sheldon said:
My two go-to mics that I almost always have on my camera are the Rode NTG4+ (battery powered) and the Sennheiser AVX Lav (battery powered). I sometimes use my Sennheiser 416, which is by far my favorite mic - seems way more sensitive, directional, and crisp than the Rode NTG4+ - but it's been a bit on the fritz lately (crackling and humming).

But my main two microphones are battery powered. Do you think the Epic-W 3.5mm port with the dual XLR adapter would still be pretty good sound?
Click to expand...
I think youll be good to go, the one issue I had with my sennheiser wireless was even after scanning at each location I still got rf pops ect. Moving up the lectrosonic was one of the best things I ever did for my audio. However it's one of those things where the last 5% of quality is 95% of your budget, just like lenses and cameras and filters ect!

Steve
 
I wanted to update everyone, I did a couple weddings recently using the rode stereo video mic, and I can say without a doubt that the vlock io is very clean when boosted almost to top gain. Much better than the 1/8" input on my pixe. I will post example once all is edited. Really impressed though, also with direct in from board.

steve
 
For best in camera sound with RED cameras, add Sound Devices MixPre-D. I have used it since my Red1 Mx times, and now with Epic-W and Base Expander. Your setup is still managable and portable.

Combine it with an high end mic like the Neumann Kmr 81i (my personal preference) or Letrosonic lavalier, your in camera audio file sounds like the wave files from your sound guy using a Sound Devices 702. Yes, it is as good as that.

And you can mix two separate audio channels to mono lef/right which is great. E.g. Channel1 left from boom mic, and channel 2 right from lavalier.
 

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Hi Thai,

This configuration is very interesting, I am still looking for a sound module. Waiting for the OMOD module come out...

How have you attached the sound device to the Epic? How is the connection between Sound Device 702 and the base expander?

Do you think you have the same quality that the OMOD?

I own a Sennheiser MKH-416, how is the Neumann compare to the Sennheiser?

Thanks
 
Olivier Gresse said:
Hi Thai,

This configuration is very interesting, I am still looking for a sound module. Waiting for the OMOD module come out...

How have you attached the sound device to the Epic? How is the connection between Sound Device 702 and the base expander?

Do you think you have the same quality that the OMOD?

I own a Sennheiser MKH-416, how is the Neumann compare to the Sennheiser?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Hey Oliver,

From SD MixPre-D (its not the 702) XLR Output you connect a 2x XLRF-minijack cable to the 3.5mm stereo in of Base Expander. From 3.5mm headphone of Base Expander you connect minijack cable to SD MixPre-D Tape-return, which allows you to listen when playback. So basically, you hand off sound control completely from Red camera to Sound Device which gives you much better control and monitoring. Cool also, you can plug in a small portable loudspeaker to the headphone jack of SD and everyone can listen when playback.

I don't know OMOD so can't judge. I think the module is not out yet. But I assume the quality must be very good. This is what I would expect if I spent that much money. What I like about my solution is, SD is attached to my rig via a clamp which I can take off within seconds if not needed. OMOD you have to unscrew the module (I believe).

I think 416 and Neumann are in the same ballpark in terms of quality. However, the Neumann has a warmer sound with slightly more punch.
Also, off axis is handled better by the Neumann and thus more forgiving if you don't have a professional boom operator.
If you are interested in which Mic, here is a good write up
http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/right_mic_brockett.html


Cheers,
Thai
 
i have run a track from Sound devices 633 into 3.5 V-lock and it sounds pretty good, not as good as the wave files on the mixer, but can be used for sure. My understanding is that the 3.5 jack does not compromise the sound at all, just that it is subject to noise from moving the connection. With sending a fairly strong signal to the input on the camera, not really using the camera pre-amps so the sound is clean. To not be connected to the 633, I have used the time code to sync and then separate the sound recorder, it seems to keep in sync for quite a long time. Also, the scratch track from the on camera mic seems to work fine in most instances. The OMOD would be nice, but I really don't mind a separate recorder for sound. Now the 633 has this great wireless ability to control the recorder, called "wingman", works on phone or iPad.
 
Jon Dishler said:
i have run a track from Sound devices 633 into 3.5 V-lock and it sounds pretty good, not as good as the wave files on the mixer, but can be used for sure. My understanding is that the 3.5 jack does not compromise the sound at all, just that it is subject to noise from moving the connection. With sending a fairly strong signal to the input on the camera, not really using the camera pre-amps so the sound is clean. To not be connected to the 633, I have used the time code to sync and then separate the sound recorder, it seems to keep in sync for quite a long time. Also, the scratch track from the on camera mic seems to work fine in most instances. The OMOD would be nice, but I really don't mind a separate recorder for sound. Now the 633 has this great wireless ability to control the recorder, called "wingman", works on phone or iPad.
Click to expand...

When you say the sound is not as good as coming from your mixer, did you use the same mic in the same environment?
I am not a sound expert but know enough what good and clean sound should be.
On a recent test I purposedly set MixPreD amp low around -18dbu and pushed by +10dbu in post and still didn't hear any hiss.

633 is quite a step up but it is a lot chunkier and heavier.
 
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