Streamlined Audio Setup Recommendation Needed for 48 Hour Film Race

[Ryan Sauve]

Hey all,

What would give me the best sound out of these:

1. Sennheiser G3 mic'd directly into the Scarlet using 1/8" male to male cables
2. Sennheiser G3 mic'd into the Scarlet using XLR through x A-Box
3. Sennheiser G3 mic'd into the Scarlet using XLR through Zoom H4n then headphone out to Scarlet input

Trying to keep it streamlined and wondering if I'll lose a lot of quality if I take the Zoom out of the equation. Also wondering if there's a difference between direct 1/8" vs through A-Box XLR.

This will be the first time shooting a film race with the RED (we've used the t2i in the past). We've typically gone with 2 G3 systems hooked into a Zoom H4n via XLR and run audio out the headphone out and into the camera.

Any input is welcome and appreciated!

 

[Phil Holland]

1. Works fine.

2. Works fine. Gives you the same "quality" as option 1. A-Box connects via 1/8", just provides XLR. As do these cables at the Red Store: http://www.red.com/store/products/xlr-microphone-cable-20

3. Allows for dual system audio via the Zoom and the Scarlet in case something goes nutso.

Option not listed, bring the audio in via the Pro I/O module. That works well too and opens up 4 channels of audio if you need it.

For quick stuff I personally use the XLR Cables and occasionally a Zoom or Marantz unit. Usually though a good sound guy and timecode sync is a better option.

 

[Shiblon Wixom]

If you run your mic through a Zoom or Tascam and then run a line to the camera, you can also record independent of the camera, just in case, and monitor or modulate the mix going to the camera. The only drawback is changing batteries every 4 hours on the Zoom/Tascam unless you make a D-tap + 5v regulator cable and power it off the camera battery.

 

[Ryan Sauve]

Thanks a lot guys! We're a micro crew hence the mega simplification (a.k.a. no sound guy). I've always gone redundant and never had to fall back to the h4n audio for small stuff like this so I may risk it and ADR anything that may go wonky. Unfortunately, I don't have pro i/o so I might stick with #1 to streamline.

Oh yeah, by the way, it starts tonight.

 

[Noel R.]

Myself personally would record straight into the camera for a 48 hour film festival, you are not going to have the time to synch sound. Without timecode you will have to go through every clip and catalogue everything before you can even get started, which will tack on even more time.

 

[Ryan Sauve]

Wow, so I tried direct to camera (#1 in my original post) and I'm getting a low buzzing sound in the background. If I connect the lavs to the H4n then headphone out to the Scarlet input the buzzing is gone. So I guess I'll be using the H4n. I wonder why I was getting that buzzing?

So I guess now I'll compare that sound vs. the sound directly on the H4n. I suppose I can pluraleyes in the end if the H4n is way better but Lav -> H4n -> Scarlet sounds like it should work.

So my personal takeaway:

G3 Lav -> Scarlet < G3 Lav -> H4n -> Scarlet