I got a number of messages regarding my thought about the Tascam Vs Fostex. So hear are my thoughts both are great machines at different price points the Tascam is $700.00 while the Fostex is either $1000.00 with out timecode and $1500.00 with timecode. These FR-2 comes from the BHvideo.com website. I have used both machines extensively and I believe both deliver a similar quality audio file. For me it came down to price. I only use my Tascam Recorder a few times a year and wanted to spend the least amount of money and get the most features. However if you need to Generate timecode then the Fr-2 is your only choice. It is just like most things in audio whatever works for you. So my advice would be go to your local store and try both.
Petrol Bags vs Porta-Brace
Choosing a Sound Equipment Bag is a very important but often overlooked purchase. Alot of Novice sound mixers just buy the cheapest bag, use the provided bag or buy a Porta-Brace because that the name they have heard before. However I love and prefer Petrol Bags because of there price, versatility and ease of use. The most important thing when having a sound bag is that it doesn’t hinder the operation of your equipment especially in a fast pace reality tv situation. I prefer Petrol Bags because your able to run cables anywhere you need to in the bag and in a PEZ1 bag I can fit (2) Sound Devices 302 Mixer, (5) Lectrosonics, (1) Zaxcom Hop, and a few extra batteries. The Petrol Harness is also great and I think is much more comfortable than the Portabrace harness. So if your in the market for a new sound bag consider a Petrol Bag BH Video also has the lowest prices on them as well.
Choosing the Right Lav Microphone
I had someone email me yesterday and ask me which lav microphone should I buy and which do you own. Lav Microphones are just like other types of microphones different ones for different situations. So here are my thoughts on Lav microphone choice. I own Countryman Emw, Countryman B6, TRAM, and Sanken Cos-11(have used but don’t own). Personally I prefer the Countryman EMW as my multipurpose lav. I like it because it is easy to hide, waterproof, wind resistant and is cheap at under $200.00. I use it in most situations with great success, however it is just a tool. The 2nd lav I use often in situations where I need to hide a lav on someone wearing small amounts of clothing or need to make 100 percent sure it is hidden is the Countryman B6. I don’t care for the sound of the B6 as much but it has saved me a few times. The B6 is expensive and is fragile because of it being so small. I only own 1 TRAM Lav and only use it in situations where I think the Lav may take a beating because I find it to be the most robust. I think the EMW sounds better and is cheaper. The Sanken Cos-11 is a great sounding Lav and If I start doing more Film work I will buy some however I find the EMW more easy to hide and for reality tv no one has ever told me that the EMW was unacceptable. So to answer the readers questions If you can only afford 1 lav buy the Countryman EMW it is the cheapest, and the most versatile. Tomorrow I will discuss bag choice and set up
Tascam HD-P2 Hard disk Recorder
The Tascam HD-P2 recorder is a 2 Channel 24 bit 96khz Compact Flash Hard disk recorder. It has been on the market for about 2 years and I have owned one for about 1.5 years. I don’t use it very often because I do mostly Reality Tv work but it has preformed perfect for me on three film shoots and a few jobs where I was just recording the audio. The unit can be found at most sound retailers for about $1000.00 but you can find them on Ebay for $700.00 which is where I purchased mine. The unit is very powerful the microphone pre amps don’t sound that good but when using it with a line input from my Sound Devices 302 mixers it sounds great. The unit will also accept Tri Level sync timecode with is a plus. It also has SPIDF and RCA inputs and outputs. It is a great recorder for the price if anyone would like to hear some test recordings let me know.
Linking a Sound Devices 302 to a Mix-Pre
Recently I have had the need to add an extra channel to my 302. I have in the past used the return of my 302 to add the extra channel but I hate losing the ability to use my return to listen. I considered many options I first was going to buy a 442 mixer but at $2600.00 with a betasnake it just seemed like alot of investment for only the occasional time I need an extra channel since I would never sell my 302. I then considered buying a used Wendt X4 which I used in Film school. But after using one on a equipment provided job I remembered how much I hated the metering and limiters on it. So I was going to buy a 2nd 302 but spending $1300.00 still was more than I wanted to spend. However there are many used Mix-pre around so I purchased one for $450.00 bought a line out to mix in cable from Trew Audio and for under $500.00 I have added 2 more channels. I have used the set up once and used the mix-pre for my boom and for a plant mic on a podium. It worked flawlessly and provided me with excellent sound. The limiter worked just as good as the 302 on my boom. The only things I don’t like about the Mix-Pre is it only has mic inputs and line outputs but thats it and I can work around it. I would suggest this set up to anyone who needs an extra channel sometimes but is on a budget like me.
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