bcopenhagen

Reviving this old topic... seemed appropriate for my question: Does anyone know if Don Coufal's boom class that used to be on the 695 website is anywhere on the internet? I found links to it from a post here on JWSound, but they are outdated. For context: sometime in 2008, I was in need of some inspiration as to the role of the boom op on set. I was working on a bigger budget film, and had a particularly frustrating day finding my stride as the bridge between the mixer and the other keys on set. I stayed up too late, dug around on the internet and happened to find Don Coufal's boom class on the 695 website. It totally changed my perspective and gave me the confidence to become, as Don put it, the ambassador of the sound dept. I'm now working more regularly as a mixer, but the ideas from that class have carried through to how I work with boom operators: as a cohesive and collaborative team. As I work with new folks, I'd love to be able to refer them to that video, if anyone knows if/where it exists. Thanks, Brian

Joi b- You say the silver pipes clamp doesn’t penetrate the Pelican case. How does it attach to the case ? Thanks, Brian

Hi, I am posting for a DP colleague of mine. He needs a documentary sound mixer in Washington DC on 9/28 and 9/29/21. Please contact him directly below. Frazer (415) 517-3260 Thanks, Brian

As Mr Blankenship said, the original JL-2+ is perfectly capable of charging the lithium chemistry NPs (I also use the metal-chassis version for my 68Wh batts). So it follows that the Np-9x can be charged on any version of the JL2-Plus. I had actually called IDX before I posted, but I was hoping for real-world feedback on an older JL-2+. Coincidentally, so was IDX. They wanted to know how it goes if I tried to charge on the older JL because there was a concern that a timing circuit in the metal-chassis version would cut off charging before higher capacity of the NP-9X can be reached. The update from today (from the headquarters in Japan) is that all versions of the JL-2+ should work, ie, no timing cutoff. Pretty important on the road BUT … (“everybody has a big but”) … some versions of the KL4 may have this “inconvenience”. The NP-9X won’t reach full capacity in a single charge cycle. In THEORY (I’ll know in a couple days if it was actually tested at the mothership), the LED on the charger bank will blink when the timer cuts off charging before full capacity of the NP-9X is reached. The battery needs to be removed and re-inserted to kick in another charging cycle. That would kinda be a dealbreaker for me if that were the case on my old JL-2Plus: if I was on the road, and had to re-plug the batteries in the middle of the night. Though I also have the KL4, I usually use it in a “supervised” environment (on set or at home). With a 2-week road job coming up, I think I’ll take the plunge. The 888/SL2 combo is real slick, but it’s definitely hungrier than a 633!

How old is your JL2 charger? There are two versions of the JL2Plus: 1) the newer is blue or dark grey with a plastic chassis 2) the older is light grey with a metal chassis (looks like a mini version of AL4 or KL4). See photos below. I’d love to know if charging is totally successful on the older one. Thanks!

Hi Matt- I have a CCM-41 with a Lemo connector and I have always been concerned about it, babying it in every way. There was a period of time when the Lemo connector was problematic, causing intermittent audio signal, and it was pretty finicky doing the repair in that tiny Lemo. All that is to say that I would advise the XLR for all the reasons you cited: -if you’re traveling frequently, you may want to consider carrying a spare Lemo cable, because you will probably not find one in a hurry if you have an issue. But you will probably already have an XLR cable with you. -maintenance: as I said, that little lemo connector is not super easy to work with; whereas, I have done emergency repairs to XLRs on the road with a big dumb soldering iron from Radio Shack (RIP). -"fitting into other people's work": I'm not sure exactly what you mean by this, but if it refers to integrating with other people's gear... they will not likely have Lemo connectors. One other thing is that the short body of these microphones makes shockmounting pretty specific. I have a few mini-mounts for the CCM that make it flexible to shockmount (including a Rycote INV specific to that mic). But "in a pinch" you might want the extra girth of the XLR version (instead of the tapering body of the Lemo version) to mount in a more standardized mount. Good luck, Brian

@PMC - thanks for the Williams pouch idea @RunAndGun - Thanks for your reply. I’ve done some research, of course, but it’s hard to know sizing, durability, etc. from internet searches. I’m hoping for examples from users. Brian

Some of my Comtek P-1 zippered belt pouches are showing their age, and $16-19 seems a little pricey to replace with OEM pouches. I’ve found a few possibilities, but I thought I’d ask here. What alternative pouches are you using for Comteks? Preference for belt clip, as opposed to belt loop. Thanks in advance for any links and ideas! Brian

As a a new 888 owner, I was curious to know. At first glance through the manual for the 888 , the only reference to the blue color is in a photo screenshot of the Bus 1 screen. In the legend in the top left corner, it says Send = <blue box> (See attached image from the 888 manual). I will keep looking, but that’s the first clue.

I’ve been using another outdated App on my iPad: Tonmeister, in combination with the ACN-BT, or Beetle. It was developed by Ambient, and uses Bluetooth to control the 788T. It has some quirks, that I’ve mostly gotten used to, but it’s been great for labeling tracks, taking notes, and produces a nice color-coded report. It also rolls/stops and arms tracks, and several other functions. Unfortunately, they no longer support it. They have since put out a browser-based app over WiFi that requires a Master Lockit, and is compatible with the 6-series, as well as the 788T. Good luck on this. Let us know how it goes. Even though I’m about to move to an 888, the 788T has been my diehard recorder for 12 years. I can only hope the next generation will last this long! Brian

You’ve mentioned this 833 comparison before, but I don’t see how the SX-R4+ and Nova are direct competitors to the 833. The Nova lists at $4995, and the Sonosax at $5876, which are 20-30% more expensive than an 833. It sounds like maybe you don’t need an XL-AES box. But I am taking this moment to rejoice in the efficacy with which this box was produced…and that AES is not dead yet.

The plot thickens… Chris, same issue exactly? Right return not showing on meter, nor in headphones?

That’s funny that this comes up. I have had the same issue intermittently, and again a couple days ago. I have tested my cam snake return plugged into another mixer, and it works fine. It was a serious enough issue that I was getting ready to send it in, when I did a “final” check, and it was working! I’ll try software resets, as Phil suggested, but I have been perplexed. just out of curiosity, are you sending mic or line level from the 633? XLR outs? Brian

Think of it like this: you can route any input (whether digital or analog) to any channel , to any track. INPUT –> CHANNEL -> TRACK That’s not even mentioning the busses, which allows customized routing of channels to tracks or outputs. Hope that helps.

Yes, into any channel, not just 9-16. From the SD 888 thread: Hopefully it will be less than $500. And maybe a year-end sale to bolster 888 sales? Buy an 888, get an AES accessory for 50% 😁 Brian

@daniel yes, Paul Isaacs mentions in one of the Facebook live videos that it will connect to the top connector, under the magnetic door. @chrismedr good sleuthing. I didn't read comments. (In actual fact, I don’t even have a Facebook account, if you can believe that!) But it sounds like my plan to buy an 888+AES module before year’s end might be plausible. Even better if they went on sale for Christmas 😜

I hope they’re available that soon, but I don’t see that on the Facebook post. Just dates for the contest to win one: 11/27-12/15.

Thanks to those who revived my original inquiry for real-world experiences with battery usage, as well as to those who reported. Once the 888 was announced, I knew that I would keep my 633 for the portable work, because the battery usage of the 833 is a deal-killer for my travel work. I’ve spent years finessing my travel kit, (slimming it down to a 1560, a 1510, and a personal bag) and I know that my 633 rig can run for 2 days with 3 NPs. The few additional functions of the 833 are just not worth having to add extra batteries, swap over to a smart battery system, or worry about charging during the shoot day, I am, however, sold on upgrading my cart with the 888. It’s really the machine I’ve been waiting for, especially when the AES accessory opens up further inputs. Glad to have so many new options to choose from. cheers, Brian

@Trey- What color is the rectangular button in between the pan and Aux knobs? 212's are red. 214's are grey. @Ira The SX-ST actually has both a power switch on each module, and an On/Mute button: 4.4.5 On/MuteKey[ON] This key activates or mutes the channel. This function is absolutely noiseless and affects the mix busses 1 to 8, the Pre and Post fader Aux Sends, the channel solo, the direct output and eventually the Insert send/return. The green Led located just above confirms that the channel is turned [ON]. Interestingly, in production work, it turns out to be a very DANGEROUS button to have close to the fader. Mixing complex scenes can mean a lot of intuitive finger moves (ie, without looking), jumping around the board between trims and across the faders. It's a pretty soft touch button, and accidentally hitting the ON button means you mute the channel, not only to the mix, but to the pre-fade ISO as well. Not good. So, upon the recommendation of another mixer, I had Sonosax put in a delay on the ON button of 125 ms, if I recall. That way, if I breeze across it, it won't mute immediately. The SX-ST is a beautiful board. I didn't think I would notice much difference sonically, but the SX-ST had so much more clarity and fullness. I may be old school, but I'm happy as a clam with my analog, which doesn't seem to go out of style quite as fast as current trends. I got my 1983 SX-S10 in 2005, and the 2006 SX-ST in 2017. Brian

Hi Ira, Sorry this thread was so roundly ignored. I didn’t have the time, personally, but wanted to at least give you a response. For the last 13 years, I used an SX-S10, with 8 input modules, the Aux module, & the SX-F1 film module. I am still a head-over-heels Sonosax fan, so I invested in a used SX-ST, while everyone else is moving over to the recorder-based control surfaces. It’s 8 channels, but what a sweet 8 they are. Anyway, I can’t speak to your question about the modules with no inserts/direct outs, but I wanted to mention one of the biggest differences between the 212 and 214 modules: the mute vs power button. AKA, the gray button or the red button. It seemed relevant to another of your threads I ran across with regard to the audible pop to mute the channels. Forgive me if I’m telling you something you already know. From the SX-S manual: 3.8 ON Switch With S-4 on the circuit board in Power position this switch turns the entire power to the module on and off. An audible pop will be introduced on the mixer's output if this switch is used during operation. This function is useful to conserve power when only a few channels are being used. With S-4 on the circuit board in Mute position all power is applied to the module but its output is muted unless the switch is depressed. Channels can be preset and switched on to the mix bus during operation with no pop. I noticed you are also looking for more modules. Good luck on the hunt. -Brian Copenhagen

Yes, from A & B returns. Pg 9 of the manual. FWIW, Gotham Sound just put up an unboxing video + comparison of the three 8-series recorders.

Paul, thank you for your input(s) [pun fully intended]. This bit of information is extremely useful to making the right buying decision in an ever-growing market of powerful recorders. This will mean that before the year’s out, the 888+AES accessory will be the perfect combo upgrade to my 788T, which ain’t even broke yet! Brian

Thanks for the replies. Specs are a good guide, but I am still hoping for some real-world data. Looking back at my post, I realize I listed the wrong power for NPs. Most are closer to 70Wh (mine are 77Wh).

Coming back to the subject of power draw, perhaps some of you new owners of the 833 can do some battery runtime tests? I’m considering an upgrade from a 633, but after looking at the current draw for several machines, I grew a little concerned about the amount of battery power I would need to haul around on a travel job. 633: 447 mA, idle current draw, inputs 1-6 on 688: 680 mA, idle, inputs 1-6 on 833: 845mA, idle, all mic-pres OFF. 1.03A, all mic-pres on (!) To relate these numbers to the real-world, I measure by the number of 95Wh NP batteries that can get me through a day: 633 + 2 SRb: 2 NPs (personal experience) 688/SL6 + 2 SRb: 4 NPs (says a colleague) So with the 833 showing an even higher spec for current draw than the 688, am I going to need 5+ NP batteries for a single day’s work? That is a bit concerning when it comes to trying to travel light via airplane! I know there’s some talk of “intelligent power-down” of unused channels and electronics, but I’d love to have some real-world feedback on powering this seemingly hungry little beast. Cheers, -Brian

Thanks! I also got an email response saying they hope to ship late June/early July. And, “The pre-order discounts will be valid till we actually know when shipping starts, we’ll send out another news.” cheers, Brian