hobbiesodd

Hello All, Has anyone come across a 4 channel alternative for Zaxcom’s FP8? Specifically one that is line (or switchable) input? (Like a FP4 if such a thing existed.) I love the FP8 with my Nomad, but since I use Lectro wireless the extra faders/functionality of the FP8 is overkill for my purposes. I have inquired to Kortwich about their VCP-M4 but unfortunately it’s mic level only and since I am using SRs I don’t need the preamp— and they are not eager to make one at this time. Otherwise, that size of a unit would be perfect for me. Any tips on things I may have missed would be greatly appreciated. Cheers, Evan Meszaros

Theres a spot inside Grand Central Station NYC that has the same effect. It can be a busy commuter day but if you whisper into one specific corner your friend across the room can hear you. It mesmerized me as a kid. Cheers, Evan

That depends.... Syd era Floyd? Peak Gilmour Floyd? Or authoritarian Waters era? Cheers, Evan also: this is a great article. Thanks so much, Mono!

I bought a bunch of these as extra IFBs for my Comtek 216 system and tested them once. They’ve been sitting in my gear closet ever since. I found them terribly noisy and unsuitable for “mildly critical” audio like camera hops or client IFBs. I might consider using them for PAs to take notes but that’s about it. Cheers, Evan

I’m about to buy some standard luggage as this next trip requires I not have pelicans... How do these Ricardo’s hold up? cheers, evan

I need to go incognito like that in a week or so. What brand of durable “civilian” luggage do you use? I need a strong rolling case. Cheers, Evan

Hey Adam— you really need to stretch the squid thoroughly before you use it. I use mine on the base. It takes some finagling to secure the rounded edges of my HM but once it’s on there’s it’s very secure. Cheers, Evan

Yeah I was hoping to avoid that. Lectro made a series of SM (not SMV) transmitters with the removable antenna so I was hoping they had a system in place to just swap out the guts of my SMa ones into those older shells but I guess not. Cheers, Evan

There is an exiting thread about this (sort of) and I’ll add the link below. Here was my response: I travel exclusively for gigs (150K+ actual miles every year) and I have my kit streamlined for it. My two carry ons consist of: 1) my bag rig with 5 transmitters + lavs, all neatly buttoned up. 2) my run bag backpack with necessary accessories, including 4x98mwh batts, a few IFBs and hops. I then check all all other gear in one 1650 pelican. My goal is to have everything I need to shoot for a day or two as carry on in case of lost luggage. The only necessary thing I don’t carry on is a boom pole as I’ve been stopped before and ordered to check the pole so I don’t bother trying any more. Be aware that TSA is different at every airport (and even maddeningly fluctuates within each airport on any given day) and you will more than likely have your rig set aside for additional screening. Leave time for this, as some agents may want you to disassemble your whole bag to run it through again. After years of dealing with this I’ve gotten pretty good at talking them out of that level of nonsense - but there’s always a chance some newbie is too scared to just swab it and let it go. Cheers, Evan

I use a six pack with blocks 19/20/21 and have never experienced walkie interference from the dozens of Motorola’s we use. Cheers, Evan

I have a bunch of SMa transmitters with the fixed antenna and would love to switch them over to removable sma style. The last time I had them serviced I asked Lectro if they could do it but they said no (even though they used to have the SM E01 transmitters with the sma antenna....) so I was wondering if anyone here knew of a way to mod my transmitters. Cheers, Evan

I normally swing the CS-3e for my doc work. (I love that mic dearly— It replaced over a decade of MKH416 adoration.) However I really wanted something lighter and smaller. I tried the MKH50 for a few days, but ultimately didn’t buy one as I felt it’s tonally quality didn’t quite match my CS3e or my COS11s. Especially when I had one scene where 8 of 12 people were mic’d around a table and I used the M1 to grab the other 4 who were of course scattered amongst the group. It’s pickup pattern was a huge advantage over the CS3e and made for smooth transitions between talkers and it’s low profile kept me out of the ceiling fan over the table. So far, the M1 has been a great choice in/outdoors. However... although it’s been my daily driver for a few months now, I also do my best to NOT have to use it— and only swing the boom when it’s absolutely necessary. So my ability to give the mic a thorough run of its strengths/weaknesses is limited to my need to use it. I hope this helps! Cheers, Evan

I love mine. It’s been on the end of my KTek for a few months now— putting it to use in various docuseries environments. I spend a majority of time indoors so the small footprint is perfect for low ceilings. I recently had it out on a fishing boat in the open ocean and was impressed by the isolation and tonal color. There have been a few times where I wish I had used my CS-3e instead, but on nothing critical so I rode it out to test it’s efficacy in different environments. The majority of my work is with wireless lavs so I don’t swing the boom around often, but so far I’m very happy with my CSM1. cheers, evan

I’ve used countless different hop systems over the years and a few months ago I doubled down on my old G3s and bought a bunch of IEM recievers so I can consolidate down to one TX for camera and IFB. FWIW— clients have been loving the IEM sound and range. Cheers, Evan

I prefer to have my Lectro HM towards the base of the pole, so the Squid works great for my needs. And you can’t beat the KTek customer service. Two decades (for me) of solid assistance and care. Cheers, Evan

What is the product code for this? I can’t seem to find it anywhere. Is it the INV-6 HG? Cheers, Evan

I did a similar rig for a backcountry shoot in Jackson Hole, only I used my backup F8 recorder instead of my Nomads because I could wirelessly control the gain using an iPad (or even my iPhone!). It was clutch in that situation. I am often tempted to use it regularly, only I wish the Wingman app gave me the same functions as the F8 WiFi controller because I prefer everything else about the Nomad. I found with the backpack setup, a wireless boom approach will help keep your profile way down and give you some modicum of control over the boom input gain. Cheers, Evan

... like the sound of your cubicle neighbor sobbing.

I’ve been using the CSM1 in place of my CS3e for a couple of weeks now and I’m enjoying the sound and weight. Mostly docu-series material. Not too much swinging of the boom but when I do it’s been a joy to have the small profile when indoors with low ceilings. It’s sound matches my COS11s better than the MKh50 and it’s off axis rejection is great. It sounds closer in tone to a CS1 than my usual CS3e but now that I’ve moved to Sankens all around there appears (to my ears at least) a consistency between all my mics. Cheers, Evan Meszaros

I am using SRBs with the PSC Six Pack and my receivers are set to +5. Cheers, Evan Meszaros

Gizmodo started doing these short documentaries about various “Sound Mysteries” throughout history. https://gizmodo.com/c/sound-mysteries The link below is for an episode about Carnegie Hall and the acoustic fallout after the 1986 renovations: https://gizmodo.com/what-caused-carnegie-hall-to-lose-its-famous-acoustics-1828033362 The other are interesting as well. Cheers, Evan Meszaros

IIRC, the F8n inputs are mic/line switchable, whereas the F8 inputs are not. That’s a pretty big improvement. Cheers, Evan

Is there also a fix for the virtual fader issue from v7.97? Cheers, Evan Meszaros

While they may not be in-ears (although I think the company makes a version that is) if anyone is interested in great sounding cans that can preserve your ears, I’ve been using the Puro BT5200 which features a Db monitor to gauge the volume and help audio fatigue and hearing loss from extended listening. The legitimatly flat frequency response is a bonus too. Double bonus: they sound amazing. Triple bonus: Bluetooth and cabled. Puro Sound Labs BT5200 Studio Grade Bluetooth Wireless Headphones - The Healthy Headphone (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019GD45X4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_k9IuBbT2RE0W4 Cheers, Evan Meszaros

This is glorious. Cheers, Evan