Dan Wake

If you have experience handling also Zoom H2N surround files aiming to surround mix for theatres please let me know as well. I'm very grateful for your attention.

Hi, being on the budget and looking for a portable device I'm willing to buy a zoom h3-vr, it have the feature to create a file ready for 5.1 post production. I'm not interested in VR at the moment. All I need from the recorder is to take advantage of portability (store in my pocket even if maybe a bit bulky for my needs) to create a surround database of soundscapes to use for theatre short movies, documentaries. I often have been in places where I wanted to record by I couldn't take with me the full equipment. do you think it's a good idea? Did you ever tested those files you can tell me more about usability for theatres? this is a quick official video talking about those files thx for your attention and kindness.

Hi thx for your feedback and happy new year!

Can you tell me if for stereo recording using two omni on a jecklin disk it could cause phase cancellation issues in a big cinema theatre? Is jecklin a good technique also for cinema? Thx a lot!

Thx for help, does it change anything about good directionality for the purpose if I mount the 4 omni on a sort of jecklin disk?

Hi, thx for reply I'm very grateful. I have read that Ambisonic can create phase cancellation issues for cinema. source should be in this old topic: Why 4 omnis aren't good for film/surround? I wish to know more please

Do you think it may works well to use 4 Primo EM272 for surround field recording? At which distance would you mont them and in which configuration? Are omni mics good for this use? I need the recordings to use in films and documentaries. I need to avoid phase cancellation. thx for help!

Thx Olle, yeah I had the same idea about disks. Anyway my worry about phase issues in theatres is strong if I need to follow my ears during recordings that's why I'm looking for more conventional ways before trying new routes: I don't have the right equipment to check for issues in post. Maybe I can find some users on this forum who mix films in a true theatre room that would be willing to listen my field recording from my diy project?

Thx for help Olle, which is it the shortest AB length in between 2 omni capsules to avoid phase issues for cinema? would using cardioids capsules instead than omni capsules change anything about the minimum length in between the 2 mics?

Hi, which is it the smallest form factor stereo mic configuration I can use using diy omni mics to avoid phase cancellation problems in the theatre? I want to mount 2 diy omni mics in my Rycote blimp, but I need a suggestion about the stereo configuration (mics placement) focused on avoiding phase cancellation in theatres. Thx for you attention!

thx for the suggestions I’m trying to figure it out this is new for me. with the objective in mind to avoid phase issues for theatrical 5.1mix maybe is it better to just record 4 separate tracks and do not use plugins? I mean raw 4 tracks straight on my DAW timelines. If I buy an ambisonic mic it will be the Rode nt-sf1 (the others are too expansive). I tested them plugin with a bunch of sample files, the plugin offer a 5.1 conversion. Should I avoid that? I hope you have tested it maybe you can give me some feedbacks. If have time I would be really grateful if you could test the plugin and the samples (at the bottom of the page) here https://it.rode.com/soundfieldplugin Thx Ramallo. Are little phase issues something unaboidable also using other recording technique for surround ambient recording? I'm new to surround recording and editing/mixing, in the past I've worked only in stereo, this is a new journey for me and I have many things to learn about it.

Thx for help Ramallo I’m really grateful. I’m sorry I didn’t understood. Saying “no” do you mean I will have phase issues in a film theater with 5.1 mix?

Is first order Ambisonic* ambient recording safe for 5.1 mix in film theaters? Will brings problems as phase cancellation? Thanks, Dan *mic models as for examples: Sennheiser AMBEO VR, Rode nt-sf1

Case closed: I contacted Rode they told me the NT-FS1 has been measured to have 17dBA of self noise. Thommann and other websites info that says it’s 15dBA they are all wrong. Thomann say they will update the informations.

Hi Jez, I'm super grateful for your message, I really absorbed the infos like a dry sponge seeing some water and I'm thirsty eheh, I love to edit dialogues I'll makes treasure of your suggestions. I searched on the forum to understand the issue of ambisonic for films you mentionend in your post. I have found this message here where you say Ambisonic technique doesn't works for theatrical films. I wish to ask you if I understood your message please. Is the problem related to Phase issues (as an unwanted lowering of the amplitude/volumes) when reproduced inside the speaker system of the theater? does this happens only for atmos or also for 5.1 mix? I'm sorry for my problems with english. when you say theatrical films do you mean films shown in theaters? I mostly makes audio for films (documentaries) that goes to film festivals and I wish to be sure that if I use Ambisonic as my primary microphone for ambience recording there will be no phase problems in the theaters after 5.1 mix. Thank you very much, Dan https://jwsoundgroup.net/index.php?/topic/32077-new-zoom-h3-vr-recorder-mic-combo/&page=3&tab=comments#comment-352413

Jez thx for the funny post it made me laugh that's very funny. Here in Italy we swear a lot too lol If you would need to peek the option 3 after option 1 would you look for a stereo roomtone or mono, or multichannel (> 4 channels), do you have a preference? and how would you mix it in a 5.1 film (on which speakers would the sound of the room tone come out)? I'm asking cause I'm trying to learn 5.1 in both field recording and post production. I always did everything in stereo, I started learning 7 years ago, I don't have a school education I leared with trial and errors and with few private lessons about post production to learn the DAWs & rudiments. Now it's happening that directors are liking my works, and people at film festivals are appreciating my mixes and recording quality, I earned a little budget and I wish to invest buying something that may help me to learn more and experiment. I expect the things to learn will be a lot expecially being alone this will be a hard journey. I would like to just start doing small experiments to discover my taste for it.

Hi, do find the NT-SF1 to be good enough for room tones recordings? Thx

Thx a lot for suggestions I’m very grateful. I’m sorry I didn’t understood the text in bold can you gives me an example please? What do you mean a couples of point sources at once in ambisonic mode?

Hi, I’m looking for an advice about which mics to buy for field recording and which technique is best for my purposes please. I’m looking for those goals: 1) taking field recording audio for 5.1 mix (the mics needs to be enough silent for room tones). Needs it for documentaries and short movies 2) build sound libraries to sell online 3) make field recordings for VR audio (for videogames development). My budget is limited. I can buy a sound device mixpre II 6 or 10 For mics I have those options for now: 1) DIY second order ambisonic mic up to 9 Primo EM272 to buy from LOM or Micbooster. 14dBA of self noise, data sheet: https://www.primo.com.sg/sites/default/files/EM272.pdf 2) DIY first order ambisonic with 4 matched Primo E272 3) five Primo EM272 for a non-ambisonic config, something like this https://ibb.co/g6vwtXX 4) four matched Rode NT1-A non-ambisonic for taking audio in this configuration: https://ibb.co/QmwS5SW data sheet (only 5dBA): https://it.rode.com/microphones/nt1-a 5) NT-SF1, first order ambisonic mic. Data sheet: https://it.rode.com/ntsf1#specifications Talking about which technique is best for my purposes I really needs to ask you to your expertise because I always used stereo recording and this is my first time with multichannel recordings. Thx for help, Dan

Hi, I wish to ask you which is it the self noise value in dBA for the Rode NT-SF1? because everywhere if you search on google it say it's 15dBA self noise. for example here: https://www.thomann.de/gb/rode_nt_sf1.htm?ref=intl&shp=eyJjb3VudHJ5IjoiZ2IiLCJjdXJyZW5jeSI6IjQiLCJsYW5ndWFnZSI6ImVuIn0= Maybe this explains more but I didn't understood it https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/rode-nt-sf1 Now if you look on Rode website https://it.rode.com/ntsf1 here it say Equivalent Noise (A-weighted)17 dB SPL (as per IEC651) maybe 15dBA correspond to "17 dB SPL (as per IEC651)"? so it's 15dBA? thx p.s. I'm undecided if to buy the Rode NT-SF1 or four matched Primo EM272 mic capsules and arrange some kind of DIY ambisonic (or just "dolby like") kit for field recording. Primo capsules are listed to be 14dBA of self noise. I needs to record field recording for documetaries I need quiet microphones for certain ambients. In the Rode NT-SF1 is 15dBA, it's one decibel more but I will buy it over Primo solution. but 14 vs 17 is 4 decibels starts to be a difference.

thx a lot @ramallo! woah why does they support only the Sennheiser for A format? there is a technical reason for that?

thx yes that's basically what I think but I have big technical limits. for example I'm not able to understand, if I read a manual, what is the best signal/noise ration for each device. it's like people who never learned how to read sheet music. I do that, I open manuals and search for the little I know for example "safety track" (to record a safety track a tot minus db).... but I'm aware it's not enough. My problem is that I earned 3k in one month and half with 2 audio works, but in the past 7 years I earned only about maybe 600 euro in total.... baically I see something is starting to move now and I wish to do "something" to do not continue being a poor man lmao. sad but true lol. people say they like my works it sound good in movie theare, and I'm going to a super cool film festival. honestly I'm so much immersed in the work right now that I coldn't do more research than what I'm doing now. but I wish to "write an escape plan" for when I'll be at the festival, I wish to stamp my firsts business card to give people who works in the sector. So tha's why I'm rushing a little bit. I feel need to do that something, can you give me a suggestion about it please?

another option is to wait a little bit and use those money for a sound school, I really need to learn a lot of stuff. it's not only about equipent I should buy, it's related to all the practice sectors of this work. That's why I call myself a rookie

my budgt is about 3k euro but I need to buy/include the amisonics mic also (I would be grateful for any advice related to it). What do really I wants is to buy a recorder that I can use with AAA projects: with the zoom H6 the DOP came to me and asked "can this device name files and folders before hitting start when we write a new scene info on the Ciak?".... Other than that I like to make fields recording but I noticed that when I record very quiet places there is some noise from the pre amp of the zoom h6. I need a better one about this task. For me recording quiet places at a decent amplitude without noise is very demanding task considering that all my sund design works would be made by fields recording made by me. Now I have about 7 years of experience with audio and indy cinema, this year I'll go to a AAA film festival for a work I made as sound designer with the zoom h6 and rode ntg 3. I hope to find new job opportunities so I wish to upgrade. And with ambisonic I wish to make VR audio high quality recordings for vr video and vr games (I already have bought the VR headset). Do you think the Zoom F8n can do the job for my tasks? thx

thx for help Codyman, unfortunately I live in a rural zone I have not dealers in my zone. I'll check it ouy the SD Mix Pre 10t thx. I'm a rookie with those kind of pro devices and I'm trying now to make a step more in that direction, I wish to ask you please: which kind of "cons" could I encounter on the stage using it? Could I feel the lack of "something" or someone ask me for a specific feature that this recorder have not built in and what theoretically? thx a lot! (sry for bad english)