bcopenhagen

Has anybody laid hands on the fader controller from VDB? The FCS 8 and FCS12 claim to be well-built, so it seems like an interesting entry into this arena. Specifically, I'm wondering if anyone has hands-on experience with the "Soft" vs "Firm" faders that are available. I have read all the documentation I can find, but fader feel is such a subjective tactile experience, I don't really want to place an order based on the literature. Sometime soon, I will likely contact VDB directly (tip of the HAT). I'll report back if I learn useful info. Thanks, Brian

Another method is to put the affected equipment in a sealed container, like a pelican case or ziploc bag, with a dessicant. You know those little packs of silica gel that come with new electronics? They are in the box to do exactly that: absorb moisture. Do not eat. One day of drying sounds modest. I would wait longer before powering up & testing.

I just looked at my join date, and incredibly, it was 2006. I was under the wing of a great mixer, Nelson Stoll, and hungry for all things production sound. The forum was fertile ground for sharing knowledge in a healthy and open-hearted way, thanks to Jeff’s tireless devotion to it. It quickly blossomed into this wealth of information and insight into the shrouded secrets of location sound. Many thanks to Jeff, and to everyone who has contributed over the years. Happy 18th, JWSound! Brian Copenhagen

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 I found links to it from a post here on JWSound, but they are outdated.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?