JonG

I just got three of mine back from Bill and he has done some exceptional work. He was even able to undo the blue dot that one of them had, as well as make a minor repair another had on the interior. Highly recommended.

I did a show where there were a good deal of non TC cameras rolling on and off quite often, so I had the ACs use the Denecke app so the caneras could catch the TC and I’d have them verbally call out the TC so that the cameras audio and my audio had some sort of reference point. It made piecing together what would have been a nightmare in post pretty straight forward.

8040s are great. Mixpres are adequate, though you could pick up a used 702 or 722 for less. You do need to consider all the other stuff tho, which includes power, and all the accessories. But your budget should allow for all that if you’re resourceful.

Audio Department in Burbank make a dual Np cup that works rather well. I used it to power my cart when it was stripped to a more basic rig. there is also the BDS made by PSC with multiple power sources that one could use.

Regarding question #2. I see a lot of people, usually using MixPre or Zoom recorders, trying everything in their power to not buy a Battery Distribution System (BDS) and use common broadcast batteries like eSmart or NP1 style batteries. Usually after configuring some such setup they eventually realize that whatever they’ve come up with is inadequate for their system, especially as they expand their bag, and have to go and buy a proper power setup anyways. I’d save myself the hassle of going through these steps and just get a purpose built BDS with broadcast batteries. PSC, Remote Audio, AudioRoot, Sound Guy Solutions, are all great companies that make excellent power solutions designed specifically for sound bags.

@Matt Radlauer

I did and he’s no longer doing them. I found someone else who’s been converting them since Pete stopped doing it: https://billthompson.us/bt/

Does anybody else offer this service? I’ve got three that need to be converted.

It sounds like you want what a qualified sound person can accomplish with a properly outfitted equipment package, and a well organized shoot so that mic placement can be predictably deployable. As an OMB, you’re wearing a lot of hats, and you’ll never be totally satisfied with your sound if you’re doing it yourself. Even if you spend thousands of dollars on a fancy mic, as long as it’s on your camera, it won’t be in the right position to get what you’re trying to accomplish. And honestly, handling all those lavs while operating a camera? I would ditch whatever client you’re working for if they expect you to manage all that AND operate a camera. You should at least have a second person with you who can occupy themselves with sound. If that’s asking too much for your client, I’d fire the client. My 2¢

I use Apple Air Tags in my bag/cases. It’s a level of comfort to be able to see where everything is in case I’m doing walk-aways, or traveling with checked gear. At about $25 per, it’s cheaper than anything that requires a paid subscription. I’ve read about people recovering equipment while using these, so I figure there’s no risk, so why not use them? They do make noise if they’re away from you, since they're mainly designed for you to locate your keys, but you can open them up and remove the speaker without destroying them if you follow instructional videos on YouTube.

Constantly evolving, but here is my little PeliCart that works as a follow cart as well, though admittedly the drawers won’t house a full sized slate or zeppelin. But I’ve been making due with it. on my current feature I’m using an Olympia folding cart as a follow with pelicans for extras, but this setup has been a decent solution as an in between cart, since my full sized cart is too big for many locations on this project, and a bag setup doesn’t quite cut it.

They’re on back order so a lot of us are waiting to receive ours. Just like with the previous transmitters, it’s taking a lot of time getting them out to us.

If you charge less when moving to a new area you’ll be seen as someone moving in to undercut and undermine an established industry and economy. You will surely create enemies right away, and likely have a really hard time getting a foothold in that area. In our industry, your colleagues are your best resource, not your competition.

I moved from Los Angeles to Northern California a few years ago. I was lucky to be able to hit the ground running because I moved into an area with a well connected network of people who were happy to help me get my feet on the ground, and I moved far enough away from most of them to where my “territory” didn’t particularly threaten theirs lol. My best advice is to reach out to local colleagues and make friends, and play their game. Charge their rates and hold the line on numbers in that area, be a pillar to your sound community, and you’ll have fast friends.

I think I would. And for those using built in recorders in their tx, I wish people would charge for that as well. I definitely see your argument, but there’s a line for sure between expanded capability and an all new tool. Even if the tool is firmware. I don’t consider noise reduction to be expanded capability in the same way that a wideband wireless system is. I definitely see it as a new tool that costs money, and should be charged for.

So you don’t think that people should charge for additional tools that you have to pay for? Just because it’s a plugin, doesn't make it’s cost any less real, nor does it make it less real than a physical one. I think that if you are paying for a tool that production wants you to use, that is something beyond the basic tools needed to capture sound (much the same way that time code boxes and slates are) that aren’t included in a standard setup, they should be charged for. If we don’t charge for extras, clients will begin to expect them for free. Ive had some clients think that camera sends, lockits, IFB, etc. were included in a standard “basic” sound package, even though the consensus among sound mixers is that a “basic” package includes two wireless, boom, and mixer/recorder. Everything else is charged à la carte. That tells me that whomever has been working with those clients has been throwing in a lot of extra equipment that they should have been charging for. I for one will not stand to be required to provide additional equipment without compensation. I doubt many will be ok with clients suddenly requiring special tools like this for free, possibly as a term of employment.

I remember seeing one at the Trew Audio flea market in LA several years ago. It was really cool, and I really wanted it, but ultimately decided against buying it. Wish I could remember the name.

Tinkering with reel to reel and cassette tape formats during my middle and high school years, and being very interested in computers, I taught myself how to use early DAW programs to track demos at home. By the time I went to audio school, they had us learn initially on a Nagra 4.2, then a Tascam DA-P1 DAT machine, as well as Tascam DA-98s in the studio. When I saw the process of transferring the DATs on school projects, I decided I’d “invent” a better system, not currently aware of any file based field recorders. So I brought my laptop to set with an audio interface, and recorded into Pro-Tools. Post was amazed that I was handing them a thumb drive with the daily tapes on them already named by scene and take. I took that system with me onto my first few “professional” film sets, just some short films, and everybody seemed quite satisfied. But eventually I needed to be more mobile, and after about a year or so experimenting with an M-Audio Microtrack II, and then the Tascam DR-680, I was able to save up and get myself a Sound Devices 788T, along with the DVD burner, CL-8, and all the cables and accessories, including some NP1s and a charger. It was quite a jump, and I always thought the DVD burner to be entirely impractical, since I was always operating out of a bag, so I never once used it. I guess the moral of the story is that file based recording certainly was the way to go, and nobody really misses DAT. Although I am in need of a DAT machine for some transfers…

I think they’re really well designed, and have some very clever features. The scan and automatic frequency allocation is light years ahead of other receivers. I get better reception with it than other systems just running it out of the bag with whips on. I recommend watching the Gotham video on how to use it before demoing so you can work your mind around how it operates. It’s not particularly intuitive at first, coming from other brands. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll see how they really thought outside the box in some ways.

http://www.coutant.org/beyerpdf/mc736-737.pdf

I’m upset to hear that they don’t service the mk6. I have one and love it.

Thank you to those who have replied. I’m currently using two R1a’s in 944 with an SMV 941 and IFBT4 944. Everything works great. I suppose I’ll add a couple of IFBlue to the mix to extend the usefulness of this setup. Thanks!

I’m also curious about this. I just got into a 944 IFB r1a setup, and since they’re very hard to find, I may be looking into supplementing receivers with IFBlue.

https://analog.nagraaudio.com type in the serial number on their wesbsite and do a search

This seems to be business model for a lot of companies. First they sell clear copycats of existing products, then introduce a couple products that seem to be their own, but are still cheap and poor quality, and after a while they are somehow awarded respectability. I believe a certain Chinese company has an mkh416 ripoff available that people are now turning a blind eye to. Just like when Behringer was making identical mixers to Mackies.