Fred Salles

I was thinking about using the Sonosax M2D2 for that very same purpose, but I was using it on the cart to bypass the 688's preamp and never had the time to unset it and try it with a tx for a wireless boom. Next time!! It would be great to find a good TX that accept AES though 😉

We are trained hard from birth on how to roll a 20m cable real quick 🤣 More seriously, we do love the sound of our boom mike in a real preamp, and I guess would not compromise on it unless really no choice. On TV series however (I don't do) my colleagues are using more and more 100% wireless boom. But for feature I think we might fight for wired boom as long as possible, and most directors and producers agree on it ! Remember ADR is dreaded and avoided as much as possible in France (and Suisse I guess) so we pressure ourselves to get the production sound we choose.

URSA has created a YT series called "what's in your kit?" and for this new one they met with my compatriote Stéphane Bucher during his prep for Ridley Scott's next project Napoleon. I found the video quite interesting and Stephane is very generous and open about his kit and choices. His lucky sound department has a team of 6 and a large sound van to make jealous most of us I believe 😅 Particularly interesting to me are his choices to deal with long distance set (eg. Dante with back up recorder on set for the radio mikes, but wired booms with an 8 ch multipair directly to his Cantar). Really worth a look even for experienced sound mixers.

Thanks Constantin, very valuable info! Since I never had massive problem other than very occasionally without filters I never thought of hiring them before. Maybe these occasional ones could have been avoided! Thanks BaB. these are fixed filter like this one, right? https://www.professionalwireless.com/product/pws-in-line-bandpass-filter-uhf-470-616-mhz/ Do you also always have them on like Constantin?

Thanks for your input. Can you confirm that I would need 2 BFA ? Yep pricey indeed, listed 900euros each excl.VAT!! But the LFA are 1100e each (=directive active+onboard BFA) and the LBN (passive) 310e, that's 1210e BFA+LBN and I can also get the omnis passive as well so that it is more interesting in the end. Could you also give us an idea of how often you need to use the filter section of the BFA with a significant improvement ?

Well, I am not familiar with the exact use of filters for the antenna, but I am just assuming that they will prevent overload on the receiver. I suppose just like we use low cut at 60hz for example to avoid a loud 40hz to overload the preamp even if we cannot really hear it. If my tx are set in the 800Mhz range and a very strong signal from a nearby industrial area is around 1ghz the filter on the antenna would prevent the receiver to overload before its internal filter. Does that make sense? Anyone more familiar with these please correct me.

Hi, Are you using antenna filters on a regular basis? Whether on board of active antennas or as part of an in-line booster (for the RX of course). I actually never had to use any, using mostly passive antennas with occasionally the gain booster included in the SL6 but now that I am about to buy very wide band Wisycom tx&rx (namely MPR54 and MTP60) and I need to buy antennas I am wondering if I should get some. Wisycom makes both passive and active antennas with on board filter, but they also make the BFA booster with filters so I am thinking to rather buy a set of passive ones (2 omni and 2 directional) and if needed I will get 2 BFA. Any advise welcome. thanks

Hi, yes I know DCA well. I work with them for renting most of the time 😉 I did not think they were also reseller appart from consumable. I am waiting for the quote from AEITECH. I know them when they were Areitech if I recall correctly, Schoeps distributors in France before Euros, so I bought my first Schoeps indirectly through them I suppose. I know they are very serious but I am a bit concerned by some of their catalogue prices. I know there might be a discount on it but making the mistake of pricing 250 euros excl. vat for a 12v power transformer with a 4pin Hirose at the end of a cable is not a very good sign for me (or rather "ça ne fait pas bonne impression"). But I'll wait and see. It will of course be best for me to go through them. They do not list the MTP60 yet on their price list. Man, le Franc Suisse is killing me 😄

Hello, this is a post mostly for my European colleagues: Since we are allowed to buy anywhere within the UE, and Wisycom being an European brand, could you share experience (and prices) from your favourite Wisycom reseller? I am planning to buy MCR54 and MTP60 (if available!!), and it is my first buying from this brand although I have been renting and enjoying using their rx and tx for years. So I do not have a regular seller that I can trust (and would give me discount) for these product. Ciao a tutti

Hi Tim, I have had a look online at that Rode NT-SF1 and I learn that Rode has bought the company Soundfield. This mike body really looks like the Soundfield SPS200. How do they compare in term of sound? Thanks

sorry, I searched and did not find any discussion regarding rate for real time noise reduction tools. It seems to me that real time noise reduction for production sound is an additional tool and is most likely to reduce cost of post-production isn't it? Also, I do not have these Zax Tx, nor Lectro Tx that can be boosted to 250mW, but if the director and I think that a specific scene is going to require one of these feature, we will ask production to rent some, and if we are convincing enough (😄) they will ! I really think it is important that we charge accordingly if there is a demand from production to use real-time noise reduction. Whether it is via a plugin within the recorder or a separate hardware, I don't see no difference since we have to buy them both. My question is how much? Shall we base it on the rate for an hardware Cedar dns? What is the standard rate for it in the USA and UK? I have not seen it used in France so have no idea. Thanks

It seems we did not understand the same thing from the SD paper I shared. I was thinking the same as you until I was given a demonstration and read this paper. I understand that the 32bit float point gives another meaning to sound representation since the calculation by the converter is completely different. Yes louder sounds than 0dBFS cannot be represented, but they can be recorded. That is why it seems that when you import in a recent daw a 32bit float with a digital recording louder than 0dBFS, the meter will be stuck at 0 and the sound will be distorted until you apply gain attenuation. I am not sure about that, in fact SD says differently: "There is one other aspect of 32-bit float files which is not immediately obvious. Files recorded with 32-bit float record sound where 0 dBFS of the 32-bit file lines up with 0 dBFS of the 24- or 16-bit file. Keep in mind that unlike the 24- or 16-bit files, the 32-bit file goes up to +770 dBFS. So compared to a 24-bit WAV file, the 32-bit float WAV file has 770 dB more headroom." I have not experimented enough with it myself yet but in theory I agree 100% with San Jacobs here: And you can keep your nominal level at -20dBFS 😁

+1 The USB ports on 6 series get oxidation pretty easily (they not gold connectors). You need something like Deoxit for best cleaning/ remove the oxides. For anything data signal the connectors need to be absolutely clean (USB, RJ45, etc...)

🤣🤣🤣 Sorry I do not have these sounds with me (not in France this time of the year). They were for an exhibition at Cité des Sciences about Darwin, for a video installation with 4 speakers spatialised soundtrack.

I have just read this very clear paper on SD website about the 32 bit float resolution, and... I am blown away. 1528 dB of dynamic range, a headroom of 770 dBFS ABOVE our standard 0dBFS !! I understand now why the MixPre series is so popular amongst sound designers. https://www.sounddevices.com/32-bit-float-files-explained/ But now comes to mind an obsessive question: if gear designers like SD and more are capable of creating machines able to record files in 32bit float resolution, why have they not implemented it in their pro range recorders (like the 8 series for SD) ???!? Anyone capable to clear the mystery for me? Thanks Fred PS: I understand that the actual dynamic range limit of the recording is that of the preamp and AD converters, yet it seems like a new world to me (remember I started on Nagra 4.2 😉

Yep I use home made ones for insects "footstep", not synch of course -althought it could work in some case. The more extreme I did were sounds of earth worms. They have invisible hair and if you found the proper material that conduct sound to stick your piezos on you can actually hear them! I use more than one to get a constant moving sound. Yes a good DI box is mandatory.

Hi, following threads about the use of real time noise reduction plugins or hardware in our field, and the debates around the introduction of pay-per-plugin new business model by Sound Devices (and others?), I have noticed several members here claim they managed to charge production for the specific use of the noise reduction on their machine. Since it is a not-yet standard tech I believe there are no standard rate for it so I am interested to see what are the rates applied in real life production interactions, and discuss about it. What rate are you asking for real time noise reduction (plug in or hardware) in film and TV production, or what do you think would be a fair rate? How about rental companies, are they charging more for renting a Scorpio including a Cedar NR plugin? To me it would be fair, but then how about renting the same Scorpio but you do not need this feature? I do not think the plug-ins can be un-installed and re-installed on demand, can they? By the way, maybe another discussion, since all new tech starts being non standard how to collectively agree on an international standard rate? Thanks for all inputs. Fred

I really like the Neumann KH120 for LR and center. I do not know the KH80 but I reckon they are used as LsRs by many. As Douglas said, with a KH750 subwoofer for the .1 you would have a coherent 5.1 affordable system in your price range. Ps: I only do sound editing for film with these and a bit of music mix for myself as well.

Thanks Moe for that explanation! It seems indeed very specific to the USA.

Hello, I am curious to know why in many Hollywood movies the video assist person is credited alongside the sound team? I even saw it listed in the sound department in several templates of film production budget software. Anyone could explain? (In France the video assist is and has always been part of the camera department hence my curiosity). Thanks Fred

Yes I have seen it, a small hand steamer the wardrobe person was using in between takes on a costume that got crusty each time the talent was sitting in frame. it was just a small area and she pulled the costume away from the body of the talent and so away from the tx . She saw me coming the first time she did it but as I noticed it was away from the transmitter we just smiled to each other, she clearly knew what she was doing 😌

Mmm how about selling more 833? But beside that, it is actually more about what the machine was not capable of. I understood the 833 allowed an amount of at least 12 inputs (6 analog inputs and up to 8 digital from the SL2, not counting the returns) but was not capable of iso record them all. The ability offered now seems to me more like fixing a lack than actually creating a new feature. Now I understand your point and Constantin’s but I was actually hoping for this upgrade to come out in a new firmware before buying the 833. Since I can’t afford 2 machines I was thinking of the 833 for my documentary works and as a backup machine for feature films. In my rather over optimistic mind it seemed the software ability was already developed for the 888 and Scorpio so I was hoping it would come as a free upgrade for the 833 when Sound Devices would need to boost its sale 😅 Anyway, releasing it as a paid plugin kind of push us into speculating about whether or not that feature required a lot of new development work. So you can imagine the kind of speculation a producer would legitimately go through if we say “ok my machine has X inputs, but I have to charge you more if you want me to record them all”...

Thanks for pointing that out, I did not know (only used th SL6 so far). Am I the only one with the bitter feeling that this should be part of a free update and not an extra cost plug-in? Sorry to bring up this debate again, it took me time to get over it regarding the noise reduction features, I now understand that these were third parties properties or extra r&d work. But for these 12 isos it will be hard for me to believe it required a lot of r&d since this was already implemented in the other machines of the series. I am not a programmer but this is not a special feature, it brings the machine to its full or higher potential, and level it with other machines in the same range already capable of such. That is what an update is all about isn’t it ?

I understood that you cannot run both the SL2 and the XL-AES accesories at the same time since they use the same connector. Did I miss something or you are referring to another way to get aes inputs? thanks. Back to topic, I always wondered why Sound Devices only fitted the 833 with 8 iso ch only. Now I know...

I am not sure I understand if you are talking about a general situation you are facing in your country on any kind of documentary shoot or specifically on this one. I have shot documentaries in quite a few places presumably dangerous (eg South African gangs war) but the directors and prod always worked very hard in pre production to make sure they secured local asset or key individuals or groups respected enough (that sometimes could mean feared enough) to ensure we could work safely. Of course you can never plan everything and shit can happen but at least one thing I consider key in our jobs is going to work with trust and without fear that something you describe can happen. if it happens it happens and the production must have proper insurance to cover your gear. But the prod and director must do their job correctly so that you all can go to work confidently. Going to do your job with the fear that you might be robbed so strong that you are thinking of changing your gear kit is not a good sign imho. Interesting topic actually, that tackle the core of what documentary work is I think. Beside these considerations, old Sennheiser G2 with a a good lav still work if you are close to subject and not bother too much but poor sound quality. I actually have a G2 that perform better than other G3 or G4... I use it for camera guide track, but I keep a cos11 with the minijack plug just in case.