DanieldH

I'd try it out and if I'd run into issues, I'd try if a 50Ohm terminator helps.

I played around on ikea.us about availability and they seem not to run that product currently, but they have an availability reminder via SMS or email.

Hey Andrew, many thanks for your reply. An external battery would not be a deal breaker for me since I have all TX/Phantom foo on the bottom of my internally cabled boom, but having the option to power it for maybe 2h@50mW with a pair of Ladda 2450 NiMh would be helpful. In my part of the world all wireless is 95% Wisycom on set. Occasionally I'd like to be able to operate SuperCMITs wirelessly (and fully digital). Zaxcom and Sounddevices products would just not be justifiable price-wise for these occasions. As I understand the Theos family works digital and at least all top level recorders have AES/EBU or even Dante inputs. In terms of noise floor and latency it appears plausible not to take some analogue detour and DA-AD convert the signal.

So, after a year or so since the initial announcement, it seems this device is now available in shops somewhere below €500. Back in 2024, they advertised AES42 support, but today there seems to be no word about any digital input any more. AES42 is actually the main feature I'd be interested in. Deity also has an XLR5 input module that is similar to Zaxcoms TRX743 cones to support MS mics. (I suppose, that would suggest that the device can record though not transmit two tracks.) Maybe @Vincent R. or @Andrew From Deity could chime in if AES42 (or AES3) support is on board, is coming or is completely cancelled. If so, I'd highly be curious if the D4RX mentioned in the footer regarding encryption will have a digital output.

I'd strongly advise to use a new internal SDcard and leave the original untouched.

What mode did you use the SuperCMIT in? Thanks for sharing you experiences!

Did you contact VdB? Even though they are made kind of in the neighborhood, I had rarely VdBs in my hand, and the units I worked with where made some decades ago. I have the habbit to extend the pole from top segment first, etc, and only tighten the collars as much as needed, but regularly I give some gripping space for each lower segment before rehearsal to have quick control over each segment.

Humble curiosity, in what situation do people choose a 416 these days?

What frequency range do the drivers output? Especially where does the lower end start? I am using Bubblebee Sidekicks for booming, but they only start at 300Hz. Will you provide a frequency response curve? Will there be a stereo version? Is the cables jacket fixed/tight to the inner construction or does it slide, like the Sidekicks?

What I've done so far is coating the arm with fabric heat shrink tubing. I am happy with it for the time being, and it is already a significant improvement to protect the arm from the environment and vice versa. I've used the 50mm diameter version, that turned out to behave less tight than I estimated and hoped. I wanted it to be as tight as possible to still fulfill the 80/20 rule for shrinking tubes. I'll likely redo it if time allows an add a layer of 1mm thickness silicon tube under it and aim for a maybe the 40mm diameter. Easyrig send me their apparently last piece of the upper profile assembly, that did not have the nose. I have not yet installed it, as pulling the current one out of the arm is quite tricky. I'd also like to try out what happens if I replace the roller chain connection link with something like this, but I have no idea what it would be called or what to search for. I might consult a locksmith/some local metal person to make it, but this likely already exist and could be cheaply available and I only want to experience the behavior with this mechanical configuration. The fork width is roughly 13mm (inside). Wall is 1,75mm (my drawings are 2mm).

I think its mode 3 for HiDyn Plus.

Hey Paul and Mida, Aliexpress.com or .us does not, at least currently, ship to Egypt. Apart from that, even if this trading platform allows it, individual shops or individual offers may not have this option. That may be for legislative reasons or just by random choices an individual made configuring the offer.

I have used mine now on one day on a beach and a street walk and talk scene. Lots of Steadycam moving backwards walk'n talk. A very useful tool with some weird / to be improved aspects. I used it with my internally cabled, strongly counter-weighted and shrink tube coated 5100 QP. - I can reach the T-handle myself, when the arm is hooked in the vest or with the boom inside the hook in the equivalent low position, but not when it is completely down and not when I am wearing lots of layers of clothes and my winter jacket. - Load adjustment by the handle is roughly necessary, but not really that intensive to operate. You don't have to adjust it every time you lengthen/shorten the boom up to maybe half a meter. Load balance is (so far) fine tuned by the distance of the pulling hand to the hook. - Moving the boom back and forth during take is a bit limited and it is strange why the lower arm hinge is designed that way. - Adjusting the boom in the hook back and forth before take without lifting is possible if the hooks wheels are in a skewed position and the boom is turned. - The packing volume is rather annoying. I'll defeat that by disassembling the arm pipe from the lower arm assembly, looking out for some knurled screws. - The upper profile assembly has a "nose" that appears to be designed on purpose. It likely hits the hooks swivel when moving the arm down somewhere midway. That makes a significant sound that the arm resonates. I consider this a significant design flaw. I will try to defeat this with some cushioning tape, but why that nose exists in the first place puzzles me. The upper profile assembly pictured in the spare parts catalog does not show that nose. -The hook does the job somehow, but there is quite some room for improvements. Rolling O rings as wheels or omni- or mecanum wheels in twin configuration come to mind. - The system has big open metal parts that are prone to scratches and can hit other things or humans producing damage, injuries or even worse, making sound 😉. I will likely fit some fabric shrink tubing on the arm and possibly 3D print a TPU cover for the hook.

The Radius Hoops fit well in the Invision bars. A combination I currently prefer to an Osix, since it is lighter on my internally cabled boom.

For "Player of Ibiza" we used necklaces with 3d printed shells. Inside where 6061 covered with fur. The narrative of the show allowed the use of these visible lavs as well as TX. For some water rich scene, we used TrackEs. Though they are also not watertight, any water related damage produces a lot less cost.

Headphones (and most IEM) prevent you from localizing unwanted sources of noise and catching up relevant information from crew, directors, etc. During take, in noisy ambience they may be necessary to follow the dialog. They may be helpful as a feedback to position the mic or avoid rumbling noise. From what I have seen in 2 decades, at least on old shows, in studios or with experienced boom ops HPs are an option but not standard. My somewhat standard setup is a BBI Stereo Sidekick, because of its transparency, with a very faint prefader boom signal and a significantly louder private line comms from the recordist to get the frameline or cues. During setup change, I might put the boom in the set, so I can hear command routines while hanging out at the sound cart, coffee table or somewhere. During text rehearsal, I might listen into a lav mix. There are some situations, when I listen to program mix or a (more-than-one) boom mix, but most of the time, I do not "monitor" any mic when booming.

Pretty sure, they are addressing anything "stage" that can afford their products and is affine to their mics (theater, churches, concerts, and also Broadcast Studio). Microdot host connectors (or rather likely the new MicroLock advancement) is remarkably clever from sales perspective, but its even more interesting that Zaxcom did that before without economic interest to limit their product to Microdot mics.

Jeff, I feel you deeply. Much strength for the time ahead.

Hey Roland, many thanks for the great in depth review. I have a furry Cosi L and a Nano CB(+D) (updated to MK II) that I use with my MKH8060MZF. Whenever wind allows, I use the Cosi, also indoor and also with other mics that fit, like the MiniCMIT and the MKH50. The main reason is that the Cosi is probably the best thing I came across regarding handling noise. With more wind, I use the Nano or if available I prefer a Piani. The Cosi however does not have a quick windscreen on/off feature like Nano or MiniAlto, though I hardly miss that. I would wonder how a furless fabric Cosi with Radius and Bubblebee furs compare to the MiniAlto in wind.

Yesterday I had DPAs upcoming new Microdot version in my hands. In general, it features a pull ring that releases a radial ratchet style, a bit similar to some childs safety lock of a hazardous bottle. So far I like it. Time will tell how durable this is. But look for yourself. https://www.dpamicrophones.com/campaign/microlock/ Apparently - it is compatible with the conventional Microdot both ways. - they are thinking about an upgrade service for existing units, however they did not make any promises so far. (keep asking them 😉 ) - new units will be produced with this connector.

Hey Mungo, where did you get it from? Is there any rental place you know of?

If the frame (or frames on multi camera shoots), light, sound ambience, general "conventions" of the production, children/animals in frame distracted by the boom, etc, etc ,etc do not allow a useful boom position for the dialogue anyway, steps are often the next best / second most "interesting" thing there is to point the boom mic at. Since you are there, get the walk or anything else that avoids foleyfoo. Unfortunately, the slope of the level of interest from the "dialogue top" is rather steep. How do you know that? ++1 for that! By the book at least, build a working relationship, if resources allow, pay visit on set and sniff some location air. However, there may be a reason, why this has not happened so far. There are a gazillion reasons, why the recordist took that decision, most, but not all of them are not reason for complaint.

A detailed photo, possibly with some sort of scale (e.g. to estimate the pitch) could help.

Yes, the Jelen screw is bigger. The tongs hold the part with the pins in place. I ll check later, but as far as I remember they can be fixed freely, 360°. The cap can indeed turn freely 360° but you can not lock the screw to the "bay" where the cable goes trough. The screw aligns with the XLR's lock, so you'll have around 350° of possible positions. Basically the same is the case with the Jiefei model. On the pic, there is also a Rean TA3m mod, most likely from the same source as the Jelen XLR. It's cap has only 3 positions it can enter the shell, but quite some flexibility within these, so you end up with maybe 3*30° Jelen and Jiefei are or where only some shop names within the AE universe. These things are or have been sold in various shops and are unbranded afaics. BTW Cable Techniques lists some EU usual suspects as well as UK ones with EU stores as resellers. If the connectors are not listed on these web-shops, I bet you can at least have them preordered or even get a few from a workshop stash.