The Immoral Mr Teas

Jim, the Sennheisers are already such a step up (at least for your kid's use) that he's probably already experiencing ecstasy! After a while remind him to come back to the thread and try out open (or semi open) HP for better response and comfort over hours if he's in such a position to need such long use. Personally I'm grateful to Fred for the mini review of the DT880Pro since I love my DT550s and know they will have to be replaced eventually and the considered appraisal helps me already. Best all, Jez

Jim, I'm quoting TVPS not because I know either the 300 or 600 but because he's answering as a headphone user who usually 'critically moniters' in a space with speakers. I ended up using 7506 cans frequently (I am not a production sound recordist) because they're extremely comfortable and I bought a level limited set and care about my ears. I have always thought they sound dreadful but accepted that they perhaps accentuate 'production sound problems' and are therefore useful. In the end, I have got used to their weird response (and lack of isolation) for fx recording and the comfor

As far as I can recall the only wide cardioids I currently own are in my ambisonic soundfield- although as I principally use omnis (Bruel & Kjaer and DPA) and cardioids (Sennheiser and Schoeps etc) for ambience I would also eventually like to pick up at least a stereo pair if not a stereo quad or more. I've looked at several cheaper options but in the end it is a question of how much you want to spend on a 'not so versatile' mic or mic set, especially in my case when I already have an excellent set of omnis and a pair (+ extras) of quality cardioids. For ambience there is a lot

Hi Thielle, no-one would want to teach a potential apprentice by the 'copy method' -alas I believe many schools don't understand this basic fact. I was taught (when in the industry) by "here's the scene, here are some sounds; I'll come back and hear what you've come up with". Several of my friends worked on many of the Potters (I attempted to get work on the first!) - everybody's work was different and interesting and mutually appreciated as far as I ever saw. I remember one editor being asked to present his finished tracks to a film school - which he declined (because of what I said

I haven't looked into what the port is capable of so please be generous to my ignorance/laziness, but a general top unit utilising several functions even if not all possible to function at once might well be a good idea. (If Allan was pointing the input backwards to become an output I appreciated that joke). Jez

Actually I was just too taken with the look of them, which I loved. In fact I'm an editor so know and choose open back headphones over closed whenever the 'need to use, chance to choose' allows. A pair of (again, BeyerDynamic) DT 550 - dependable and 'brain comfortable' for times I have to edit and/or premix on headphones and happy to do so for long periods when needed. I'd be interested if the opportunity came to give those nice looking 'ear clogs' a try btw! Jez

Simon, going over the odds to end up with a Maserati is always going to be a happy life decision! Best, Jez (Although it's possible the previous one was the Maserati because this reminds me more of Peter Honess' Bentley ... !)

Hi MRW, I’ll be brief now but hope to chime in with more detail in a few days. Aside from an understanding of the ‘basics’ (which could be anything up to a tonmeister style degree of film sound technique / engineering / music theory / sound physics) I have absolutely believed for a long time that film sound students should be taught “whatever else is going on on the film set and in post” and even more importantly that the rest of the same year’s film course should be given a serious introduction to film sound as it relates to them (‘sound for producers’, ‘sound for camera’, ‘sound

Hi Fred, post will look first at the script and then afterwards at the film (first cut, assembly or whatever) to find out everything they can about story elements, vehicles, objects, animals and birds and atmospheres. There will probably already be a ‘first library’ of probable elements even before the supervising sound editor sees a frame if the budget is sufficient and they were decided upon in time. Obvious sound elements like objects and vehicles are of immediate concern. Nice clean recordings, with clear ‘in/out’ points and from different perspectives to match camera will be v

Addendum (hopefully not merged but if so then so be it - read separately)! Just reread on cutaways, filming, etc (and hence editing ... around no ‘complete’ playback, though presuming music is always a playback and hence some base). I would definitely make sure that after the three “master” takes are filmed / recorded that each camera closeup take is married to a new on camera (mono ok) sound capture for editing / mixing boost. MKH 50 taken off stand and put on boom would be best but if time is an issue one of those 416s mounted onto the CU camera would do the duty. End

Hi again, firstly I would use what you have (two sets of excellent mics for stereo) assuming you have a recorder that will record 5 channels easily - and just as importantly some kind of setup that could later mix down three channels into two for a two channel stereo master mix. Secondly I would download (from rycote) The Stereoscopic Zoom which deals with recording angles for two channel setups over different mic types: your MKH50 is a ‘narrow’ hyper. I would then look again at the presumed (and possible) setup of the performers and predict a decent performing angle - based on a p

Whenever an actor has asked me who I have worked with, rather than anyone else asking the same question, the answer was, "Billie Whitelaw" ...

Reminded of a beer I brewed myself twenty-odd years ago that I never got the opportunity to name: my friend instantly Christened it, “Christmas Anorak” (it was one of my poorer ones) ... J

Jay, I always thought that was just how HOLLYWOOD sounded outside. Jez

Wow! Going to that much trouble I'm surprised you didn't just (OK more work) make a microdot to TA5 link. But ok, cheers, interesting!

The MKH 50 might well distort but won't be damaged. If post are unhappy about a distorted track (edit or sound mix as previously said) then the level filter on the 50 will provide safety and post can push the gain. Regarding the stereo bar I agree with Grant: piggy back the mics and keep it simple for windshielding if needed. Jez Having said all that I would probably put the cut on the 50 anyway : it would make audio generally more usable such that post could make more use of the 50 mic and only have to resort to the 57 when necessary.

Hi Steve, I’d begin with an obvious one - piggy back two mics on boom both set safely for what you want recorded and record two totally separate tracks expecting unusable rubbish on the unwanted channel - PRESUMING the recorder can do this without trouble. Secondly deal with the anticipated/rehearsed stuff on extra tracks separately if this can be done - so that it is pretty much as good as it can be (I’d still play safe ...) Third (but also first) check with post that whatever you do (ie- multichannel with expected crap as I suggest) can work for them with their system and timeframe - and che

Jeff, that’s brilliant. My friend had a similar “claim to fame” (or her dad at least) that Jimi Hendrix threw up over his drum kit. Nick, as a failed / gave up piper, I hope that everyone here appreciates the skill involved in recording those beasts even in easier circumstances ... Jez

Does this mean, “no longer the choice between blue/grey and brown/orange” (yippee!) or, ”only a choice between blue/grey and brown/orange” (hmm, no change then ...) J x

Vata / Elias, welcome and the best of luck. Jon’s first point is the best advice - try your best to get yourself known by local crew (actually any crew, not just mixers - if folks like you and appreciate your aim, you will hopefully be helped along the way). Most (perhaps all) of us have started by being humble, focused and determined, and owe a lot to the people who have recognised our promise and either supported us along the way or taken us on and taught us directly. Aside from that folks with strong (or existing) unions should understand that Greece is not in the same battle th

Hey fair enough - Obviously it is a requirement in the wider sense of what is expected (and asked for), didn’t mean to really challenge the obvious point made. And of course for some time we’ve now got higher resolution unusable tracks from the Avid, not just the 16 bit beautifully eq-ed, beautifully panned, beautifully levelled guide crap OMF of old! (Just a joke! Well, hopefully!) Seriously, whilst higher resolution and higher bit rates etc have been catered for within much of the post environment for quite some time I cannot really guess whether required/expected tracks will sud

Hi Neumann, if it has to be portable I would wholeheartedly go for the Nagra IV-S ! If you wanted something more modern, still quite sexy (though a little less class), perhaps the Nagra 7. Beyond that, it depends what you want it to do, what you want to spend and how big you are looking for ... although I have a possibly unfounded idea you want to connect it to an RSM 190 ?? Tascam for small, Zoom F4/8 series or Mixpre for medium (similar to original Fostex LE) budget, possibly secondhand SD 7 series if extra professional features are advantageous (word cloc

... yet Avid Protools (and everything else sound) can ... so my guess is, “who knows”? In post I had never even thought of 24bit as a requirement, but an obvious convenience since we’re (or were) editing in 48/24 ... there’s still an awful lot that gets converted (old sfx, hi-def sfx, off the cuff adr, weird gadget recordings and director’s special wishes). Also, 40 bit, 32 float, 64 bit have been around a long time in systems. For production recording, if it happens (before another significant change) it would I guess be as a result of some decent workflow

I generally like the sound of a decent microphone when and if it has been placed in the spot which will give the result of a lovely representation of the object sound. On a film set (or on AV stuff generally) getting the mic in the best place for sound rather than picture / storytelling is not always or often going to happen. In a studio we have much more leeway. I prefer the sound of a 4060 to a 4071 but that boost has its place. I like the sound of the 4060 and it is a lav. I also prefer (for all the reasons discussed many times) the sound of a well placed boom, but appreciate th

Exactly like that, although if you can get / find a cloth-cabled one you might like it even more ... that’s what I have for my two working 805s ... (I also have a completely dead 805 and another which was briefly working fine until I decided it was a spare and took it apart to try making a three quarters length barrel! ... ) Of course, the benefit here is that it is a boom / zeppelin short cable which is desirable anyway, not an extra length to the actual mic body.