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The Immoral Mr Teas

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Posts posted by The Immoral Mr Teas

  1. Having just spent a while reading through archive posts I'm wondering whether the AJA is still the 'best' bag-friendly ADC option out there?

    I like the swappable channels, four channels, the 96k capability and the WC / sync extras ... But is there anything that could do 192, still preferably have more than a stereo pair (maybe even more than two pairs) and still be DC powered and a small footprints? I presume not, but I'll ask. (btw, I liked the German 192 capable DIY box, but not currently up to the challenge of making it myself, and didn't look too hard at the possibility of extending / syncing the channel count).

    Cheers, Jez

    ( I meant the BEIS diy packs that Vincent mentioned in the similar 'bagfriendly' post a couple years back - sorry, I'm typing this on an iPad and I am NOT a skilled iPad operator! ) J

  2. If Annie Lennox is fat, that's the series. If she's absent (or thin), my apologies to twelve creative techs! But I think I was writing about the right series (I watched several music docs over the last couple or so months) or I wouldn't have mentioned it. The gripe is a long running one though - how mistakes in aspect ratio could ever be made in the first place, let alone OK'ed and broadcast, is beyond me. It happens A T B T.

    J

    PS - an interesting series though. Possibly connected in some way to George Martin (again, memory ...) j

  3. 2 hours ago, Philip Perkins said:

    I was impressed that the vote went pretty well, no big "hanging chad" moments or Supreme Court hearings or big vote fraud accusations, with a big turn out and a result that left the contestants only about 1 % apart in the popular vote. 

    Similar to an advisory referendum popular vote that was recently held 'somewhere in Europe' which ought to have led to important discussions IN PARLIAMENT... Fallout can be a different matter. But these are very different, ha ha.

  4. Is this a second series? I just watched a series here on Sky Arts (a free channel) here in the UK and I'd be quite surprised if we got it before you. All in all a decent series, except for my "gripe" that between around a dozen credited edit/post professionals they could rarely get the aspect ratio close to acceptable. To the point (after getting sick of trying to zap between shots) I watched the programmes on 4:3 ... since I prefer to look at thin people to fat people.

    (I do hope I'm remembering correctly it being indeed this series and not accidentally dissing the fine work of twelve edit folk !)

     

    Jez

  5. 17 hours ago, Aaron said:

    it looks great!

    Please clarify why it looks great to you. To me (a Soundfield owner) it looked from the site specs to be a combination of too ill-defined in its abilities and too restricted in its possibilities. The possibility front could be vastly expanded by allowing the unit to act as a four channel machine bypassing the WXYZ mic, thus being a decent rival for recorders in the tascam dr70 league. If it is indeed a rival for, say, a dr70 combined with a core sound tetra mic all well and good. I'd like a little more info on the mic specs. And the price is 'good and bad' - hard to think that both the capsules and the rest of the hardware will be great at that price, but unrealistic also to expect anything ok for less (indeed I can't think of three budget fig 8 mics to fit such a price).

    Although perhaps with the repopularity of ambisonics coming through modern sports etc broadcasts and now VR embracing it, perhaps what has been a 70s geek chic area for so long might be breaking into the mainstream. I actually hope it's good but would have wished for a unit capable of more adaptability. Fair enough, I know my mics more from practice than published specs but know that the specs of those mics are correct. Paying $500 for a complete unknown is asking too much.

    Jez

    Perhaps Zoom will see an opportunity and release an update to the H6 with a WXYZ capsule (obviously not with the current H6 with two channel capsule input).

  6. 3 hours ago, RadoStefanov said:

    2.4ghz whine

    2.4ghz whine made me smile. Luckily my old ears don't hear much up at those frequencies any more.

    Sorry for hijacking an interesting topic with genuinely useful comments (esp yrself Rado!)

    Jez x

  7. Indeed Daniel - were we not talking about such a concept several months back (not knowing of this backpack personally)? To have, say, 80% of one's gear (recorder, battery, radio mics and aerials) able to swing to a comfortable back position leaving just a fully functioning (yet not a computer/tablet) mixing and monitoring panel on the waist.

    Food for (distant) future thought! In the meantime perhaps some of the bag/harness manufacturers might consider contacting and collaborating with Mr Wolffe on bespoke backpack/bag ideas to build into (existing or new) sound bag harnesses ... ?

    Jez

  8. 16 hours ago, rcoronado said:

    I've heard of a few voicover projects where 96k was specified specifically because the plan was to do sound design style processing and pitch shifting to several of the characters as a whole.  

    That seems like the only reason to run 96k on set as well.  

    Well there's the very real issue of time stretching and pitch shifting with both ADR and dialogue editing of alts, but on the other hand I'd rather put up with crappy artifacts than a 96k workflow through editorial!

    J

  9. I like the 'layer' approach as well and occasionally have an extra layer (either just a foam cap or better hollow foam wrapped in nylon) even within a rycote ... more for occasions where either I feel a stereo set or a side mic is too near the edge. I've long thought (but not yet constructed) of one day constructing some kind of giant wind tent for bigger surround arrays (both to increase wind attenuation and to balance it).

    These Janisses are quite lovely looking though, and remind me of both Schoeps and Bruel & Kjaer cage shields. Is there any chance you could post a pic from the end to let us see both how the shield attaches to the cradle and how two or three layers can be fit ( ie just one side fitted so we can see down the barrel so to speak) ?

    Jez

  10. On right now, BBC4 tv, (available probably on the deep dark web to those outside the UK or those without a licence), "Television's Opening Night - How the Box was Born" a documentary on the 80th anniversary of the first broadcast from Alexandra Palace on 2 Nov 1936.

    I was expecting a little less from the meagre promos I'd seen beforehand but this is really worth a watch. In fact, something this good would have been promoted through the roof ten or more years ago. It's very 'Horizon' in presentation, but so far packing more content than the average H.

    J

  11. 12 hours ago, Constantin said:

    What is it in your opinion that makes the 70 more practical than the 8070?

    The low cut perhaps? As with other owners here of the old and new models of MKH my hope for 2017 is yet again a 'dialogue module' with fixed extreme cut, variable cut above that (such as the CUT 1/2) and why not a switchable pad whilst we're at it?

    It will I expect also be my hope for 2018, 2019, 2020 ...

    j

  12. 2 hours ago, Rachel Cameron said:

    Yes, I've noticed the mime thing on TOTP episodes. 

    My question: Did they actually record a version 'specifically' for that TOTP show? I figured many of the recordings they mimed to were actually perhaps..a John Peel session, their first actual studio recording, or other seminal first recordings. 

    This answer is from my patchy memory of one of the fairly recent 'story of 1978  or thereabouts' shows so perhaps if we're lucky somebody's patchy memory from reality might yet supersede it ...

    I believe they were (legally?) required to record a version specifically for TOTP which would of course be used for subsequent TOTP appearances for the next few weeks if invited back. However it was suggested that very often previously recorded BBC tapes from eg Peel Sessions or alternate recordings from the bands found themselves as the 'new' recording, particularly for the many instances when the very short time available would make a full new tracking and mixing of a tune kind of unlikely. I got the impression that it would be the bands rather than the BBC who would instigate such mixes, using session multi tracks or previous multitrack elements. American tunes turned up far more frequently in their original version with the dance troupes (in place of expensive artist visits) or often primitive pre-MTV videos.

    It was an interesting tidbit of 1970s BBC legality when I heard it so if I come back across my source (on a fat-arse exercising increasingly common BBC4 repeats watching night...) I will let you know the title and details.

    J

  13. That's what I like about the KT Systems bag system of adding pouches or units as needed with simple clips and Velcro (obviously cabling has to be attached too) - why not create a 'surplus channel' bag with dashboard, cables etc ready with the extra 4 or whatever radio channels in a bag with a similar footprint to your orca and sew on a set of clips and a strip of Velcro to quickly attach / detach as required?

    Jez

  14. Watching as I write Top of the Pops rerun on BBC4 from 15th July 1982. As UK old gits know well bands would fairly quickly record a session version of their current tune then mime over it for the performance. Watching Dexys perform Come On Eileen however it looks like the two violins are just playing over the prerecorded track - as in multi tracking, so there be four of them. The rest, including the deadened drums, looked business as usual. I could be wrong.

    Meanwhile it's been a good Halloween weekend evening on BBC radio tonight, with Kim Cattrall reading Rosemary's Baby followed by Peter Strickland's radio version of Nigel Kneale's The Stone Tape from last Halloween. Tomorrow has a repeat of last year's The Ring by Koji Suzuki.

    Jez

  15. Well Anatole has said the company will hire a recordist / kit for the decent budget stuff so what's to complain about. They've already bought a camera (as a production outfit - not a camera team) so why not get some basic sound recording gear that can be used on small projects and as ADDITIONAL items on proper projects? Maybe invest in some in-house avid/lightworks/ fcp/ pt/ nuendo too?

    I absolutely agree with Robert in suggesting getting an MKH50 - superb and bulletproof and an excellent investment. The 50 is easier (with onboard cut and hpf) than the 8050, and the tighter pattern will be more useful than the 40 for most purposes. Perhaps look for a good condition one secondhand (which is a decent plan for most high cost items where wear isn't a great issue).

    I'd also look for a (decent SH) MKH416PH. A workhorse that will last forever (use your ntg3 until you grab a bargain). And the Bayer for voxpops.

    The new zoom F4 might be a decent absolute budget recorder to consider. A more versatile option could be to pick up a second hand SD552 which seems to go for about 1200 quid in uk. Only 2 recording tracks and TC IN only but a heavy duty mixer with direct outs and multiple output options including AES. If you considered upping the company investment I'd probably look to get a SD633 but that's beyond your original post.

    I agree get a good carbon fibre pole. Personally I wouldn't put an internally coiled one into unskilled hands, and it must be much longer than 2m! If you are doing a fair amount of 'short' booming I might consider getting one of those new rode 3 piece carbon fibre micro poles (in ADDITION to a proper pole) which could double as a pretty interview stand when attached to a heavy base such as a Canford S139. I would also weigh up what much of your work actually is and build up items to have 'in house' to offer to outside recordists as well as self use: quality/smart mic stands (like the K&M 26200), table stands, boom caddy, pop screen ... The best thing you could do here (and in general) is ask two or three of your 'most regularly hired' outside recordists to guide you in what they would like you to buy as 'house items' - they may even suggest you get carpets, acoustic panels or an acoustic table - only they can really suggest things to make their life easier and your quality to go up.

    Finally, a couple of pairs of good headphones; good windshielding (I'd personally invest in a top full kit with new jammer, but supersofties and the new bubblebee with fur also to consider); full cabling options for gear plus 10m looms and yet more cables plus dedicated cables for regular setups - so the hired in guy/gal can have the option to go straight to 'plan A' ; battery setup for gear and options again (hirose, xlr4) for an outside bod to make use of it.

    Again - assuming you're being honest in your statement to 'hire whenever possible' - the first and last suggestions to what you eventually look for should be to your most experienced regular freelancers, and they should understand that you are looking to augment, enhance and not REPLACE their own hire kit(s).

    Best of luck,

    Jez Adamson

  16. 22 hours ago, Malcolm Davies Amps CAS said:

    I used one in the early 70's. The Nagra sat on top of it and the four rotary pots were sloping towards you. Can't remember much more about it apart from this. The only time I used it was on the original production of Ready when you are Mr. McGill.

    Malcolm, was that not possibly the Sela?

    Jez

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