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Mics and big guns


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I am currently working on a show for Discovery about the history of guns- Set up is pretty simple Cos11 mics on the presenter and the expert and a boom mic to catch all the ambience and gunfire.

So far we've only done small arms type stuff- pistols, rifles and small automatic weapons (AK47, M16 etc) However in a couple of weeks time we will be covering heavy artillery (Civil war canons, Howitzers etc) On this show they are using live rounds not blanks- I've had no issues so far with the small arms- the loudest thing we have filmed so far was the Desert Eagle .50, but should I be concerned about the shockwaves from these big artillery weapons damaging the diaphragms in my mics- especially the Cos 11s that will be on our presenter and expert. The general format is they shoot off the guns at some target then turn and talk about the weapons.

Anyone been in a war zone and experienced issues with big guns damaging mics?

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On my show we shot a scene with a guy blasting off a small cannon. It was probably a feet in length but I swear that little shit was louder than anything i'd ever heard.

My rented schoeps ccm41 didn't blink an eye (but I did....)

And the dpas on the contestants were fine.

I have no idea how loud it was, but id guess it was about as loud or a tad louder than a pistol or revolver.... So.. Pretty

Darn loud.

The loudest thing I've ever heard apart from that must've been a lightning strike 100 meters away from a house me and my family were sleeping in once

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COS-11s can handle anything from .22LR to Civil War cannons to .50 BMG to 47mm WWII cannons to 20 mm anti-tank rifles etc. So don't worry. The Sennheisers MKH 416, 40, 50, 60) can handle the high SPL just fine. The CS-3e on the other hand, would crumble anywhere near loud firearms.

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Do not use an expensive condenser mics. on any guns or cannons,It does damage them! Believe me,I've done work with the army and used dynamic mics.----that's what you use.As far as the lavs. go,I'd just use them,the dynamic lavs don't sound great on voice.

The condenser mics. loose there sensitivity on those low level scenes.

J.D.

P.S-----keep the condensers in a closed case when they are firing.

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The CS-3e on the other hand, would crumble anywhere near loud firearms.

Not true, I've spent months on active Ops with US forces in Afghanistan using the CS3e and it's performed faultlessly, even in BlackHawks with the door guns chattering away, or with RG31s lobbing shell after shell into Taleban compounds.

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Same here.

Kalashnikov @ 4 feet...sounded great (not the loudest firearm, but still loud)

Not true, I've spent months on active Ops with US forces in Afghanistan using the CS3e and it's performed faultlessly, even in BlackHawks with the door guns chattering away, or with RG31s lobbing shell after shell into Taleban compounds.

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Not true, I've spent months on active Ops with US forces in Afghanistan using the CS3e and it's performed faultlessly, even in BlackHawks with the door guns chattering away, or with RG31s lobbing shell after shell into Taleban compounds.

The CS-3e only have an SPL rating of 120. It distorts way sooner than some of the other mics listed, and IMO not a pleasant distortion. It will still work but does it sound good? From a distance, it sounds fine but close up is a different story. YMMV.

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I've recorded a few heavy artillery guns over the years..multiple mics are best..dynamics..and most importantly don't get a mic or yourself in front of the gun muzzle or even parallel to it.....the shockwave is horrendous and can shake anything to pieces...you and your hearing are the most important thing on the range to you...don't be persuaded to do anything you think that could affect your hearing...I got asked by a Director to go down into an underground bunker to record the sounds of shells landing close by...I asked the Colonel in charge..".This isn't an exact science is it?...No he said..the wind plays a big effect on the Howitzer shells and they could land very close to the bunker"...so I refused to go and as it was a video shoot, I put the camera mic on and watched from a safe distance...the cameraman came out with his ears ringing...I'm very glad I made the right call for me even tho the Director never hired me again..

BVS

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For lavs, I've used the Sennheiser MKE2 Gold. I've thrown all kinds of really loud things at it, and it has stood up fine. It can handle up to 142 SPL.

http://www.sennheiserusa.com/media/productDownloads/productSheets/MKE2-4-C-GOLD_ProductSheet.pdf

I've never tried the COS-11 on anything loud, so I can't speak to how well it holds up, but it is a great lav.

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I'm not sure that the high stepping makes any difference...

http://gizmodo.com/5928737/this-must-be-the-stupidest-way-to-fire-one-of-the-worlds-deadliest-cannons

but the high stepping remindered me of a Visa TV commercial running here at the moment...

I thought they might work together..the gun image and jingle from the tvc...pretty silly...but fun..

The other thing is that they are firing over a village to lands the shells on the hill behind...unbelieveable..

BVS

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