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Clicking noise, ocillates and gets faster


B_Van_Deusen

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Hi there, me and another sound guy are shooting a feature in the Bahamas and today we've come across a "clicking" sound in our line.  As the boom op i am hearing it on my end and its going all the way to the track.  It sounds kinda like the clicking of a clock. We are using a Schoeps CMC6 with a 744T as the recorder. Any help would be great. I have heard stories of the Schoeps acting up in high humidity situations could this possibly be the problem?

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Do you also hear a whine, very low level, sometimes rising in pitch?  That's the giveaway that the Schoeps has humidity problems.  Do everything you can to make sure your mic is NEVER colder than the surrounding air--do NOT take it into air-conditioned rooms and then back out into the heat.  If the mic can acclimate it will work fine.

Philip Perkins

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Also, make sure it's not a Blackberry or similar device on set.

Check your cables, too.  Sometimes how they're grounded can make them more susceptible to spurious radiation (to the shell or not to the shell).

Like others have said, isolate where in the chain the problem occurs, starting with the microphone.  Even if it is another device that is the origination of the noise, a given microphone, or cable, can "team up" with rf interference to make it an audible issue.  Also, try a different mic input on the mixer.  Sometimes a simple change like that can chase away a persistent demon.

JB

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Hi there, me and another sound guy are shooting a feature in the Bahamas and today we've come across a "clicking" sound in our line.  As the boom op i am hearing it on my end and its going all the way to the track.  It sounds kinda like the clicking of a clock. We are using a Schoeps CMC6 with a 744T as the recorder. Any help would be great. I have heard stories of the Schoeps acting up in high humidity situations could this possibly be the problem?

B,

Are you using any wireless systems in addition to the Cmc6? if so, are you using a mixer in front of the 744t? are using a venue system by any chance?? maybe a older 411.

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Do you also hear a whine, very low level, sometimes rising in pitch?  That's the giveaway that the Schoeps has humidity problems.  Do everything you can to make sure your mic is NEVER colder than the surrounding air--do NOT take it into air-conditioned rooms and then back out into the heat.  If the mic can acclimate it will work fine.

Philip Perkins

I'm with Philip and Crew C on this... Sounds like the classic Schoeps condensation problem, especially if the whine is present.

A 744T provides sufficient current to run a pair of Schoeps. The 744T RF issue mostly results in decreased range, I think. Grounding would present a different set of symptoms. CMC-6 amps are very forgiving of RF issues generally.

I live in a hot and humid half-the-year place, where it can also be cold and wet most of the other half. I had this problem a lot of the time. I fixed the problem by being sure the contacts capsule to amp or accessory to amp are clean and then by storing my mics in Dry Tubes. See this link at Jerry Bruck's website: http://posthorn.com/Macvk_3.html

Best regards,

Jim

Ps: I should say that Evan Mater at Vark Audio, who makes the Dry Tube, is a neighbor and friend of 25 years or more.

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The title of this thread says it all, IMO.

"clicking and getting faster".

The "getting faster" part has happened to me with Schoeps CMC series many times in the past.

My version of the classic Schoeps humidity problem is - starting with slow clicks or puts, which over time ramp up in frequency

to awhine. At this point I'm whining too.

Lotsa folks mentioned the dry tubes. Should work fine.

I use a Lexan waterproof box with all the Schoeps components inside (from outdoor suppliers), as well as a gel pack from Lee Valley (encased in an aluminum box, and rechargeable)

I also clean the contacts of the variouscomponents with fine toothpicks and methyl hydrate.

By doing these preventative things, I have left the humidity problem behind for the most part.

Regards,

Jim Rillie

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Never ever use a Schoeps in the Bahamas, unless it's the only mic you have. They can't take any extreme humidity and will start making clicking sounds just before they burst into flames!! Try any Sennheiser instead. Best of luck.

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