Noise Assist

[jwill]

I have listened to SDs' noise assist demos, sounds insane. At those prices who uses it? 

[JoshuaT]

I have used it since it came out. I increased my gear rental by $50 and include it for every shoot (I only use it if I believe it will help). I have made over $10000 from using it. It is definitely worth it.

[Mungo]

Have the four instances in the 833. It can't do wonders and needs to be operated carefully, there's a learning curve how and in which intensity to use it. But since I do mostly news and documentary stuff, I wouldn't do without it any more.

Never got the chance to test the Cedar plugin which is double the price.

 

+ works good when there's a constant noise (generator, dimmer)

+ slightly increases range of boom mike exterior (traffic noise)

+ can slighlty help you with clothes rustling noise when lavs concealed

+ especially recommend for the mix of multiple lavaliers

+ makes you a hero occasionally in ENG style shoots ("Can we do the interview or is it too loud in here?" "Well, we'll hear the noise, but yes it will be clearly understandable.")

 

- sounds weird and blocky if intensity too high

- no help to isolate a single person speaking when other people speaking or shouting around

- doesn't work satisfyingly good with abrupt noises like dog barking, items of metal falling on ground

- doesn't help much in echoey rooms

- steals low freq and makes the voice sounding more flat

- depends on circumstances, so there is no value that "always works", you have to experiment again every time

- speaking of 833, it's in the ISO if you activate it. If you want to record both processed and unprocessed you are confronted with complicated bus routing

- not suitable for fictional stuff when there is a proper post production. Izotope and other software do it much better.

- plugin is for one machine only, for one serial number. You can't transfer it to another recorder, and if you recorder is dead, stolen or in repair, you can't use it. 

 

[Matt Geldof]

At the moment, I have one instance on my mix pre 6. I generally only take the mix pre sound package out for run and gun / doc work in and around NYC.

 

I have found that noise assist works well for steady background issues, similar to most sound scrubbing software. It also seems that there is an algorithm built in for removing some echo. To get a similar effect in Protools, I need to use both echo and sound scrubbing software. Of course, when using plugins I get much better control, but noise assist is optimized for cleaning up production sound. 

 

I generally only use the noise assist on the boom mic, in sit down interviews and dialed into the output no higher than 6/7, leaving the iso track clean. Higher settings can work, but will start to thin out the dialog if the background sound overlaps the frequency range of the person speaking. I take some care in when and how much is implemented. I find it a bit jumpy, using it in situations where we are moving around a lot, especially if monitoring boom / lav split L/R, so mainly stick to controlled environments.

 

I do like having the option enough to consider switching from my trusty 664 to an 8 series. At that point, I'll have to up my rental, but for now include the plugin in my current package rate.  Just need to decide which model makes the most sense.

 

 

[PCMsoundie]

31 minutes ago, Matt Geldof said:

Quote

I generally only use the noise assist on the boom mic, in sit down interviews and dialed into the output no higher than 6/7, leaving the iso track clean. Higher settings can work, but will start to thin out the dialog if the background sound overlaps the frequency range of the person speaking.

 

 

 

Hey Matt. As you and Mungo mentioned " steals low freq and makes the voice sounding more flat"

One way I found it sounded better is not using so much HPF especially on male voice. so maybe 50Hz. On NS I rarely go over 4 or 5 setting... usually less and only using on MAIN MIX Bus.

My ISOs are still clean and slightly more bassy than I'd usually do.

Yes for projects you know there is only a video editor and they are barely making a mix including music is where this is gonna help the most [when no audio post production at all.] Those types of editors don't touch the audio really. You are lucky if they don't just have both the lav and boom up at full volume totally phasing in mono.

 

 

[edward chick]

I have two instances of Noise Assist  for my 888. I find that it works great for live shots outside. Obviously it does nothing for wind. But it helps with traffic noise. Interiors it helps a lot with HVAC. You do have to be careful on how much you dial in. Too much and it sounds flat with no bass in the voice. I find between 3 and 4 usually hits a sweet spot. I upped my kit rental 50.00 and use it with discretion. Every location situation is different .

I always keep the iso tracks clean for production shoots. Live shots I enable it for the lav and or boom/hand mic. I think it’s a game changer for sure. Just my humble opinion.