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Recommendations for stand/boom and stereo cables for MKH 50 /30 rig


RWSD

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Hi all,

I’ve just ordered an MKH30 to accompany my MKH50 for M/S recording. I will have a Rycote Cyclone for wind protection. I plan on recording nature sounds for ambient music projects and sound design. I also want to use the MKH50 for small interview projects. Much of this will be locally in Northern California, but I also intend to do some recording in India later this year, so portability could be nice.

To these ends, I’m wondering what might be a good choice of stand or boom pole. Ideally, something that fits both purposes would be nice. Perhaps I will need two separate items, as I will probably just boom with just the MKH50 for interviews and any narrative type projects. 

I saw the Manfrotto Nanopole on some you tubers site, seemed like it could be used both ways. But I’m concerned that without any internal cabling, there may be more handling noise or distracting cable chaos (hopefully the Rycote Cyclone setup minimizes the former). There is good advice for boom poles out there (e.g. K-TEK), but I guess these would be wired for mono?  I also don’t believe I can also plant these down for longer nature recordings and I don’t intend to take my C-stands and clamps out into the wild. I would love any suggestions. While I don’t want to spend unnecessarily, I’m willing to invest in something that is solid/good. Maybe the Manfrotto Nanopole is a reasonable choice?

I’m also trying to figure what sort of stereo 5 pin to dual 3 pin XLR cable to get to go from my Rycote to field recorder (Zoom F8n Pro).  You know, a particular brand or manufacturer to order from. Thanks for any suggestions, as I’m new to this higher end field recording side of things (not quite Schoeps, but certainly a level up from my Zoom H series and their capsule mics).

Best,

KS

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The Manfrotto Nanopole is very flimsy: the smallest lighting stand I trust my Cyclone to is the Nano Plus stand (5002BL), which has a 4kg payload compared to the 1.5kg of the Nanopole's 1.5kg. The 5002BL folds up to 52cm vs the 51cm of the Nanopole, but admittedly weighs rather more (1.35kg vs 0.78kg), but that's a small price for a bit of stability. Even so, I wouldn't use it in moderate winds significantly extended for recording as you'll get some movement: the lack of mass and solidity of the Nanopole promises much worse performance. As for the removable 'boom pole' in the latter, having had one in my hand in the shop I can't imagine it would be useful for anything soundwise: I certainly wouldn't use it for booming anything. Those using boom poles and stands for a mix of narrative, music and ambience recording, esp. when travelling, might lament the absence of some good removable tripod legs than can fit a proper boom pole, but, as far as I know there is no such thing commercially available, so get yourself a decent carbon fibre boom pole, and whatever stand you want for nature/ambience recording: note that many just doing the latter use camera tripods rather than small lighting stands due to better stability and much greater flexibility for leg positions. And, of course, tripods can also manage a second job - for camera support - properly!

 

The cable is a straightforward 5-pin XLRF to 2 x 3-pin XLRM balanced cable, at whatever length suits your use. Given dual use (stand and boom), an external cable seems obvious and can hardly result in chaos. Any decent location audio shop can supply.

 

Cheers,

 

Roland

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Hi Roland,

 

Thanks much for your response.  It confirms what I suspected, that I will need two separate things (stand and boom pole).  It was just that I had watched this fellow’s video (see attached) and he is using mics (I believe two 8040’s in ORTF) in a Cinela with the nanopole, including using it as a sort of boom.  

 

For my first forays into M/S field recording with the 50/30, as you note, perhaps I can just use my Peak Designs travel tripod (which I use and is stable with my Blackmagic Camera) to start with.  Being new to this setup, I just wanted to make sure there isn’t some favorite approach/tool that I might not have considered.  

 

What I meant by cable chaos was in this setting, where the cable would be external to the pole, versus internal in an actual boom.  I wasn’t clear that there are no boom’s out there with detachable legs, but thought that if there was I would have the choice of an internally wired setup.  

 

I’ll see if I can find a good location audio shop up here in the Bay Area and chat with them about a basic 5 pin to dual 3 pin balanced cable.  I was pressed for time, busy with work, and initially hoped I could just identify a particular shop/manufacturer online and make a quick order of a cable that people find reliable and sturdy for field recording use, and is also reasonably priced.

 

Regards,

 

Khenu

 

 

 

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I have a MS rig similar to yours, a MK30/40 combo in a Cyclone that accompanies me on scouting/hiking jaunts. The Manfrotto nano stands looked enticing, but I ended up with a Vanguard tripod that can be converted to a monopole for short boom work.  https://www.vanguardworld.com/products/veo-3-go-235ab-aluminum-tripod-monopod-with-ball-head-bluetooth-remote-spc

 

It is a good all-rounder, although it is not perfect. Well constructed, it easily holds the mic rig (with a 1/4" to 3/6" adaptor). I always carry an empty sand bag in my kit that can be filled in the field with sand or gravel and emptied when I pack up and carry on.

 

It packs down small enough to fit in a small backpack along with the Cyclone, MixPre 6ii, cables and batteries. For airline travel I put the backpack and personal travel items in a Pelican 1535 for overhead storage.

 

 

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Hi Ronmac,  

 

Let me look into the Vanguard tripod and see if it offers anything my Peak Designs travel tripod doesn’t.  I had blinders on, just thinking of that as a tool for my camera.  Kind of silly as I’ve used it as a stand for my Zoom F8n as well.  Just didn’t think of tripods and mics together.

 

It’s a such a useful tip for me, the empty sand bag that can be filled on location.  Also the particular Pelican model.  I’ll need something like this for being more airplane travel ready, for some recording I intend to do in Oregon and then later in India.

 

Much appreciated!

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18 minutes ago, RWSD said:

It was just that I had watched this fellow’s video (see attached) and he is using mics (I believe two 8040’s in ORTF) in a Cinela with the nanopole, including using it as a sort of boom.  

 

Just feel a Nanopole (I tested the carbon fibre one) rather than watch a video, which does indeed look enticing/the answer!

 

Ronmac's choice looks far better, and with camera tripods you have so much choice for weight vs stability vs cost (and if you want one that also has the monopod option) that you should find something that suits you (if your present one doesn't). And you can always remove the ball head.

 

You might find Magnús Bergsson's Hljóðmynd – Soundimage a good website for nature recording info, but even he doesn't always use tripods - finding the best support can be the humble hummock! https://fieldrecording.net/2020/06/24/lewitt-on-the-hummock/

 

R

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Thanks again.  Magnús Bergsson's Hljóðmynd – Soundimage is fantastic, thanks for sharing!  Yeah, once I realized I can just use my travel tripod (or even a hummock!), I’m set for now.  I just ordered a 1/4” 20 to 3/8” 16 adapter to fit my Rycote boom mount and the necessary XLR cable from LA Audio.  I can wait for the boom, research a bit more.  Mic stand will do for now, as I’m just going to be recording my father recite and explain some of his Punjabi poetry, while focusing more on the camera work.  One man operation for the next few weeks, until my buddy comes down for our project.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 2/1/2023 at 5:11 PM, Throwback said:

The Manfrotto Nanopole is very flimsy: the smallest lighting stand I trust my Cyclone to is the Nano Plus stand (5002BL), which has a 4kg payload compared to the 1.5kg of the Nanopole's 1.5kg. The 5002BL folds up to 52cm vs the 51cm of the Nanopole, but admittedly weighs rather more (1.35kg vs 0.78kg), but that's a small price for a bit of stability. Even so, I wouldn't use it in moderate winds significantly extended for recording as you'll get some movement: the lack of mass and solidity of the Nanopole promises much worse performance. As for the removable 'boom pole' in the latter, having had one in my hand in the shop I can't imagine it would be useful for anything soundwise: I certainly wouldn't use it for booming anything. Those using boom poles and stands for a mix of narrative, music and ambience recording, esp. when travelling, might lament the absence of some good removable tripod legs than can fit a proper boom pole, but, as far as I know there is no such thing commercially available, so get yourself a decent carbon fibre boom pole, and whatever stand you want for nature/ambience recording: note that many just doing the latter use camera tripods rather than small lighting stands due to better stability and much greater flexibility for leg positions.

 

Just following up on this point: a beefier version of the Nano Pole that could take a proper boom pole (ideally a whole range of different ones) would seem great for such use, but, in the absence of this, I thought a bit more about the problem again, and have just come up with a very simple and quick to set up means of attaching a boom pole to a camera tripod for those occasions when useful. I'm sure others have done likewise over the years, so it would be interesting to see any different/better implementations. Anyway, details are in my blog post: https://drbadphil.com/if-only-boom-poles-could-grow-legs

 

Cheers,

 

Roland

 

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