Audio setup advice

[Chris990]

Hi guys,

 

I’m looking to upgrade my current audio setup and take it up a notch, and your help would be appreciated. Just as a bit of a context, I’m a shooting producer/director, or a one-man-band if you like, and mainly work on branded and documentary content and this setup I am looking into would be for those situations when I don’t have a sound recordist with me, when I do, they take care of all sound (obviously).

 

I currently have the following setup:

- Audio Technica AT4053B for indoor interview situations with boom on stand
- Rode VideoMic Pro that goes on top of the camera
- Rode Wireless Pro
- and I use the Canon C70 as my main camera

 

I want to keep the AT4056B as it’s great indoors. But not great for outdoor use. So I’m looking to complement that with a shotgun mic which will be used both for outdoor boom use and as a replacement for the Rode VideoMic Pro on top of the camera for more general b-roll or observational scene coverage. I am looking at the following mics, all in the £1000 range which is what I’m prepared to spend:

 

* DPA 2017
* Sanken CS-3e
* Sennheiser MKH 8060
* Sennheiser MKH 416

 

and potentially DPA 4017B, but it’s a bit of a stretch in terms of budget, and if I get into this territory then it means I need to consider Schoeps.. But only if they are really that much better than the ones above. I would rather stay closer to that £1000 range. There is also Rode NTG5 and NTG3 which are slightly cheaper.

 

I have just returned the Rode Wireless Pro as the receiver was causing interference with whatever mic I had mounted on the camera, so I decided to replace that with something else and I settled o. the Deity THEOS (about to place an order). It’s important for me to have that on-board 32bit float (im based in the UK so I can have it transmit and record simultaneously) as well as the dual transmitter (keen to keep the footprint of the receiver to a minimum and the ability to have 2 characters miced up) which is what I got with the Wireless Pro, but THEOS seems like a more solid and more durable option, replaceable batteries, and it is UHF as opposed to 2.4Ghz. In the beginning I’d be using the lav mics they supply with the unit but I’d be looking at the Sanken COS-11 upgrade down the line. I looked at the Sennheiser EW-DP but that doesn’t have an on-board recording and it is a bit cumbersome especially once you add a second receiver. 

 

And lastly, I am considering a stereo mic for general atmos when recording b-roll (Rode Stereo Video Mic X) but not sure how necessary this is for my setup. I want to keep things simple and adding another microphone might make things more complicated. Are there other options other than the Rode you’d suggest and how much better will the atmos sound be with this compared to the shotgun?

 

Thoughts and recommendations welcome!

 

Thanks

[Jim Feeley]

Maybe also consider the Sanken CS-M1, which costs $895US and £729.00 at Pinknoise Systems (not an endorsement; they are the only UK reseller I know). 

 

I own a CS-M1, as well as a CS-3e (and a 416 that doesn't come out much). I'd say the CS-M1 is a bit wider than the CS-3e and perhaps a touch harsher, but still really useable (a haven't really done a careful comparison; the M1 is a useful mic). And it's like 4-inches/100mm long; nice on a camera. 

 

Here's a brief discussion from a couple years ago that talks about the CS-M1, and gives some people's impressions of the differences between it at a CS-3e. 

 

 

And search this site for other discussions of the various mics you're considering. But I'd give the CS-M1 a listen if you can. 

 

 

[Aprikot]

I swing the CS-M1 quite a bit - on quick changes from interior to exterior you can often get away with it. It has a bit more "suck" than I expected when I first picked one up. 

 

Works well in most interior setups (on the end of a pole, or sit-down interviews. It can struggle a bit with really sibilant speakers.)

 

In terms of on-camera: anecdotally, I've worked with a number of cam ops that rock one on their rig for doc.

[JonG]

I’d say that as long as you’re staying in the Rode/Diety world you’ll still find yourself wanting to upgrade. When it comes to pro audio, you get what you pay for. 

[rmac]

What are the lavs for and why do they have to be wireless?

[Mattias Larsen]

As a camera mic, I am not sure what the obvious choise would be. Maybe a MKH50 would be worth considering too? The small Sanken mentioned in this thread looks interesting too.

 

As for the mics you mentioned, this is my experience.

 

Sanken CS3e: My most used shotgun and keep going back to it, still trying to find a more natural sounding one that I can keep on pole when the environment is harsh and noisy. It might be a bit long as a camera mic.

 

416: Not exciting, but it works. I have one, but it never comes up. Sounds too harsh and reverby for me, but will never let you down and sounds good on sound effects.

 

8060: Just sold this one. Its not for me even thonit sounds very natural. Its simply too sensitive to wind, I dont see it working very well as a camera mic without proper wind protection. A slip on fur doesnt cut it.

[DanieldH]

On 3/29/2024 at 11:53 PM, rmac said:

What are the lavs for and why do they have to be wireless?

They are not, and if, not yet pro level.

[rmac]

43 minutes ago, DanieldH said:

They are not, and if, not yet pro level.

 

I was referring to this:

 

Quote

I have just returned the Rode Wireless Pro as the receiver was causing interference with whatever mic I had mounted on the camera, so I decided to replace that with something else and I settled on the Deity THEOS... In the beginning I’d be using the lav mics they supply with the unit but I’d be looking at the Sanken COS-11 upgrade down the line.