Gerard-NYNY Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 I've been buying stuff and fluffing up my toolbox with the usual barrels, adapters, cables and connectors. Any secret weapons we should all know about for typical or atypical situations that you're finally ready to talk about? Any 'once in a lifetime' war stories are welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Toline Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 I've been buying stuff and fluffing up my toolbox with the usual barrels, adapters, cables and connectors. Any secret weapons we should all know about for typical or atypical situations that you're finally ready to talk about? Any 'once in a lifetime' war stories are welcome. Gender benders of all shapes & sizes. A bunch of 50db mic pad barrels, all kinds of mounting tape, velcro strips, pads & dots. A couple of MAX-MINI powered speakers, pens, markers, flashlights and assorted stuff at the bottom that's been there so long I'm afraid to put my hand down there but I know what it is. Eric P.S. Always have these guys with me. 2-Sescom PO 28 1x4 line level splitters, 600 ohms in/out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 I have a 1/4 inch splicing block in mine;~) Nagra cables too. A lap top and ProTools interface. All the cross over cables n barrels and phase reverse and pad barrels out there... You will never stop buying stuff. Sooner or later a tool box becomes a AKS case. A tool will never save you IMO. Using the tools available in some manner may. Good subject. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 Sescom IL-19 isolation transformer - it has saved my butt on more than one occasion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Visser Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 Goldline phantom powered tone generator. Canare 110ohm to 75ohm AES adapters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirror Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 Most of the above with a few XLR "Y" cables. I swear that bag keeps growing on it's own when I'm not looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Quinn Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 All the above and hand full a fuses and a meter.You just never know Best John PS I also have a 1/4" splicing block but I can't see any splicing tape maybe it is time for a clean out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Visser Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 I've got spare boxes of Scotch 620 if that helps you out... but no block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Tuffrey Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 I've got more than one tool kit now. I have had to thin them out and make them more job specific. One of my favourites is the Speakon NL4 Y lead of which I have 2. That has saved me more than a few times. I've git so many XLR y splits (with earth lifted) and other XLR patch cables of various flavours. Those plugs are seriously heavy when you multiply them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Daddyo Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 My most unusual adapter is my XLR to RJ 14 barrel. Allows me to use xlr cable for an analog phone line. Have used it many times when working on network news gigs. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Tuffrey Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 My most unusual adapter is my XLR to RJ 14 barrel. Allows me to use xlr cable for an analog phone line. Have used it many times when working on network news gigs. Andy I could do with my own one of them. Used them a few times to go through a TBU in a truck via a multi core. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Mega Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 agree with all mentioned so far. I find female XLR to stereo mini jack (wired to route the mono input at the XLR to both channels of the stereo mini jack) and twin female XLR (left and right) to stereo mini jack (wired as left and right) very handy cables to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Quinn Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 Hi Tom I think my days of splicing 1/4" are well and truly over so if any one wants a splicing block let me know .I have not had a Nagra on a shoot in well over 10 years.But I suppose you never really know what is round the corner and that is why we clutter up our garages and boxes with these things. Best John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Reineke Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 Secret weapons: Sescom IL19s, other than those, I usually carry a DI, a small 'line check' amp/speaker, XLR gender benders, XLR<>TRS, 1/8", RCA, BNC, adapters. Something to amuse myself whilst waiting around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 Too much. I have to constantly weed it out or it becomes unmanageable. Newish wrinkle: various flavors of mini to XLR or BNC to help with hooking up whatever device scripty is using to TC. phil p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Andrews Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 Does anyone else have a habit of keeping a packet of haribo or similar sugary sweets hidden in the toolbox like I do? I know they are bad for my teeth but the extra energy helps get me through the long days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 Ah, yesssss, the JIC kit (aka AKS, and other monikers)... It does need periodic re-organizing, and I think all my Nagra and Tichel cables are now stored with my Nagra's, except for a couple with my Cooper Mixers... I'd have to agree with just about everything, except the candy (prefer sugarless gum or mints), and the IL-19's are essential... and a ground lifting barrel, Shure A97 transformer, and a phase reversing...... there is so much else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhyOne Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 P.S. Always have these guys with me. 2-Sescom PO 28 1x4 line level splitters, 600 ohms in/out. Sescom IL-19 isolation transformer - it has saved my butt on more than one occasion. Secret weapons: Sescom IL19s, If anyone hasn't got this message yet, start at the top and read again slowly... Two sets of DIY ass-savers: A set of male and female XLR-3 connectors, with color coded alligator clip leads extending a few inches from the back of the connector. Great diagnostic tools, with many other cool uses. Think about it for a moment... A similar set of XLR-4 connectors, with a foot of 16 gauge zip-cord, split, bared and tinned at the ends, with wire nuts on them. From voltage testing to quick-fix on DC power cords. Wire nut the two together for a quick DC extension, etc. Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 I've been saved a few times by the Shure A15AS Attenuator. Having the ability to drop the input level going into a camera or an external device (in my case, yesterday it was video assist), has been very helpful. I've also carried the Shure A15TG Tone Generator -- which I used to use in the studio as a continuity checker -- and a Shure A15PRS phase-reversal plug. Haven't had to use the latter (yet), but you never know. Shure makes a bunch of weird XLR adapters that I've managed to hang on to for decades, literally since I was a teenager in high school. And they still work! I also just added the Mix-Pre back to my goody bag, after letting it sit on the shelf for a couple of years. This would have helped a specific situation I had where I needed to combine 2 dialog tracks to mono for a special feed, but couldn't do it with a bag set up I had at the time. Nothing's worse than when you're confronted with an emergency and say "damn! I know exactly what I need to fix this, only the thingamagic isn't right here!" I try to carry every known plug to jack combination in a case in my van, but inevitably, the one I need (like Lemo TC to 1/8" mini-plug) isn't there, requiring me to stack about 2 or 3 adapters in a row. It ain't neat, but if the signal gets there and is secure, nuclear meltdown is averted. I much prefer dedicated single-purpose wired cables to adapters, except in emergencies. --Marc W. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael McQueen Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 picked up an 1/8" male to 3 way 1/8" female shorty for a 3 cam dslr shoot recently(they wanted audio fed to all 3…) but ended up being helpful on a gig this past week when i showed up with 3 comteks(thats what client requested…) and then 2 others where needed so the rest ended up sharing a rx in video village. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustinguished Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 There's quite a few suggestions in here that I may incorporate in the near future. I have an ambient universal TA5 (Lav) to XLR transformer in case something bad happens in the wireless world (stand up or sit down interviews). A lot of reversal barrels and it seems like every time I pull something, thinking I won't need it, I end up missing it, a few gigs later. One thing's for sure, the more stuff I acquire, the harder it is to find them in a pinch and 1/8" is a very faulty connector so I have lots of backups for those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomboom Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 Nice topic ! I just found out Sescom makes a 2 into 1 device: hum eliminator + phase reversal (Sescom IL-19-PRS-GLS) (not sure I like the switches though; I'd probably tape'em every time I use) Marc: I always carry my MixPre with me: it's a spare mixer, it used to be my ''phantom power'' unit for using a shotgun or CUB-01 wirelessly before I got my HM. On my future cart project, I may use it for comms ... In fact, I recently bought the MixPre-D (used on a gig now and slowly paying itslef) and will probably use it in a pouch for the boom op next may, the same way lots of guys here use the MM-1 for wireless boom. MixPre-D rocks... :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 In my kit?? Waaaay too much stuff, but sometimes it still isn't enough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.