If it is of help, I am willing to volunteer as the random beginner who gets the $10K to spend.

Dear Bill,

Your comments are very true!

It takes experience and practice to get good sound.

We could help by giving tips on how to get better sound.

So, I do not hijack this thread, I will start a new thread called "Tips for Better Sound". My goal is for anyone with a tip to post it so that all can discuss the merits of the tip and also provide their own tips.

Sure, but there is a real problem too with buying the wrong tool for job. And w/ mics costing +1K, there is reason to find out what's correct to buy.

Case in point, I just listened to some clips of a friend who's an actress. She did a great job, script was spot on, sound... sounded like she was in an echo chamber. I asked her about the sound and she found out that they had used a "REALLY GOOD mic." An MKH-416. Yes, it IS a really good mic, but not indoors with a highly reflective environment.

If you're going to be spending the money anyway, it makes sense to get as close to the right tools as possible.

But I DO AGREE with your general sentiment. I just finished watching four documentaries all shot with DVX100's. They looked and sounded quite good, for the most part. In the right hands, a modest tool can yield amazing results.

on the other hand...
 

I'm the epitome of the newbie trolling for what is "best". I actually find it very comforting that there is a "gold standard" for dialog indoor mics, and outdoor, etc. I live in rural new zealand and have no opportunity to test drive mics... or film gear... or really, anything.

Based on the banter here, i bought a cmc641. What is great is that even if i dont have the ear to appreciate how much better it is, I love knowing that I have a chain from mic to recorder that leaves ALL the blame on my technique. I know i need to get more experience and practice, but that just means that my audio will get better and better over the years without spending any more... on that particular kind of mic. hehe.

There is no "gold standard" for small fluid tripods. I bought a miller ds10 and frankly, i find it disappointing. But as many people love it as any other tripod in its price/weight range, so its not obvious if i were to drop money on a different small tripod if i'd really feel a major difference. With the schoeps, it costs more than my truck, but i "know" its the best. Thats awesome. The "pro" tripods are designed for big cameras, so there isnt the same prosumer/pro crossover. I could easily spend $5,000 on a tripod that would suck with my tiny camera on it.

So, keep categorizing please! hehe. Thanks!

Andrew,

Not to highjack, but have you looked at the Sachtler FSB series? Some would argure that Sachtler is the Schoeps of tripods.

Dear Andrew,

The new Sachtler Soom looks very interesting.

As an audio guy, I really like my Sachtler 6 SB, although an 8 would have been even nicer.

The 6 SB got a nice compliment from a shooter I work with who hired me as a second camera.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Can anyone recommend a good boom mount for the CMC-641? Thanks

Asking about the boom or the shockmount? I'm having very good results with the Rycote Invision mount for my Schoeps.

ahh...yes, I meant shockmount....Thanks

The Rycote InVision mounts are definitely the best I have seen.

Technically superb (and patented), they isolate the microphone without the droop or bounce normally associated with elastic mounts.

The same "Lyre" mount of the InVision series is also in the S-series and all new basket windshield kits (with upgrade kits available for those with older basket windshield kits).

I am swapping all my mounts over to these.