Interviews
 

I did a search but, i couldn't find a good answer, but if you find it let me know. I was wondering if there was such a thing (& if it would work) as XLR Lavlier mikes. Could I plug them into the BeachTek DXA-8. Iam using a GL2

I just bought a Countryman B3 lav mic, that has an XLR and requires phantom power. SO yes they exist. I will be testing it tomorrow.

let me know how it goes. Hopefully at $150 a mike the'll work great :)

Wired Lav Mics at B&H
 

Take a look at the B&H Wired Lav Mics

Here you'll find quite a few lav mics.

I got a DPA mic, and then got an XLR connector for
it from DPA company, so they do have them.

Okay
 

Iam buying the BeachTek-DXA6 and two of the Countryman B3s, should I get a certain color (color of the mike-white, beige or black)?

The black seems to fit in best for me, although I do have a beige one. If I need a different color, I have a small baggie of silks that I can put over the mic.

Thanks. Now about those silks, are you just saying thatyou use some silks to cover the mike up. What do you attach it with? Or are you saying you use a different colored windscreen?

I carry a number of silk squares that can cover the mic. I rarely use windscreens. if they're foam-type.
I also carry small, clear hairbands that hold the silks on the mic. A bag of 50 clear hairties costs around .75 at Walmart.

I was just posting some similar questions in the PDX10 forum.

I shoot a public access show with a lot of interviews and am looking to upgrade the audio but not blow out my budget with $500 wireless mics.

Would something like this Audio Technica mic just plug in directly to my PDX10? And the other end just on someone's collar / lapelle?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...goryNavigation

What a money saver (by comparison) if that's the case. Do I need to be aware of anything like cardioid vs. omnidirectional?

Thanks!

Konstantin,
Depending on the room, and closeness of interviewee and interviewer, I'd look at the 831b, rather than the 803. Same mic housing, but the 803 is omni, while the 831 is cardiod in pattern. The separation between the two speakers is what I'd worry about most, and then worry about the amount of the room, and not knowing the specifics...I'll generally shoot for a cardiod vs an omni when I can have the choice.

I pretty much have complete control over the set up since the show is entirely produced and hosted by me. :)

Any practices you would recommend? I usually shoot at the subject's apartment, carting all my gear along. I typically set up my camera about 5 feet away on a tripod, sitting to the side of it to monitor the shot.

Is the difference between the cardioid and the omni the direction of which it picks up sound? Omni picking more surrounding sound while the cardioid is more focused?

I'll pick up that 831b mic tomorrow! I'm excited to have an affordable solution.

not to contradict douglas, who definitely knows what he's talking about, but...
i usually prefer omnis for interview situations. yes, you're right, they're less directional than cardioids. in interview situations, i find this to be preferable. because people sometimes like to move their heads. and because sometimes your lav placement has to be compromised. unlike cards, omni-directional mics do not exhibit "proximity effect." prox effect is the phenomenon where the closer you get to a mic, the deeper it makes your voice. (this is why a lot of hard rock singers look like they're trying to swallow their mics onstage- it exaggerates the whole growly, macho thing.) obviously all mics get louder the closer you get to them, but cards (and unidirectional mics, etc,) also change the tone of the voice. this makes it a lot more noticable when someones head position changes slightly, etc. anyhow, that's my 2 cents.

[QUOTE=Nate Ford]not to contradict douglas, who definitely knows what he's talking about, but...
i usually prefer omnis for interview situations. yes, you're right, they're less directional than cardioids. in interview situations, i find this to be preferable. QUOTE]

As I commented, it's entirely dependent on the situation. I'm frequently in fairly noisy environs, so an omni just doesn't cut it for me often. However, I'm fortunate enough to have both in my kit. Between AT 899, Countryman B3, Sony ECM 55/66, AT 803, AT 831...I'm fairly well covered. I don't have any of the higher end, very expensive lavs, because I don't find I need them for what we do. Our biggest clients are either techno companies like Nero Digital or the folks in Redmond who we're not allowed to mention, or the US Military on the base near here. Since we don't do much snapshot, we're usually able to control the interviewee fairly well in terms of how we get them to present. If I had zero knowledge of the shooting environ, zero control, I'd likely choose an omni too.
On a lav placed at distance, proximity effect isn't that big an influence. You're not going to get a lot more or less bottom end on a mic next to a chest cavity, and what little additional bottom you get from the uni is often preferable (to me) than the more "dry" sound of an omni.

B3s
 

So, I got my audio stuff in today and have been playing with it for the past 8hrs (with a couple of snacks in between). The only thing Iam worried about is the distance between the mircophones and the BeachTek on my camera. If I get an XLR connector/cable to extend the distance about 5-10 feet or so, could that create a problem witht the phantom power or anything else?