If you got the bucks, www.sounddevices.com makes a really nice ENG mixer that includes limiters in the input circuitry. It's a little bigger than the beachtek, but, infinitely more professional.

I agree with Bill. I have a SD 302, which is a little big for a one man band, but the 2 channel Mix pre can be worn on your belt. It has limiters, great pre amps,sounds better than any Beechtek, and isn't a huge amount of money.
Bruce S. yarock
www.yarock.com

I appreciate all the great input I've gotten from this thread. Unfortunately there isn't much I can do about things like mic placement. I'm filming dog agility, where people run around a ring 100'x100' with their dogs shouting commands at appropriate (or inappropriate) points. So the subject is typically 50'-80' from the camera, and there's really no way to move a mic closer. There's the occasional location where I might be able to hang a mic from above or hide it somewhere on the course, but for the most part on-camera is the only option. That said, in most settings I get surprisingly good sound, considering the distances involved.

Luckily for me, the clientele doesn't seem to be very picky -- everyone is used to hand-held video shot by their friends who don't know what they're doing. Its almost unfortunate -- I mean, how else am I supposed to eventually justify buying a HD camera if my clients won't appreciate the difference? So I try to run the middle-line and fix the biggest issues. Eventually I think a shotgun mic (as opposed to the super-cardiod VideoMic) would also help by excluding more side/rear sound, so I'll probably need the XLR adapter anyway. But I think having the limiters now is going to be a big plus.

Thanks, everyone, for your input. There isn't a better resource on the web to learn how to improve your video (or audio).

-Terence

Terry,

I just noticed you're also in Baltimore. Maybe we should talk. Why not put a wireles mic on the trainer?

Ty Ford
410.296.2868

terence...

just thought i'd offer some more personal thoughts....
i use a sennheiser ME66 shotgun for outdoor music video. it works really well, but, you know the volume levels are pretty high. still, it filters a lot of ambient echo and i get a pretty good sound. i would think there's not much you can do short of either hanging some omni-pattern mic's around the showring....or using one of those "big ear" collectors like you see on the sidelines at football games. I think you can look at one at Edmund Scientific.

Thanks for the offer -- I'll definitely take you up on that.

A wireless mic on the trainer would of course be ideal and solve almost everything, except each run only lasts for ~45 seconds and the next person goes maybe 5 seconds later. Repeat the process 300 times in a day and sell ~20% of the clips when all is said and done. Its not really profitable enough to warrant all the hours my wife and I invest in it, but its fun for now, buys me expensive toys, and brings in some extra cash.

Yeah, I've been thinking a better shotgun will ultimately be the way to go. The price tag keeps going up on this hobby! And I want to go tapeless, too. A thousand here, a thousand there....

Thanks again, everyone.

-Terence

LOL....kinda like owning a horse....kinda
ya gotta really love shovelling sh*t to have a horse

I would say that the Sennheiser K6/ME66 wouldn't be worth it for you! It would be a bit of an upgrade, but there are better choices.

Find a good deal on a Sennheiser MKH-416... this mic is built like a tank and will 30 years of extremely high quality service in pretty much any environmental conditions (short of getting it soaked of course). You'd be shocked at how much more directional and intelligible your audio is. If Ty is helping you out I'm sure he'll have at least one he could show you.

The long life makes it a fantastic mic to pick up 2nd hand ... I'd take a 2nd hand 416 over any shotgun you could buy new (for anything like the same price).

So as I said, in the long run I'd think about either a 416 cabled through a Sound Devices MP1/MM1 into the camera, OR a 416 into a 500 series Sennheiser G2 plug-on transmitter (the 100 series doesn't supply phantom) ....


Kris

or a sanken cs3e

Ty Ford

even used, these mics are $800. Quality costs $$$. No denying that.

I have no experience with the sanken actually, but I hear good things about it .. here in the UK it's rare to see one. Plus the 416 is cheap in uk/europe, compared to the other options!

you're right- they're not cheap tools .... but there aren't many pieces of kit that cost $1000 and can resale for 75%+ of its original price after 5+ years of use! 15 year old 416s still command prices really not much less than the retail price.

in my opinion, if you're going to buy a shotgun then don't go any lower than an AT4073a / Sanken cs3e / Senn 416 ... (the latter two being more expensive / resalable / durable than the AT).

Anything less is a bit of a toy in comparison, and it'll be a matter of time before you feel the urge to upgrade :)

The SD Mixpre was recommended- this is ~$665 piece of kit, only justifiable if you already have at least one really nice mic!

I realise getting the signal into the VX2100 is an issue-- does anyone know if the senn g2 receivers will output line level through a 3.5"miniplug=>phono cable into the VX2100's phono ins?

Apple SoundTrack PRO
 

Anyone tried Apples Soundtrack Pro limiter and/or compressor?

Soundtrack's stock tools aren't bad, but they're not impressive, either. There are many VST plugs that you can purchase that will knock your socks off. WAVES, iZotope are at the top of my personal list, but the Universal Audio tools are sweet as well.
If you're not expecting a whole lot, nor looking for deep detail, the tools found in Soundtrack are acceptable.

Do these plug-ins work with Soundtrack?

Yes, they all support Soundtrack.