CP: Level of Headphone output

[Max Volki]

I have 3 pairs of headphones to try, and 3 types of micros, but the sound level what’s coming out of my V1-headphone contact is to low.
I can hear "loud" noise, but checking if there is wind blubber is not possible.

Are there any headphones where I can amplify what’s coming out of the V1?

Or is it possible to lift the output to headphones in V1-menu? I haven’t found a setting to do this

volki

[Lee Berger]

This has been covered here before. I feel that the output is marginal even with low impedence headphones. Others are feel it is sufficient. Compared to broadcast camcorders I use it's very low. In order to get enough gain with my Sony MDR7506 phones I purchased a battery powered amplifier from Boostaroo

http://www.boostaroo.com/store_detail.php4?id=14

It provides more than enough gain and if you shop around you can get it for less than $25 USD. The downside is that it's another accessory you have to carry around. I use it to tape interviews or presentations, but not for run and gun shooting.

[Joe Lawry]

The Z1 also has a very low headphone output, i've had a number of soundys ask me to turn it up!.. and thats when its been sitting at full volume.

[Bob Grant]

Simplest fix. Buy a pair of cheap cans. The Takstar DJ headphones are about as good as it gets, should be able to buy them off eBay. Never found anything from a retail outlet to match them. Don't use them for anything else of course but for a set of cans plugged into a prosummer camera they sure beat the 7506s etc.

[Max Volki]

Originally Posted by Bob Grant

Simplest fix. Buy a pair of cheap cans. but for a set of cans plugged into a prosummer camera they sure beat the 7506s etc.

Bob
Excuse me, but shurly by "Can" you mean "Headphones", not something like a "can of worms“?


Could you also tell me what “7506” means?

Volki, Switzerland

[Lee Berger]

Max,
If you buy the wrong headphones you could open up a "can of worms" when you review your footage ;) "Cans" is used as an English colloquialism for headphones.

[Seth Bloombaum]

Originally Posted by Max Volki

...Could you also tell me what “7506” means?...

Cans = headphones. (two cans and a piece of string?)

7506 = Sony MDR-7506 headphones, about $100 US street price, arguably the reference standard for field audio for video recording.

[Max Volki]

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I use a Beyerdynamics MCE 86N(C) S Mono shotgun mike instead the Sony.
I used this before with my PD-150 and can’t remember having hearing-problems with the same headphones I tried now with the V1

Thanks for your headphones tip

volki

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

The mic you choose will have a huge impact on the output levels (and input levels) of the camcorder. Using an AT 4053 for example, monitoring 7506, there are no issues at all. Sensitivity, coupled with autolevels, etc all play into output/input.

[Bob Grant]

Originally Posted by Max Volki

Bob
Excuse me, but shurly by "Can" you mean "Headphones", not something like a "can of worms“?


Could you also tell me what “7506” means?

Volki, Switzerland

Sorry, yes indeed as other have pointed out "cans" = headphones and 7506 are the Sony headphones that are pretty much the industry standard although we have a couple of sets of the more expensive 7509s.
The 7509s only advantage over the 7506s is a bit more bottom end. Problem we've had with the 7509s (and I assume the 7506s would have the same problem) is the curly leads fail where they enter the plug and as it's tinsel wire inside it's no simple task to replace the plug. Definately way better headphones than the el cheapo ones I'm recommending for use with cameras like the PD170 except they're not sensitive enough.

Another solution to lack of headphone volume is this little box:
http://www.rolls.com/products/pm50sob.php


Don't remember who it was that put me onto this thing, might have been Spot. Sure is very usefull, you can feed the line from a boom mic through it and the boom op can adjust the levels in his headphones without affecting the recording levels. Or you can use it as a conventional headphone amp.

[Max Volki]

Maybe this will explain, why audio is low, with some "cans"
----------------------------------------
Knowledgebase Document: 1026389 19/04/2005
Low audio on HI-FI headphones

Description
Why, when I use my HIFI headphones, is the audio so low?


Solution
Headphones impedance can be as low as 8 and as high as 300 ohms.

However since the audio output specification states that the impedance is less than 22k ohms, one must expect an impedance mismatch, which will result in lower audio than the output from a HI-FI amplifier.

Applies to
HVR-Z1E and ALSO TO V1E
------------------------------------------------
volki

thank you all for your help

[Stephen Armour]

Originally Posted by Max Volki

I have 3 pairs of headphones to try, and 3 types of micros, but the sound level what’s coming out of my V1-headphone contact is to low.
I can hear "loud" noise, but checking if there is wind blubber is not possible.

Are there any headphones where I can amplify what’s coming out of the V1?

Or is it possible to lift the output to headphones in V1-menu? I haven’t found a setting to do this

volki

Max, we've been having good success with some nice little Shure E2C "in ear" sound isolating plugs. Not real cheap ($100), but are what a lot of on stage people use. Since they block out most outside noise, they are quite nice and have a 20hz-20Khz range for those very low/very high freq's. These things have come a long way in the last couple of years!

Some advantages are their small size for field work, different size soft ear pieces, quality sound, and tough little storage case.

Here's the info:

Technical Specifications

* Speaker Type: Dynamic MicroDriver
* Sensitivity (at 1kHz): 105dB SPL/mW
* Impedance (at 1kHz): 16
* Cable Length: E2c: 1.57m (62 inches) E2c (in black): 1.45m (56 inches)
* Net Weight: 30g (1 oz)
* Input Connector: 3.5 mm (1/8") gold-plated stereo plug

Website: http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/P...pa_E2c_content

[Max Volki]

Thank you, Stephen

A very good idée, small, light and easy to carry.

To be sure, I will get a second pair of headphones, Beyerdynamic DT -100/16B (16 Ohm)

volki

http://www.beyerdynamic.de/cms/Home....no_cache=1&L=1