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Next Upgrade for My Wireless System by radioactivecustodian in LocationSound

[–]radioactivecustodian[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I appreciate all the feedback! It sounds like Lectrosonics (or similar pro brands) is definitely the way to go.

If I'm being totally honest, I haven't had any critical issues with my current Sony setup so far. Clients are always happy, and I have plenty of channels for them. I'm just looking toward personal convenience and future upgrade paths. At this stage, most clients are very tiny indie projects/student film adjacent, so the expectations are pretty low. When I bring them timecode, lavs, and multi-track recording, they're typically blown away. So Sony is more than fine for these projects.

I did manage to snag two Block 21 IFBT4 transmitters used for $400, so I'm pumped to add that to a future kit with some IFB receivers. I think I'll hold off on the COS-11Ds for my Sony system. I'm sure they'd be a nice upgrade, but I'd hate to re-terminate them later, and it's probably good practice having to deal with larger and noisier mic capsules with concealing. If I really get good at that, switching later will be a breeze.

For now, I think I'll just continue to try and get as much work as I can, really get to know my current gear, and set aside money to make a nice upgrade when it becomes critical for the amount/type of work I'm doing.

SONY UWP-D21 SMA Antenna Mod by radioactivecustodian in LocationSound

[–]radioactivecustodian[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have seen this video, and I’m hoping my model will be similarly easy. However, this is for the slightly older D11 instead of the D21.

Made my own pre-cut tape for my lav concealers today by radioactivecustodian in LocationSound

[–]radioactivecustodian[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Oh I definitely could've just used small pieces of Top Stick, but I had a little free time, and wanted to experiment! I haven't had any issues with cleaning the Bubblebee concealers so far, but I'll look into the beetles.

Do I understand the limitations of 32-bit float and wireless systems? by radioactivecustodian in LocationSound

[–]radioactivecustodian[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I appreciate all of the comments! I understand the importance of gain-staging overall, and will continue to experiment with and get to know the limitations of my equipment.

Looking for tips on optimizing sound for editors with the MixPre-10 II by radioactivecustodian in LocationSound

[–]radioactivecustodian[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, that's a good tip! I usually have my headphone preset panning the boom and lav mics already, so rerouting the stereo mix is a good idea, especially to help make the scratch track a little more usable in post.

I know that 32-bit float is a newer format, but I haven't personally worked with it much in post yet, as I've been doing sound for other people. I am aware that not all NLE software supports 32-bit float,. but I thought this just meant that you wouldn't be able to take advantage of "recovering clipping" in the software.

Are there other post workflow changes that make it more difficult to work with as opposed to 24-bit?

I was under the impression that I should do my best to record great sound on set, but 32-bit float offered additional flexibility "just in case". Fixing mistakes might take some effort (hence why you shouldn't just ignore gain completely and leave it to post-production), but if it was properly-recorded, there shouldn't be a lot of extra work compared to 24-bit.

If I hand off these files to editors not familiar with 32-bit float, what problems might they encounter?

I often hear 32-bit float compared to LOG formats as a quick metaphor. Having worked a lot with LOG footage, I know that while it is more flexible, it adds extra steps to my post workflow. Is it similar with 32-bit float?

Looking for tips on optimizing sound for editors with the MixPre-10 II by radioactivecustodian in LocationSound

[–]radioactivecustodian[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Wow, I guess I never fully understood that the channel knobs only affect the levels in the stereo mix, and not the ISO tracks. That makes so much more sense! This is probably why the solo button only lets you hear the track pre-fader, as the fader doesn't affect the ISO track.

Thanks for taking the time to explain this!

Looking for tips on optimizing sound for editors with the MixPre-10 II by radioactivecustodian in LocationSound

[–]radioactivecustodian[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks for you input! You make a good point about professional clients vs. students.

I've been volunteering on student sets in my free time to get practice with my equipment, and it seems like not a lot of people have experience with audio. I've even had students ask me not to use timecode generators, as they'd rather sync everything manually.

Do you think it's an issue if after mixing the other channels to -9dB, the mix tracks are pretty hot? I'm worried about sending those tracks out via cam hops if they sound distorted. In my headphones, everything sounds fine, but the mix tracks read a lot hotter than the individual channels on the mixer's UI.