Audio Equipment

weathergeek96 · Jan 10, 2014

Hello All!

I am looking into doing a YouTube series. I have some alright cameras but nothing with good audio. I was wondering what some good audio recording equipment would be? None of the cameras have mic inputs so I will need to something to record the audio to also. My budget is about $150-$200 for the equipment and if that is too little then let me know!

Thanks for the help!
Caleb

Alcove Audio · Jan 10, 2014

weathergeek96 · Jan 10, 2014

Thanks much man! That is way over my budget unless I can get funding. I may have to look into ways on getting funding.

IndiePaul · Jan 11, 2014

Alcove Audio is one of the audio gurus here. When he talks audio, listen. Do a search on his posts actually, you'll learn a lot just by reading them.

Are you sure your camera does not have a mic input?

My budget is about $150-$200 for the equipment and if that is too little then let me know!

I spent over $1,500 on audio gear and did not even buy high end pro stuff. But $1,500 is a lot to most folks - it was to me. I justified it because I knew I had to spend something like that in the hope of getting workable audio. Hiring an experienced boom and audio pro would have been much better but we did not have the budget for that.

Your budget is ultra low.

I use this for reference audio only:

Rode VideoMic Pro Compact Shotgun Microphone ... $230
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/744768-REG/Rode_VIDEOMIC_PRO_VideoMic_Pro_Compact_Shotgun.html

More details here:
http://www.rodemic.com/mics/videomicpro

... but if close enough to your talent, it can actually produce 'usable' audio

Nothing like having an experienced boom operator with good mic, pre-amp, good recorder etc... But with such a low budget, something has to give.

Note: I plug the Rode VideoMic Pro into the mic input of my Canon 6D.
.

Alcove Audio · Jan 11, 2014

What you need to do is get a mic on a boom-pole and get the mic in as close as you can but out of the shot. The mic should be above the actors and aimed at the notch at the base of the throat; this gives you everything coming out of the actors mouth plus chest resonance.

It is not my preference, but you can go high impedance or Hi-Z. (The gear I recommended is low impedance or Low-Z.) Hi-Z equipment is very vulnerable to RF (radio frequency) and/or EM (electro-magnetic) interference. So even though it goes against my better judgement you can try something like the Rode VideoMic and perhaps a Tascam DR-05 recorder. Far from optimum, but passable for micro-budgets.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/937192-REG/rode_videomic_booming_kit_windbuster.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/757065-REG/Tascam_DR_05_DR_05_Portable_Handheld_Digital.html

My recommendation, as always, is to find someone who knows what they are doing, at the least a hungry up-and-comer if you can't afford a professional. They will have better gear and more audio knowledge than you possess.

Your film will only look as good as it sounds, because
"Sound is half of the experience."

Graeme · Jan 11, 2014

At a minimum I'd recommend the Rode Video Mic Pro (or the Stereo Video Mic Pro) and a good audio recorder. After that you can upgrade to fit your sound needs (which partially depends on what your filming).

IndiePaul · Jan 11, 2014

Graeme said:
At a minimum I'd recommend the Rode Video Mic Pro (or the Stereo Video Mic Pro) and a good audio recorder. After that you can upgrade to fit your sound needs (which partially depends on what your filming).

The thing is Graeme, Alcove Audio's last post had a Rode VideoMic (not pro) and Micro Boompole Kit with Windbuster for just $190 - pretty damn good deal. His other link recommended a Tascam recorder for around $100 or so. The Rode VideoMic Pro is great value and a great product (I have one), but the OP likely needs the mic boomed into the talent, so Alcove's gear is probably the best bet given the OP's seriously restricted budget.

Alcove Audio · Jan 11, 2014

Graeme said:
(or the Stereo Video Mic Pro) and a good audio recorder.

I would definitely NOT recommend a stereo mic for recording dialog.

Sweetie · Jan 11, 2014

IndiePaul said:
but the OP likely needs the mic boomed into the talent.

Aaah, rubbish. I picked up the gear, just laid it on the floor and aimed it at the talent pressed record, ran back to the camera, also pressing record and then slated... It came out beautifully.... especially the action sequences

IndiePaul · Jan 12, 2014

Sweetie said:
Aaah, rubbish. I picked up the gear, just laid it on the floor and aimed it at the talent pressed record, ran back to the camera, also pressing record and then slated... It came out beautifully.... especially the action sequences

Yeah, I know but by this...

but the OP likely needs the mic boomed into the talent.

I meant we don't know what type of work the OP wants to record the audio for... Hence my use of likely. Maybe he's doing interview style stuff in which case a lav may be more appropriate. I doubt it's interview style stuff but I don't know so used the term likely.

sfoster · Jan 12, 2014

weathergeek96 said:
Hello All!

I am looking into doing a YouTube series. I have some alright cameras but nothing with good audio. I was wondering what some good audio recording equipment would be? None of the cameras have mic inputs so I will need to something to record the audio to also. My budget is about $150-$200 for the equipment and if that is too little then let me know!

Thanks for the help!
Caleb

this should fit in your price range

stef · Jan 13, 2014

Alcove Audio said:
Audio recorders:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/832911-REG/Tascam_DR100MKII_DR_100mkII_Portable_Linear.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/821259-REG/Tascam_DR_40_DR_40_4_Track_Handheld_Digital.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/821260-REG/Roland_R_26_R_26_6_Channel_Digital_Field.html

If you're going to add the $500 roland, you might also consider the $400 Zoom H6. I've found the ergonomics really nice. Volume pots are smooth and wonderful, and the sound is decent -- definitely better than the tascam DR40, probably about the same as the DR100II. Lastly, the batteries last forever. If you need the built-in mics, all the others will be smaller and work well. But I use a separate mic, so I was able to simply detach the XY mic from the Zoom completely (but it's about the same size without mics as the dr100).

RED ROBOT · Jan 13, 2014

" Hey , I got 100 dollar camera ,can I make a great movie? "

- Yeah , sure , camera doesn't matter ,money doesn't matter,all that matters is creativity .

" Hey , I got 100 dollars to spend on audio , I am poor as hell , can I make a great movie ? "

- No , you need to spend 5 million dollar on audio , movies without a dialog don't exist, silent films don't exist,stories with simple audio don't exist . You have to spend 10 million dollars on audio on 10 second video or your movie will never be good . Remember , no creativity ,just shit lot of money on audio . Audio is the single most important thing. Fuck the script or the visuals or set design or acting or motivation and inspiration , fuck the huge talented crew and the months of preparation , fuck the locations , the experience and the way your film look. All that matters is audio and the money to get a good audio.

stef · Jan 13, 2014

RED ROBOT said:
All that matters is audio and the money to get a good audio.

Actually, if you work on getting good audio, you can do pretty well with cheaper equipment. You'll have to make sure the scenes allow your experienced boom op to get good sound.

But you simply can't get by without a microphone, and the cost of a mic will exceed the entire budget the OP had.

The cheapest he can do is around $200 used rode videomic pro and pump that audio into the camera, and somehow make sure the camera doesn't have AGC turned on. And that will require an experienced boom operator.

edit: his camera doesn't even have mic input. If he wants sound, he has to spend money on a recorder, too.

My new suggestion is simply to put a zoom H1 on a radio shack lavalier. Boom, done, $150.

RED ROBOT · Jan 13, 2014

stef said:
Actually, if you work on getting good audio, you can do pretty well with cheaper equipment. You'll have to make sure the scenes allow your experienced boom op to get good sound.

But you simply can't get by without a microphone, and the cost of a mic will exceed the entire budget the OP had.

The cheapest he can do is around $200 used rode videomic pro and pump that audio into the camera, and somehow make sure the camera doesn't have AGC turned on. And that will require an experienced boom operator.

No you can't get with cheaper equipment , I can tell you number of cases where visuals are way more important than audio. Depends on the story .

He can get rode video mic and disable the AGC with ML and depending on the story he can have GREAT audio that regular Joe won't notice isn't made for 9000 dollars worth of equipment .

Do you all really believe that you have to spend so much money on audio or you're just trying to lick certain areas of APE and Alcove's body ?

Yes it's not much to get fantastic audio ,but work with what you got . Get the Rode Video Mic , get ML and disable the AGC , try to improve as much as possible in post and using Foley . If you're working on serious project then hire someone who has all the equipment and knowledge .

You think you look cool by saying that audio is the most important thing that often times young filmmakers forget and you do completely agree with APE and Alcove because what they say is absolute law in filmmaking , no , you don't look cool . You look stupid .

Work with what you got and if you don't have the money right now for audio that is completely okay . You can still get a great looking short and sound.

gorillaonabike · Jan 13, 2014

Try used kit. I picked up an ECM 674 for 75 dollars, a Promix 3 for 40 dollars and a Fostex FR2 le for less than the price of a DR7.

Sure, I had to do a lot of shopping around but for 300 USD you can find some great kit. For example, I bought the Fostex from a young professional Foley artist who had upgraded his kit and hadn't used it for a couple of years. Once I'd cleaned the bloodstains and bits of fruit out of all the crevices, it worked perfectly.

stef · Jan 13, 2014

RED ROBOT said:
No you can't get with cheaper equipment , I can tell you number of cases where visuals are way more important than audio. Depends on the story .

He can get rode video mic and disable the AGC with ML and depending on the story he can have GREAT audio that regular Joe won't notice isn't made for 9000 dollars worth of equipment .

Are you all really believe that you have to spend so much money on audio or you're just trying to lick certain areas of APE and Alcove's body ?

Yes it's not much to get fantastic audio ,but work with what you got . Get the Rode Video Mic , get ML and disable the AGC , try to improve as much as possible in post and using Foley . If you're working on serious project then hire someone who has all the equipment and knowledge .

You think you look cool by saying that audio is the most important thing that often times young filmmakers forget and you do completely agree with APE and Alcove because what they say is absolute law in filmmaking , no , you don't look cool . You look stupid .

Work with what you got and if you don't have the money right now for audio that is completely okay . You can still get a great looking short and sound.

He doesn't have a mic in. It's clear literacy isn't your strong suit, so read the op extra hard next time, or maybe even read what I added pointing it out.

I don't speak Dumbass, so I can't tell it to you in your native language.

I would love to watch you on set.. You can only hide your personality for so long in person.

RED ROBOT · Jan 13, 2014

stef said:
He doesn't have a mic in. It's clear literacy isn't your strong suit, so read the op extra hard next time, or maybe even read what I added pointing it out.

I don't speak Dumbass, so I can't tell it to you in your native language.

I would love to watch you on set.. You can only hide your personality for so long in person.

The only problem I have is that you think that I was talking specifically to you .No . I'm talking about everyone who contributed to the topic in the typical Indietalk audio manner . " Oh , look , I am not like the other filmmakers , i'm the one who actually cares about audio . " Oh , why don't you cut the bullshit off ,would you?

First of all ,audio is not important as some of you understand it. The sound design is important. If you don't have 1500$ to spend on audio ,you can do silent film with little to no dialog and it will look and sound gorgeous as long as you spend a lot of time in post and you're creative . But that's what happens when you don't have money.Your dialogue will sound great if you don't have any dialogue I promise you.

But no, sound guys are always like " well , you gotta spend shit lots of money and if you don't have shit lots of money then guess what - your movie will sound like crap "

It's like saying : well , you know what , yea you could pull off a short film with t2i and 18-55mm but guess what ,you really have to buy a Red Epic with full set of RED primes and 5000$ shoulder rig with motion control sliders and jibs .

No, you don't say that.Because if you want a motion control slider with a freaking Alexa on it you rent it. AND BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD ANYTHING. I don't care if your audio kit for 15 000 $ is great , I don't have a 15 000$ . So you get a rode for 100$ which does the job great ,you work with what you have and you hire someone with way more experience than you to do the job for you.

Of course you need sound knowledge in order to use it as a storytelling tool ,but this is a whole other topic and has nothing to do with money.

So even if you tell me 250 times that sound is half of the experience my wallet is still going to be empty.

RED ROBOT · Jan 13, 2014

And trust me I could talk like the British queen explaining you the art of filmmaking and how you need money because sound is something magestic and incredible that will push your story.And the story is the most important thing.

But guess what.This kid , if I followed the unwritten internet rule where if you place 96 after your nickname it means you're born in 1996 which means he is about 17 years ,so he is a 17 old ( it doesn't matter if he is older or younger actually ) and he wants to make a YOUTUBE web series .

And instead of telling him the cheapest options and some tips and tricks to make his audio sound a little bit more professional ,you throw at him again a useless information about bagilion dollar mics which are CLEARLY out of his price range .

He said that his budget is about 150$ but no ,Alcove Audio starts with " Add a zero " . And then ,out of nowhere he starts to talk about 1500$ and then he says he should even buy cables and stuff.

And then , you say that he could actually get 400$ worth of equipment .

What are you guys blind or you just want to show off and someone who has knowledge in filmmaking?

How about you stop trying to look smart and stop trying to make people less knowledgeable than you feel stupid? What is this , the general rule of filmmakers who have any experience at all in filmmaking , to try to come off as smarter than the guy next to them?

Metrostar · Jan 13, 2014

weathergeek96 said:
I will need to something to record the audio to also. My budget is about $150-$200 for the equipment and if that is too little then let me know!

I really think you are going to have to spend a few more dollars.

+1 for Alcove's suggestion of the "Rode VideoMic & Micro Boompole Kit with Windbuster."

With Zoom H1 Ultra-Portable Digital Audio Recorder.

Total cost = $300. Not the best equipment in the world, but if it's all you can afford, you don't have a choice. I would rather see you creating something as soon as this stuff is delivered, than have you waiting months to begin work while you save up for more expensive equipment.