Digital Video - December 2007 - (Page 25) BY NED SOLTZ INSTANT EXPERT MIC CHECK TEN GREAT CHOICES FOR PRODUCTION SOUND. ITEM/ CONTACT COMPANY MSRP WHAT IT IS SPECS ME66/K6 Sennheiser $639 Short Shotgun mic with K6 module for AA battery or 48V phantom power. www.sennheiserusa.com EVOLUTION 100ENGG2 Wireless system with lavalier mic, on-camera receiver, bodypack transmitter and handheld transmitter. The workhorse mic for so many applications. Mount on camera or boom pole. Use as handheld. Excellent frequency response and roll-off switch. K6 module interfaces with a number of different mic heads from handheld to long shotgun. Major step up is MKH416 ($1,450) which produces impeccable sound. Evolution does just about anything you need and produces clear sound. Available in 3 frequency ranges—check Web site for best range in your area depending upon local TV frequencies. Step up to higher-end offerings from Sony, Azden or Lectrosonics. Sennheiser $1,135 www.sennheiserusa.com AT835ST Audio-Technica $1,050 Medium-length stereo shotgun mic. www.audio-technica.com AT is a manufacturer of quality precision wired and wireless mics, as well as headsets across an entire range of price and quality. The AT835ST is unique in its stereo capabilities, but it also can be switched to mono. SGM-2X Azden $300 Shotgun mic with interchangeable long and short barrels. www.azden.com This is a wonderful entry-level mic for shooters. The dual system allows for any number of shooting scenarios. Azden also makes a full line of audio gear from entry level to broadcast/film. Note this mic is AAA battery only. DXA SERIES Beachtek $189-$369 XLR adapter boxes. www.beachtek.com For those who wish to use mics with XLR cables but only have a camera with a mini-plug. More than a mere adapter cable, the DXA series also offers noise reduction, preamp and even 48V phantom power. EMW CLASSIC Countryman $210 and up Small but powerful lavalier mic particularly suited for under clothing. www.countryman.com The line includes ultra-small flesh-toned mics, headsets and highquality lavs for wired or wireless systems. Many wireless owners will replace their standard mic with a Countryman or simply use one of the company’s wired lavs. BOOM POLES K-Tek $370 and up www.mklemme.com K-tek’s Klassic Quick Connect series, about $100 more than the A full line of short, medium and Klassic series, has all internal connections and wiring to minimize long boom poles, mostly graphite noise. The Avalon series, about $100 less, is aluminum. Go with the or carbon fiber. graphite and earn the love of your boom operator. WINDSCREENS Rycote Varies www.rycote.com Anything you could imagine in wind protection, from foam Smoothies in cool colors to the traditional furry cover. Anyone shooting outdoors should consider a Full Windshield System which, at an over-$600 price tag, contains a shockmount system, zeppelin and windjammer. You can’t fix wind-ruined audio in post. MDR-7506 Sony $100 Headphones. www.sony.com Economical 4-track audio recorder. Not for your camera, but for interviews, podcasts and anything else. There are any number of headphones and ear pieces out there, but these are the old standby in the field. Of course, never shoot without monitoring your audio. The 7506s fit over the ear to block out noise and just never seem to fail. ZOOM H4 Samson $299 www.samson.com Records to SD cards up to 2GB in MP3, 44.1kHz, 48kHz or 96kHz. Built-in stereo mic as well as dual XLR inputs with 48V phantom power. Menus can be a little complex. But this is the lowest price digital recorder on the market, and it comes in very handy. www.dv.com dv december 2007 25 http://www.sennheiserusa.com http://www.sennheiserusa.com http://www.audio-technica.com http://www.azden.com http://www.beachtek.com http://www.countryman.com http://www.mklemme.com http://www.rycote.com http://www.sony.com http://www.samson.com http://www.dv.com
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