As a hypnotist, I couldn't agree more: bad sound ruins everything. Good sound will forgive you bad picture quality, but the best picture quality will be ruined by bad audio. I make recordings for my clients during the session in an untreated room. So my use case is a bit different. I use a MixPre II with a KMS104+. Despite the not so optimal environment, the recording is really clean.
I’m not a film maker, yet found this video to be interesting, logical, and well articulated. This guy is no nonsense and to the point. well done. I wish your channel success.
As a film student, this is incredibly interesting. We was taught against using 32-bit float if we can. Until I started playing around with the mixpre, I never quite knew just how good the preamps are! It’s always interesting to see where people set there levels too! Amazing video 🙏
9:20 In terms of needing to record as loud as possible, while of course it’s always good to aim for -20 to -12 dBFS to give yourself enough headroom to avoid bumping into limiters without recording so quiet that it’s annoying for post, as a MixPre-3 ii owner myself, you technically CAN record basically as quiet as you want to as the MixPre’s preamps are incredibly forgiving on the low end (even in 24 bit linear; of course the same applies to 32 bit float as well). I’ve done tests on my MixPre-3 ii where I’ve severely undergained mics (by upwards of 50 dB) and then boosted back to normal listening levels in post and there was HARDLY a discernible increase in noise floor which was nothing short of astounding. This was not even in 32 bit float (where of course you’d expect that range) but in 24 bit linear. Very impressive the sound quality out of these compact recorders. It’s a shame the prices have gone up so much since I bought mine, I wish more people could have access to them.
Awesome -- thank you! I did not realize my MixPre wouldn't raise the noise floor. Now I need to test this out. I freaking love this field recorder. And even though it's got a price tag, if I look at how much it costs my wife and I to eat dinner out, it doesn't take many times to pay for a MixPre. Hahaha. Anyway, thanks again. Great info.
@@writedirect If you're interested, Julian Krause has a short video demonstrating exactly this on the original MixPre-3: th-cam.com/video/y34zANsXV5U/w-d-xo.html
Informative video. FWIW the mixpre uses a drive in the USB-A to create an autocopy backup of the SD card. Not as an alternative to the SD. At least that's how I use it.
Very detailed and easy to understand explanation. Why is there 3 Tracks(L,R and Ch1) when I record a boom on Ch1? What is the meaning of L, R additionally with Ch1? My setup is just one MKH416 connected to CH1 on MixPre3 and I am trying to record talking head.. Is there any additional benefit in quality of audio output or editing workflow if I use all 3 (L,R and Ch1) in final Video? Is it OK to record on Ch1 without the L and R? Should I just get rid of L and R? Is L and R really required for single Mic setup? What is the purpose of L and R?
I'm about to do a more in-depth lesson on the MixPre II, but here's what's going on: By default it will record an L/R mix whether you're using a single mic or all available. In Basic Mode, the MixPre will dump all the mics together onto the L/R mix. In Advanced mode you can isolate channels and then end up with an L/R mix plus the additional ISO (stands for isolated in the sound world) channels. And so yeah, if you're using a single shotgun mic, there is no difference in that single track vs the mix. Just use the singe mono track. You can turn off the mix to not have to deal with it. I'll cover that in a few days in the Advanced lesson on the MixPre.
@@writedirectthank you so much for such a detailed explaination. In your in-depth, can you please also show us the best advanced pro level settings that can be done on Mixpre to get the best output from Mkh 416? And if it’s different then also the best settings for Lav?
@@jays4778 I'm about to post another lesson on the MixPre that shows Advanced mode. Hopefully that will give you some pointers. Albeit, basic mode out of the box works really, really well for great audio.
I have not compared it side by side to another model for this purpose. But with that, I think the MixPre II series would be great for voice overs. All the videos on my channel have been recorded using this mixer paired with a Sennheiser MKH 416. If you use it, watch my other video on here about using it in advanced mode which will give you more options. But even basic mode will work for you 99% of the time.
I'm sorry for the late reply. The equipment links are something I provide to students enrolled in the school. And since some of these videos are lessons pulled from the school's training, that gets mentioned.
Are you using a noise gate? as theres a strange silence after you speak sometimes, as the room echo suddenly stops, which I would have thought was something that you would try and avoid
Hey! I do try and avoid that and fill in bad audio sections with room tone, but sometimes I let it drop off to silence if I think I can get away with it...obviously didn't work here! Thank you. Will check this lesson out again.
@@BramLaenen you can’t record a true stereo track with a single mic. The MixPre with the defaults will create a stereo file, but it’s just repeating the mono tracks. If I get audio like that, I’m always removing the extra tracks. But if you want a true stereo recording you have to use to mics
You're right. 32-bit float is the best way to protect audio in environments where the gain exceeds the fixed thresholds of 16 and 24-bit. I'd like to see that as the default for Basic mode on the MixPre II as everything else is all dialed in for film production.
You're totally right...just read up on that. And with that, the "Basic" mode on the MixPre II will not do 32-bit float. You have to switch to Advanced mode and then you can change this setting under Record. I'd like to see that available under Basic for those who don't want to mess with configuring other things. But thank you Luis -- Great to know. I just learned something!
@@writedirect He's the godfather of mumblecore. Him and the Duplass brothers had notoriously bad audio. I agree though, these days there's no excuse for bad audio.
This lesson was pulled from the film school. My online film school is for aspiring directors only, hence the remark. I train them in the craft from development through post, but in some areas we only dive so deep. :)
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
As a hypnotist, I couldn't agree more: bad sound ruins everything.
Good sound will forgive you bad picture quality, but the best picture quality will be ruined by bad audio.
I make recordings for my clients during the session in an untreated room. So my use case is a bit different.
I use a MixPre II with a KMS104+. Despite the not so optimal environment, the recording is really clean.
You get it! We’re spoiled now with floating point on mixers and voice, isolation in post. But you still can’t replace good production audio!
I’m not a film maker, yet found this video to be interesting, logical, and well articulated. This guy is no nonsense and to the point. well done. I wish your channel success.
Hey! Thanks for the kind words. Really appreciate your comment.
As a film student, this is incredibly interesting. We was taught against using 32-bit float if we can. Until I started playing around with the mixpre, I never quite knew just how good the preamps are! It’s always interesting to see where people set there levels too! Amazing video 🙏
Hey thanks! You were taught against 32-bit float? That's interesting. Why did they steer you away from it?
@@writedirect I think it was mainly because they wanted us to properly gain stage without it, so we’d not get in the habit of relying on it :-)
@@sophiebrown8530 copy that. The MixPre analog limiters do a really good job. Most of the time, 24-bit is fine.
9:20 In terms of needing to record as loud as possible, while of course it’s always good to aim for -20 to -12 dBFS to give yourself enough headroom to avoid bumping into limiters without recording so quiet that it’s annoying for post, as a MixPre-3 ii owner myself, you technically CAN record basically as quiet as you want to as the MixPre’s preamps are incredibly forgiving on the low end (even in 24 bit linear; of course the same applies to 32 bit float as well).
I’ve done tests on my MixPre-3 ii where I’ve severely undergained mics (by upwards of 50 dB) and then boosted back to normal listening levels in post and there was HARDLY a discernible increase in noise floor which was nothing short of astounding. This was not even in 32 bit float (where of course you’d expect that range) but in 24 bit linear.
Very impressive the sound quality out of these compact recorders. It’s a shame the prices have gone up so much since I bought mine, I wish more people could have access to them.
Awesome -- thank you! I did not realize my MixPre wouldn't raise the noise floor. Now I need to test this out. I freaking love this field recorder. And even though it's got a price tag, if I look at how much it costs my wife and I to eat dinner out, it doesn't take many times to pay for a MixPre. Hahaha. Anyway, thanks again. Great info.
@@writedirect If you're interested, Julian Krause has a short video demonstrating exactly this on the original MixPre-3: th-cam.com/video/y34zANsXV5U/w-d-xo.html
Great info. It would be great if you showed the time code function (how to do timecode in).
Thanks! Have added jam sync to the to-do list!
Informative video. FWIW the mixpre uses a drive in the USB-A to create an autocopy backup of the SD card. Not as an alternative to the SD. At least that's how I use it.
Good to know! I wish it would do a simultaneous record to both. But haven't had any issues yet.
Very detailed and easy to understand explanation. Why is there 3 Tracks(L,R and Ch1) when I record a boom on Ch1? What is the meaning of L, R additionally with Ch1? My setup is just one MKH416 connected to CH1 on MixPre3 and I am trying to record talking head.. Is there any additional benefit in quality of audio output or editing workflow if I use all 3 (L,R and Ch1) in final Video? Is it OK to record on Ch1 without the L and R? Should I just get rid of L and R? Is L and R really required for single Mic setup? What is the purpose of L and R?
I'm about to do a more in-depth lesson on the MixPre II, but here's what's going on: By default it will record an L/R mix whether you're using a single mic or all available. In Basic Mode, the MixPre will dump all the mics together onto the L/R mix. In Advanced mode you can isolate channels and then end up with an L/R mix plus the additional ISO (stands for isolated in the sound world) channels. And so yeah, if you're using a single shotgun mic, there is no difference in that single track vs the mix. Just use the singe mono track. You can turn off the mix to not have to deal with it. I'll cover that in a few days in the Advanced lesson on the MixPre.
@@writedirectthank you so much for such a detailed explaination.
In your in-depth, can you please also show us the best advanced pro level settings that can be done on Mixpre to get the best output from Mkh 416? And if it’s different then also the best settings for Lav?
@@jays4778 I'm about to post another lesson on the MixPre that shows Advanced mode. Hopefully that will give you some pointers. Albeit, basic mode out of the box works really, really well for great audio.
Hey @jays4778 -- here's the post: th-cam.com/video/RMaCu4-QlZQ/w-d-xo.html
Do you believe the MixPre 3 II stacks up well for voice overs or would you recommend an audio interface created specifically for that purpose?
I have not compared it side by side to another model for this purpose. But with that, I think the MixPre II series would be great for voice overs. All the videos on my channel have been recorded using this mixer paired with a Sennheiser MKH 416. If you use it, watch my other video on here about using it in advanced mode which will give you more options. But even basic mode will work for you 99% of the time.
On my last job I went basic and was horrified to find out I didn't have IOS channels. If you have a boom and 3 lavs (like I did) I melted down.
Yes! I learned the hard way with the MixPre. My advanced mode lesson on the channel covers the other setup.
Where can I find the links to purchase the products mentioned?
I'm sorry for the late reply. The equipment links are something I provide to students enrolled in the school. And since some of these videos are lessons pulled from the school's training, that gets mentioned.
Are you using a noise gate? as theres a strange silence after you speak sometimes, as the room echo suddenly stops, which I would have thought was something that you would try and avoid
Hey! I do try and avoid that and fill in bad audio sections with room tone, but sometimes I let it drop off to silence if I think I can get away with it...obviously didn't work here! Thank you. Will check this lesson out again.
@@writedirect yay, but i'm not flaming ya :P i see an up and comming channel
@@sr3d-microphones feedback only refines me. Haha.
Total beginner here but if you connect 1 xlr from the mic to 1 xlr input to a recorder, isnt't this a mono signal? How do I get a stereo signal?
Yes it is. You can record a single mic to two tracks, but it’s just the mono signal twice which is useless. What are you trying to do exactly?
@@writedirect I want to record stereo audio with a boom mic (48v pp). From mic to camera or from mic to audio recorder (zoom f3)
@@BramLaenen you can’t record a true stereo track with a single mic. The MixPre with the defaults will create a stereo file, but it’s just repeating the mono tracks. If I get audio like that, I’m always removing the extra tracks. But if you want a true stereo recording you have to use to mics
@@writedirect ok, so a boom mic is always a double mono signal. I didn't know that. Thanks a lot!
@@BramLaenen no problem!
This video didn’t mention the 32bit float option.
That’s covered in the MixPre advanced lesson. It’s in the channel.
Why not record at 32bit float?
You're right. 32-bit float is the best way to protect audio in environments where the gain exceeds the fixed thresholds of 16 and 24-bit. I'd like to see that as the default for Basic mode on the MixPre II as everything else is all dialed in for film production.
What mic are you speaking into?
Sennheiser MKH 416-P48. Love this mic!
Confused. I was referring to the tiny one on the shot on the boom stand.
@@danniv13 that’s the one. Prob just the angle making it look small.
Beginner sound mixers should ALWAYS record in 32-bit float if available. In this case, it is. So not a reason in the world not to use it.
You're totally right...just read up on that. And with that, the "Basic" mode on the MixPre II will not do 32-bit float. You have to switch to Advanced mode and then you can change this setting under Record. I'd like to see that available under Basic for those who don't want to mess with configuring other things. But thank you Luis -- Great to know. I just learned something!
"Bad audio will tank your shoot." -Laughs in Bujalski
Okay, so I realize he's a director, but I'm missing the punch line! Wanna know...
@@writedirect He's the godfather of mumblecore. Him and the Duplass brothers had notoriously bad audio.
I agree though, these days there's no excuse for bad audio.
@@camerakungfu ah…thank you. Haha. I’m behind! Don’t know that I’ve watched anything from them.
"We're not sound mixers"
... eh some of us are!
This lesson was pulled from the film school. My online film school is for aspiring directors only, hence the remark. I train them in the craft from development through post, but in some areas we only dive so deep. :)
@@writedirect thanks for the clarification. Peace.
24 Bit, not 32 Bit Float?
It’s 32-bit float. I just started using that and it’s a lifesaver. Especially in situations where you don’t have someone manning the field recorder.