Experiences giant squid mono lavalier?

[Wit]

In my quest to assemble a cheap & light weight versatile documentary one-man handled audio set I'm thinking of this for my (wired) lavalier set up. A zoom H1 recorder with the giant squid mono lavalier, combined with a mono to stereo plug. 

 

Anybody experiences with the giant squid mono lavalier?

 

 

http://www.giant-squid-audio-lab.com

[jcs]

No experience with them however for the price and shipping might be worth a try. I use http://oscarsoundtech.com/services.html . They are well known in the industry and are very reasonably priced. However, they require a recording device that can provide power for the mic (email them for price list).

 

Check out the audio forum on Cinema5D. Here's a thread that might be useful: http://cinema5d.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=38816

I prefer Tascam (have the DR100MkII) over Zoom (have the H4n), and some of the portable Sony and Olympus devices are much quieter, higher quality for not much more cost. I will probably sell both recorders as the quality isn't that great (in pro audio terms) and using separate audio is a lot more work. In cases where audio capture far from the camera is needed, external recorders make sense (lower cost and more reliable vs. wireless solutions (I use the Sennheiser G3)).

 

If you use a solution (typically with some kind of preamp) to get the gain up high enough to turn down the in-camera gain, in-camera audio can be excellent with very low noise.

 

This is helpful: http://www.avisoft.com/recordertests.htm

[Wit]

@JCS Thank you - very helpful links. Your first link isn't working though. I will buy a better recorder like the H4N but later on. The zoom H1 v2 would function as my cheap light weight lavalier without transmitter kit. 

[jcs]

fixed link- "." was added to link.

[jgharding]

JCS has it dead on here IMHO. I have DR100 and H4n too, and I'm going to sell both as they're both pretty noisy and harsh sounding when compared to proper pro-audio kit I'm used to in studio. The Beachtek adapters are good for in camera audio.

 

So something like the the H2 should suffice til you wanna jump up quite a way in quality.

 

Things start to get good with the Edirol R44 and up I think. Sound Devices are lovely. Nagra are transcendent and hilariously expensive.

[Wit]

JCS has it dead on here IMHO. I have DR100 and H4n too, and I'm going to sell both as they're both pretty noisy and harsh sounding when compared to proper pro-audio kit I'm used to in studio. The Beachtek adapters are good for in camera audio.

 

So something like the the H2 should suffice til you wanna jump up quite a way in quality.

 

Things start to get good with the Edirol R44 and up I think. Sound Devices are lovely. Nagra are transcendent and hilariously expensive.

 

Thanxs but the main question was about the Giant Squid Lavalier. All the sound devices you mention are to big former to take on the road.

[Wit]

Mister or misses Giant Squid isn't replying to my email. So I guess I won't send money over to the US to buy some. 

Giving myself a present and buying the much more expensive Rode Lavelier.

[dan]

Hi Blanche,

 

I've heard good thing about the rode lavs and priced quite competitively but i've not used them myself. 1 of the selling point being the micon connector which is similar to the microdot connector used by DPA. These connectors allow the capsules to be used with different wireless systems which mostly have their own type of connector to plug into the transmitter. However some users prefer to cut the micon/microdot connectors off and solder the connector needed directly onto the wire because the micons/microdots can cause problems.

OSTs (oscar sound tech) are also very good value.

My personal favourite is sanken cos-11 and DPA 4060. These are both quite expensive but have their advantages. All of the above mics can be bought with their own power supplies OR a connector for your wireless system (which you can also plug into a seperate power supply (this starts to add up but does give some contigency).

A Sony ecm 77 can be picked up second hand fairly cheap and when new have nice long wires (try bblist.co.uk).

If the capsule has an XLR connector on it you will need to get an adapter cable (XLR female to minijack male) to plug into your zoom or panasonic.

 

Something else to consider:

A reasonable but cheap wireless mic system (like sony UWP or sennheiser g3) will introduce some transmission characteristics (compression artifacts and reduced bandwidth and will need batteries) BUT they have limiter circuitry and more importantly will allow you to monitor the recording (they both have HP O/Ps) in a way that placing a zoom recorder in the contributor's pocket will NOT allow you to do (unless you have a very long H/Phone extension lead).

 

I suggested on your earlier thread (Searching the ultimate versatile microphone (Panasonic GH3)) that the Soundman binaural mics might do a job for you and i still stand by that. They would NOT be easy to convert for wireless use (and i'm not recommending that, but if that is what you decide to do you will loose 1 leg/stereo), but if did go with the 'zoom in a pocket solution' (cheapest and lightest) you would at least have some redundancy and you could record 2 different sound levels by placing one of the capsules nearer the mouth (if they like to whisper or its a noisy environment) and the other capsule lower on the torso in case they shout or you want more ambiance. Or you could place in a similar position and give yourself 2 chances of avoiding clothing noise etc. And as their primary use is to record stereo ambiances (in a very stealthy way) you can go about the rest of your filming (GVs etc) with the minimum amount of junk attached to the camera.

 

Not that this qualifies my opinion any more than the next person but i say all of the above as an owner of (disclaimer):

6 x sanken cos-11s

2 x lectrosonics 411 wireless channels

2 x sony UWP wireless channels

1 x pair of classic soundman OKMii A3 xlr (binaural mics)

1 x sennheiser 416

1 x sennheiser mkh60

1 x sanken cs3e

1 x sanken cub-01

1 x pair of matched AKG cardioids

2 x pairs of sennheiser hd 25s

1 x pair of sony 7506s

1 x pair of etymotic er4s

3 x rycote windshields and suspensions

1 x sounddevices 302 mixer

1 x busman modified tascam dr-680 recorder

1 x zoom h2 

1 x roland r26

1 x sony pd100

1 x sony nex 6

3 x nikkor ais lenses

1 x tom board track bike

1 x giant cyclo-cross/touring bike

1 x 20" wheel tandem

1 x burrows ratracer SL (recumbent)

1 x very full garage

1 x very patient partner :-)

 

YMMV

[Wit]

Thanxs so much but for now I settle on this audio package 

 

- zoom H1 and

- 1 Rode lavalier http://www.thomann.de/nl/rode_lavalier.htm?gclid=CKjcn9LGmLUCFe3KtAodeBkASQ

as my dread lavalier set

 

- and the senheiser senheiser mke 400 with (i hate that word) deadcat

 

It's for me this is now the most versatile leight weight affordable kit for on my bicycle travelers. Later on I can add a juice link and a better microphone (and recorder if really needed) for filming @home.