Setting up broadcast audio (help)

[vectorsecond]

Hello, noob here!
Recently I was required to make a list of gear to set up a broadcast audio station for a starting tv channel.

Due to my short experience on broadcasting i was hoping you could help me setting up the list.

So, appart from the computer and Nuendo, I figured out I'll need:

Mics (for voice soundbooth and a shotgun)
Mic preamp
Audio Interface
Mixer (and/or control surface and a talkback system)
Monitors
Headphones


Can you help me picking some of this gear?

Thanks in advance!

[findletron]

Originally Posted by vectorsecond

Hello, noob here!
Recently I was required to make a list of gear to set up a broadcast audio station for a starting tv channel.

Due to my short experience on broadcasting i was hoping you could help me setting up the list.

So, appart from the computer and Nuendo, I figured out I'll need:

Mics (for voice soundbooth and a shotgun)
Mic preamp
Audio Interface
Mixer (and/or control surface and a talkback system)
Monitors
Headphones


Can you help me picking some of this gear?

Thanks in advance!

Hey!

Im an A1 (aka mixer) for mostly sports stuff, studio shows.

I'd be happy to give you some suggestions, but your question is very vague. There are lots of different areas of audio for broadcast.. live studio stuff, post, remotes.. it really runs the gamut, so any specifics would be great.

specifics on what your trying to do exactly would be very helpful.

lemme know if I can help.

s

[vectorsecond]

Originally Posted by findletron

Hey!

Im an A1 (aka mixer) for mostly sports stuff, studio shows.

I'd be happy to give you some suggestions, but your question is very vague. There are lots of different areas of audio for broadcast.. live studio stuff, post, remotes.. it really runs the gamut, so any specifics would be great.

specifics on what your trying to do exactly would be very helpful.

lemme know if I can help.

s

Thank you in advance for your help!

There will be everything, from live studio, exteriors, post segments, voice over and remotes as well... I guess I'll need a "all around" set up, if there is such a thing


I figured out some equipment, please comment/make suggestions. I'm kinda wandering in brand sites and webstores like thomann.de for research

Interface:
- Steinberg MR816 X
- Focusrite Saphire Pro 40

Micpre:
- DBX 286A

Mics:
- Neumann M149 condenser
- Senheiser MKH416 O48U3 shotgun
- Sehneiser EW 512 G3 lavalier with receiver

Control surface:
- M-Audio Projectmix i/o

Monitors:
- Dynaudio BM5A Compact

Headphones:
- AKG K-702

Field mixer:
- Sound Devices 302

I'm not sure about if I'll still need a mixer or if I'll need a mixer that will work as a control surface.

And about a talkback system for the soundbooth, will a small 4ch mixer in the booth do?


Thanks for your help!

[Adlen]

What I'd do is...
-Computer running whatever DAW you're comfortable with - a laptop may be best
-Focusrite Saffire Pro40
-Some lavalier mics, shotgun mics and some small diaphragm condensers as well as one or two large diaphragms
-Boom poles
-Behringer BCF2000 control surface
-Multicore cable to make life easier
-A cheap mic that you can use for talkback (anything will do)
-A headphone amp if more than you and the actor in the booth are going to require headphones at one time
-Maybe a wireless in-ear system
-Headphone extension cable to get from Saffire to actor if you're not using a headphone amp

[findletron]

Originally Posted by vectorsecond

Thank you in advance for your help!

There will be everything, from live studio, exteriors, post segments, voice over and remotes as well... I guess I'll need a "all around" set up, if there is such a thing


I figured out some equipment, please comment/make suggestions. I'm kinda wandering in brand sites and webstores like thomann.de for research

Interface:
- Steinberg MR816 X
- Focusrite Saphire Pro 40

Micpre:
- DBX 286A

Mics:
- Neumann M149 condenser
- Senheiser MKH416 O48U3 shotgun
- Sehneiser EW 512 G3 lavalier with receiver

Control surface:
- M-Audio Projectmix i/o

Monitors:
- Dynaudio BM5A Compact

Headphones:
- AKG K-702

Field mixer:
- Sound Devices 302

I'm not sure about if I'll still need a mixer or if I'll need a mixer that will work as a control surface.

And about a talkback system for the soundbooth, will a small 4ch mixer in the booth do?


Thanks for your help!

Well, there's so much to talk about but it looks like you have a basic handle on things like mics, audio interface, etc. and honestly that stuff will work fine with your application.

Heres the thing though, am I right in guessing that this will be a shoestring budget type operation? if not, then I will have a lot more information for you! if so, there is a limit on what I can tell you, as the type of stuff that I use on a day to day basis is in the mega $$ category to someone used to home recording equipment.

First of all your going to probablly need some kind of communications infrastructure for communication.. i.e. director, TD, AD audio, stage, remote locations and talent all have to have the ability to communicate. We use a facility wide Telex RTS system. These are not cheap! But I believe this type of thing is scaleable for your needs. Each position needs it's own panel. There are probablly other options, but this is 'the one' everyone uses in the facilities I work in.

Your VO talent will need some kind of talkback device. We use Clearcomm AB100's, its basically a small box with an integrated mic pre/foldback controls (aka, independant volumes for right and left ear) talk back (for the talent), and cough button. You will need one for each talent position. This then integrated with your intercomm system.

For stage stuff, your going to need some lav mics and IFB's. Again, a good way to bundle this all together is to use an AB100 box for each position. This allows your talent to adjust the volume of theyre return, talk back to directors, etc and have a cough button as well. You will probablly want a 'voice of god' type PA speaker on the stage as well.

What is the Neumann for?? That is a banannas mic for this task Get a nice work horse dynamic mic(s), like a RE20 or SM7b. They are not fragile, and do not require phantom power.

You will need a fairly flexible stand-alone mixer to make this all work. LOTS OF AUXES and other routing options. for a cheapy mc cheap type of setup.. I see a lot of yamaha small digital mixers, things like the o2r, 01v, and DM2000. Of course, this is one of those 'well, how much you got' type questions. Studer Vista 8's are pretty popular, and at my main gig we have an SSL c10 HD, and are retrofitting the rest of the rooms with those. Of course, these are 100k-300k consoles so Im guessing if you have that kind of money you have an entire engineering dept. building this thing for you and dont need this kind of help

I don't want to discourage you or anything, but honestly this type of project requires real money, and a lot of engineering expertise. There are so many little things that can get overlooked, and theres so much more to it than just the gear that you would think would be needed to accomplish a seemingly simple task.

I wish you the best of luck! let me know if you have any more questions.

s

[vectorsecond]

Originally Posted by findletron

Well, there's so much to talk about but it looks like you have a basic handle on things like mics, audio interface, etc. and honestly that stuff will work fine with your application.

Heres the thing though, am I right in guessing that this will be a shoestring budget type operation? if not, then I will have a lot more information for you! if so, there is a limit on what I can tell you, as the type of stuff that I use on a day to day basis is in the mega $$ category to someone used to home recording equipment.

First of all your going to probablly need some kind of communications infrastructure for communication.. i.e. director, TD, AD audio, stage, remote locations and talent all have to have the ability to communicate. We use a facility wide Telex RTS system. These are not cheap! But I believe this type of thing is scaleable for your needs. Each position needs it's own panel. There are probablly other options, but this is 'the one' everyone uses in the facilities I work in.

Your VO talent will need some kind of talkback device. We use Clearcomm AB100's, its basically a small box with an integrated mic pre/foldback controls (aka, independant volumes for right and left ear) talk back (for the talent), and cough button. You will need one for each talent position. This then integrated with your intercomm system.

For stage stuff, your going to need some lav mics and IFB's. Again, a good way to bundle this all together is to use an AB100 box for each position. This allows your talent to adjust the volume of theyre return, talk back to directors, etc and have a cough button as well. You will probablly want a 'voice of god' type PA speaker on the stage as well.

What is the Neumann for?? That is a banannas mic for this task Get a nice work horse dynamic mic(s), like a RE20 or SM7b. They are not fragile, and do not require phantom power.

You will need a fairly flexible stand-alone mixer to make this all work. LOTS OF AUXES and other routing options. for a cheapy mc cheap type of setup.. I see a lot of yamaha small digital mixers, things like the o2r, 01v, and DM2000. Of course, this is one of those 'well, how much you got' type questions. Studer Vista 8's are pretty popular, and at my main gig we have an SSL c10 HD, and are retrofitting the rest of the rooms with those. Of course, these are 100k-300k consoles so Im guessing if you have that kind of money you have an entire engineering dept. building this thing for you and dont need this kind of help

I don't want to discourage you or anything, but honestly this type of project requires real money, and a lot of engineering expertise. There are so many little things that can get overlooked, and theres so much more to it than just the gear that you would think would be needed to accomplish a seemingly simple task.

I wish you the best of luck! let me know if you have any more questions.

s

thank you for your response!

the budget is not that much strict but the infrastructure will be quite simple so it will work pretty much like a home studio i guess.

your communication suggestions seems really easy and affordable, i will look upon that later, thanks!

about the neumann, it would be for the voice booth. would you recommend the sm7b over the neumann condenser? i know the sm7b it's very used in radio and such. a condenser would be more sensible for voice right?

the ssl mixer is really another level ahah
would i need a mixer + control surface? is there a nice mixer that work as a control surface? something like the digidesign c24

thank you once again!

[jhg]

There are sooooo many things to take into account here, without seeing the desired situation, environment,etc, it's kinda just throwing darts at an open door trying to get a bullseye.

What format is master control wanting? Or, if you're master control, what does your on air encoder look for? What sort of router inputs and outputs will you have? what kind of backup chain(+switchover) do you have at your disposal? Is this production or on air scenario? Metering? I could go on, and on, and on...

If you've never put together this exact type of environment, please seek consultation from those who have.

regards,

jhg