Podcast rig advice please

[Jules]

OK

I want to do some podcasts so all you gearslutz can get the scoop on new gear coming out. Plus some VIP interviews with producers..

I need some advice..

Here is the gear I have that may be usefull for this.

Ipod mini
Apple G4 Ibook 600
Treo 650 phone with 2 gig memory card
Enclosed Beyer DT250 headphones, Ipod headphones

What I hope to have:

The possibility of two clip on mic's (one for me as interviewer, one for interviewee..) (is this a bad idea?)
Ability to have headphones for myself so I can monitor the interviews
Fast transfer to mac to edit
Edit software (do I need to use PT)
Fast ability to upload via FTP

Please configure my ideal remote Podcast interview rig..!!

Suggestions for...

Mic's
Recorder (use laptop? Doesn't seem so convenient.. something handheld might be better) (remember.. I want to be able to monitor the audio 'live' via headphones as I record it
Edit software

Thanks in advance

[opentune]

I´d say the mic selection heavily depends (ouch!) on the interview situation.

What kind of clip-on mics can you get? I wouldn´t use lavalier type mics
unless they´re wireless (for obvious reasons)...
Guess the interviews might take place in fairgrounds or other more or less
crowded places (kitchens, lounges or even buffets...)

Are you going to make this a one-man-show (reporter and tech)? I ask
this because i´m curious about the statement that you wanna monitor
the interview on headphones...

A hendhald recorder would come handy in most interview situations.
Maybe you can get your hands on a portable DAT. Well, wouldn´t allow for fast transfer, though...

[Jules]

Come on folks - I know its not very hi tec but it IS remote recording!

Any further suggestions? Baisically I want to interview people at AES / trade shows and perhaps in their office / studios...

Hand held - with NO laptop is favorite (battery may run out and it is bulky)

Problem is I am a Mac person..

I wonder if this will run on Intel macs???

http://www.maycom.nl/main.html

[aetucker1]

hey, i can get you in touch via AOL IM with a true podcaster if you would like...he does it psuedo for a living and just built a studio for it. PM me if you want his info...I would also say that it is one of the best sounding podcasts that i have heard. His setup is a little different because he podcasts live and records it to post on iTunes. I know that he runs Shure SM7bs into some Tascam digital board and then edits though protools. I personally would say that you are WAY too qualified to do a podcast...by that I mean, you must have PLENTY of gear to make it work. I would just use sm7s into decent pres...then compress to taste. not too difficult....although what the hell do i know.

[Jules]

Or...

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_u...2496-main.html

[Jules]

or this... http://software.treonauts.com/product.asp?id=779

[Geert van den Berg]

It all depends on how small you want the equipment to be...

If you want to use clip-on/lavalier mic's and you went them to be 'gearslutty' I'd suggest you try some miniature DPA mic's. To extend their usefullness you might be able to use them if you have to record a cello or violin somewhere in the future...

Or you could just use 2 handheld mic's, don't have to be exotic... and requires less setup time, just press someone a mic in his face, or even just use one mic.

As far as the recorder goes I guess that M-audio thing you found is most usefull, as far as transferring to your mac goes. And it's not so expensive as some more professional counterparts from Nagra and likes...

Here's a link with some portable recorders:
http://www.hhb.co.uk/hhb/uk/products...le%20Recorders

Maybe the Edirol R series is an option, it's not expensive, but I have no idea how well it connects to a Mac, but I am sure it'll work, probably just see it as a removable drive. Best thing is you won't need any external mic's, but offcourse quality will be much less.

For editting it might be best if you stick to PT as that's what you can fly on. You don't happen to have an old Mbox lying around?

[opentune]

The Marantz PMD units look good to me. (at least more pro than the Avid stuff)


http://www.d-mpro.eu.com/index2.php?...etail&lang=eng

[David Spearritt]

Not sure podcasting adds anything to this problem, which appears to be getting a decent portable location interviewing kit. What you do with the audio after the recording is pretty much irrelevant.

We have recorded some spoken word interviews and conferences and found the best results with a Royer SF12/24 for sit down, across the table stuff, as you can hang one mic in the middle and both sides work even with four participants. For moving lecturers, some little radio packs and the some of the thoroughly excellent DPA 4060's clipped to lapels/hair/headband work the best of all, no other mics come close to these for decent output and tonal accuracy.

Record this to stereo with any of the hard disk recorders or laptop and you are done. I have heard some monumentally woeful podcasts in the computer profession, which were recorded with Skype phones, mobile phones, heaps of pulsating/breathing compression and where you are subjected to all the saliva and scottish mouth music from the interviewer and almost nothing from the interviewee.

Its not a podcast problem, its simply a normal recording problem to be solved with good mics, good mic placement, and good preamps.

[andrew269]

http://www.bswusa.com/proditem.asp?item=PMD670

this is what we use at work for basic interviews and capturing nat sound. just get a 3 foot mic cable and a 58 with a wind screen and you're good to go. very basic, very easy, and also has connectors for a shoulder strap. 8 AA batteries last for hours. stores audio on a compact flash card and has a usb connection to trasfer audio directly to the computer. edit with whatever software you own.

[RoundBadge]

I just started using the Sony PCM-D1..
A seriously pro 24/96 flash recorder for sound fx recording..
Very small and rugged..4 gig flash cards
Might be a bit overkill$$ for interviews though

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...67&src=3WFRWXX

[David Spearritt]

Originally Posted by RoundBadge

I just started using the Sony PCM-D1..
A seriously pro 24/96 flash recorder .....

"Seriously pro" is what its not.

[RoundBadge]

Originally Posted by David Spearritt

"Seriously pro" is what its not.

Ok,my bad.. maybe seriously "pro sumer"..whatever
..I've got a fostex pd-6, a diva V and 2 pd-4s and a couple tascam portable dats for my film/tv location stuff ..
sometimes too big/fragile for serious run and gun.
The Sony has been holding up beautifully for a small rock solid device for location SFX /wild tracks..strapped into a stunt car getting 20 feet of air in sand dunes..no prob.
.. in the desert/110 degree heat/ wind/dust for car/plane stuff...works fine
and it's making me money on rentals ..so it's "Pro" enough for me

[cajonezzz]

Jules, the m audio box looks like it would be killer, and then just use Garage Band and it's podcast capabilities to fly in pics and stuff. A Couple of decent Lav mics for interviews and your set.
If it was say, a round table discussion, you may want to cary a little mixer so you can pan and get levels right to stereo to avoid later futzing around. I was pretty impressed with GarageBand's integration, and the way it uploads to .MAC via Iweb is pretty sick.

Were starting to do that through our iweb pages to document the recording process with some development artist's.

I realize people rag all over iweb for having icky code and all, but for me, the fact that it works, and i can update the page, do the photo/podcast stuff with out thinking too hard about it, makes it pretty damn hard to shoot holes in.

Good luck, I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

cz

[Jules]

Originally Posted by RoundBadge

I just started using the Sony PCM-D1..
A seriously pro 24/96 flash recorder for sound fx recording..
Very small and rugged..4 gig flash cards
Might be a bit overkill$$ for interviews though

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...67&src=3WFRWXX

I heard that at a trade show and was knocked out..

[K.C.]

The standard in the media here for quick setup interviews is the Marantz PMD670. I have one I use for backup audio on video shoots. They work great, mic pres are fine for interviews, has a limiter, 6-7 hours recording on batteries. I pop out the compact flash card and put it in my Mac card reader to move files for editing.

Here are some BBC tutorials on interview recording. They use mini-disc recorders and mono mics.

[Jules]

Thank you, I will read that - the compact Flash cards apeal to me..

[Bob Olhsson]

My friends who do dialog recording are speaking highly of the cheap M-Audio flash recorders.

[Jim vanBergen]

On a trade show floor like AES, a lav is going to be rough at certain times of the day- a LOT of ambiance will creep in when its noisy. Might need to have two cardioid stick mics (like Sm58s), give one to each participant and run with it for those times. Always good to keeep in the kit as a spare, anyway. I personally love the Sennheiser MKE-2, the standard in broadcast ENG lav mics as well as Broadway. You can get them terminated to XLR and they draw minimal voltage from P48 sources.

Hope this helps, Jules!

[Jules]

TWO 58's !

Oh well.. OK!

[K.C.]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

My friends who do dialog recording are speaking highly of the cheap M-Audio flash recorders.

Several friends have tried the M-Audio recorders and found them to junk, breaking on first or second use. I have other M-Audio gear that's been great. Maybe they had a bad production run and have sorted it out now.

[K.C.]

Jules you might ask Lynn Fuston how he recorded the interviews on his site.

They're decent and I'm sure he kept it simple.