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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Pimping my rig, audio style
G.J. McCarthy, Photographer
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Dallas | TX | US | Posted: 9:45 AM on 03.11.11 |
->> Hey gang:
Looking for some headphone help with my video shooting. This is actually a three-part question, so apologies for the length.
- In general, what recommendations do you all have for solid earphones or earbuds for shooting video? I currently just use the little Apple iPhone earbuds, but obviously those are pretty lo-fi. I'm wondering what's out there that best lends itself to monitoring audio for video. Also, next week I'll be shooting video in a very loud setting (SXSW), so maybe noise canceling is the way to go? Help!
- I know there's folks on here who come from TV backgrounds, so maybe one will know. What are those single-ear earphone thingies I see TV shooters using? They look like Secret Service earbuds -- clip to shirt collar, have a little coiled part? What are they called (can't find on B&H) and what advantages might they have? I assume they must be decent because I see them all the time.
- Last one. Has anyone gotten Bluetooth headphones to work when shooting video? Seems like it would have its advantages -- namely, no stupid cord to get tangled on stuff. I know they work well with computer Bluetooth, but I do see some that have a little Bluetooth transmitter. Those work OK? Audio any good?
Thanks in advance for any and all help you have. I actually need to pull the trigger on some new phones/buds pretty quick, so if you have an idea, I'm all, eager ears.
And any other audio guidance is appreciated.
- gerry - |
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Matt Cashore, Photographer
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South Bend | IN | USA | Posted: 10:00 AM on 03.11.11 |
->> Hey--
Once upon a time I was a TV dude. I used one of the secret service earpieces you mention. Here's where you can get one...pricey.
http://bit.ly/gZAVbT
They were nice for a few reasons--they fit snugly in the ear, the sound quality was good, & you still had the other ear available to hear ambient sound. The little clip thingy would help with keeping the coiled cord from getting in the way. |
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Jason Joseph, Photographer
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Dublin | OH | USA | Posted: 10:15 AM on 03.11.11 |
->> Personally, I would stay away from anything that provides electronic noise canceling. Since I work directly in the production industry, I have shot and had to monitor audio in almost every situation, including KISS. My personal preference is two part. If I am directing or monitoring an audio feed without a camera on my shoulder, then I prefer Sony 7509's. They are closed back (important to block out sound) but they don't completely isolate sound from the outside. If I am with a camera, then I prefer Shure Se Series earbuds. These are the same in ear monitors that musicians use on stage, so they work well in high volume situations. They effectively block outside noise by closing off your ear canal with different sized foam or rubber fittings. They work well. In fact I will sometimes just put them in on a plane to block out everyone (including the plane noise) and sleep. If you want to go a step farther, look into getting custom molds of your ear made for the Shure earbuds to go in to.
As for the in ear buds that you see TV media shooters wearing, sometimes those are actually IFB's. you can buy them from B&H
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/184649-REG/Telex_800318001_CES_2_Ears...
The drawback with those is that they typically don't have very good sound quality since the audio actually travels through the coiled tube and into your ear. They are designed to be inconspicuous and to only provide voice audio from a director or producer. TV guys will use them mostly for convenience sake because its what they have with them.
One last note, I would stay far away from anything Bluetooth. With all of the frequencies floating around these days, I much prefer an actual cable plugged in. And dealing with a potential failure in Bluetooth connection could easily be a bigger pain is the ass than dealing with a cord. Just my 2 cents. |
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G.J. McCarthy, Photographer
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Dallas | TX | US | Posted: 11:59 AM on 03.11.11 |
->> Matt and Jason -- thank you SO much. Exactly what I needed.
- gerry - |
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Michael Chang, Photographer
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Robertsdale | AL | USA | Posted: 12:48 PM on 03.11.11 |
->> If you go with the Shures, head over to http://www.sensaphonics.com
and get custom molds for your ears. It'll be 100% better than the foams that come with the Shure IEM's. |
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Jonathan Castner, Photographer
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Denver | CO | USA | Posted: 12:53 PM on 03.11.11 |
->> I break my on location audio monitoring into two categories, 1) run n gun and 2) accuracy. If I am moving about then there is too much going on to really worry about much other than being able to reasonably hear the audio that your system is recording. I use isolating ear buds for this purpose. They cut out surrounding sound as a good pair of ear plugs will but give you, with a good unit, clear enough sound to work with when you are on the run. I do not use full headphones in this situation and they don't stay firmly on your head when you are on the move and they don't provide the sound isolation that the in ear monitors do. I really like http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/734241-REG/Etymotic_Research_MC5B_mc5... They are excellent in terms of audio quality, are small and lightweight because you have enough crud hanging on you in the field and they are cheap enough to be almost disposable.
When I'm mixing audio or doing an interview with one of my good studio quality microphone and need to hear every nuance then I use the same Sony phones that Jason recommended. |
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Peter Huoppi, Photographer
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New London | CT | USA | Posted: 1:52 PM on 03.11.11 |
->> I can't stand using ear buds when shooting video. The only time I use them is under a hat when it's cold and raining. I always feel like they're falling out of my ears, the cord is too short, and I get too much outside noise.
I love my Sennheiser HD 280 headphones: http://bit.ly/hUuTSP Put them over your ears and it's like wearing ear plugs. When I'm shooting in a loud gym, I turn the monitor volume down and it's quieter in my head phones than without them. It's got a coiled cord, long enough so you can get more than two feet away from the camera, but coiled so it doesn't dangle all over the place.
If you're set on something small like ear buds, you won't like these, but they've been my favorite headphone I've used. |
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Michael Chang, Photographer
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Robertsdale | AL | USA | Posted: 2:37 PM on 03.11.11 |
| ->> Peter: You got to try out some of the In-ear-monitor's that actually go in your ear canal. Takes a little bit to get used to them (imagine sticking your finger in your ear and talking) but they get rid of outside noise almost completely. |
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Jeff Frings, Photographer
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Milwaukee | WI | USA | Posted: 4:35 PM on 03.11.11 |
->> For day to day shooting I just use my ipod earbuds or jvc gummy earbuds they are not all that "lo-fi" compared to some other earbuds.
If I need to hear exactly what is being recorded I use Sony mdr-xb700 headphones. They are about 100 bucks but they shut out most outside noise and sound great.
The secret service earpieces are from a company called audio implements and they are very expensive, but I prefer the audio quality from a good pair of earbuds or headphones. |
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Guy Rhodes, Photographer
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East Chicago | IN | USA | Posted: 5:42 PM on 03.11.11 |
->> Ditto Jason's post. I've been using the now discontinued Shure E2C in-ear monitors for monitoring audio in the field for almost six years and they're among the best solutions for monitoring ONLY what you're recording and nothing else. In fact, while on set, this can get annoying as I'm always yanking out one side to talk to people. They're truly like earplugs. When using the correct size ear bud for your ear canal (Shure makes lots of sizes and types), they sit securely and comfortably in your ear and don't fall out.
I also added the Sony 7506 headphones to my kit around a month ago, and they're probably some of the best headphones I've ever owned. They're great for clear, loud monitoring, but still allow a bit of ambient sound to come through (which is good in some situations). Listening to music through these after the shoot is also a treat, as the bass is quite rich! :-) |
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G.J. McCarthy, Photographer
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Dallas | TX | US | Posted: 8:16 PM on 03.11.11 |
->> Thanks again for all the notes, all. Much obliged.
- g - |
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Nate Ryan, Assistant, Photographer
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MInneapolis, St. Paul | MN | | Posted: 12:14 PM on 03.13.11 |
| ->> Another plug for the 7506 headphones. I am a photo/video intern at Minnesota Public Radio, and just about all the audio engineers there use the Sony 7506s so thats is enough of an endorsement for me. I've had mine for 6 months and just love them. They block a lot of noise on a plane too. |
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