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Author Topic: Question about Zoom H6 mics  (Read 2483 times)

walter.sk

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Question about Zoom H6 mics
« on: February 18, 2018, 05:33:34 pm »

I'm going to be doing some one-on-one audio interviews, and I think I've decided on the Zoom H6 for the recorder.  I won't be getting other mics for a while, so I want to know about the built-in mics on the H6.

1) Would the XY mic work to pick up my voice and the interviewee's if it were placed between us?  The interviews will take place in people's houses, maybe on a kitchen table.  Would the mics pick up too much ambient sound?

2)Using the other mic cartridge, the Mid-Side module, if it the H6 were turned sideways, could the bi-directional part of the mic actually capture the two voices with any kind of quality, ignoring the track for the other component of the mic?

Ultimately, I'll be getting at least one pair of cardioid mics for such interviews, but right now I might have to go only with the H6's mic modules.

Ultimately, I will also use the H6 for videos with my OMD-EM1 mk ii.
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Christopher Sanderson

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Re: Question about Zoom H6 mics
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2018, 07:55:40 am »

The XY mics will work fine if both voices are within about 2 feet of the H6 - more than that and you will pick up a lot of ambient noise.

Probably more important is how the H6 will be placed and mounted. I have used a mini tripod and a foam block or soft material. Isolation from vibration of the machine is crucial.

A better alternative would be to hard wire two lavaliers or a boom mic to the H6

walter.sk

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Re: Question about Zoom H6 mics
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2018, 09:31:24 am »

Thanks for the reply. Do you think something like this shockmount would help? Shock Mount

How do you like the H6? Have you had any problem with noisy preamps, or preamp noise in the headphone output?
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bcooter

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Re: Question about Zoom H6 mics
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2018, 05:13:33 pm »

The XY mics will work fine if both voices are within about 2 feet of the H6 - more than that and you will pick up a lot of ambient noise.

Probably more important is how the H6 will be placed and mounted. I have used a mini tripod and a foam block or soft material. Isolation from vibration of the machine is crucial.

A better alternative would be to hard wire two lavaliers or a boom mic to the H6

It's amazing that I will see a television series, or a high branded commercial and here ambient noise and bounce in a room.

Chris is right, if you don't have a boom, or better yet a boom operator, take a medium sized air stand, mount the mic on an arm with a rubber strip to isolate and on all stands take tennis balls, cut a slit into them and put them on the stand legs.  You will save scratching a floor and also cut out vibrational noise.

I personally like radio Lavs, only seninhauser,  especially outside or with a large room with ambient bounce or noise, but it takes a kit of bands, stick on pads, the correct placement to kill rubbing noises.   

Sound isn't easy and of course monitoring all of the sound is critical.

IMO

BC
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Christopher Sanderson

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Re: Question about Zoom H6 mics
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2018, 08:10:54 pm »

Thanks for the reply. Do you think something like this shockmount would help? Shock Mount

How do you like the H6? Have you had any problem with noisy preamps, or preamp noise in the headphone output?

Shock mounts like this are great - mounted off the camera. Thanks for the link, I may buy one!

The H6 is superb at a modest price point. To get audibly better, you need to spend thousands more

fredjeang2

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Re: Question about Zoom H6 mics
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2018, 01:16:13 pm »

The suspension looks extremely fragile
And the fact that it"s screwed on the sides ads tension points
That might break for a yes or a no.
It looks like a gadget from the chinese store
That will last as long as it takes me to light my cigarette.
(Or the Cooter to burn tyres when the light goes green in LA
Downtown...)
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bcooter

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Re: Question about Zoom H6 mics
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2018, 05:14:24 pm »

The suspension looks extremely fragile
And the fact that it"s screwed on the sides ads tension points
That might break for a yes or a no.
It looks like a gadget from the chinese store
That will last as long as it takes me to light my cigarette.
(Or the Cooter to burn tyres when the light goes green in LA
Downtown...)

I agree with Chris with keeping it off camera when possible and with Fred on the build quality.  It may be ok, but mikes take a lot of abuse in tight quarters.  I try to never work with a camera mounted mike except when I started I had an xl1 that had the best zoom mike I've ever used.

You could be 15 ft. away in a room and get clean subject sound. In fact it was so good that a major motion picture studio used the xl1 for some of their foley sound for years.

One thing I didn't mention was if possible buy some thick furniture pads, lay them on the floor, over anything out of camera that produces bounce like marble walls, or glass.

Also keep plenty of bottled water and between takes have the talent take a sip.  Even seasoned actors will get dry mouth and you can hear it.

Nothing ruins a take like a crack in the voice of a different pitch if your doing multiple takes, except a mobile phone ringing, or some yahoo like me smoking my car tires down the street.

IMO

BC
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walter.sk

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Re: Question about Zoom H6 mics
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2018, 05:15:36 pm »

Thanks for all the suggestions. I just got my Zoom H6 and checked it out with only the 2 mics that come with it.  I'm very impressed with it for the price in terms of flexibility and reasonably simple access to various functions through the menu system.  After transferring my various tests to the computer I must say that the audio quality was surprisingly good.

I didn't buy the shock mount I linked to because of negative reviews about its fragility. I came across possibly less fragile shock mounts, but have no idea whether they could do the job.
 
Movo shock mount
 and Marshall Electr Plate.

With  both, I really doubt whether either would work using the recorder in a vertical position.
« Last Edit: February 24, 2018, 05:20:18 pm by walter.sk »
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