Beachtek vs. Sign Video XLR ProJr

[Pablo585]

Will the Sign Video XLR ProJr work as well as a Beacktek? They are basically the same thing, except the ProJr only has one XLR and 1/8 in. input. That's all I need. I just want more control over the audio going into my recorder. And the ProJr is a lot cheaper.

Link to XLR ProJr : http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/264991-REG/Sign_Video_XLRPROJR_XLRPROJR_Single_Input_Audio.ht ml

[PadawanGeek]

I don't know, but what mic are you using and are you going to have it camera mounted? If you have a mic with a built in battery and you are mounting it on a camera, you don't need a Beachtek or other XLR box, you just need a short (1.5ft) XLR to mini-jack cable.

[trspballer7]

I use a beatchtek, and I love it.

[Pablo585]

PadawanGeek,
I am looking to get an Azden SGM-1x and I need a converter and would like a mixer/preamp to control levels since I need a seperate recorder. And I would like to mount the mic on a boom pole.

[Pablo585]

Bump. Come on guys, I would like your answers.

[jdogg0075]

Pay the extra $100 dollars and go with a $189 juicedlink instead of the Beachtek YOU WILL be much happier trust me. Beachtek is a passive pre amp system vs. juicedlink for the same price which has a noise reduction pre amp. So that means you will get less buzz for sure with the juicedlink pre amps.

check this video for demonstrations of beachtek and juicedlink. I found this helpful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-_72AX-naE

Just saving up that extra money and waiting a little longer will make a difference.

-Justin

[Pablo585]

Ok thanks! I might do that.
Does anyone else have suggestions?

[elscottomagnifico]

I don't know, but what mic are you using and are you going to have it camera mounted? If you have a mic with a built in battery and you are mounting it on a camera, you don't need a Beachtek or other XLR box, you just need a short (1.5ft) XLR to mini-jack cable.
That's not the best idea (though it is the cheapest). You're making it into an unbalanced connection, which undoes one of the main reasons to go XLR (balanced connections - help keep out interference). The XLR adapter boxes let you keep the balanced connection and then only use a short unbalanced connection from the box to the cam (the shorter the unbalanced connection, the better - your plan makes the entire cable unbalanced). Powerd adapters will even give you a preamp (and use phantom power, so your mic doesn't need a battery) and let you boost the volume without having to deal with your cam's preamp (which usually isn't too great - starts to have issues above a certain point of amplification, which is different for all preamps).

[jdogg0075]

Powerd adapters will even give you a preamp (and use phantom power, so your mic doesn't need a battery)

Be careful here i cannont stress it enough that not all shotgun mic's use phantom power. You need to look up the specs on the mic you have and look up what its power requirements are for example the Rode NTG-1 is phantom powered and +48V at that. The Azden sgm-1x is not phantom powered it only requires one AAA battery.

You need to look into what boxes have phantom power your going to spend $100 more for a box with +48 phantom. Phantom does provide a better "more reliable" connection than say a battery powered mic. But they are both balanced connections.

[elscottomagnifico]

Be careful here i cannont stress it enough that not all shotgun mic's use phantom power. You need to look up the specs on the mic you have and look up what its power requirements are for example the Rode NTG-1 is phantom powered and +48V at that. The Azden sgm-1x is not phantom powered it only requires one AAA battery.

You need to look into what boxes have phantom power your going to spend $100 more for a box with +48 phantom. Phantom does provide a better "more reliable" connection than say a battery powered mic. But they are both balanced connections.
The adapters that supply phantom power allow you to turn it on/off - so it will work with either variant of XLR powered mics.

XLR cables are always balanced (whether you use a battery or phantom power), but the XLR to 1/8" cables (without any adapter) are not going to be - that is why it's best to get an XLR adapter box.

[TheJoker]

I use a BeachTek DXA 4P with my Rode NTG 2, it works great, you won't be disapointed

[jdogg0075]

The adapters that supply phantom power allow you to turn it on/off - so it will work with either variant of XLR powered mics.
Pablo585 was trying to save money so I was making the point that if he was using a microphone that did not require phantom power he could save $100 and buy a xlr connector box that dosent supply it.


XLR cables are always balanced (whether you use a battery or phantom power), but the XLR to 1/8" cables (without any adapter) are not going to be - that is why it's best to get an XLR adapter box.
Either way using the XLR adapter box or XLR to 1/8" cable is going to be "balanced" up until the point of the 1/8" conversion. They both shoot out an "unbalanced" 1/8" mini jack cable. The point of an XLR pre amp box like the juicedlink is to provide an active pre-amp system which reduces noise using the pre amps vs. you using the cameras pre amp system. Yes the box does supply a convenient XLR connection but if you did not care about the pre amp system offered in some boxes, you can achieve the same effect with a XLR to mini jack cable converter.

[elscottomagnifico]

Pablo585 was trying to save money so I was making the point that if he was using a microphone that did not require phantom power he could save $100 and buy a xlr connector box that dosent supply it.



Either way using the XLR adapter box or XLR to 1/8" cable is going to be "balanced" up until the point of the 1/8" conversion. They both shoot out an "unbalanced" 1/8" mini jack cable. The point of an XLR pre amp box like the juicedlink is to provide an active pre-amp system which reduces noise using the pre amps vs. you using the cameras pre amp system. Yes the box does supply a convenient XLR connection but if you did not care about the pre amp system offered in some boxes, you can achieve the same effect with a XLR to mini jack cable converter.I completely agree that if you don't need phantom power, then why not save some money.

The adapter box is balanced up to the box (powered box or unpowered box - preamps are nice, but not necessary). Then it runs a short unbalanced connection (less than 1') to the camera - shorter cable run have less interference. The XLR -> 1/8" cable (no convertor box) is entirely unbalanced, so the length of the cable is open to interference. One of the popular reasons to go XLR is to avoid interference and be able to run long cable lengths without fear of increasing interference issues (using the cable alone undoes this whole reason).

[jdogg0075]

The XLR -> 1/8" cable (no convertor box) is entirely unbalanced, so the length of the cable is open to interference.

It cannont be entirely unbalanced. Only the mini jack cable will be unbalanced. You CAN make this mini jack cable as short as you want 1 ft 13 ft what ever you want. I agree the longer this cable the worse it gets. The issue isnt the cable length. The XLR is balanced up untill the conversion. What people do from there on is up to them.

-Justin

[elscottomagnifico]

It cannont be entirely unbalanced. Only the mini jack cable will be unbalanced. You CAN make this mini jack cable as short as you want 1 ft 13 ft what ever you want. I agree the longer this cable the worse it gets. The issue isnt the cable length. The XLR is balanced up untill the conversion. What people do from there on is up to them.

-JustinThe conversion isn't guaranteed to be at the 1/8" jack - it's more likely that it converts at the XLR to a shielded 1/8" cable.

[jdogg0075]

The conversion isn't guaranteed to be at the 1/8" jack - it's more likely that it converts at the XLR to a shielded 1/8" cable.

I really dont know or understand what you are talking about now.

[elscottomagnifico]

I really dont know or understand what you are talking about now.
It appears that you are arguing that an XLR to 1/8" cable is entirely balanced, up until the 1/8" jack on the cable.

[Pablo585]

Thanks for the help guys!

Since I don't have a microphone yet, my cousin said he could get a dented one from his church but it still works. I know I will have get close and use some clever shots with a normal cardioid (maybe super-cardioid?) mic. I'm planning on getting a better one in the future.

It's an XLR mic and I was wondering if I could run a 15-20' XLR cable from a boom pole and then use an XLR to 1/8 in. adapter and not get a hiss or buzz. It doesn't really matter if it is balanced or unbalanced for now, and I still have to buy a seperate recorder so it will still be a couple months before I could afford the adapter box. Would this work?

And what are some pretty good quality, inexpensive XLR cables?