Send good audio to RED EPIC

[Sebastian Sonzogni]

Hi everybody, I have a question for you. I´m a sound recordist and I have to work with the RED EPIC.
I had worked two days with this camera and I send mic level audio by the 3.5 mm audio jacks from my Sound Devices 302.
Do you have a best choice to send audio to the EPIC? Also I have a SD 744T and I´m using it as a back up recorder.
Could you send line level signal by the 3.5 mm jacks?
I will really appreciate your answer, thank you and best wishes.

[Clint Lealos]

You can send line level signal to the camera if you use an in line attenuator... At least for now. I think your method is spot on, except you may want to think of your 744T as your primary recorder and the audio on the Epic a scratch track or back up. Depends on the project I guess, but the 744T sound is obviously going to be superior to the sound recorded on camera. Good luck!

[Martin Whittier]

Hey Clint, long time no see. Maybe you know....I got my Scarlet just recently but am unable to get any clean audio in using either a wireless lav of handheld wired mic. All I hear is a humming sound no matter what settings I try. Have you seen this issue?

[D Fuller]

Hey Clint, long time no see. Maybe you know....I got my Scarlet just recently but am unable to get any clean audio in using either a wireless lav of handheld wired mic. All I hear is a humming sound no matter what settings I try. Have you seen this issue?

sounds like a bad cable: http://reduser.net/forum/showthread....Work-(And-why)

[Josh Beadle]

From what I have read here and my little bit of hands on experience - it seems that the Epic was designed to be a multi-person crew movie camera where the assumption is that there will be a dedicated audio specialist running second system sound. The Epic audio section seems to be that of a 5DII. Coming from an AF100 this took me a bit off guard since everything else about the Epic is top rate.

I use the Zoom recorder and mix in post - which for simple interview or doc work is a single shooter challenge and workflow pain. That's why my AF100 stills has a solid place in the bag

[Werner Jauch]

This may be helpful:
http://vimeo.com/35924296
Audio was recorded using Sound Devices Mixpre, attenuator and Hosa XLR to 3.5mm cable. (I believe that since then Red sells a better constructed cable).

[Scott Brown]

What's the general consensus on Epic/Scarlet's onboard audio recording quality? Is it the same as the audio on RED One? Is it unacceptable for broadcast use?

Our Epic has yet to arrive so we have not had the chance to test the sound quality yet.

I don't understand why these cameras are facing audio quality scrutiny - audio recording technology is so mature that in this day and age I take it as granted that all "pro" cameras should have full broadcast quality onboard audio capability. Perhaps we need a Sound Devices module for Epic/Scarlet if RED has failed to make the grade in the audio department!

One of the first lessons I learned is that "poor" footage can often be rescued but bad audio is a MUCH bigger problem to fix!

Feedback from audio pros appreciated.

Best wishes

Scott

[Mark Toia]

I don't understand why these cameras are facing audio quality scrutiny - audio recording technology is so mature that in this day and age I take it as granted that all "pro" cameras should have full broadcast quality onboard audio capability.

Agree...

Our 4 year old REDONE has fantastic AUDIO...

Epic is, well.. Average to say the least...
If somebody can tell me how to get clean, loud audio onto my flies, (just like the RED ONE) I'd be a very happy man...

[Scott Brown]

Hey Mark

Thanks for the heads up on Epic's non epic sound quality! This should not be the case when RED One has been useable since the early audio board replacement.

Best wishes

SCOTT

[Marc Wielage]

I don't understand why these cameras are facing audio quality scrutiny - audio recording technology is so mature that in this day and age I take it as granted that all "pro" cameras should have full broadcast quality onboard audio capability.

I have yet to encounter one that can, over the past 20 years. Maybe I've been unlucky.

You will always get better quality sound recording double-system, with a dedicated mixer and audio recorder. I would say that whether you're recording Alexa, Red, Sony, Canon, Panavision, JVC, Ikegami, or anything else. The preamps in all these cameras are just not very good, and there's a great risk of having somebody bump a knob or otherwise change the levels in a detrimental way.

I have no problem with people shooting under dangerous conditions (wars, riots, street footage, jungles) with onboard microphones, where there are no other options and you're literally running down the street. I also have no problem with it being used for B-roll footage, which is pretty standard, even at network/feature doco levels.

The other advantage of recording separately is the ability to multitrack. I have had occasions where 10 or 12 tracks was not enough to capture everything on the set, and that's hard to do on one camera. And in all cases, I strongly suggest that one or more of the cameras gets at least a mono reference audio feed to aid in syncing.