Topic: running 3 mics?

[spcyrfc]

How do i go about running 3 mics.
i am invisioning 2 shotguns with 1 omni or card or some such combination - i have no preamp
so is the best way to go about this getting a split XLR connector and running 2 mics into one channel?
if this is right or wrong for that matter what is a good positioning for the mics? 
i imagine gun --omni -- gun

if there are other better ways to go about it. let me know.
thanks

luke

[jpschust]

you might want to look into getting a 3 mic mixer or even a small 4 channel mixer, you cant just plug two mics into one channel, it doesnt sum that way.

[spcyrfc]

do you have any experience with 3 mic mixers or 4 channel mixers?  where should i look for them and what should i expect to pay - low end v.s. high end

[jpschust]

i guess the question is what is your budget.  there are a lot of cheap mixers out there, but a lot of good ones that are reasonably priced as well.  one of the challenges you are going to face is field powering.  for a simple solution to this for 3 mic mixing, i believe there is a nakamichi 3 mic mixer out there.

[ashevillain]

you might want to look into getting a 3 mic mixer or even a small 4 channel mixer, you cant just plug two mics into one channel, it doesnt sum that way.

How about running the guns into the micpre of a UA-5 and run the omni > phantom power supply > line transformer > UA-5 line in? Or better yet, just run 4 mics into a UA-5, run the guns PAS and omnis in the Healy method...and send me the tapes! 

The mixer solution does sound good if you get one that is easily powered in the field or have access to AC.

[jimmc]

  for a simple solution to this for 3 mic mixing, i believe there is a nakamichi 3 mic mixer out there.

The Nakamichi 3 mic mixer is the MX-100.  It has a left, right and "blend" input and unbalanced level adjustment. Nice little box that can run for about 6hrs on 2 9v batts with a little bit of a mod.  Search the archives for details on the mod.  I'm a novice solderer at best, and I had no problem making a nice power cable for it.  The MX-100's show up on ebay quite often. I'd say the ballpark average of an unmodded box is maybe ~$75.
Jim

[1st set only]

dunno what your situation is but if you dont have a pre i assume that you are relitively new to taping.

my suggestion would be to get using 2 mics down pat before you go and mess with 3.

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

If you are running the NAKS, I have a MX100 sitting here that is new in the box.  I never used it because I sold my CM300s before I got a chance to get a third mic.  It is not modded, but it does not need to be modded.  I have the two ended 4-pin DIN cable that you can cut in half and make two custom DC supplies - keeping the box stock.  I think LeftOverSammy can help you with the power supply construction.

I'm looking for a little over $75 because the mixer has 0 field time and the cable is worth at least the cost of the mods.

[spcyrfc]

the MX-100 sounds like a nice in price solution.  the mod makes it able to run off batteries?
i have been searching the internet and cant find portable mixers - where should i look for 4 channel mixers?  
I do not have a pre.  would a UA-5 or somesuch pre be a better investment for quality than a mx100.
i guess what i am asking is should i get a pre rather than a mixer.
i run Nak300's into Marantz PMD670

is the gun - omni - gun configuration the best 3 mic setup?

the donald - i agree with your suggestion- but am thinking ahead.  down pat could take a life time.  
i have done some taping around town (austin tx) and am happy with the quality of the tapes.  i want to step up to the 3 mic config. for nature recording. i think it would provide better capture.

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

The mod is mainly installation of a wiring adapter to allow you to connect external DC source to the voltage rails because the 4-pin DIN can't be found.  The MX100 wants +/- 10V, so you can make the supply using a pair of 12V SLAs and some LM317 linear regulators.  If you really want to do this, I'll give you the details or you can get a number of people here competent enough to build it for you.

The MX100 will act as mixer/pre and output a line-level signal for your CM300s.  I've seen people use the CP1 in the center but the Onmi would work nicely too.

For other options, look to Shure, Sounddevices, etc for mixer/preamp in one box.

You should learn to use the different stereo pair configurations, but the configuration that you are asking about is not difficult. The oade site has some information on mutliple-mic configurations with recommendations for the blend mic level.

[spcyrfc]

so the MX-100 functions as both a mixer and pre? 

if so, it would make sense to run this even with only 2 mics right?

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

Not really.  If you run the MX100 with two mics, you have one open input on the center channel and even with that channel trimmed down it will add some noise.  The MX100 is a pretty simple box, it is not a full matrix mixer.

That Marantz recorder has decent preamps, I would use those for two mic sessions - but be sure to keep phantom disabled.  I think 48V across the CM300s might do bad things.

BTW, how do you like the Marantz?  Has it been reliable?

[spcyrfc]

the PMD670 has been great to me.  I have not taped any P.A. shows, just small venue bar shows.  and from the first show on, i ve been digging the quality.  granted it is all i know save what i have heard from others. 
but its a tough machine, seems like its built to last. 
The one problem is the media - Compact Flash is damn expensive.  But i run with a 2gb cf card which will give me 3 hrs 16bit pcm.  then i have a portable 40 gig hard drive cf card reader that takes about 10 minutes to copy a full card.  i figure i will not run into many situations where 3hrs wont be long enough

[jimmc]

I use the MX-100 with just 2 mics (CM300s) all the time and have been very happy w/ the results.  Yes, the center or blend channel is turned all the way down, but I havent been able to pick out any noise. (not that its not there, I just dont hear it).  I think, for what its worth, the MX-100 is a great pre/mixer.  Especially used w/ the CM300's.
also, my $75 guess was just that, and I should have mentioned that that was for a used box.