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Thread: Small, Portable, Mix minus - a puzzle with missing pieces

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  1. #1
    Junior Member Nateol's Avatar
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    Small, Portable, Mix minus - a puzzle with missing pieces

    Hi. I’ve been reading my way through forum posts, picking up great information along the way. Thanks very much to both the questioners and those with the answers. You’ve all helped me define my issues.

    I’m starting a new project which will produce podcasts (and, later, videos) along with a website, e-books and so on. I’ve run websites before but this will be my first foray into podcasting.

    Here’s what I’m planning to do:

    1. Single person (me), studio recordings (studio is optimistic, cupboard maybe)
    2. Face to face interviews in interviewee’s office/workspace. Usually one to one but could be more as a round table discussion
    3. Skype or other VoiP interviews, usually one to one but could be up to 4 people.
    4. Simple intro/outro music

    I’m after good quality within the framework of internet-delivery and mostly earplug/headphone using listeners. Clean sound, no wildly fluctuating levels, some body and presence - I’d be happy with this.

    These are the constraints I’ve already identified:

    5. The whole setup needs to be portable, I am often away from home for several months at a time, working from hotel rooms, short-term lets etc
    6. I don’t have a dedicated space, even at home, to use as a studio
    7. Later on, it needs to play well with a video camera (brand/type not yet identified)

    Equipment I already own:

    1. MacBook Air, mid 2011, 1.8GHz processor, Intel i7 Core, 4GB memory, Intel HDGraphics 3000 384, running OSX Yosemite
    2. Assorted external HD’s of 1-3 TB
    3. Apple PowerBook G4 (pre Intel chip) as a backup/second machine
    4. Smartphone 5, 64 GB
    5. iPad mini (Version 2: retina), 128 GB
    6.Sennheiser TR220 headphones (very good quality but not closed)
    7. ATR-2100 mic (on order)

    I’ve started with the mic. That was relatively easy. I know I’ll need more. I’m thinking of a second ATR2100 and/or 2 Lavalier mics. perhaps Rode SmartLav+. Any comments on those or the usefulness of such a combo?

    It’s the mixer that’s really giving me pause. I need it portable and hardy but still able to deal with multiple voices, whether over Skype or in the room. Standard mixers with 4 aux outlets are too big and heavy for my purposes. I’m thinking of the Zoom H6. I also checked out the Tascam DR-40 and DR-44WL. Their price is very attractive, it’s around half of that of the Zoom. But I didn’t think they were as flexible and, overall, Zoom owners seemed more satisfied with the performance of their units.

    The H6 looks as though it would do most of what I need BUT it seems to have no mix-minus capability. What to do there? Could I use some combination of my various bits of equipment to isolate the Skype caller’s voice? And what if there is more than one Skype-r? I looked for software that might do the mix minus for me, but haven’t been able to find any to date.

    I was temporarily excited by podclear.com which was mentioned on these forums, but it has been bought up by blab.im which seems wholly focused on video hosted on their proprietary platform. I saw that domineaux recommended Voicemeeter, which has mix minus capability, but it is PC only and I'm firmly in the Mac world.

    This is the big thing I need some help with - finding preferably one robust piece of equipment to record interviews in the field and bring Skype calls into the ‘studio’. The whole kit and caboodle, together with my existing equipment, must be able to be easily toted around the world. I’m looking for the least possible equipment (total size and weight all up) consistent with good quality output over the internet.

    If I go with the Zoom H6 (or an alternative that might be suggested), will that, plus software that someone may be able to identify for me, be enough for me to start with? The system has to include Skype to be viable.

    There are many things that I might need or want to get later on. Right now I’m looking for the most basic combination that will get me started and let me do Skype calls. Hardware or software needs to work in the Apple environment. I’ll be really grateful for comments, ideas and suggestions.

    Elle

  2. #2
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    Good Morning Elle.
    Last edited by Dana; 11-15-2015 at 04:20 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dana View Post
    On to doing a Mix Minus. As far as I know, there is no software that will allow you to do this. Like I said, as far as I know. The soundboard / mixer can do this, ONLY if it has Auxiliary Sends. This is where you would run the Skype caller into. It allows you to record their input, but also allows you to block, the sound of their own voice from feeding back to them. So when you decide to buy a mixer, make sure it has this feature or you will not be able to achieve a Mix Minus. Guitar Center has a new line they are representing that is partnered with Alesis. It is $69.00 and very portable and will allow you to do a Mix Minus.
    I don't use a mixer and get a mix minus with Audio Hijack and Soundflower on my Mac. Skype uses Soundflower (2Ch) for the input and I have Audio Hijack routing the audio from my mic and soundboard into that, while routing audio from Skype and my Mic into two tracks via the Soundflower (64Ch) interface. It's not perfect, but it works. The other people on the Skype call hear me and my soundboard, but not themselves, but I can record everything in individual tracks on my end.

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    @yakk0dotorg. Cool deal. Like I said, I have no idea about Mac.
    Last edited by Dana; 11-15-2015 at 04:20 AM.

  5. #5
    Moderator / IAIB Pro Broadcaster mcphillips's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dana View Post
    If you are not aware of the fact that you should NEVER record into your computer, now you know.

    Many, many people have lost their interview of a life time by doing this only to lose their audio for maybe the power going out, their computer crashing half way through or the program they are using to record with, crashing as well. So you are on the right track as far as using an external digital recorder for your podcast.
    Be aware that not everyone agrees with Dana on this subject. 99.99% of recording studios, radio stations, TV stations, and networks use computers to record audio. It makes sense to use an external recorder as a safety backup for the interview of a lifetime or for remote interviews. If you use an external recorder, make sure that the SD card is not full, make sure that the HD card is not corrupt, make sure that the batteries are charged, make sure the audio settings (22kHz, 44kHz, 48kHz, 16-bit, 24-bit, 32-bit, ALC, SD card initialized, save location, SD card switching, etc.) are correct, and most of all, don't forget to hit record. Other than that, external recorders are pretty dependable.
    Please direct all questions for me to the forum so that all can benefit.

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    That is the beautiful thing about a forum Mike.
    Last edited by Dana; 11-15-2015 at 04:20 AM.

  7. #7
    Moderator / IAIB Pro Broadcaster mcphillips's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dana View Post
    That is the beautiful thing about a forum Mike. It is a place to share ideas. Now if Elle was inquireing about running a Recording Studio, Radio Station, TV Stations or a Network, then you may have a valid point. But since she is inquireing about Podcasting, I stand by my statement. One more thing, all the tech things you mentioned about how to set your digitial recorder, you should have added, that if you do make the mistake, of recording into your computer, you need to have all those setting set, as well, just like you mentioned abovel.

    I really do not think she want to spend $10,000 to $14,000 dollars on a Pro DAWS system, hardware and CPUs to meet the same requirements as your tv, radio stations and thing of that nature.
    I can record perfect audio on a Pentium 3 running Windows 2000. I don't own a Pro DAW.
    Please direct all questions for me to the forum so that all can benefit.

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    Quote Originally Posted by mcphillips View Post
    I can record perfect audio on a Pentium 3 running Windows 2000. I don't own a Pro DAW.
    I can record a 99.00% perfect audio using my iPhone 6, and render it in Audacity, free software, what's your point?
    Last edited by Dana; 11-15-2015 at 04:21 AM.

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