Всем барабанщикам барабанщик :-)

Блондинко :-)

Я бы не смог найти в себе силы, чтобы выползти из под стола :-)

Требования к исходным материалам (оригиналам) для линейного и нелинейного монтажа

Требования к исходным материалам (оригиналам)
для линейного и нелинейного монтажа

6.6.1. Подготовка исходных материалов (оригиналов) для монтажа
1. Форматы видеозаписи, используемые для производства и
воспроизведения передачи в эфир, определяются типами используемого
оборудования.
2. Хронометраж чистой ленты, выдаваемой на запись, должен
превышать хронометраж записи минимум на 5 минут, необходимые для
записи ракорда.
3. На исходных материалах, используемых в виде кассет с
видеофонограммами, должен быть записан адресно-временной код (АВК).
Продольный АВК (LTC) записывается на продольную дорожку, одновременно
записывается временной код в кадровом гасящем интервале VITC, причем
оба кода в одном кадре должны соответствовать.
Примечание. Допускается введение данных о записанных фрагментах в
биты потребителя АВК. Порядок введения информации в биты потребителя
должен быть изложен в специальной инструкции, разработанной
телеорганизацией.

4. Если исходные материалы подвергались предварительному монтажу
на месте съемки, информация об этом должна быть в сопроводительной
документации. В этом случае каждая кассета подлежит предварительной
проверке на непрерывность АВК. В случае нарушения АВК код LTC должен
быть записан заново, а пользование кодом VITC в процессе монтажа
запрещается.
5. В процессе монтажа создается мастер-кассета со смонтированным
видеоматериалом.
6. Перед началом записи видеоматериала на всей кассете
записывается непрерывный продольный АВК, не проходящий через нулевое
значение. В дальнейшем в процессе линейного монтажа LTC параллельно
переводится в VITC.
7. В начале записи на ленту записываются следующие сигналы:
- сигнал "Цветные полосы" 100%/0,75%/0 размахом 1 В и звуковой
тон 1000 Гц уровнем 1,55 В (0 дБ - по индикатору уровня) в течение
одной минуты;
- электронный ракорд и шифр передачи;
- заставка передачи.
В конце программы записываются:
- конечная заставка в течение 20 сек.;
- черное поле в течение 10 сек.
8. Если программа записывается на нескольких кассетах, то
последние 5 минут записываются одновременно на конце первой и на
начале второй кассеты ("захлест"). Значение АВК начала и конца
заносятся в сопроводительную карточку.
9. Во время линейного монтажа число циклов перезаписи на
аналоговых видеомагнитофонах не должно быть больше 3 - 4 раз. При
цифровой технологии число циклов перезаписей может быть 10 - 20 раз и
более.
10. Если в процессе монтажа видеоряда звукоряд не нуждается в
обработке, то он записывается на 1-ю и 2-ю дорожки параллельно.
11. После линейного монтажа видеоряда производится отсмотр
смонтированного материала для определения его пригодности и
необходимости озвучивания и доработки. Решение фиксируется в
сопроводительной карточке. Порядок озвучивания приведен в пункте 7.10.
12. После озвучивания мастер-кассеты производится ее повторный
отсмотр и принимается решение о ее пригодности к дальнейшему
использованию.
13. В аппаратных линейного монтажа производится запись эфирных и
технических копий. Эфирные копии служат для передачи программы в эфир.
Технические копии используются для вспомогательных нужд, не связанных
с передачами в эфир.
14. При перезаписи мастер-кассет уровни сигналов выставляются по
тестовым видео- и звуковым сигналам, записанным в начале копируемой
кассеты. При изготовлении копий обязательно копируется АВК с
мастер-кассеты.
6.6.2. Требования к оригиналам, используемым для ввода в систему
нелинейного монтажа
1. Видеопродукция, подготовленная к монтажу, должна быть записана
на кассете в аналоговом или цифровом формате, преимущественно
используемом на телецентре.
2. Основные параметры оригиналов по качеству должны
соответствовать требованиям ОСТ 58-21 (для аналоговых форматов) или
ОСТ 58-23 (для цифровых форматов) в группе, присвоенной телецентру в
соответствии с сертификатом соответствия.
3. В начале записи каждого оригинала в течение 1 минуты должен
быть записан сигнал "Цветные полосы" 100/0/75/0, размахом 1 В и сигнал
звукового тона частотой 1000 Гц, размахом 1,55 В (0 дБ).
4. Записанные оригиналы должны содержать продольный
адресно-временной код (LTC) и идентичный адресно-временной код в
кадровом гасящем импульсе (VITC). На протяжении всей записи код должен
быть нарастающим без перехода через нуль.

:-)

Уважаю Артемия Лебедева Браво!!! :-)

Требования к фонограммам при обмене видео материалами.

Надеюсь полезная инфа как обобщение требований разных телекомпаний к Вашей продукции:

Частота дискретизации и разрядность.
Частота дискретизации и разрядность для цифровых носителей – 48kHz., 16bit.

Носители:
Видеоматериалы могут быть предоставлены на носителях следующих типов:
Betacam SP;
Digital Betacam;
Betacam SP + DAT с АВК, идентичным АВК на видеоленте;
Betacam SP + DTRS с АВК, идентичным АВК на видеоленте;
Digital Betacam + DAT с АВК, идентичным АВК на видеоленте;
Digital Betacam + DTRS с АВК, идентичным АВК на видеоленте.

Система шумоподавления DolbyNR и предискажений (preemphasis).
В видеомагнитофонах формата Betacam SP система шумоподавления Dolby NR должна быть включена.
В цифровых источниках система предискажений (preemphasis) должна быть отключена

Адресно временной код (Time Code).
а) АВК должен быть в формате 25 кадров в секунду.
б) Кассеты необходимо кодировать со значения АВК не позже 00:58:00:00.
в) LTC и VITC должны совпадать.г) Установочный тон 1000 Гц и сигнал "Цветные полосы" 100%/0,75%/0 размахом 1V должны быть записаны с 00:58:30:00 по 00:59:30:00.
д) На значении АВК 00:59:58:00 – 00:59:59:24 не должно присутствовать звукового сигнала уровнем выше -70db для Betacam SP и -96 dbFS для Digital Betacam.
е) Программа должна начинаться в 01:00:00:00.
ж) Звук в конце программы заносится на финальную заставку не более чем на 1 секунду.
з) В течение 60 секунд после конца программы на кассете не должно присутствовать звукового сигнала уровнем выше -70db для Betacam SP и -96 dbFS для Digital Betacam.

Установочный уровень (Alignment Level).
а) для компаний, использующих PPM измерители:
Уровень установочного тона (1000Hz): 0dBr по индикатору Ветасам SP или -18dBFS по
индикатору Digital Detacam должен соответствовать:
0dBr (test) для компаний использующих измерители стандарта Nordic N9
(IEC 268-10 Type I);
-9dBr для компаний, использующих PPM измерители стандарта DIN 45406
(IEC 268-10 Type I);
PPM4 для компаний, использующих PPM измерители стандарта BBC
(IEC 268-10 Type IIa);
0dBr (test) для компаний, использующих PPM измерители стандарта EBU
(IEC 268-10 Type IIb);
б) для компаний, использующих VU измерители:
Уровень установочного тона (1000Hz): 0dBr по индикатору Ветасам SP или -20dBFS по индикатору Digital Betacam должен соответствовать 0dBr на VU измерителе.

Разрешённый максимальный уровень (Permitted Maximum Level).

Уровень программы не должен превышать установочный уровень более чем на 9dB при использовании PPM измерителей IEC 268-10 Type I
(0dBr для DIN 45406, +9dBr для Nordic)

Уровень программы не должен превышать установочный уровень более чем на 8dB при использовании PPM измерителей IEC 268-10 Type IIa и IEC 268-10 Type IIb
(PPM6 для BBC, +8dBr для EBU)

Уровень программы не должен превышать установочный уровень 0dBr при использовании измерителей VU.

Распределение звуковых дорожек.

а) Моно записи:

Первый канал – микс.
Второй канал – микс.
Третий канал* – международный звук.
Четвёртый канал* – международный звук.
* для двухканальных носителей международный звук необходимо писать на отдельный носитель.

б) Стерео записи:

Первый канал – микс, левый канал.
Второй канал – микс, правый канал.
Третий канал** – международный звук, левый канал.
Четвёртый канал** – международный звук, правый канал.
** для двухканальных носителей международный звук необходимо писать на отдельный носитель.

в) Многоканальные записи***:

Первый канал - микс, левый канал.
Второй канал - микс, правый канал.
Третий канал - микс, центральный канал.
Четвёртый канал - микс, канал низкочастотных эффектов.
Пятый канал - микс, левый канал окружения.
Шестой канал - микс, правый канал окружения.
Седьмой канал - стерео микс, левый канал.
Восьмой канал - стерео микс, правый канал.
***Международный звук необходимо писать на отдельный носитель с сохранением расположения звуковых дорожек.

Идентификация звуковых каналов.

а) Моно записи:

Установочный тон 1000Hz записывается непрерывно в течение одной минуты на каждой дорожке, содержащей моно программу в соответствии с параграфами 2 и 5а.

б) Стерео записи:
Установочный тон 1000Hz, идентифицирующий левый канал стерео фонограммы, записывается с прерыванием в течение 250мс каждые 3 сек в течение одной минуты. Установочный тон 1000Hz, идентифицирующий правый канал стерео фонограммы записывается непрерывно в течение одной минуты. Запись производится соответствии с параграфами 2 и 5б.

в) Многоканальные записи:

Установочный тон 1000Hz записывается во всех основных каналах. После 3-секундного когерентного тона идёт 0.5сек тишины, затем все основные каналы идентифицируются по часовой стрелке, начиная с переднего левого. Идентификация состоит из отдельного 0.5-секундного импульса тона 1kHz, отделённого 0.5-сек паузой перед идентификацией следующего канала. После последней паузы в 1сек последовательность повторяется с 3-сек тоном по всем основным каналам. Канал низкочастотных эффектов передаёт непрерывный тон 80Hz. Установочный тон в каналах 7 и 8 записывается как для стерео фонограммы. Данная идентификация записывается в течение 60 сек.

Содержание звуковых дорожек.

Mix - готовая звуковая дорожка на языке оригинала.

М&E для художественных фильмов и сериалов - звуковая дорожка, содержащая все шумы, в том числе синхронные (Foley), музыку, эффекты, синхронную речь, отличающуюся от языка оригинала.

М&E для документальных фильмов и сериалов - звуковая дорожка, содержащая все шумы, в том числе синхронные (Foley), музыку, эффекты и всю синхронную речь.

Ode to the microphone: A podcaster’s selection guide

На английском. Переводить - лень...

Ode to the microphone: A podcaster’s selection guide by ZDNet's David Berlind.

If you had to pick one item that can make the difference between night and day when it comes to recording a podcast, that item would be the microphone. I say this while fully acknowledging that there are some podcasters that prefer night while others prefer day. But if you’re after the best possible sound you can get – something along the lines of what professional broadcasters strive for — then it helps to know "enough to be dangerous" when it comes to selecting microphones. I say "microphones" with an "s" because when it comes to microphones, one size doesn’t fit all. In other words, if you’re like me — a podcaster that could just as easily find himself trying to conduct an interview in a noisy bar (the way Dan Bricklin did when he interviewed production pro John Osborne) as he might find himself doing a one person show from his home office, then you should also know that different recording situations also call for different microphone types.
Why is knowing this really important? Not because you need to go out a buy a collection of microphones that would shame your local TV station. But rather, if you’re like a lot of podcasters who are working on a limited budget that can only accommodate one good microphone, then it helps to know a thing or two about microphones (a.k.a. "mics") before deciding which one will be the one. What follows is pretty exhaustive. So get a cup of coffee or tea and kick back a little before taking this in.
One of the keys to deciding on a microphone is to know the lingo. For example, the more I researched microphones and other sound gear, the more I saw the acronym "ENG." Knowing diddly about sound or microphones, I just assumed it stood for "engineering" as in "audio engineering." As it turns out, just the fact that "ENG" kept showing up in the places I was looking was a good thing. That’s because it stands for Electronic News Gathering and it generally applies to the category of gear that news professionals (reporters, their crews, etc.) take with them when they go "on location." Not surprisingly, some microphones are designed specifically for ENG applications. In other words, they’re designed to deliver the best possible sound given the range of situations that news gatherers might encounter in the field. For example, if you’ve ever watched TV news reporters interviewing someone on location, then you can’t help but notice how they wave their microphones back and forth between themselves and their interviewees.
Both ENG microphones as well as some vocal performance (singing) mics are designed with this sort of mic handling in mind (picture, if you will, what Mick Jagger does with a microphone when in concert). Whereas some microphones are designed to be mounted or suspended in some sort of microphone holder, others must take into account the fact that they’ll be manhandled. To accommodate such manhandling and the noise that would normally go along with it (for example, many microphones will pick up the sound of your fingers moving on the microphone’s body), certain microphones — especially those designed for ENG and live performances — have shock absorption systems built into them to reduce or eliminate mic handling noise. Some microphone manufacturers such as the legendary Electrovoice have even trademarked their shock absorbing systems.
Mic handling isn’t the only source of unwanted noise. Four other major noises that can detract from an otherwise great interview are wind, popping, echo, and background noise (like a loud crowd). Wind is self-explanatory and chances are you’ve heard wind in a recording. The built-in microphones in most consumer grade video cameras will often pick up wind noise. Or, perhaps you’ve heard excessive breathing into a microphone (almost as though someone is blowing into it). In some cases, wind noise may be a desired effect. But for most podcasts, probably not. Popping is the noticeable pop that can be heard when the speaker uses a word that begins with the letter "P." Try making the "P" sound without puffing some air at the same time and you’ll see what I mean. That puff of air is what causes the pop because of the way most microphones are sensitive to air. ENG microphones are usually designed to filter out wind and popping noise.
But, when it comes to echo and background or "ambient" noise, the ability of a microphone to filter those out is less a function of the special technologies found in a microphone’s capsule (the part with the grille on it) and are more a function of their directionality. A microphone’s directionality refers to where the source of a sound is relative to the microphone’s capsule and the extent to which the microphone will detect that sound or not. For example, an omnidirectional microphone will pick up sound coming from any direction. In other words, it has a 360 degree pick-up pattern. Depending on the manufacturer and model, most first degree unidirectional microphones — otherwise known as cardioid microphones — are most sensitive to sound coming from approximately 120 of those 360 degrees; in other words, it cuts the sensitivity pattern of an omnidirectional mic by two-thirds thereby yielding the directionality that cardioids are known for. Beyond cardioid microphones are additional degrees of directionality — hypercardioid and supercardioid.
Here, manufacturer and model play an even greater role in the interpretation of what is meant by hypercardioid and supercardioid. One manufacturer’s hypercardioid could easily fall within the range of supercardioid according to another manufacturer. But regardless of how directional an ENG microphone is, one of the key characteristics of a good cardioid mic is what it does with "off-axis" sound — sound that’s coming from outside it’s main sensitivity range. Is the sound muddied and garbled or is it relatively clear but just with significantly less volume or pick-up? The ability of a good directional mic to deal properly with off-axis sound is one of a cardioid mics most important jobs. Going back to Dan Bricklin’s interview of John Osborne in a noisy bar, Bricklin is using a Sennheiser MD 46 (pictured above right) which streets for approximately $175, you can hear how perfectly the microphone captures the essence of the situation. The voices of Osborne and Bricklin rise above the ambient noise. But the ambient noise is part of the festive environment that needs to be captured as well and it can be heard with near perfect clarity as though you were standing in the bar, talking to Osborne, and hearing the background noise with your own ears. The MD 46 is one of the finer ENG microphones on the market. Not only does it have the shock absorbers, anti-wind, and anti-popping technologies in it, with it’s entirely black finish, it’s also a beautiful microphone for interviews where video is involved.
Another area where cardioid mics come in handy is in dealing with echo. Many of my podcast interviews have a noticeable amount of echo in them. For example, if you listen to my interview of SpikeSource CEO Kim Polese (which took place in a hotel lobby), you can hear how her voice sounds normal while my has some echo to it. Had I been using one microphone, then you wouldn’t have heard that echo. But, because of how long the interview was and how I wanted a consistent "level" on Kim’s voice (interviewees will often back away from a handheld microphone yielding inconsistent audio results), I used two microphones. In my hand was a Shure SM58 cardioid microphone. But, pinned to Kim’s collar was a Sony ECM 55B omnidirectional lavalier microphone (streets for around $335). The SM58 is famous for being the workhorse of live performances and concerts. You’ve probably seen the SM58 more times than you’ve seen any other microphone. It’s directionality avoids picking up noise from the crowd or the sound system (which would lead to feedback), it has the shock absorbers and other technologies needed to survive the rigors of a live performance, and you can run it over with a tank and it will still keep on working (in other words, it’s durable). But its short body and silver grille are its shortcomings when it comes to ENG applications. Longer bodies mean it’s easier to reach an interviewee’s mouth (picture a crowd of reporters trying to get good audio from a lawyer on the steps of a courthouse). In TV situations, the silver grille is apparently a no-no. For me, this is irrelevant if my interviewee is miked up with a second mic and there’s no video involved.
So, where did the echo come from? The reason there’s no echo in Kim’s voice is because the SM58 is a cardioid microphone. When I was holding the SM58 and she was sitting opposite me on a couch, she was technically off-axis to the mic in my hands. The SM58 could barely "hear" her. But her microphone, on the other hand, was an omnidirectional lav (lav is short for lavalier). Recall that omnidirectional mics have a 360 degree pickup pattern which means that Kim’s mic was picking up my voice a split second later than the SM58 in my hand. The result? Echo. This is where miking up multiple people becomes an art. Based on what you’ve read so far, the answer you’re probably thinking, if the situation definitely calls for a lav mic on the interviewee, is a cardioid lav like Sennheiser’s ME 4. But not so fast. One reason many lav mics are omnidirectional is that they’ll still pick up the interviewee’s voice even if the interviewee shifts position in a way that would put them off-axis if a cardioid was involved. Can you position a cardioid lav on someone’s clothing in such a way that they can do a bit of shifting without going off axis? Probably. Is it a piece of cake? Probably not. It’s an art and good sound technicians can probably fine tune the recording levels when using omnidirectionals so as to eliminate the chances of echo. I’m still learning.
Another way to deal with the problem that I won’t go into here is to use a multi-track recorder like Edirol’s R4 (streets for about $1300). Had I used a multitrack recorder when I interviewed Kim, my SM58 would have been "assigned" to one track and Kim’s lav mic would have been assigned to another. Then, in post-production, good audio editing software can "gate" tracks in such a way that one track is practically turned off when the other(s) is/are active. So, with my voice coming in louder and clearer through the SM58, the track that Kim’s microphone was assigned to is leveled-down to the point that the secondary pickup on my voice is eliminated from the final production. It’s an editing trick (one that I didn’t use at the time because I had no idea what was wrong). Technically speaking, if you’re using your computer to capture a recording, it could be a two track recording since the some computer microphone jacks take stereo input. But to take advantage of the left channel as one track and the right as another, you need a special stereo microphone. They’re out there. I have one.
Even though it seems like cardioids have a lot going for them, that doesn’t mean they’re the way to go. One tell-tale sign that omnidirectionals are big in the ENG business is how the workhorse ENG microphone — the one that more pros use than any other ENG mic — is an omnidirectional mic. This is the Electrovoice RE50-B (pictured right) which streets for about $165. More recently, Electrovoice has come out with a more vibrant sounding version of the RE50-B known as the Electrovoice RE50N/D-B (streets for about $185). According to Electrovoice’s Web site, the RE50N/D-B has a neodymium magnet structure for higher output. Both are omnidirectional mics with a long body. That, along with all the sound reducing technology and their black finish, have made the RE50 the de facto standard when it comes to ENG. To understand why an omnidirectional works so well in ENG situations is to understand what the reporter is doing. If he or she is waving a microphone back and forth or holding it towards the subject, then the reporter is not worried about it picking up his or her voice. In fact, in some situations where you’re not sure if you can get a good angle on the interviewee (like on the courthouse steps), an omnidirectional mic that can pick up the subject as well as the the questions being asked by other reporters is just what the doctor ordered.
While I was recovering from back surgery, I couldn’t sit a the computer and do a lot of typing. But I could click around and in doing so, I discovered the other ENG industry standard microphone: the Beyerdynamic M58 (no relation to the Shure SM58). Like the RE50s, the M58 has all the ENG bells and whistles (noise reduction, long handle, etc.). It’s not black. But it’s the "other" color (grey) that you see being used in interviews all the time. Personally, I think they’re ugly. But they must have something going for them because they cost the same as the higher-end Electrovoice R50. Interestingly, unlike Sennheiser which makes both an omnidirectional ENG handheld mic (the MD 42) and a cardioid ENG handheld mic (the MD 46), Electrovoice doesn’t have a cardioid newsgathering mic (it does have other cardioids, but they don’t have the ENG bells and whistles). Beyerdynamic on the other hand does have another ENG microphone — the M59 (streets for $250) — that’s a hypercardioid (it jumps right over cardioid). While convalescing, I picked one up on eBay for $60 and I can’t wait to give it a try.
Speaking of eBay, if you’re patient and you can wait long enough to get a good deal, then it’s a great way to acquire your gear. For people like me doing daily scans for specific merchandise, it can be a bit of a chore but eBay does have a programmable search facility that will alert you when new items turn up. The trick is to figure out how to make sure the search is narrow enough to yield just the results you’re looking for, but that’s broad enough so as not to exclude a potential "hit." For example, a programmed search on "Electrovoice" will miss any listings where the seller used "Electro Voice." So, my search term is (Electrovoice,"Electro Voice"). Since I’m on the lookout for several Sennheiser microphones, my programmed search for those is simply Sennheiser microphone. This yields more results than I really want, but writing a more specific search for all the renderings of all the Sennheiser mics that I’m interested in was more trouble than it was worth (I tried). The one thing I wish eBay did was offer a way to mark rejected listings. In other words, listings I never want to see in subsequent interations of my searches.
So, what are the other Sennheiser mics I’m looking at. Going back to Dan Bricklin’s interview of John Osborne, Osborne talks about a Russian brand of microphone known as Oktava which apparently offers the sort of quality that’s normally associated with very high end microphones that cost two to five times as much (as Oktava’s offerings). Upon investigating the one he spoke of — the Oktava MK-012 — I discovered (in true newbie fashion) that some of the higher end mics like the MK-012 are modularized in a way that the capsules can be switched to change the microphone’s properties. For example, for the MK-012, Oktava makes interchangeable omnidirectional, cardioid, and hypercardioid capsules. Microphones with this sort of versatility have their advantages. For example, when going on location, it might be more convenient to bring one microphone body and a few capsules rather than three separate mics. Or, if just a capsule fails on you, you don’t have to replace the entire microphone. On the other hand, depending on the brand of microphone, the modular capsules can cost more than a complete microphone that’s more than adequate for podcasting.
But for what it’s worth, one of the microphone "systems" that I’ve developed a fascination for is based on Senneheiser’s K6 power module. For starters, power is not something that’s come up so far in this discussion. Except for the Oktava microphones I just mentioned and the Sony lavalier microphone mentioned earlier, all of the microphones I’ve discussed so far are dynamic microphones. In other words, they don’t require any external power to operate. In contrast to dynamic microphones, condenser microphones (the Oktava and Sony mics qualify) require a power source. In some cases (for example with the Sony lavalier microphone), this power is delivered in-line (through the wire to the lavalier mic) by a battery. In others, the device to which the microphone is connected (often a mixer) can deliver what’s known as phantom power (often 48 volts) through the microphone cable to the microphone itself. Although condenser mics can deliver better reproduction of sound than their dynamic counterparts, the difference is probably not appreciable enough to matter for the spoken words found on most podcasts. Generally speaking, it’s probably better for podcasters to go with dynamic microphones, just like ENG pros most often do.
That said, the Sennheiser K6 Series from Sennheiser appears to be something pretty special. Like the Oktava’s, it works with interchangeable capsules. But in addition to offering omnidirectional (the MD 62), cardioid (the MD 64), and supercardioid (MD 65) capsules, Sennheiser also offers short-barrel (the MD 66) and long-barrel (the ME 67) capsules that work with one of two K6 powering modules. A diagram on Sennheiser’s web site shows how it all snaps together. Why is this special. Well, depending on what sort of podcasting you’re doing, a complete K6 setup could come in handy. I’ve already encountered several situations where I wished I had a shotgun mic (the equivalent of a cardioid that can zero in on a speaker that’s several feet away) on hand.
But such modularity doesn’t come cheap. Just a K6/ME66 combination (no other capsules) generally sells on eBay for $350 to $400. Will I buy one? If I happen to luck into an extraordinary deal on eBay, maybe. But probably not because, even though I can use a shotgun microphone, I probably wouldn’t take advantage of the K6 modularity when it comes to using either the omnidirectional or cardioid capsules. That’s because the K6 capsules, like most condenser mics (which tend to be more sensitive than dynamic mics), are probably more susceptible to mic handling noise, popping, and wind than the aforementioned ENG mics that have a bunch of bells and whistles to filter out such interference. In fact, just a sweep of K6 listings on eBay reveals that many sellers were using additional accessories such as windscreens and shock mounts to insulate the microphone from unwanted noise. Windscreens go over the capsule and are often made of foam or a fur like substance. Shock mounts are cleverly designed shock absorbing assemblies the suspend the microphone in a way that whatever is holding the shock mount (like a handle) can be moved around without causing excessive handling noise.

Circling back to the Oktavas (pictured above), they too are probably not used very often in handheld situations. Even their bodies aren’t exactly designed for a handheld application. But, should you decide to buy a pair of Oktava MK012’s for usage in your podcast studio (where they won’t get moved around a lot), you’ll be getting about the best sound that a couple of hundred dollars per microphone can buy. You just need to be careful where you buy them. OktavaUSA.com is apparently the only Oktava authorized wholesaler in the US. If a dealer you’re working with claims to be an authorized reseller, OktavaUSA can confirm it for you. They did for me when I checked up on Red Square Audio which happens to have some outstanding prices. For short period of time, there were some Chinese-made counterfeits available through some US retailers. They’re no longer on retail shelves, but they’re still in circulation (particularly on eBay). OktavaUSA.com has a good visual how-to on distinguishing authentic Oktava’s from the counterfeits and the Oktava Web site in Russia has information as well.
Finally, a note about cables. All of the microphones listed here use three-pronged XLR cabling (pictured left). To most audio newbies used to dealing with stereos and computers, XLR cables will be something new to deal with. But it’s worth it when compared to the cheaper microphones using 1/4 inch or 1/8 inch (3.5 mm) jacks. Not only do XLR cables resist the introduction of ambient electromagnetic frequencies (EMF) that can add hum to your recordings, they can deliver phantom power to condenser mics and more importantly, are very resilient to being plugged and unplugged tens, hundreds, or thousands of times. If you’ve ever seen a stressed out or destroyed 3.5mm jack in the armrest of an airplane seat, that should give you some idea of why audio pros use XLR cabling.
Not only might this requirement affect the microphones you buy, but should also influence the recording gear you go with. What will you do, for example, when the 1/8 inch microphone jack on an iRiver recording device or on your computer decides to fall apart? That said, if you have no choice but to go with a recording device that has an 1/8 inch or 1/4 inch input, the best option is to pick one of the better XLR-based microphones and then use an adapter to convert from XLR to whatever input jack type you’re using. They key here is to know some of the specifics about the input jack. For example, is it a mono or stereo input? Edirol’s R1, for example, has a 1/8 inch stereo input jack. It enables you to use a stereo microphone in such a way that the R1’s left and right channels can technically be treated as separate tracks with separate inputs (some stereo microphones for example have cables that "Y" or separate into two distinctly different microphones: one for each channel). If you’re using an XLR-based microphone that with a stereo input jack and you want both the left and right channels to pick up the sound coming through the microphone, then the adapter must be an XLR to stereo input rather than an XLR to mono input. This is one of the smaller, but no less important details to consider when configuring your "rig."
Anyway, for all you podcasters (new and old) out there wanting enough know-how on microphones to be dangerous, now you have it. What follows is a listing of the marketing blurbage that some of the aforementioned microphone vendors have put on their web sites about their products. You may find it useful. Also shown in some cases are the prices that I was quoted by Leos Pro Audio in Oakland, CA. Leos supplies some of the local TV outfits with their gear. While recovering from back surgery, I did a lot of calling around on prices for the podcasting gear that I was shopping for. While you may be able to find better prices on the microphones, in total, Leos beat everyone else on the total package I ended up buying. As a result, I gave them my business. If you call them, ask for Mark Haynes and tell him I sent you.
Electrovoice RE50-B ($162 Leos) Industry standard live interview microphone, "Mic-within-a-mic" concept reduces wind and P-popping noise l Features EV DynaDamp™ shock mount l Extremely low handling noise for superior sound l Dynamic omni-directional capsule with camera friendly matte black finish.
Kissing cousin is the Electrovoice RE50N/D-B ($186 Leos) Shock-mounted N/DYM® handheld interview microphone Same rugged design of the RE50/B with neodymium magnet structure for higher output Features EV DynaDamp™ shock mount Extremely low handling noise for superior sound Mic-within-a-mic" concept reduces wind and P-popping noise
Sennheiser MD 42 - The omnidirectional MD 42 is a high-quality reporter’s microphone with omni-directional pick-up pattern. It has been specially optimised for rough use in live reporting and broadcasting environments. The MD 42 is a very ‘good-natured’ microphone whose design avoids wind and handling noise problems. Colour: black, sound inlet basket: refined steel, black.
Sennheiser MD 46 ($173 Leos) - The MD 46 is a high-quality reporter’s microphone with cardioid pick-up pattern. It has been specially optimised for rough use in live reporting and broadcasting environments. The MD 46 is a very ‘good-natured’ microphone whose design avoids wind and handling noise problems. Colour: black, sound inlet basket: refined steel, black.
Beyerdynamic M 58 ($186 Leos) omnidirectional — The M 58 has been specifically designed to satisfy the demands of Electric News Gathering (ENG) and Electronic Field Production (EFP) applications. Its sophisticated internal shockmount dramatically reduces handling noise, while the microphone’s frequency response has been tailored to provide broadcasters with a very accurate and intelligible sound. The M 58’s weight-balanced design provides journalists with a high degree of comfort during lengthy interviews. Its rugged construction enables the microphone to withstand physical and environmental punishment typically encountered during field production operations. The M 58’s slim profile and non-glare finish result in a low profile on camera.
Beyerdynamic M 59 ($247 Leos) hypercardiod - The M 59 is a rugged, vocal quality dynamic microphone employing enhanced-field magnet technology designed to withstand the critical demands of in-studio or on-location ENG/EFP speech and interview applications. The microphone’s low mass, large diaphragm Macrolon element and hypercardioid polar pattern provides very fast transient response, high output, high sensitivity, with startlingly accurate reproduction of the sound source while also providing excellent off-axis rejection. Each M 59 incorporates a sophisticated internal shock-mount isolation system designed to reduce stand, boom, or handheld noise and vibration. Its durable construction and non-glare finish will provide consistent protection against the rigors of on-air and on-location ENG/EFP production applications. The M 59 also encorporates an internal multistage blast filter designed to reduce undesirable wind or pop noise. An optional WS 59 large cell wind screen is also available and recommended for on-air, voice-over and other close talking applications. The M 59 is designed to meet the critical demands of studio on-the-air or studio voice-overs while also meeting the rigors of on-location ENG/EFP news. Due to its high gain-before-feedback the M 59 is ideal for lecterns or miking of wind instruments. The M 59 can be used on a stand, boom, gooseneck, or as a handheld microphone.
Shure SM 58 ($188 MSRP) The legendary Shure vocal mic is tuned to accentuate the warmth and clarity of lead and back-up vocals. Consistently the first choice of performers around the globe. The Shure SM58® is a unidirectional (cardioid) dynamic vocal microphone designed for professional vocal use in live performance, sound reinforcement, and studio recording. A highly effective, built-in, spherical filter minimizes wind and breath "pop" noise. A cardioid pickup pattern isolates the main sound source while minimizing unwanted background noise. The SM58 has a tailored vocal response for a sound which is a world standard. Rugged construction, a proven shock mount system, and a steel mesh grille ensure that even with rough handling, the SM58 will perform consistently. Outdoors or indoors, singing, speech - the SM58 is the overwhelming choice of professionals.
Frequency response tailored for vocals, with brightened midrange and bass rolloff
Uniform cardioid pickup pattern isolates the main sound source and minimizes background noise
Pneumatic shock-mount system cuts down handling noise
Effective, built-in spherical wind and pop filter
Shure SM 48 ($144 MSRP) - Shure Models SM48 and SM48S unidirectional dynamic microphones are designed for professional sound reinforcement, studio recording, and broadcasting applications. They maintain a true cardioid pattern throughout their frequency range, ensuring high gain before feedback and rejection of off-axis sound. The tailored frequency response is ideal for vocals. A presence rise brightens mid-range performance, and a low frequency rolloff controls proximity effect.
Both models include a shock mounted cartridge, a steel mesh grille, and an integral "pop" filter. The SM48S also includes a lockable On/Off switch.
Cardioid pickup pattern rejects off-axis sound and provides superior gain before feedback
Frequency response tailored for vocals, with brightened mid-range and bass rolloff to control proximity effect
Shock-mounted cartridge for exceptional ruggedness and reduced handling noise
Built-in "pop" filter that reduces explosive breath sounds and wind noise
Shure SM 86 ($300 MSRP) The Shure SM86 is a unidirectional (cardioid) condenser vocal microphone for professional use in live performance. An extremely rugged microphone, the SM86 withstands the rigors of touring while delivering studio-quality sound. The tailored frequency response of the SM86 reproduces vocals with clarity. A cardioid pickup pattern isolates the main sound source while minimizing unwanted background noise. The built-in three-point shock mount minimizes handling noise, and a two-stage pop filter reduces wind and breath "pop" noise. The SM86 is an excellent selection for use with both stage monitors and personal in-ear monitors.
Condenser cartridge for studio quality sound
Tailored frequency response for a clear reproduction of vocals
Rugged construction withstands the rigors of touring sound
Cardioid polar pattern minimizes unwanted background noise
Excellent choice for stage monitors and personal in-ear monitors
Built-in three-point shock mount minimizes handling noise
Two-stage "pop" filter reduces wind and breath noise
Be sure to look for the next installments of my series on podcasting gear. In them, I’ll discuss portable recording devices, mixers, and how I involve "callers" into my podcasts by "seizing" the phone line or using a VoIP solution like Skype.

Поговорим о децибелах. (Ликбез)

С чего начнём? С ликбеза. Ибо никто не мешает развитию нашего дела, как неграмотные профессионалы, которые получаются из неграмотных любителей. Соответственно важнейшая наша задача - сделать из неграмотного любителя грамотного. Про профи не говорю, боюсь обидятся :-).
Итак из Википедии:
"Децибел — десятая часть бела, безразмерной единицы для измерения отношения некоторых величин (например, энергетических — мощности и энергии или силовых — напряжения и силы тока) по логарифмической шкале. Другими словами, децибел — это некая относительная величина. Не абсолютная физическая, как например, грамм или метр, а такая же относительная, как «разы» или проценты. Величина абстрактная, математическая, предназначенная для измерения отношения (разности уровней) других величин. Сегодня децибел в основном применяется в акустике (где в децибелах измеряется громкость звука) и электронике."
Все наверное замечали, что в звукотехнике применяются такие обозначения, как dBu, dBV dBr и т. д. Итак из Википедии же:
"Поскольку децибел — не абсолютная, а относительная величина и вычисляется для различных физических величин по-разному (см. выше), то во избежание путаницы при использовании децибелов на практике существуют дополнительные договорённости.
Условные обозначения:
Для различных физических величин одному и тому же числовому значению, выраженному в децибелах, могут соответствовать разные уровни сигналов (вернее разности уровней). Поэтому во избежание путаницы такие «конкретизированные» единицы измерения обозначают теми же буквами «дБ», но с добавлением индекса — общепринятого обозначения измеряемой физической величины. Например «дБВ» (децибел относительно Вольта) или «дБмкВ» (децибел относительно микроВольта), «дБВт» (децибел относительно Ватта) и т. п.
Опорный уровень
Несмотря на то, что децибел служит для определения отношения двух величин, иногда децибеллы используют и для измерения абсолютных значений. Для этого достаточно условиться, какой уровень измеряемой физической величины будет принят за опорной уровень (условный 0). На практике распространены следующие опорные уровни и специальные обозначения для них:

dBс, русское дБн - опорным является уровень несущей частоты или основной гармоники в спектре
например, "уровень искажений составляет -60дБн"

dBu - опорное напряжение 0,775В, соответствующее мощности 1 миллиВатт на нагрузке 600 ом,
например стандартизованный уровень сигнала для профессионального аудиооборудования составляет +4dBu, то есть 1.23В

dBV, русское дБВ - опорное напряжение 1 В на номинальной нагрузке (для бытовой техники обычно: 47кОм), например стандартизованный уровень сигнала для бытового аудиооборудования составляет -10dBV, то есть 0.316В
dBuV, русское дБмкВ - опорное напряжение 1 микроВольт.
например, "чуствительность приёмника составляет -10дБмкВ"

dBm, русское дБм опорная мощность 1мВт, соответствующее мощности 1 миллиВатт на номинальной нагрузке (для профессиональной техники, обычно: 10кОм)
например, "чувствительность сотового телефона составляет -110дБм"

dBrn - опорное напряжение соответствует тепловому шуму 50 омного идеального резистора при комнатной температуре в полосе 1Герц sqr(4KTRB)=1.27*10^-10*sqr(RB) = 9*10^-4 мкВ или -61 dBmkV или -168dBm
например, "уровень шума усилителя 6dBrn"

dBfs- опорное напряжение соответствует полной шкале прибора.
например, "уровень записи составляет -6dBfs"; для линейного цифрового кода каждый разряд соответствует 6дБ и максимально возможный уровень записи равен 0dBfs.

dBsрl - опорное звуковое давление 20 микроПаскаль, соответствующее порогу слышимости.
например, "громкость 100dBspl"

dBPa - опорное звуковое давление 1 Паскаль или 94дБ звуковой шкалы громкости dBspl
например, "для громкости 6dBPa микшером установили +4dBu, а регуляторм записи -3dBfs, искажения при этом составили -70dBc"

dBA, dBB, dBC, dBD - опорные уровни выбраны в соответствии с частотными характеристиками "весовых фильтров" в соответствии с "кривыми равной громкости".
Во избежание путаницы желательно всегда указывать опорный (reference) уровень явно, например "-20дБ(относительно 0.775B)". Также следует аккуратно использовать знак, например из записи "входной уровень - 10дБм" неясно идёт речь о +10дБм или -10дБм. Лучше писать: "входной уровень: 10дБм" или : "входной уровень = 10дБм".

При пересчёте уровней мощностей в уровни напряжений и обратно надо обязательно учитывать сопротивление, являющиеся стандартным для данной задачи:

дБВ для 50 омной СВЧ цепи соответствует (дБм - 13дБ);
дБмкВ для 50 омной СВЧ цепи соответствует (дБм +107дБ)
дБВ для 75 омной ТВ цепи соответствует (дБм - 11дБ);
дБмкВ для 75 омной ТВ цепи соответствует (дБм +109дБ)
Следует чётко помнить математические правила: перемножать или делить относительные единицы нельзя; суммирование или вычитание относительных единиц производится независимо от их исходной размерности и соответствует умножению или делению абсолютных. Например, подав на один конец 50 омного кабеля с коэффициентом передачи -6 дБ, мощность 0дБм, что эквивалентно 1мВт, или 0.22В, или 107дБмкВ, на выходе получим мощность -6дБм, что эквивалентно 0.25мВт (в 4 раза меньше по мощности) или 0.11В (в два раза меньше по напряжению) или 101дБмкВ (на те же 6дБ меньше)".
Прикольно, по ходу написания статьи ещё и Википедию подправил :-)

Всем привет!

Попытка сбора всех "аудиопользовостей" в одном месте. Надеюсь удачная :-)