US 
Canada Category: Reviews
Sanken’s CS-3 Shotgun Mic
Field Test #1 Recently, I was the mixer on a film commercial and I chose the Sanken CS-3, for no particular reason other than to see how it would perform. As it turned out, the CS-3 solved some problems we would have otherwise had to live with. In short, the production was better because of […]
READ MOREDeva II and Nagra V
Ready or not, tape is nearly history. Tape is well on its way to being a novelty. Granted, even analog tape is still being used on some film productions, being as reliable as it ever was and sounding as good as it ever did, but it is more and more accepting the realization of the […]
READ MOREThe Pearl MS8 Microphone
In the slow changing world of truly professional microphones, where all too often the wheel is simply reinvented, it is nice to have a fresh entry that actually offers something different. In my opinion, the Pearl MS-8 does just that, and does it very well. First, just a little bit about MS, or Mid-Side, […]
READ MOREThe Venerable Fostex PD-4 Timecode DAT Recorder
In the world of portable timecode DAT recorders (OK, the very small world), there was first the Fostex PD-2. This was soon followed by the StellaDAT which was soon followed by the HHB Portadat which was fairly soon followed by this article’s hero, the Fostex PD-4. To be fair, I must first voice my opinion […]
READ MOREAudio Technica AT-895
(Originally published in Audio Media Magazine USA) Shotgun mics do their job well: reaching 5′ across a film set, rejecting moderate ambience to enhance an actor’s conversational voice, with full range fidelity. Parabolic mics do their job well: reaching 150′ across a football field and isolating the cracks of helmets from the screaming fans, with […]
READ MOREThe New VDB Boom Poles
For years the Van den Bergh "VdB" boom poles (fish poles) had been far better than any others for most situations. It looked like boom pole technology had reached its pinnacle. OK, so they bent too much and sometimes broke when fully extended with a heavy mic fully rigged (like the 816), but that was […]
READ MOREThe Lectrosonics UCR-200D
New Frequency Selectable Portable Wireless System Since 90% of the portable wireless mics in the US professional market are from Lectrosonics, wouldn’t it be great if they built a frequency agile system for us? GUESS WHAT — NOW THEY DO! Each UCR-200D diversity system has over 200 frequencies available. The receiver has an ingenious auto-tracking […]
READ MOREThe Zaxcom Deva II Recorder
(As appeared in Audio Media Magazine September 1999 Issue) Location sound recordists are bound to fall into one of three categories: (1) Hanging on to their love affair with their Nagra. (2) Using a DAT until something really better comes along. (3) Like me, both. Guess what? The wait may be over. Those that have […]
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