Many thanks to Alex Lindsay for turning me on to the Beachtek mic adaptor. This little, ingenious gadget allows you to connect professional XLR microphones to a standard camcorder, as long as it has an 1/8″ mic input available. I recently purchased a Canon HF 100 high def camcorder to shoot some interviews and video podcasts and I added the Beachtek into the mix. If you’ve ever shot video you’ll know that audio is one of the most important factors in making a quality video, which means you really need a much better microphone than what’s available on handheld camcordes. For less than $200 you can add a Beachtek and start using your favorite mics with an inexpensive consumer camcorder. Thanks Alex!
Lifehacker has a short post that links over to Epic Sound’s “Guide to Sound Effects.” If you’re a podcaster looking for some interesting sound effects for your show it might be a good place to start.
Sony 7506
My new pair of Sony 7506 professional closed-back headphones just arrived on the FedEx truck today (BSW is a great source for pro audio gear btw). I’ve spent a couple of hours listening to them and they’re definitely a major step up from the Audio Technica ‘phones I’ve been using. They should be great for recording and podcasting (which is nominally why I bought them) but I’m really looking forward to checking out more of my iTunes catalogue with them. I’d like to get a pair of open headphones like the Sennheiser HD595’s, but from what I’ve read they’ll probably annoy everyone else in the house that’s trying to sleep. The good news about the Sony’s (and most closed-back headphones in general) is that they do a great job of of isolating sound – what you’re listening to is almost completely inaudible to everyone else, and external noises are minimized. If you’re into music and/or want to check out some hard-core audiophile info try the Head-Fi forums. Of course if you do, beware the amount of money you’ll be tempted to spend on exotic audiophile gear!
