My Production Sound Bag: Sound Devices 833, Wisycom Wireless

[@justkallmekai]

Still running my F8n because the 8 channels is unbelievably helpful but I totally agree that SD is the superior QoL and overall build. Great timing for this since I'll be getting new Wisycoms, bag, etc. Thanks for the upload!

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

The F8n is an awesome piece of kit. Thanks for tuning in, enjoy your new equipment :)

[@user-eo1qp6eh5l]

Oh my god you've got my dream bag setup! I just rented the MCR54 and play tested with the MTP61's. Having only ever worked with Lectro and having a couple A20's, Wisycom was very beginner friendly and you can figure out the features pretty easily. Great setup - thank you!

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

Great to hear! Glad you found it useful :)

[@busyak]

Very cool and VERY compact considering how feature-rich this setup is! Super curious to know what seemed wrong with F8N Pro to you? I only ask because when i started out (a while ago now) i was renting 702Ts and 788Ts but then when the F8 was released in 2015 it my first owned mixer/recorder, I've bought every revision since and I love it to bits. Currently rocking the F8n Pro as the heart of my bag and have my previous F8n in the pelican as a backup. Even despite the obviously inferior build quality (those SDs are military grade for sure) I've owned 3 F8s and none have had issues or failures (knock on wood), I record in 32-bit with limiters disabled (though that's just a preference, the analog limiters were great starting with the second revision), and 3 output mixes is just as many as i need (camera hop, dir/script/client, boom op). I know Zoom has a reputation problem as a consumer brand but just looking at it quality over brand image I just love the F8 so damn much. Everything else in my bag has come a long way since - wireless is all Lectro, IFBs are Comteks, etc - but the F8 remains.

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

Hey! Thanks so much for the comment. I don’t have any problems with the F8n per se, mostly just a comfort thing for me. I used a 633 from the beginning of my career and I just feel very at home with the SD hardware design and software architecture. As you know, we have to work fast and I am super fast and familiar with these units. Also, part of the comfort, to me, of using these recorders is knowing that they are undeniably amongst the top of the line. If they do break down during a stressful commercial shoot, no one can deny that I’ve supplied the best gear available and this helps insulate me from criticism regarding my expertise and capability. Certainly on doc projects and chill narrative shoots this would be less of a concern for me, but around here there is a lot of commercial work and I find those environments can be frankly, kind of harsh. So it’s a combination of technical and sociological factors that keep me rocking these 6 and 8 series recorders. No shade on any other gear, I will always keep the Zoom as part of my sound package :)

[@busyak]

@@nicolasfieldsoundservices Gotcha! Thanks so much for the response. I had never considered the reputation of the gear protecting the mixer's reputation should an equipment failure occer - you make a great point!

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

Cheers! Hope you have a busy rest of your year with sound :) thanks again

[@persquad8998]

the only issue i see, is how the bag bends in the main section to accomidate both devices. I totally get that is probably light, but it would drive me crazy seeing how unsymetrical it looks😅

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

haha ya it’s a bit of a wabi sabi sound bag right now. maybe there is a custom protogear bag in my future 🪄

[@LisaFly9]

nice to hear your thoughts behind your gear choices - great video

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

Thanks! 👍

[@derekjcooper]

eSMART TRIO is awesome! Loving mine.

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

The best!

[@rperret6]

Nice setup ! It's really nice to hear why you choose your gear and how you use it Why do you need different busses for your comtek, broadcast mix and camera hop ? I mean what do you do differently between those ?

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

Hey! Thanks so much. So, I work on stuff for TSN that has a super fast turnaround and no audio post, and I’ve set up the Broadcast Mix as a recordable bus with Noise Reduction to deliver to this client and make things super quick and easy for them. On commercials, Auto Mute on the Comteks is considered standard practice to ensure client doesn’t hear production say anything naughty between takes. Meanwhile, camera hop is good to have running continuously in case they roll on anything while I’m stopped or off set (rare but it happens).

[@rperret6]

@@nicolasfieldsoundservices thank you for clearing that up !

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

Happy to clarify! Cheers

[@jasondordel9630]

Hi Nicolas! I appreciate your videos. Very informative! 😃 I'm just learning about the XL-AES. Are you using the TA3 backplate for the MCR54? What cable are you using to go into the AES? I appreciate the help!

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

Hey hey! Yup I am using the BPA54 backplate. Actually I believe it’s TA5 to 2x TA3. Standard mic cable works for transmitting AES for short runs like this, I’ve been happy with it so far. Remote audio sells some right angle TA5 cables if you’re going to shove it in a bag, helps a lot with strain relief!

[@jasondordel9630]

@@nicolasfieldsoundservices Yes, my bad. TA5. Thanks so much. This is very helpful! Cheers! 😃

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

No prob, don’t be shy if you have more questions!

[@coldbumby]

My worry with buying the MCR-54 4 channel receiver is that if it fails, I don’t have any backup receivers (since I’m new) and I’ll be screwed. I’m guessing you usually have backup receivers with you just in case the MCR-54 stops working and you need a backup- Do you think my worry is justified? Do you think it’s better to go with 2 dual-receivers instead? I’d prefer lower bag weight/less cables so the MCR-54 looks very nice haha. Also I’ve found that it is cheaper than buying 2 of many dual channel receivers (like the Dual MCR-54 and Lectro SRCs)

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

@@coldbumby I have never heard of one failing, even in extreme conditions. But things do happen so it’s good to be prepared. I keep some G4s with me in case the receiver fails, but I don’t really worry about it. So far so good after 2 years. The way I see it, with recording TX you technically won’t miss anything even if every other part of your recording system goes down. That being said if you’re anything like me you’ll eventually want another receiver because…channels! Haha. I think the wisycom gear offers pretty great value when compared to its competitors, for sure. But it’s still a big investment for a freelancer.

[@coldbumby]

@@nicolasfieldsoundservices Thanks for the insight! I really appreciate it. I guess after a few jobs I can get a backup receiver anyways. >with recording TX you technically won’t miss anything Oh you mean the onboard recording while transmitting? That's a good point, but unfortunately, I won't be able to have that since I'm in the U.S. Do you have any videos on why you picked Wisycom over other brands? Thanks dude

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

Dang, it’s a shame the record/transmit features are limited in USA. I don’t have a video comparing brands, basically like you I looked at the value proposition of a quad receiver and compared it to the rest of the market and Wisycom pricing was extremely competitive. I would keep my eye out for used deals too, I saw a 54 and 4x MTP40s with cos11ds for 9k USD on eBay the other day.

[@Studioimpossible2000]

Dear Nicolas could you please provide us with a setup of all of your buses settings?

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

They’re pretty straightforward. Broadcast Mix is a recordable bus of my LR Automix with noise reduction applied, which I use for quick turnaround stuff without much audio post production (sports etc). Comtek mix is my mix with Stop Mute for commercials. Camera Hop is just my mix. Private line is usually the boom feed and coms channel with notification bell routed to the channel so me or my team can hear recording stop/start. Hope that helps.

[@Studioimpossible2000]

@@nicolasfieldsoundservices great that helps! Thanks a lot…

[@seabastiaan]

nice video thank you for the information!

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

Glad it was helpful!

[@meahnicholas7352]

how to do routing on the 833 or 888

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

hey! I will make a video covering this soon :)

[@microdoulo2250]

Can send all channel to x1 and x2 out

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

Yep!

[@flyboytech8246]

Where can I buy that sound bag

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

Check out Protogear out of Montreal, Canada.

[@huckvaughan4491]

Awesome! Are you concerned/worries at about your wisycom rx whips touching/being close to the g4 camera hop transmitter? I have heard that they can interfere with each other if too close together on the bag and are best to space away from each other.

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

Hey! In my experience it’s been nbd. The front end filtering on the Wisycom is pretty awesome and I’m usually running them pretty far away from my hops, spectrum wise. But I do have some XLR to remote the hops transmitter further away if that kinda thing comes up.

[@alercottle]

Great video! Nice set up congrats! Do you mind sharin transmitters do you used :) thanks!

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

@@alercottle thanks! Wisycom MTP60 for talent, G4 for hops, Comtek 216 for public line

[@alercottle]

great thanks!! :) @@nicolasfieldsoundservices

[@peruperu-jj8zs]

whats the name of the bag?

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

The bag is made by Protogear out of Montreal, Canada! Tell them Nicolas Field sent you ;)

[@peruperu-jj8zs]

@@nicolasfieldsoundservices thank you! Is yours a custom bag by them?

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

@@peruperu-jj8zs happy to help! Nah mine is just the standard M Sound Bag with some additional modules. It’s not really designed to fit anything beyond the mixer/recorder so it’s a bit stretched to the brim at the moment.

[@redjrjames]

hmmm I love watching these kinds of videos. Don't mind me just another sound mixer coming in to "STEAL" ideas... 🙄🙄

[@nicolasfieldsoundservices]

gear nerds unite! thanks for watching :)