Use the Zoom F3 with ANY Wireless Mic / Rode Wireless Go 2 / DJI Mic

Learn how to use the Zoom F3 with any wireless mic system including the Rode Wireless Go 2 and DJI Mics.
👀 NOTE: You will NOT get a true 32-bit float recording when capturing audio in this way. This is a way to add a 'safeguard' to your recordings in certain situations. Is it the best way? Probably not but it is a workflow that you "could" incorporate into your workflow if it makes sense.
Gear highlighted in this video (affiliate links):
Zoom F3: amzn.to/41v3GhJ
DJI Wireless Mics: amzn.to/3n076IQ
Rode Wireless Go II: amzn.to/3NCT61w
XLR to 3.5 mm adapter: amzn.to/3RB8zkR
3.5mm to 3.5mm cable: amzn.to/3GUutus
0:00 - Introduction to Audio Setup
0:16 - Tackling Audio Stress Factors
1:00 - Rode Wireless Go II Review
1:44 - Essential Audio Equipment
2:37 - Understanding 32-bit Float Recording
3:37 - Audio Recording Limitations
5:08 - Setting Gain Levels
6:18 - Audio Recording Tips
7:32 - Effective Audio Monitoring
8:27 - Audio-Video Sync Techniques
9:36 - Unique Audio Setup Configuration
9:56 - Wrap up
Gear I use the most (affiliate links):
Sony FX3: amzn.to/3mUcAFf
Sony a7siii: amzn.to/3JJWO8E
Sigma 24-70mm: amzn.to/3yF7IX1
Sony 16-35mm: amzn.to/3LmuudX
Tamron 35-150mm: amzn.to/3JlJJkx
Rodecaster Pro 2: amzn.to/3yEKCzS
ATEM Mini Pro ISO: amzn.to/3rbS05c
Shure SM7b: amzn.to/3YTgUln
Comfortable headphones: amzn.to/3lhRQXy
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Connect
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Thank you for watching!
This video was not paid for by outside persons or manufacturers. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
No gear was supplied to me for this video.
The content of this video and my opinions were not reviewed or paid for by any outside persons.

[@kriedholm]

NOTE: You will NOT get a true 32-bit float recording when capturing audio in this way. This is a way to add a 'safeguard' to your recordings in certain situations. Is it the best way? Probably not but it is a workflow that you "could" incorporate into your workflow if it makes sense.

[@dangerdave8080]

The best explanation I've seen .. Great video!

[@kriedholm]

Appreciate it!

[@jannarkiewicz633]

You read my mind. I needed this. Great video.

[@kriedholm]

Thank you!

[@imneo1]

Thanks for the Video. in this setup, if the mic clip, that's it. since the signal will not be passed to the F3 since... it's clipped already. So in post, you will not have the entire signal to process. In other words, the initial capture device (mic), must be directly limited by 32-bit float processor for this to actually work. chaining the signal is not the same.

[@somaticconsent510]

perfect, thank you

[@kriedholm]

Glad it helped!

[@davidclein]

Thank you

[@kriedholm]

You're welcome. Appreciate you tuning in!

[@arhon888]

Thanks for sharing. Nice idea. As I already have the Rode Go II, I use Rode's built Safety Channel feature. I set the first channel to a level I think is ideal. and then then set the safety channel at a lower level. This means there is no extra bit of kit or syncing involved. And if there are any areas that clip, I can switch to the safety channel from within the video editing software while I am editing.

[@kriedholm]

Great tip! Thanks for tuning in.

[@pedrosanchez4035]

I have all the ingredients - and your video was exactly what I wanted to see before I plug them all in. I have a question, with the low gain on the transmitters, for quieter parts of the recording that you need to add gain to in post, how does the noise floor behave. Have you had any issues? Thanks. I have subscribed I am sure your content is worth knowing about.

[@kriedholm]

Thanks, Pedro! As many have pointed out, this is not the *ideal* way to capture 32 bit float. I have used this setup in a pinch and it worked fine for me. It was much better than having clipped audio that can't be used at all. Sometimes you have to be creative on shoots and this could be used during one of those times.

[@pedrosanchez4035]

@@kriedholm The truth is: There is no OTHER way to record the radio mics into the Zoom, but I don't see why it is an issue for us pre floating point users. We just have to be careful with levels as we always have done. Floating point is nice to have, for our direct input mics, such as shotgun. We can also get a recording of the two radio mics on one channel and the shotgun on the other with the floating point. Thus three channels for the price of two, what's not to like like. This is not a work round, it is the way to do it (IMHO) My question was in all innocence, I had not read the other comments. We want external recording, my camera's internal sound is well known to be terrible (DJI Ronin 4D). I think your video is really helpful, it confirmed the way I was going to do it, and I have literally never done this before, I am a complete noob.

[@LucyWangui-cz9vh]

Best KZbin channel 💕💕

[@kriedholm]

Thank you!

[@rickonmic]

Nice setup. As long as you have your gain set conservatively, and your mic itself doesn't clip, you should be ok. The only issue you might run into is a bit of noise in the camera audio (since it's recording a signal running through multiple components), but then that's probably only a last-resort backup/safety track.

[@kriedholm]

Thanks and agreed!

[@demonhogo]

This is exactly why I bought the Tascam X8 and just kept my 2 first gen sets of rode wireless go mics

[@kriedholm]

Great option as well!

[@BlueJayBonsai]

Nice hack!

[@kriedholm]

Appreciate it!

[@arhon888]

Hi again, I also have the Rode Wireless Go II. This is a good idea I am guessing from the perspective that the Zoom F3 will do a better job at increasing the signal without self noise? Are you finding this to be true? I think you could utilise true 32bit float if you had the Zoom at the start of the chain, ie. If the mic was was attached to the Zoom F3 and the F3 was connected to the transmitter. How did you record the audio for this video, because it sounds amazing. I wish my audio was this good.

[@kriedholm]

The only way you'll get true 32-bit float is if you hard-wire a mic directly to the F3 recorder. I recorded this video using the Rode Wireless GO II - glad you like how it sounds and thanks for tuning in!

[@imrin4059]

is it possible to use Like NT1 rode but make it wireless XLR?

[@kriedholm]

Pretty sure you can do this if you use a XLR female to 3.5mm adapter to plug your mic into the transmitter. I don't have a NT1 to test it out though, so can't say for sure. Thanks for tuning in!

[@ursthomann3463]

This is exactly what I am looking for as well. The problem is in fact not the mic but the transmitter. So far all these wireless transmitter/receiver systems are designed with lavalier mics in mind. What would be needed for what you want is a transmitter that provides phantom power to the mic, which these small Rode Go and DJI wireless systems don't. I currently use two Rode News Shooter kits for that purpose and I do feed the receivers' signals into the F3. As the News Shooter's receiver ist not a recorder, one might consider this set-up a true 32bit float system. The only downside of it is that the whole installation is really bulky when you try to put everything on a cage around your camera. I'd love to see Rode offering a transmitter that provides 48V phantom power to the mic and is compatible with their new Rode Go Pro receiver. That would slim down the installation massively. Edit: as @VandromedasTravels points out further down, the decision about 24 or 32bit happens at the transmitter. My statement about the Rode News Shooter kit recording into an F3 being a 32bit float system is therefore incorrect. A 32bit transmitter that provides phantom power to the mic would therefore be highly desirable. In fact, Rode just launched the Interview Pro handheld condenser mic with built-in 32bit float transmitter. Perhaps a 32bit stand-alone transmitter with phantom power provision is next on their menu. It won't be as tiny as the Go II or Go Pro transmitters but that I don't mind. I just struggle with the bulkiness of the receivers of the News Shooter kit.

[@VandromedasTravels]

Sorry, but, even though what you think could happen sounds lovely, there is no way you’re getting true 32 bit floating point recording. Your Wireless Go II is a 24 bit system. So, the digital conversion happens at the transmitter. That means that, even if you go back into the analogue domain, as you suggest, all of the benefits of 32 bit float have gone out of the window, since your standalone recorder is limited to the signal generated by the 24 bits of the WGOII transmission. Yeah, you might have some luck with low levels, but, even then, the noise floor is going to be horrendous. Clipped signal? Ain’t going to unclip magically. What you need is a wireless system that captures 32 bit float at the TX - Rode Wireless PRO, DJI Mic 2 and others exist.

[@VandromedasTravels]

If, however, you used a wireless system that operates in the analogue domain - Senheisser, Sony and others have pro level analogue domain wireless systems - then, yes, your 32 bit recording would work as it should. As in, it should always happen at the first analogue to digital interface. There’s a reason why pro broadcasters etc. use analogue wireless systems - and this is it.

[@kriedholm]

I understand what you're pointing out - thanks for tuning in!

[@SixXGaming]

@@VandromedasTravelswait wait wait, so would this work with the wireless pro???

[@VandromedasTravels]

@@SixXGaming The wireless pro records in the TX at 32 bit float. Its max send over the ether is 24 bit - but more likely 16 bit.

[@vapricot]

no it does not help you to record more information since the signal has already have been transformed into digital in the rode w go2 system )) you're not an audio specialist defeneatly

[@RandumbTech]

This is 💯 bad info. Yes, you can record in 32 bit container, but the file will not have the wide dynamic range found with a native 32 bit float recording. If you clip your audio at the transmitter, you will not be able to recover it. If you set the gain to low, when you bring it up in post, you will also raise the noise floor. I would encourage you to make a follow up video with real examples and explain to your audience why it doesn’t work as you described. No big deal - just part of the learning process.

[@Marcus_Visbal]

The transmitter is not 32-bit float. This isn’t 32-bit float.

[@kriedholm]

It’s a hack!

[@Marcus_Visbal]

@@kriedholm it’s not a hack. That audio is still going to clip and not be true 32 bit…. It’s like hooking a zoom h6 into it, if the original audio isn’t capable of doing 32-bit, which that transmitter isn’t, it’s not going to work. It’s not a hack, it doesn’t work

[@heythere1968]

You should delete this video you're misleading people I know you're not doing it on purpose but you are giving incorrect information you're not recording 32-bit float so maybe you can just change the title to how to record with the zoom F3 with a wireless mic.

[@kriedholm]

That's fair and more fitting, thanks!

[@heythere1968]

@@kriedholm the reality is I wish you were right though because it would be a hell of a useful tool if so however everything you're saying I think you can make happen if you're using newest versions of the wireless microphones