FCP and MBOX settings

I need some insight as to propperly set up FCP, an MBox, monitoring headphones and mic. I hope there's a few folks here with some experience. : )

Tools at hand include: an iBook G4 laptop (10.4.6), FCP 5.0.4, an MBox, and a Sennheiser ME64 mic with a 6" tabletop tripod. I will bring all this equipment to my subjects home and interview him at his dinning room table, positioning the mic about 3 to 4 feet from his mouth.

The following are questions that concern me at the moment:

1) Should I plug my monitoring headphones into the MBox or the iBook?
2) In the back of the MBox there's a button that reads "48V" -- what does it do?
3) What are the best settings for the Digi CoreAudio Manager?
4) What rate should I record in for a DV NTSC project for broadcast: 44100 Hz or 48000Hz ?
5) Most important: settings for the MBox front panel--are there any special guidelines you can suggest for this? (i.e., gain level, sourse button [mic,line,inst], mono button for headphones?)

I'm sorry to be asking you so many questions, I just need some input before I go out and interview my subject this weekend (a 96 year old filmmaker!).

Thank you all in advance for your help!

Howdy:

I can answer a few of these questions:

> 1) Should I plug my monitoring headphones into the MBox or the
> iBook?

I'd say that you should monitor the Mbox. The Mbox has a fair amount of latency, so you'll need to turn the "mix" knob on the front panel fully counter clockwise while your recording to hear the source with no echo.

Start with a short piece as a mic placement and level check (as necessary) then fire away when you're happy with playback sound. You'll have to turn the "mix" knob clockwise to hear playback from the Mbox. Take the time you need to set it all up to your satisfaction.

> 2) In the back of the MBox there's a button that reads "48V" --
> what does it do?

The Mbox will suppliy phantom power to your nice condenser mic, which I think requires it. Always turn the button on AFTER the connections are made, and off BEFORE you unplug the cables.

> 3) What are the best settings for the Digi CoreAudio Manager?

48k, clock source=internal

> 4) What rate should I record in for a DV NTSC project for
> broadcast: 44100 Hz or 48000Hz ?

48k/16bit. Video tape standards rarely uses 44.1k. Almost never. Maybe never. Hence, so do NLE's.

> 5) Most important: settings for the MBox front panel--are there
> any special guidelines you can suggest for this? (i.e., gain
> level,

Depends on your subject, the sensitivity and placement of your mic.
Be conservative. Digital does not do distortion gracefully. That said, get as much gain as you can to the disk. Since you're new to this, I would say DON'T use any compressors or plug-ins on the front end of the signal chain, and listen very carefully to the room reverb- don't allow too much. Listen for popped P's and other "plosives" -P's, B's, T's.

> sourse button [mic,line,inst],

Mic, of course, providing you're running the mic straight into the Mbox.

> mono button for
> headphones?)

Yes. mono on. That allows you to hear your source (the mic) in both earpieces. Doesn't hurt a thing.

Of course, you'll have to choose the Mbox in the FCP prefs...

> I'm sorry to be asking you so many questions, I just need some
> input before I go out and interview my subject this weekend (a
> 96 year old filmmaker!).

I had the honor of recording Jimmy Stewart in his office a dozen years ago, and he was quite a trouper, though very frail. He tired very quickly, and didn't have as much control over his voice and dynamics as he had in his youth.
He was terrific, all the same.
For these sorts of reasons, I'd highly recommend setting up your rig before you get to the location(in a similar room in your house, for instance), and test your methods before you're under the gun with the talent sitting there.
Waiting. Waiting.
Set it up and break it down a couple of times. When you're ready to shoot the dialog, give yourself PLENTY of time to set up before the talent gets there, and check signal flow for both record and playback before you bring the talent on set. But I'm a little obsessive compulsive.

Above all, listen carefully, and playback to your satisfaction before you start the session. If it sounds good to you, it probably is good. Go for "natural", and allow the gear to do it's job. Simple, clean, straightest signal path is best, almost always.

I've used the laptop/Mbox combination for location sound, sound design and general audio editorial, and it works like a charm as long as you become familiar with the limitations. Beware noisy firewire drives while shooting, and if you're only using the internal drive (not recommended, but do-able) keep a close ear out for drive action sounds bleeding into the mic, and watch the available drive space. I also recommend bringing a mouse and a fullsized keyboard, unless you're super-comfortable with the laptop trackpad and keyboard. It just makes things easier.


Sorry for the long post.
Good luck.

tc

Thank you (tc) for taking the time to respond to my questions! This really helps and I'm super grateful. I'm following your words, step-by-step, and I also find the FCP User Manual to be very useful in describing the FCP V/O Tool in depth. Thank you again!