Recent content by Andy_Leviss

  1. Andy_Leviss

    Technical Theatre blogs?

    Yeah, the site kind of went on longterm hiatus after a hack and a security update broke just about every link in the entire site. I got most of them fixed, but haven't gotten around to updating the template back to a custom design. I've spoken to a few guys about teaming up to revamp it and have...
  2. Andy_Leviss

    Djembe Miking

    Wow, holy re-appearing ancient thread, Batman! ;-)Anyway...you want to tame it with EQ, but gelling this drum isn't really recommended. This type of drum is supposed to be kind of boomy and resonant. That's just the kind of instrument it is! If you dampen it, it's not going to sound like a...
  3. Andy_Leviss

    Balanced and Unbalanced

    I would slightly modify that to suggest that impedance balance and differential inputs go hand-in-hand; without one, the other is pointless. Signal symmetry, however, is indeed quite separate, and inconsequential for the purposes of noise-reduction.*Thanks for posting this, Mike!--Andy*-No...
  4. Andy_Leviss

    how do i hide mics on naked people?

    Somehow I managed to lose my post before posting it, but for the shorter version:I was the A2 for the 2003-2004 national tour, and, as noted, the Broadway and touring productions all did indeed have transmitters and elements built into the hats. The element stuck just beyond the brim (to avoid...
  5. Andy_Leviss

    Microphones Pan mics during shows...

    What has yet to be mentioned here is that I can almost guarantee that nobody reading this or replying here has a system that is actually capable of stereo coverage. Why can I say this so confidently? Because a true stereo system is incredibly expensive and very hard to implement in a theatre...
  6. Andy_Leviss

    Using digital keyboard pedal as....

    Well, there are two types of insert jacks. There is the single-point, unbalanced insert, which is usually standardized as tip=send, ring=return, shield=common, and then there are dual-point inserts, with separate balance send and return.I imagine you're using a console with single-point, in...
  7. Andy_Leviss

    New Microphone Purchase

    One word. Quality. (Aside from the fact that the latest Sennheiser models are on par with the UHF-R featurewise.) Sound quality, and, more importantly, build quality. Shure has been notorious for years for miserable build quality, from case design down to the TA4 connectors. Yes, they finally...
  8. Andy_Leviss

    Performing Arts Camp Documentary.

    Which camp? French Woods, or StageDoor?
  9. Andy_Leviss

    Cordless screwdriver suggestions

    For connectors, DeWalt makes a sound-guy friendly 7.2V cordless screwdriver for $99 or so including a spare battery. I added a 60-min fast charger/conditioner for another $50. For assembling racks, and any "real" construction, a fullsized drill/screwgun is better, because they have higher...
  10. Andy_Leviss

    Recording a Comms session?

    For those who want to make a safe adapter to do this:http://bestaudio.com/_private/downloads/Audio_only_adapter.pdfor, for a simpler version, if you have an IL-19 or two around to use: http://bestaudio.com/_private/downloads/Simple_Audio_only.pdf[Correction to my earlier post. I had...
  11. Andy_Leviss

    New Microphone Purchase

    With any professional system and appropriate antenna distribution, you should only need 2 antennas for many more. Well-designed systems of Sennheiser, Shure, and Lectrosonics are all possible with upwards of 32 channels on two paddles. With Sennheiser, you also get the added benefit of using...
  12. Andy_Leviss

    Djembe Miking

    Check out this thread on PSW:PSW Sound Reinforcement Forums: LAB Lounge => Anybody ever mic'ed a Djembe??Lots of discussion, including some really interesting back-and-forth between myself and a guy there who plays djembe and is very well-versed in salsa, who had recently seen a salsa...
  13. Andy_Leviss

    Single vs. dual mics?

    Three things...first, there's no reason to use both at the same time. It will cause you nothing but trouble, for all the reasons mentioned. It's a backup, or, depending on design choices, sometimes one will be aimed down, one up, to account for dramatic height differences between speakers...
  14. Andy_Leviss

    Wireless antennas-paddles

    Will it work? Perhaps, if you're not in too hostile an RF environment. But that's an entirely different question than whether it's acceptable or practical, in which case the answer is that it is absolutely not in any way, shape, or form, and a shop that would do something as questionable and...
  15. Andy_Leviss

    FringeNYC

    Well, a few thoughts. First, while this article was primarily written aimed at producers, I highly recommend reading Michael Minn's article "Producing at the Fringe". I designed for one of the other shows sharing the venue with the show "Irreplaceable Commodity", which Michael talks about in...
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