Home studio Talkback

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SaneMan
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Home studio Talkback

Post by SaneMan » Fri Jan 12, 2007 4:07 pm

So I'm looking to upgrade my headphone system, probably with one of those Furman HDS systems, but am wondering what kind of talkback system you guys use. Right now I can only get a pair of headphones as far as just outside my thin bedroom door so it's easy to just talk through the door. But with a new headphone system I could get the artist(or even multiple artists now!) farther away, making it harder to communicate with them. I realize I can set up a mic for talkback, but don't like the idea of record arming or muting it everytime I want to use/not use it. I think I'd like to get one of those old(maybe broadcast?) mics, that you can stand upright and has the push button to activate, but have no idea what they're called or where to get one. I guess I haven't put a whole lot of thought into this yet, and feel I'm missing something obvious, but hope by posting this I get a few different ideas to spark my imagination and figure out what works best for me.

Oh, and I have no sort of console or anything. Strictly in the box, PT's 6.4LE, G4 with 001.
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SaneMan
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Post by SaneMan » Mon Jan 15, 2007 2:40 pm

Bump

Uh... I imagine some of you have home studios... and use some sort of talkback...

Or did I accidentally post this in the Gearslutz High End forum?
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Post by SMC Productions » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:10 pm

SaneMan wrote:Bump

Uh... I imagine some of you have home studios... and use some sort of talkback...

Or did I accidentally post this in the Gearslutz High End forum?
There is alot of ways to do it....but what about Mackie's Big Knob? I use it, as I have several monitors to use, etc. but it does have a talkback system.
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Post by RefD » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:34 pm

SMC Productions wrote:
SaneMan wrote:Bump

Uh... I imagine some of you have home studios... and use some sort of talkback...

Or did I accidentally post this in the Gearslutz High End forum?
There is alot of ways to do it....but what about Mackie's Big Knob? I use it, as I have several monitors to use, etc. but it does have a talkback system.
i was gonna mention the Big Knob, but there's been such a backlash against it that i hesitated.

but it has sorted out my monitoring/talkback problems.
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Post by vsr600 » Tue Jan 16, 2007 1:47 am

Presonus Central Station.

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Post by standup » Tue Jan 16, 2007 5:14 am

I have a small format mixer, SoundWorkshop 1280b that right now is mostly doing TB duty.

The monitor outs go to channels on the 1280, then to the headphone amp then to the snake. There's a TB switch on the 1280 mixer, and I have a beyer m55 mic on a desk stand. I just have to hit the TB switch on the 1280, and I'm in the headphones.

Pretty kludgy workaround, but it saves me from buying a Big Knob or similar.

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Post by bradfromtampa » Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:17 am

I have the little samson deal. I forget the model name etc... but i has served me well. I have since upgraded to a board with talkback. I'd come off the samson if you're interested....

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Post by JASIII » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:43 am

I use my interface. I have an Edirol FA-101, it has 2 XLR inputs w/pres on the front. I plug a cheap dynamic handheld into one of the inputs to use as my control room talkback mic. I set the level using the pre's gain knob. I can either put it on a stand, or leave it lying on the desk and pick it up when I want to use it. The mic is a crappy one with an on/off switch, which is perfect for this use. I run the "headphone out" of the interface into my headphone amp->headphones in the live room. I put a condenser omni with a limiter in the live room to pick up what the "artists" are saying. Everything comes over my monitors and the headphones. Drawback is that the live room condenser is always "on" unless I turn down the pre (which is a PITA), or turn the knob on the interface that sets an output ratio mix of "monitor" to "main outs", so that it is only outputting the main send from the DAW, no monitoring. there are lots of ways to do it.

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Post by @?,*???&? » Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:23 am

I consistently use a mic into the 2nd pre on the 011 for talkback. Muting it is not a hassle- it's a reality. When working in a real studio on a real console, you have to engage the talkback mic everytime you want to communicate with the artist. Having it onscreen with the software is simply no big deal, just necessary.

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Post by JdJ » Tue Jan 16, 2007 2:48 pm

@?,*???&? wrote:I consistently use a mic into the 2nd pre on the 011 for talkback. Muting it is not a hassle- it's a reality. When working in a real studio on a real console, you have to engage the talkback mic everytime you want to communicate with the artist. Having it onscreen with the software is simply no big deal, just necessary.
Same here- I just use an aux track that I mute when not speaking. I keep a 57 on my desk into one of my spare 002 pres for the input.

-J

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Post by syrupcore » Tue Jan 16, 2007 3:22 pm

any old mic with a switch plugged into one of the furman inputs is a direct way. table top mic stands are <15 bucks. you'll need some sort of preamp if you wanna bypass your mixer but the cheapest crappiest preamp will do just fine.

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SaneMan
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Post by SaneMan » Wed Jan 17, 2007 8:14 pm

Thanks for the input. The Big Knob looks like something I would really love to have(especially since it has a phono input. Thats badass), and might get someday, but for now I'm looking to do this as cheaply as possible. I'm looking for something more like JASIII has, with a mic with an on/off switch, but really want one of those old school mics with the push button instead, thus avoiding the "necessary" muting or record arming of a pro tools track.
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Post by Everybody's X » Wed Jan 17, 2007 8:42 pm

I have a talkback system in my board but if I didn't I'd use an old CB mic because that just kicks ass
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Post by i am monster face » Wed Jan 17, 2007 9:46 pm

we setup the entire studio with the furman thing.We have about five in the B room and I think six in the a room, with five and six outputs, although occasionally we link them together. Have fun wiring those. Seriously, make a game out of it, because 50 pin sucks if you think about it too much. They're also kind of built like crap. A few of them seemed to have problems internally during shipping where they just wouldn't work. We took them apart, double checked the connections, and they worked.
They are very nice if you want to allow whomever is using them complete control over their personal mixes.

We use the central station upstairs. It's built nicely and is extremely flexible. The main problem I am having with it though is I seem to be getting radio stations through it. Also, the damn talkback button keeps falling off. Other than that, it's great. It's a great bargain with the remote. I'd vote the Presonus over mackie stuff anyday.

Ian

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Post by SMC Productions » Thu Jan 18, 2007 5:52 am

i am monster face wrote:we setup the entire studio with the furman thing.We have about five in the B room and I think six in the a room, with five and six outputs, although occasionally we link them together. Have fun wiring those. Seriously, make a game out of it, because 50 pin sucks if you think about it too much. They're also kind of built like crap. A few of them seemed to have problems internally during shipping where they just wouldn't work. We took them apart, double checked the connections, and they worked.
They are very nice if you want to allow whomever is using them complete control over their personal mixes.
Are you talking about these units?

http://tinyurl.com/3xv8oe

They seem VERY reasonable. I'll definitely have to pick up one, plus a couple of the HR6 units....Some how I missed these things. This is the first time I've 'noticed' them!

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