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CAMS recommends students checking out production gear buy a pair of closed-back, over-the-ear headphones. Sony MDR-V6 and MDR-7506 headphones are widely prized for their audio accuracy as well as durability. Headphones should always be worn while recording audio for reasons analogous to looking through a viewfinder or at an LCD screen while shooting picture.
CAMS recommends students own an SD and CF card reader.
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Students wishing to buy their own PCM-based audio recorder might wish to consider a model with XLR inputs, such as the Zoom H4n available from the CAMS Production Office. IMPORTANT: devices such as the Edirol R-09, Tascam DR-08 or Tascam DR-05 have or Tascam [DR-05|http://tascam.com/product/dr-05/specifications/], DR-07 or DR-08 might suffice for homework assignments but not Comps projects. These devices have 1/8" mini phono plug inputs and not XLR inputs. It's possible to purchase XLR-to-1/8" adapters can certainly be purchased along with the recording device, in order to and physically connect a professional mic, but whether the recorder performs acceptably with this signal path is a proposition that should be tested before use in a production environment. However, one test made with such a device and several mics in a suitably quiet environment produced a recording with a level of self-noise accompanying signal that would be unacceptable in a professional production setting. The device fared much better using its built-in mics on stereo mode, with special care to noise generated by handling the device.
II. equipment to check out
A. general
Students currently enrolled in CAMS production classes (including comps) have access to cameras, microphones and accessories to complete class assignments. This equipment is reserved in the CAMS Production Office (phone 5698; pbernhardt@carleton.edu). The CAMS Production Office is open for equipment check-out and check-in:
Sun 4:30-7:30pm
Mon 3:30-6:30pm
Tues 3:30-6:30pm
Weds 3:30-6:30pm
Thu 3:30-6:30pm
Fri 3:45-5pm
Sat closed
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