http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ Videomaker Community Forums » Topic: Attenuators, I'm confused? en Sat, 18 Feb 2012 11:55:52 +0000 http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/attenuators-im-confused#post-49693 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:20:07 +0000 composite1 49693@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>Trevor,</p> <p>The attenuators I most commonly deal with are either built-in or 'mocked-up'. The best mocked-up attenuator I've worked with is leather chamois. I do a lot of work in high-end industrial environments and you'd be surprised at how just wrapping a mic in 2 or 3 layers of chamois can help filter sound. If you're looking for electronic attenuators, try outfits like Markertek or Radio Shack.</p> <p>Mazda,</p> <p>The main thing you utilize an attenuator for is to get 'usable' audio. Having worked in super noisey environments like factories, aircraft carriers and racing venues I can attest that your not going to get 'clean' audio from your subject. But, in such environments you can get usable audio using a combination of electronic attenuation and mocked-up filters like the one I just mentioned. If the ambient noise level is so high that even attenuation doesn't help, your only other option is voice-over if your subject is speaking on camera.</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/attenuators-im-confused#post-49671 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 22:57:29 +0000 MazdaMan 49671@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>Would it not depend on what you are trying to film? Filtering out high frequencies wouldn't do much good if you were recording in an area with a lot of low frequency background noise.</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/attenuators-im-confused#post-49642 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:40:26 +0000 trevorbliss 49642@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p> </p> <p>Thanks for the advice, can you recommend supplier or make as they cost from a couple of dollars to tens of dollars for <strong>electronic attenuators</strong>. </p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/attenuators-im-confused#post-49506 Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:11:22 +0000 composite1 49506@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>Trevor,</p> <p>An <strong>attenuator</strong> is an electronic device that helps reduce sound without distortion. You can also passively '<strong>attenuate</strong>' sound by reducing it's 'flow rate' by blocking or filtering the incoming sound. For examples of <strong>passive attenuation</strong>, foam mic coverings, fuzzy muffs and chamois are used to cover a mic to cut down on the strength of the sound coming in and sound blankets arranged around the intended sound source block the wavelengths of incoming unwanted ambient sound.</p> <p>For <strong>electronic attenuation</strong>, your prosumer and pro recording devices usually have built-in attenuators but you can purchase additional external devices such as power attenuators or coaxial connectors. Built-in attenuators in such cameras and audio recorders are activated by switching your audio recording selector from 'manual' to 'auto'. Some devices will have an 'attenuator' switch on the device instead of 'auto'.</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/attenuators-im-confused#post-49440 Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:32:27 +0000 trevorbliss 49440@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p> Hi,  Can anyone help and advice on Attenuators.  So many out there  I'm con fused.</p>