My friend Robert from JuicedLink explains the benefits of using a JuicedLink Preamplifier. If you missed our last video discussion on how to achieve quality audio, you might want to check it out HERE. Robert supplied us with a valuable 101 on all things capturing quality audio.
Robert is responsible for the JuicedLink Preamps that so many DSLR shooters in the industry are familiar with. Being a sound engineer, this guy knows the ins and outs of his field and in this video, he shares with us some of his knowledge on audio. Here is a basic breakdown of my discussion with Robert on the benefits of using JuicedLink Preamps:

Mini Jack to XLR: Your DSLR camera does not have the right kind of connector for the best quality microphones. The best quality mics will have balanced XLR outputs, a DSLR has a stereo mini jack input. The JuicedLink preamp allows you to interface professional level XLR microphones with your DSLR’s stereo mini jack input.

Signal to Noise Performance: To achieve better signal to noise performance from noisy camera amplifiers, the JuicedLink Preamplifier manually throttles back the noisy amplification in the camera and replaces the noisy gain with clean gain while boosting the signal to achieve optimal signal to noise performance.

Post Production Workflow: External recording devices can add complicated audio syncing steps in post. Given the fact that DSLRs are only capable of recording around 15 minutes of footage at a time, syncing all of the audio for a large number of takes can become time consuming. To cut back on your post production workflow, the JuicedLink Preamps allow you to record directly into the camera. If you only have XLR mics plugged directly into your camera’s mini jack input with adaptors and try to throttle back the noisy amplification in the camera, you will turn all of your audio down rather than the noise alone. The JuicedLink Preamp allows you to cut noisy gain and boost your signal for better signal to noise performance.

JuicedLink Preamps
CX 211, CX231, CX431
They all use the same preamplifier architecture. The main difference being how many XLR inputs are in each unit and whether or not they supply phantom power.

Juicedlink CX 211, CX231, CX431

DT454
4 mic Channels, (2 XLR, 2 unbalanced Low-noise preamplifiers, Meters 4 segment LED (each right/left), 2 sensitvity settings; adjustable, Meters valuable with the new 5DMKII firmware, which does not show meters during recording, AGC Disable (to get better SNR from cameras without manual control), 30dB low-noise typ max gain (single ended, stereo), Headphone Amplifier, Playback Monitoring, 48V Phantom, plus 12V power saving mode

JuicedLink DT454

DS214 Has AGC disable and visible meters that you can calibrate to your camera, but no XLRs. Coupled with an external mic like a Rode Video Mic Pro or as Robert suggest, the Zoom H4N, the DS214 will take the headphone output and give you headphone amplifiers, metering and AGC disable. You can then loop all of that into your camera.

JuicedLink DS214

DT414 has visible meters that you can calibrate to your camera, no phantom power and no AGC (audio gain control) disable.
AGC disable injects a very large signal level from the JuicedLink Preamp into one of the recording tracks in the camera. AGC senses the loud noise and in effect throttles back its gain or noisy amplifiers.
AGC was important when the original DSLRs first came out with no manual control of their audio. Without AGC, you couldn’t throttle back the noisy gain to get better signal to noise performance. Now that cameras have manual control of their audio with firmware updates, this is a much less important feature. However, the 7D and the T2i still do not have manual control of their audio. In this case, you’d want the DT545 which comes with AGC disable. (not yet available)

For more information on all things JuicedLink check out the website www.JuicedLink.com. You can also find many of the Juicedlink products over at Amazon (click here).

JuicedLink Preamps – via Amazon