On Tue, 08 May 2001 17:16:15 GMT, acny37@hotmail.com (Tom "Pixel_Pusher" Avel) wrote:

>From what I remember it has to do when you use the audio manual
>control mode. Sony really stinks for not fixing problem.

What problem...? ;-)
People are quick to jump on this without really
understanding what is going on, I think... The
VX-2000 audio set-up is unusual, and its characteristics
make it generally difficult to add external mics to
it - but usually for reasons other than "hiss"...
From my experience with this:
1) the VX-2000 audio adjustments in manual mode
are quite wide, and it is easy to adjust record levels
so high that mic and preamp background noise is easily
heard (but these levels are generally unrealistic for
actual recordings).
2) the VX-2000 headphone amp is noisy (noise levels
should be checked at line out with a good audio system).
3) headphones are often high-end peaked (and rough),
exaggerating noise levels (noise levels should be
checked at line out with a good audio system).
4) the VX-2000 headphone level control is easily
set too high, exaggerating perception of noise
levels (noise levels should be checked at line out
with a good audio system).
5) the VX-2000 AGC system is unusual in two ways:
the compression and limiting is less than usual,
giving a lower than average audio level with the
built-in mic it is optimized for (and greater than
usual dynamic range, with quieter ambient-sound
recordings); the built-in mic appears to have lower
sensitivity than average, making most other mics
placed on the AGC appear too loud (and peak limiting
is excessive, and noise background is exaggerated).
(A mic pad cures this.)
6) the VX-2000 (and sometimes the TRV-900) is prone
to LF vibration pickup in the audio when some
external mics are used (it sounds like hum). This
is difficult to eliminate unless the mics are
carefully isolated from the camera.
In other words, "hiss", "hum", and excessive
limiting can easily be heard with the VX-2000
when external mics are used, but not at the line
outs when levels are properly set, when proper
level-matching is done, and when proper physical
isolation measures are taken - unless there is a
problem elsewhere. Blame Sony for their design
choices, if you want (though I find the VX-2000
sound excellent, if also more troublesome to
match properly to external mics), but not for
this non-existant "hiss-problem" (and not for not
"fixing" it...;-)
(BTW, K. reports hiss on the tape, but not at the
headphones while recording, an unlikely event,
or one that indicates problems with the wireless
mic system after headphone monitoring had been
done...).