MEZE Boom Mic Review: Turn the Meze 99 into a gaming headset?

Meze Boom Mic Review! 

Meze makes some of the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn. What if we took some classic premium cans, and tried to use them for gaming? 

Let's take a look! 

Saramonic Ultra Wireless Microphones: Putting RODE and DJI on Notice!

Saramonic Ultra Review!

What happens when a budget brand goes PRO? We get some fun gear to play with! Sporting great sound quality and a rugged build, the Ultra pack in a few tricks that audio pros will appreciate. Thankfully, these mics wont break the bank!

Let's take a listen! OUTSIDE!

Saramonic Ultra on Amazon https://amzn.to/48GpYk7

Save 10% on the Saramonic Ultra when you use promo code "SOMEGADGETGUY10" when shopping on the link here: https://saramonic-usa.8lvxaf.net/o4R1Y9

"USB" is NOT a Type of Microphone: A Guide for Podcasting and Home Recording

I've been threatening to make this video for a while now...

There's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all "nice microphone". There are different types of mics for different types of recording jobs. If you're looking at podcasting, spoken word, interviews, or voice over recording, here's a quick primer on some of the microphones you might want to consider!

Review: The R0DE Classic II Anniversary Edition Tube Microphone

We haven't done a studio microphone review for a while, so it's time to come back with a biggie!

R0DE's Classic II is a modern twist on a vintage-y mic technology. Not only that, the Anniversary edition comes in Darth Vader black, and it's pretty sexy. Let's take a look (and a listen)!
Shop the R0DE Classic II on Amazon.
Save 10% on a Loot Crate by using promo code "SGLOOT" at checkout!

Review: Blue Microphones' Bluebird Large Diaphragm Condenser Mic

Let's take a quick look at the high end of Blue's entry level lineup! It's a looker, but do you really get that much more microphone for the $100 premium over the Spark?


Shop for Blue Microphones' Bluebird on Amazon, and you'll be supporting SomeAudioGuy at no additional cost to you! Or buy me a cup of coffee using my donation links to the left!

Cascade Microphones Fat Head II Ribbon Mic: A Review in Pics and Sound

The elusive quest for “warmth”.

I’m a little bored to tears by the insane number of forum threads started by people looking for that “supa warm phat sound yo”. What we’re all looking for is a little texture, a little low frequency distortion, and a little character (inaccuracy).

In the VO world, the first line of attack for achieving this “warmth” is usually tubes. Tube premps, tube microphones, some kind of vintage-y glass bulb SOMEWHERE in our recording chain will warm things up a bit. Recently however, there’s been a renewed interest in other old school methods of audio reproduction. One area gaining a little momentum is the return of the ribbon mic.

It doesn’t get much “older school” than a ribbon. A super thin piece of aluminum is suspended in a magnetic frame. As acoustic vibrations hit the ribbon, the wiggling around the magnet creates the electrical impulse used to carry the audio signal. It’s similar to a dynamic mic, but is a LOT more fragile. That super thin aluminum strip can get torqued by drops or even hard ‘P’ puffs of air. Also, due to the nature of suspending the ribbon, all ribbon mics are figure of eight mics, so you’ll always have to contend with both the front and rear of the mic being live.

The Fat Head II is an inexpensive line of mics from Cascade Microphones. I happened to receive a Fat Head with the optional Lundahl transformer, which is more expensive than the stock microphone, but uses higher quality internals to provide a more even frequency response with less severe high and low frequency roll offs. I wasn’t able to test it side by side a stock Fat Head.

General construction is very attractive. The ribbon is mounted behind a lollipop style mesh grill. The mic body has a satin finish which feels high quality in the hand. It certainly looks the gig, and elicits immediate reactions when people encounter it in the studio. I was so taken with the look of this mic I used it for the top banner of this blog...

It arrived extremely well accessorized. A silver flight case contains a separate wooden box for the mic and double wired shock mount. The Cascade branded microfiber cleaning cloth was a nice touch too.

In use, the mic lives up to its name. The sound delivered could certainly be described as “fat”. It’s very sensitive to proximity and placement, and great care needs to be taken in arriving at a good arrangement for a somewhat accurate vocal recording. This is not a mic you crowd. The proximity effect on ribbons can be severe, and working this mic like you might a dynamic will result in muddy recordings. Once you find that sweet spot however, you’ll be treated to a very pleasant sound.

It’s a little hard to describe. In a word it’s smooth. This isn't a mic built for reference grade clinical accuracy. It’s kind of like using a soft focus and sepia filter on a photo. It’s maybe not the “truest” representation of what we’re capturing, but it feels good.

A couple concerns.
Can’t talk about ribbons without mentioning care. These mics are easily affected by bumps and pops. The magnets can pick up stray particles, so you should never let it rest on flat dusty surfaces. It should also never be stored horizontally as gravity will start to pull at the ribbon. Lastly great care must be taken to avoid connecting the mic to a preamp with phantom power engaged. The sudden surge of electricity can cause the ribbon to invert, which will stretch it out and alter the sound of the mic, prolly for the worse. ShinyBox has a video of this happening. It’s not pretty.

The signal coming off a ribbon is super low, so expect to use a REALLY hot preamp (something that can deliver at least 60dB of clean gain, though you’ll probably need more) to capture conversational speaking. You might also want to invest in something like the Cloudlifter CL-1 for two reasons. One, it’ll deliver about 20dB of gain, and two it’ll protect the mic against damage if you ever accidentally connect it with phantom power engaged.

This wont be a mic for everyone. The more extreme we get with effects on recording, the harder it gets to predict whether it will play well with a particular voice. I’d rate this mic as little better than a coin flip. It might sound great. It might sound pretty bad. As such, I can not recommend this mic as a daily driver, but it could be a fantastic companion mic for those times you’re wanting a particular vibe. At $350 it's not too much of a risk for those wanting to expand their mic locker.

Have you been questing for a "fatter" sound? Well, it wont get much "warmer" than this...

Take a listen to my voice on the Fat Head II!

Cascade Microphones - Fat Head II Ribbon Microphone VO Sample by SomeAudioGuy

Thanks to the DIY Ribbon Project for the Ribbon diagram, and Recording Hacks for sending the Fat Head my way!

Help support SomeAudioGuy! Shop for the Fat Head II on Amazon!

Black and White Glamor Shot of the AKG C414 XLS

Another week, and another glamor shot of my favorite studio work horse mic, the AKG C414.

Have a great weekend!

From The Twitters: How Much Money Should I Save For a Home Recording Setup?

I usually get the "what's the least amount of money I can spend to get that pro VO sound" question. The question where basically they want me to validate the purchase of a SnowBall, and they tend to get a bit spiky when I suggest they set a budget instead.

So, when I get the "what should I buy" question framed by asking about setting a proper budget for recording equipment, I like to spend a little time answering that question.

From Twitter user @kirstynjohnson I received the following tweets:

okay, @SomeAudioGuy. trying to get an 'equipment' savings account set up. I figure just starting with a single mic is the best route, aha.(@SomeAudioGuy cont.) so, what would be the best choice for a beginner like myself? I'm not limiting price range, as it's an investment.

OK.
You're asking the right question here. How much SHOULD I save up? Yes. Set a budget. This is a business investment, and no business can succeed if it just throws money around willy-nilly, or if it spends too little on producing its product.

Where you're going to run into a problem, the mic is only ONE piece of your chain. How are you going to power that mic? You could spend thousands on a Manley reference mic, but if you haven't considered the rest of your chain, your recordings will sound awful. From the room you're in, to the source you're recording (namely you), to the preamp/compressor/digital interface, to the computer, and then to playback, if you plan for EACH of these pieces of your chain then your recordings will sound MUCH better than if you over-buy on one link.

One of the reasons people start to think mid range mics don't sound as good, or are noisier, or any number of other faults, is that they are only being powered by the preamp built into an interface. Moving to a dedicated preamp can usually mean more recording signal at a lower noise floor. Spending around $500 on a preamp (like a Grace M101 or an FMR Audio RNP8380), and then picking out a mid-range mic like the AKG C214, Rode NT2000, AudioTechnica AT4040, or Shure KSM32 will almost always sound noticeably better than just spending $1000+ on a mic.

If your space is really noisy, you might also want to consider a dynamic mic solution, like from my video review of the Cloudlifter CL1. A Heil PR40, EV RE20, Shure SM7b, or even just a lowly SM58 can sound pretty great when properly driven (which the Cloudlifter will help with in providing clean gain), and will be MUCH more tolerant of less than ideal recording spaces (which is why these types of mics are used in radio).

So, as you may have figured out by now, mic selection alone can start to get a little overwhelming with all of the genuinely good options available to us. If it's me, I think I'd set a budget around $2000 for everything. That gets me a good interface, a nice preamp, great mid range mic, and some cash left over to do some room treatments. The sum total of your chain at that point should be a marked step above entry solutions like USB mics.

As to exactly which mic I would buy, that's as personal a selection as picking out your undergarments. Realistically you should sound fine on ANY of the choices listed above, but if you're really exacting on tailoring your mic selection to the specific qualities of your voice, you might need to spend a little time and cash on booking some studio time to play with a couple different mics, or on hiring someone like me to actually go out to your place with a couple different mics to do a shootout.

Glamor Shot of the Cascade Fathead II Ribbon Microphone

Such a pretty mic...
The Cascade Fathead II Ribbon Mic (with Lundahl Transformer) on Amazon.

*** UPDATE ***

That tears it. This mic is too pretty.

I'm making it my new banner at the top of this blog...

Microphone Technique Workshop and Shootout Recap

Last Saturday was my second Microphone Technique Workshop and Shootout at The Voicecaster in Burbank.

I had a really good time with it. Five students spent four hours going over SEVENTEEN different mics, and along the way we spent time going over technique. Getting a chance to properly explain concepts like proximity, off axis recording, polar patterns, and frequency response was very satisfying.

It's not surprising how many bad habits are created by forcing actors to figure out how to record themselves on their own, so I hope providing a little context was helpful.

We had time to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of dynamic mics, large diaphragm condensers, shotguns, ribbons, plus even a few vintage and novelty mics like the AKG D202, SM56, and a couple over-head mics like the KM-184. Quite a bit of time was also spent discussing USB microphones... A LOT of misconceptions there...

It was great getting a lot of questions not only on home recording, but on booth etiquette, and audition technique (both at home and when auditions are out of house). Watching an actor light up at a practical concept that could help their career was one of the best things that could happen to me as a cynical, curmudgeonly engineer.

Actors wanted to learn. They didn't just want to hear "this knob makes it louder". They wanted to get better.    

Our next round will be the first Saturday of April from 2-6pm at The Voicecaster. You can contact them at 818-841-5300 or email them at [Casting AT VoiceCaster DOT com]. Cost of the workshop is $250, and your spot can be held with a $50 deposit. I only take a maximum of eight students so I can stay hands on, and two spots are already reserved. I'll bring the cough drops!

I hope you can make it, and hopefully we wont have snowfall in Burbank next time...

SomeAudioGuy Video Mini-Review: Cloud Microphone's Cloudlifter CL-1 Mic Activator

If you record with low output mics you'll always be craving more gain. The CL-1 is here to give it to you. For engineers using ribbon and dynamic mics, check out my review of Cloud Microphone's Cloudlifter CL-1 Mic Activator.



Click on the Amazon links to the left before shopping, and you'll help keep SomeAudioGuy on the web at no additional cost to you!

Analog VU Meters are the Best...

I love watching them flick back and forth...

Up Close and Personal with The Zoom H4n

One of the most versatile pieces of equipment I own. The X-Y mics up top are kinda pretty...
Zoom H4n on Amazon.

Studio Picture of the AKG C414 B-XLS

My favorite microphone. Easily one of the best bang for buck mics you can buy. I could take pics of it all day...

Three Spots Open for the February Microphone Workshop!

Hey all!
If you're in the LA area, I run a workshop on Microphone Technique which also includes a mic shootout!

The next workshop is scheduled for February 26 from 2pm - 6pm (or whenever we get tired of hearing the sound of our voices), and admission is $250.

We'll be going over several different types of mics, and you'll get to hear what you sound like on ALL of them!

We'll be hosting this workshop at The Voicecaster in Burbank, and you can contact them for more info if you're interested at 818-841-5300 or email them at "Casting AT voicecaster DOT com".

Hope to see you there!

Glamor Shot of My OLD MKH 416-P48

I bought my 416 used when I moved out to LA. I prefer buying new gear (especially microphones because of hygiene issues), but my 416 came in this rad little wooden box!

Up close and personal with my Neumann KM-184...

I've always liked the honeycomb like front screen on the KM-184... Gold... Precious...



If you've got pics of your mic handy, send them my way!

A Little Smack Down for Some NON-Constructive Criticism

Alright.
If you've read this blog at all, you should know I'm a snarky, cranky, git most of the time. Also that I produce content all over the place, including my own pet project, a film review webseries called Movies You May Have Missed.
Since the show's creation, people have constantly made fun of the "prop" microphone we keep on the table. This hurts my feelings, as a lot of work goes into making that show look and sound natural.

We made this vid to address a few of those "not so constructive" criticisms...

Up close and personal with my M-Audio Solaris...

Happy Monday!
While this isn't my favorite mic in my collection, it is one of my most interesting mics from a design stand point.

Do you have a pic of your fave mic? Send it my way!

Next Voicecaster Microphone Workshop August 21! Four spots still available!

Who likes Microphones?

The next workshop will be held August 21st, from 2pm-6pm (though we might run over if we're all still having a good time). The workshop is $250, and there are currently four spots available.

For this workshop, we'll be spending a little time talking about the science of recording, the reasons why we use certain mics for certain jobs, and then we'll have a full on mic shoot-out to try and get you in front of as many different mics as possible. The current mic roster includes handheld dynamics, studio dynamics, handheld condensers, large diaphragm condensers, and of course a shotgun microphone. If you bring a USB flash storage drive, you will leave with your recordings for you to compare on your own.

We'll basically just keep talking until we're sick of the sound of each other's voices, so it should be a lot of fun. If you're interested in snagging one of the open spots, please contact The Voicecaster at 818-841-5300 or Casting@voicecaster.com.

Hope to see you there, and I'll bring the cough drops!