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!
Showing posts with label m-audio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label m-audio. Show all posts
Monday, January 10, 2011
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!
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!
Friday, August 29, 2008
M-Audio FINALLY Replacing The Firewire 410. Introducing The ProFire 610!
Yup, it was bound to happen eventually. I kind of figured this was coming up, when I went hunting for drivers, and saw that the FW410 had been removed from the M-Audio site (it's back up now, but probably wont be for long).So what's new?
Looks like we get 24 bit/192kHz (a step up over 96kHz), and the ability to function as a standalone mic preamp. I'm excited to see that it looks like we'll also FINALLY be able to use the front and rear inputs AT THE SAME TIME!
This was my biggest complaint with the FW410. It's really only a two input card (deceptive, as it's got "four" inputs and "ten" outputs - "FW410" - but it really only has two analog inputs and eight outputs, the other ins and outs are digital). This makes the mid range Firewire card competitive with the newer FastTrack cards.
I also like the new look M-Audio is taking. USB cards are still gray and rounded. Firewire cards are going for more of an edgy, black, industrial look. I dig it.
What don't I like?
Well I'd rather have buttons for the pads. I don't like having to pull on knobs. As it's most likely going to just be resting on a desk (as opposed to being rack mounted), that usually become a two handed maneuver (holding the interface in place while pulling the knob).I really wish some manufacturer would step up and give us individual phantom power controls. The one button for all thing is getting a little tired.
I might miss having optical ports on the back. The only digital in/out is now S/PDIF, and I kinda like the skinnier TOSLink cables.
Hopefully they've figured out their problem with hotswapping. I've never hotswapped my 410, and I've been fine, but I have had clients fry firewire ports with M-Audio gear.
Lastly I'm kinda disappointed that M-Audio is still holding to a subtly deceptive naming scheme. It does have the ability to record six channels, and output ten. However, two inputs and two outputs are through S/PDIF, so using project studio gear, you really only have access to four in and eight out. This isn't quite as big a deal as when the 410 was released, but it can be a little frustrating when you're trying to research gear.
The Profire looks like a good step up from the 410 it's replacing, but if you already have a 410, it doesn't look like quite enough of an upgrade to make the plunge. That said, I am going to try and get my hands on one (without having to buy one) to play around and see how the new mic amps compare to my old 410. It certainly is a striking interface though, and along with the ProFire 2626 sets the trend for where M-Audio's Firewire line is headed (maybe an update to the FW1814 and ProjectMix soon plzkthnx).M-Audio suggested retail is $499.95, but pre-order street price is $399.99 around the web (link to zzounds).
The ProFire 610 should be available to retail channels middle of September.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Living Room Laboratory: The Sennheiser MD421-U-5
It's a beautiful day (windows wide open with 70 degree weather), Mrs. Audio Guy is outta town, and Biggs is being chill.
Let's play a little!
About two months before we moved, a reader of the blog sold me an old (OLD) used Sennheiser MD421-U-5. He was cleaning out his mic cabinet, and came across this old Senny, which he had purchased in the 90's, then just never really used. He was well stocked on SM7's and RE20's, so off this mic went. To me. For little more than the cost of shipping. Woot!
I don't know exactly how old it is, but it is a fairly early serial number for the U-5 (#2097, and I've seen serials as high 55,000 on ebay), so I'm thinking it was made in the early 80's or late 70's.
A little history, the MD421 is probably the microphone most responsible for Sennheiser having a presence in the US microphone market today. Thomas Schillinger sold 600 MD421's to NBC in the late 60's, getting the microphone into the hands of recording and broadcast engineers across the country, and to date, the MD421 (and it's updates) remains one of the highest selling microphones of all time.
I've NEVER used one before.
These days, the dynamic microphones of choice seem to be the Electrovoice RE20, or the Shure SM7B. Most VO pros I know go for those, a large diaphragm condenser, or Sennheiser's now ubiquitous shotgun, the MKH416.
I don't run a booth out of my home anymore, so I thought it would be fun to throw some kit out on the living room floor. I recorded a little Poe (you know me and Poe), and to compare I also recorded on another dynamic microphone, the Shure SM57 (my personal fave "do anything" mic). The recording chain was Microphone to ART Tube PAC to NRV10 to laptop.
So how did it sound?
Here's the MD421:
And here's the SM57:
First up, this mic is QUIET. I plugged it into my preamp, and dialed up about 20dB of gain, and saw nothing. I had to hit the MD421 with 45dB of input for it to register my voice at a comfortable speaking level. By comparison the SM57 needed only 30dB of gain to match the output of the MD421. I've never had to do that before. I'm pretty confident I could scream myself mute into this thing and be NOWHERE near damaging the cartridge.
The tone is pretty smooth, and I think it fattens up the bassier end of my thin little voice. From memory, I feel it exhibits more proximity effect than RE20's I've used. Good to know if you're going for an intense "trailer" sound.
The SM57 did a much better job with off-axis rejection (picking up little surrounding noise except for what's directly in front of it), but the MD421 was certainly no slouch (remember I was recording 4 feet from an open window overlooking a fairly busy street in Studio City). Also, the MD421 was MUCH more tolerant of plosive b's and p's (a problem of mine), and something the SM57 can be a little fragile about. I feel I could comfortably use the 421 without a pop shield or sock.
I'm really excited about this mic. It probably wont see tons of action as I prefer condensers for most of my VO, but the times I need to record really loud sessions, this baby's going right up front to the top of my list. I'm this mic's third owner, and I'm really stoked to be giving it a good home!
Are you looking for a NEW MD421?
Let's play a little!
About two months before we moved, a reader of the blog sold me an old (OLD) used Sennheiser MD421-U-5. He was cleaning out his mic cabinet, and came across this old Senny, which he had purchased in the 90's, then just never really used. He was well stocked on SM7's and RE20's, so off this mic went. To me. For little more than the cost of shipping. Woot!I don't know exactly how old it is, but it is a fairly early serial number for the U-5 (#2097, and I've seen serials as high 55,000 on ebay), so I'm thinking it was made in the early 80's or late 70's.
A little history, the MD421 is probably the microphone most responsible for Sennheiser having a presence in the US microphone market today. Thomas Schillinger sold 600 MD421's to NBC in the late 60's, getting the microphone into the hands of recording and broadcast engineers across the country, and to date, the MD421 (and it's updates) remains one of the highest selling microphones of all time.
I've NEVER used one before.
These days, the dynamic microphones of choice seem to be the Electrovoice RE20, or the Shure SM7B. Most VO pros I know go for those, a large diaphragm condenser, or Sennheiser's now ubiquitous shotgun, the MKH416.
I don't run a booth out of my home anymore, so I thought it would be fun to throw some kit out on the living room floor. I recorded a little Poe (you know me and Poe), and to compare I also recorded on another dynamic microphone, the Shure SM57 (my personal fave "do anything" mic). The recording chain was Microphone to ART Tube PAC to NRV10 to laptop.So how did it sound?
Here's the MD421:
|
And here's the SM57:
|
First up, this mic is QUIET. I plugged it into my preamp, and dialed up about 20dB of gain, and saw nothing. I had to hit the MD421 with 45dB of input for it to register my voice at a comfortable speaking level. By comparison the SM57 needed only 30dB of gain to match the output of the MD421. I've never had to do that before. I'm pretty confident I could scream myself mute into this thing and be NOWHERE near damaging the cartridge.
The tone is pretty smooth, and I think it fattens up the bassier end of my thin little voice. From memory, I feel it exhibits more proximity effect than RE20's I've used. Good to know if you're going for an intense "trailer" sound.
The SM57 did a much better job with off-axis rejection (picking up little surrounding noise except for what's directly in front of it), but the MD421 was certainly no slouch (remember I was recording 4 feet from an open window overlooking a fairly busy street in Studio City). Also, the MD421 was MUCH more tolerant of plosive b's and p's (a problem of mine), and something the SM57 can be a little fragile about. I feel I could comfortably use the 421 without a pop shield or sock.
I'm really excited about this mic. It probably wont see tons of action as I prefer condensers for most of my VO, but the times I need to record really loud sessions, this baby's going right up front to the top of my list. I'm this mic's third owner, and I'm really stoked to be giving it a good home!
Are you looking for a NEW MD421?
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
A post on Microphones, Sound Cards, and Sound Proofing
MICROPHONE!
Digging through some of the old equipment at one of the casting studios I work at (the oldest voice over casting studio in LA Woot!) I stumbled on a box of old microphones. Most were crap, but tucked away was an original capsule SM56! Had to tinker with the impedance, but got it set up, and it's now enjoying full time use. Near as I can tell, the mic is almost 40 years old!
SHURE SM57
SOUNDCARD!
I love Stumbleupon. It sucks so much of my life away, just stumbling round teh intarwebs.
Caught this Flickr pic from sneeka2 comparing the Firewire410 (my soundcard) to the Mac Mini. I was actually kinda surprised.
I've been kinda disappointed in soundcards of late. Besides some of the Mixer/Interface hybrids, there's been depressingly little development. Is there anything you readers are looking forward to? Let me know!
M-AUDIO NRV10
SOUND PROOFING!
For those of you trying to set up your own recording booths, check out this vid from the Revision3 Gazette, and you can see what they went through to reduce echo in their studios. Now obviously this is reinforcement on an industrial level, but the lessons here are still valid for us closet junkies.
someaudioguy some audio guy voice over demo production voice acting adr dubbing animation anime narration
Digging through some of the old equipment at one of the casting studios I work at (the oldest voice over casting studio in LA Woot!) I stumbled on a box of old microphones. Most were crap, but tucked away was an original capsule SM56! Had to tinker with the impedance, but got it set up, and it's now enjoying full time use. Near as I can tell, the mic is almost 40 years old!
SHURE SM57
SOUNDCARD!
I love Stumbleupon. It sucks so much of my life away, just stumbling round teh intarwebs.
Caught this Flickr pic from sneeka2 comparing the Firewire410 (my soundcard) to the Mac Mini. I was actually kinda surprised.
I've been kinda disappointed in soundcards of late. Besides some of the Mixer/Interface hybrids, there's been depressingly little development. Is there anything you readers are looking forward to? Let me know!
M-AUDIO NRV10
SOUND PROOFING!
For those of you trying to set up your own recording booths, check out this vid from the Revision3 Gazette, and you can see what they went through to reduce echo in their studios. Now obviously this is reinforcement on an industrial level, but the lessons here are still valid for us closet junkies.
someaudioguy some audio guy voice over demo production voice acting adr dubbing animation anime narration
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
NRV10 Update - You CAN dasiy-chain the NRV10 with the Firewire 410!!!
I LOVE Firewire!
I updated the driver on my desktop to play with the NRV10. Apparently there is now only one "family" driver for M-Audio firewire products.
I didn't feel like disconnecting my FW410 to plug in the NRV10, so I used the spare port on the FW410. Upon rebooting, my computer ran it's updates, and could see both the FW410 and the NRV10.
I fired up Acid, and set up a couple audio tracks. Acid not only saw both devices, but let me run inputs from different devices at the same time.
Now this might not seem like a huge deal. You've always been able to daisy-chain firewire devices, but usually that means hooking up an external hard drive to your external soundcard. As far as I knew, very few sound cards could be daisy-chained to show up as a single multi-input device. Those devices usually had to match as well, as they would have to use the same driver. M-Audio's firewire "family" driver marks the first time, that I know of, where two different devices can be linked and used as one big interface. This is something that can ONLY be done over Firewire, as USB can't share resources like this.
MAudio NRV10 Analog Mixer and Firewire Audio Interface
What do you even call that? Asymmetrical audio interface daisy chaining?
I don't know, but between the FW410 and the NRV10 I now have 12 routable inputs (10 analog 2 stereo mix down), 2 digital inputs, 10 analog outs (18 software routable outs), and 2 digital outs all in a fairly compact set up.
I'm stoked!
M-Audio FireWire 410 4-In / 10-Out FireWire Mobile Recording Interface
And if you want to see more shots of the NRV10, you can click here for my un-boxing post!
I updated the driver on my desktop to play with the NRV10. Apparently there is now only one "family" driver for M-Audio firewire products.
I didn't feel like disconnecting my FW410 to plug in the NRV10, so I used the spare port on the FW410. Upon rebooting, my computer ran it's updates, and could see both the FW410 and the NRV10.
I fired up Acid, and set up a couple audio tracks. Acid not only saw both devices, but let me run inputs from different devices at the same time.Now this might not seem like a huge deal. You've always been able to daisy-chain firewire devices, but usually that means hooking up an external hard drive to your external soundcard. As far as I knew, very few sound cards could be daisy-chained to show up as a single multi-input device. Those devices usually had to match as well, as they would have to use the same driver. M-Audio's firewire "family" driver marks the first time, that I know of, where two different devices can be linked and used as one big interface. This is something that can ONLY be done over Firewire, as USB can't share resources like this.
MAudio NRV10 Analog Mixer and Firewire Audio Interface
What do you even call that? Asymmetrical audio interface daisy chaining?
I don't know, but between the FW410 and the NRV10 I now have 12 routable inputs (10 analog 2 stereo mix down), 2 digital inputs, 10 analog outs (18 software routable outs), and 2 digital outs all in a fairly compact set up.
I'm stoked!
M-Audio FireWire 410 4-In / 10-Out FireWire Mobile Recording Interface
And if you want to see more shots of the NRV10, you can click here for my un-boxing post!
Monday, March 24, 2008
MONSTER POST - AudioGuy got an NRV10 - Lots of Pictures!
MAudio NRV10 Analog Mixer and Firewire Audio Interface
WOOT!
I took a bunch of pictures of the unboxing and first setup, so prepare for geek-pr0n!
Biggelow helped inspect the packing:
Huh? A box, within a box, within a box...
There. That's better:
Biggs momentarily gets bored and re-inspects packing:
He then realizes there's more to sniff:
The outer box:
Biggs checks out the innards:
Finally the NRV10!
And profile:
"Hmmmm smells good"
Behold the NRV10!
The NRV10 by my old Behringer (I never throw anything away):
Back Panel:
Plugging in some mics!
Soundforge is ready:
That's a lot of audio!
Biggs tuckered out from all the excitement:
OK, so first impressions.
I love this thing!
Setup has been the easiest I've ever had with any M-Audio kit. M-Audio drivers are "IN"-famous for being a little twitchy. I went and downloaded the newest from the web (not even bothering with the CD), and my laptop recognized the mixer without a hitch. Soundforge and Audition instantly knew what to do with the machine, and so far the only program giving me grief is Pro Tools, which refuses to see more than 4 channels. That's really obnoxious, as PT compatibility was a main buying point for me. Watchagunnado, a day without a Pro Tools annoyance...
Firewire is a perfect data transfer protocol. My laptop is OLD (1.8GHz P4, 768MB RAM), but it had no issues simultaneously recording 5 mono tracks and a Stereo Main mix-down @ 24/96. I can't wait to seriously light this thing up.
Build quality feels solid. Metal casing, the faders feel tight (really tight), but the knobs are all a little too loose for my taste. If you're really working a mix, a careless gesture could flip a couple knobs around (especially as placement is really close, it is a portable mixer).
The only thing I really don't like about the mixer's layout is how it vents. Rather than have any airflow come out the back of the mixer (see above for the back panel shot), heat comes out the bottom of the mixer. The bottom. What the mixer rests on. There are some stubby feet, but they wont guarantee a lot of clearance. Heat kills electronics, so if you aren't going to mount this puppy, you might want to throw a book under the back feet to aid in cooling.
In all, I'm very happy with this mixer, and am looking forward to really putting it through its paces. Maybe some Shakespeare? Hmmmm...
Thanks again to everyone that helped me make up my mind through comments and emails!
MAudio NRV10 Analog Mixer and Firewire Audio Interface
WARNING: LOTS OF PICTURES FOLLOWING.
LOAD TIMES MAY VARY.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
So I just wanted to say thanks for all the comments and emails regarding my call for help. I needed a new mixer, and I was trying to decide between the NRV10 and the Zed-14. I ultimately decided against the Zed-14 when I found out the USB port only carried buses not individual inputs. That clinched it. I put in my order for the NRV10, and it just showed up today.YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
WOOT!
I took a bunch of pictures of the unboxing and first setup, so prepare for geek-pr0n!
Biggelow helped inspect the packing:
Huh? A box, within a box, within a box...
There. That's better:
Biggs momentarily gets bored and re-inspects packing:
He then realizes there's more to sniff:
The outer box:
Biggs checks out the innards:
Finally the NRV10!
And profile:
"Hmmmm smells good"
Behold the NRV10!
The NRV10 by my old Behringer (I never throw anything away):
Back Panel:
Plugging in some mics!
Soundforge is ready:
That's a lot of audio!
Biggs tuckered out from all the excitement:
OK, so first impressions.
I love this thing!
Setup has been the easiest I've ever had with any M-Audio kit. M-Audio drivers are "IN"-famous for being a little twitchy. I went and downloaded the newest from the web (not even bothering with the CD), and my laptop recognized the mixer without a hitch. Soundforge and Audition instantly knew what to do with the machine, and so far the only program giving me grief is Pro Tools, which refuses to see more than 4 channels. That's really obnoxious, as PT compatibility was a main buying point for me. Watchagunnado, a day without a Pro Tools annoyance...
Firewire is a perfect data transfer protocol. My laptop is OLD (1.8GHz P4, 768MB RAM), but it had no issues simultaneously recording 5 mono tracks and a Stereo Main mix-down @ 24/96. I can't wait to seriously light this thing up.
Build quality feels solid. Metal casing, the faders feel tight (really tight), but the knobs are all a little too loose for my taste. If you're really working a mix, a careless gesture could flip a couple knobs around (especially as placement is really close, it is a portable mixer).
The only thing I really don't like about the mixer's layout is how it vents. Rather than have any airflow come out the back of the mixer (see above for the back panel shot), heat comes out the bottom of the mixer. The bottom. What the mixer rests on. There are some stubby feet, but they wont guarantee a lot of clearance. Heat kills electronics, so if you aren't going to mount this puppy, you might want to throw a book under the back feet to aid in cooling.In all, I'm very happy with this mixer, and am looking forward to really putting it through its paces. Maybe some Shakespeare? Hmmmm...
Thanks again to everyone that helped me make up my mind through comments and emails!
MAudio NRV10 Analog Mixer and Firewire Audio Interface
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Call for Help! - Mixers: NRV10 vs Zed-14?
All right!
I NEED HELP!
I'm kinda stuck, and some opinions from my faithful readers would be very helpful.
I need a new mixer.
More specifically I'd like to replace both my mixer and my sound card in one fell swoop, so I'm looking at Firewire and USB mixers. I've gone through Alesis, and Mackies, and Phonics, and I think I've got it narrowed down to 2 units in my price range. I'm completely torn, so on to the comparison.
The two I'm stuck on are the M-Audio NRV10 and the Allen & Heath Zed-14. I need four or more phantom powered XLR ports, and individual channels sent to computer. Both units do that, so what's bothering me?
The Allen & Heath (typically about $450) is, well, an Allen & Heath. That already makes it desirable. Six mono inputs, 4 buses, USB interface, and 100mm faders round out an impressive feature set. I've always enjoyed the build quality of A&H, and those extra buses are awesomely flexible.
Next up, the NRV10 (Usually around $700) comes from a company I'm VERY familiar with, having used M-A soundcards for YEARS now. I think I like Firewire better than USB (especially when I have to use my dog tired laptop). The NRV10 has fewer inputs, no alt buses (so less routing flexibility), but each channel has individual send selectors, giving it some good (but not great) channel flexibility. Lastly, while the mixer itself isn't quite as flexible as the A&H, it comes with one powerful advantage for me. It will play with the copy of Pro Tools M-Powered I picked up for my FW410.
So there's the question. Do I go with the more expensive less flexible mixer because it uses PT, or do I go with the more flexible less expensive mixer and use another program (I like Sound Forge and Audition, but I do need PT from time to time)? PLEASE leave me some comments with your thoughts!
I need some help guys!
so...
HELP!
LOL
***EDIT 03/24/08***
I GOT THE NRV10!
You can check out some unboxing pics, and my first impressions here!
I NEED HELP!
I'm kinda stuck, and some opinions from my faithful readers would be very helpful.
I need a new mixer.
More specifically I'd like to replace both my mixer and my sound card in one fell swoop, so I'm looking at Firewire and USB mixers. I've gone through Alesis, and Mackies, and Phonics, and I think I've got it narrowed down to 2 units in my price range. I'm completely torn, so on to the comparison.
The two I'm stuck on are the M-Audio NRV10 and the Allen & Heath Zed-14. I need four or more phantom powered XLR ports, and individual channels sent to computer. Both units do that, so what's bothering me?
The Allen & Heath (typically about $450) is, well, an Allen & Heath. That already makes it desirable. Six mono inputs, 4 buses, USB interface, and 100mm faders round out an impressive feature set. I've always enjoyed the build quality of A&H, and those extra buses are awesomely flexible.
Next up, the NRV10 (Usually around $700) comes from a company I'm VERY familiar with, having used M-A soundcards for YEARS now. I think I like Firewire better than USB (especially when I have to use my dog tired laptop). The NRV10 has fewer inputs, no alt buses (so less routing flexibility), but each channel has individual send selectors, giving it some good (but not great) channel flexibility. Lastly, while the mixer itself isn't quite as flexible as the A&H, it comes with one powerful advantage for me. It will play with the copy of Pro Tools M-Powered I picked up for my FW410.So there's the question. Do I go with the more expensive less flexible mixer because it uses PT, or do I go with the more flexible less expensive mixer and use another program (I like Sound Forge and Audition, but I do need PT from time to time)? PLEASE leave me some comments with your thoughts!
I need some help guys!
so...
HELP!
LOL
***EDIT 03/24/08***
I GOT THE NRV10!
You can check out some unboxing pics, and my first impressions here!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
HELP! Replacement Shock Mount Bands?
Ok,
This is REALLY starting to drive me crazy. I've looked everywhere I can think to look, but I can't find replacement shockmount bands for EITHER my M-Audio solaris mount or my AT8410a.
Am I going to have to resort to hair ties and rubber bands?
Any help out there would be greatly appreciated!
***UPDATE 4/18/08***
Looking into this as a possible solution:
How to Silence Your Hard Drive
someaudioguy some audio guy voice over vo voiceover recording demo production microphones audio engineer equipment
Am I going to have to resort to hair ties and rubber bands?
Any help out there would be greatly appreciated!
***UPDATE 4/18/08***Looking into this as a possible solution:
How to Silence Your Hard Drive
someaudioguy some audio guy voice over vo voiceover recording demo production microphones audio engineer equipment
Sunday, July 22, 2007
SomeAudioGuy Microphone Shoot Out!
I do quite a bit of business teaching people how to record themselves. Working in voiceover, this is becoming more and more necessary. Not that VO artists need to be full on recording engineers, but having a basic understanding of how to make their voices sound presentable is becoming more important.
At work we recently worked on a promo job where the budget was so low, that to pay for union talent they had to be able to record themselves, and send the audio back as quickly as possible. They didn't care about whisper rooms or ISDN, just a decent clean recording and a good performance. The job would've covered 30+ national promos.
Not a bad incentive to invest in some recording equipment!
My favorite setup to recommend is an external soundcard and condenser microphone. For newbies I tend to start low, say a USB MobilePre and MXL 770 (I can't say I'm a big fan of USB mics, as they don't give you anywhere to go, say you want to upgrade the mic or soundcard, you're starting from scratch all over again, not to mention adding a mixer, preamps, or monitors). Good flexibility, good sound, and all starting at under $300 (including stands and cables).
So, why not use a more expensive mic?
I get this question quite a bit. Every VO actor seems to have dreams of recording at home on a U87 or some vintage ribbon mic, and expensive mics are great, but an expensive mic wont make something sound "good-er". You get an expensive mic because it has a particular character that you are wanting to use. Personally I prefer the sound of an AKG 414 to the U87 FOR MOST PEOPLE. This is of course totally subjective as no one's really going to sound "bad" on either of these, but the Neumann will run you two to three times as much. Will you sound two to three times better?
AKG C 414 B-XL II Condenser Microphone
It's all about bang for buck. For a newbie at recording, who wont understand about monitors, mixing, preamps (where mics really start to shine), and sound proofing/isolation it makes little sense to spend more than a couple hundred bucks to start experimenting. This kit can get really expensive really fast.
So all that being said, I've setup a little experiment. I've taken 3 of my favorite mics (and one beater) set them up under the same conditions, and two at a time, recorded the same piece of text (the first paragraph of 'Under Milk Wood' by Dylan Thomas, one of my favorite plays). All mics were connected directly to my Firewire 4-10, with gain set at half for each. Mic diaphragms were set approximately 10 inches from my face. After recording I punched each track through Sound Forge 9 and boosted the volume about 300% (exactly the same for each), then mixed each down to an mp3 @ 320kbps.
The mics we'll be hearing are:
*The M-Audio Aries @ $120 - Hand held condenser mic I got for free with my soundcard.
*The M-Audio Solaris @ $300 - This was the first multi-pattern condenser I've ever purchased, and it's served me very well for years.
*The Neumann KM184 @ $700 - I inherited this mic, before I was serious about recording, from an internet news "broadcast" station I worked at briefly in college. None of us knew about phantom power, so this mic "never worked". Years later I figured it out, and this has been a great utility and over head mic.
* The Sennheiser MKH 416 @ $1400 - This is THE L.A. mic. Originally used for outdoor broadcast, it also found a home in studios thanks in part to it's laser like focus.
With introductions out of the way, let's take a listen! While listening try to keep your headphones or speakers set to the same level. Each clip is about 40 seconds long.
M-Audio Aries:
M-Audio Solaris:
Neumann KM184:
Sennheiser MKH 416:
Wow! The Aries sounds not great at all! To be fair it is meant to replace dynamic mics like the sm57 (which I originally planned on using but sounded even worse), and even though it's phantom powered, the Aries really is meant to be passed through a preamp just like the Dynamic mics it competes against.
The Senny 416 sounds great. This thing is meant to be attached to video equipment or thrown on a boom, run off batteries, and get ONE person's voice even in noisy environments. Little wonder it handily beats the living crap out of the budget "studio" mics, and at twice the price of the Neumann, it had better.
But here's where a little know-how comes in. What if we normalized the volume of the Neumann and the Solaris to match the volume of the 416? Would the Senny still sound that much better?
Let's see!
Solaris NORMALIZED:
Neumann NORMALIZED:
OK! That's much better. The Solaris comes in a little brighter. The Neumann made my voice a little muddy, but now we're much closer in terms of "quality".
Now can we really say the Senny is twice as good as the Neumann? FOUR times better than the Solaris? Or if you're just starting out do you just boost the volume after the fact with a budget mic?
Thin voice? Movie trailer voice? No one mic is going to be the best. Matching a mic to a voice is as personal as the right pair of shoes/jeans/etc. Dumping a ton of cash on a "good" mic is kind of useless unless you've got the time, money, know-how, and effort to put into the surrounding kit as well.
Let me know what you think! Comments always appreciated!
Hopefully I'll be able to do more of these as time goes on.
At work we recently worked on a promo job where the budget was so low, that to pay for union talent they had to be able to record themselves, and send the audio back as quickly as possible. They didn't care about whisper rooms or ISDN, just a decent clean recording and a good performance. The job would've covered 30+ national promos.
Not a bad incentive to invest in some recording equipment!
My favorite setup to recommend is an external soundcard and condenser microphone. For newbies I tend to start low, say a USB MobilePre and MXL 770 (I can't say I'm a big fan of USB mics, as they don't give you anywhere to go, say you want to upgrade the mic or soundcard, you're starting from scratch all over again, not to mention adding a mixer, preamps, or monitors). Good flexibility, good sound, and all starting at under $300 (including stands and cables).
So, why not use a more expensive mic?
I get this question quite a bit. Every VO actor seems to have dreams of recording at home on a U87 or some vintage ribbon mic, and expensive mics are great, but an expensive mic wont make something sound "good-er". You get an expensive mic because it has a particular character that you are wanting to use. Personally I prefer the sound of an AKG 414 to the U87 FOR MOST PEOPLE. This is of course totally subjective as no one's really going to sound "bad" on either of these, but the Neumann will run you two to three times as much. Will you sound two to three times better?
AKG C 414 B-XL II Condenser Microphone
It's all about bang for buck. For a newbie at recording, who wont understand about monitors, mixing, preamps (where mics really start to shine), and sound proofing/isolation it makes little sense to spend more than a couple hundred bucks to start experimenting. This kit can get really expensive really fast.
So all that being said, I've setup a little experiment. I've taken 3 of my favorite mics (and one beater) set them up under the same conditions, and two at a time, recorded the same piece of text (the first paragraph of 'Under Milk Wood' by Dylan Thomas, one of my favorite plays). All mics were connected directly to my Firewire 4-10, with gain set at half for each. Mic diaphragms were set approximately 10 inches from my face. After recording I punched each track through Sound Forge 9 and boosted the volume about 300% (exactly the same for each), then mixed each down to an mp3 @ 320kbps.
The mics we'll be hearing are:
*The M-Audio Aries @ $120 - Hand held condenser mic I got for free with my soundcard.
*The M-Audio Solaris @ $300 - This was the first multi-pattern condenser I've ever purchased, and it's served me very well for years.
*The Neumann KM184 @ $700 - I inherited this mic, before I was serious about recording, from an internet news "broadcast" station I worked at briefly in college. None of us knew about phantom power, so this mic "never worked". Years later I figured it out, and this has been a great utility and over head mic.
* The Sennheiser MKH 416 @ $1400 - This is THE L.A. mic. Originally used for outdoor broadcast, it also found a home in studios thanks in part to it's laser like focus.
With introductions out of the way, let's take a listen! While listening try to keep your headphones or speakers set to the same level. Each clip is about 40 seconds long.
M-Audio Aries:
M-Audio Solaris:
Neumann KM184:
Sennheiser MKH 416:
Wow! The Aries sounds not great at all! To be fair it is meant to replace dynamic mics like the sm57 (which I originally planned on using but sounded even worse), and even though it's phantom powered, the Aries really is meant to be passed through a preamp just like the Dynamic mics it competes against.
The Senny 416 sounds great. This thing is meant to be attached to video equipment or thrown on a boom, run off batteries, and get ONE person's voice even in noisy environments. Little wonder it handily beats the living crap out of the budget "studio" mics, and at twice the price of the Neumann, it had better.
But here's where a little know-how comes in. What if we normalized the volume of the Neumann and the Solaris to match the volume of the 416? Would the Senny still sound that much better?
Let's see!
Solaris NORMALIZED:
Neumann NORMALIZED:
OK! That's much better. The Solaris comes in a little brighter. The Neumann made my voice a little muddy, but now we're much closer in terms of "quality".
Now can we really say the Senny is twice as good as the Neumann? FOUR times better than the Solaris? Or if you're just starting out do you just boost the volume after the fact with a budget mic?
Thin voice? Movie trailer voice? No one mic is going to be the best. Matching a mic to a voice is as personal as the right pair of shoes/jeans/etc. Dumping a ton of cash on a "good" mic is kind of useless unless you've got the time, money, know-how, and effort to put into the surrounding kit as well.
Let me know what you think! Comments always appreciated!
Hopefully I'll be able to do more of these as time goes on.
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