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I want this just for my Zoom meetings.One advantage of external gear is that there is zero latency, so you sound like a god as you are recording
I want this just for my Zoom meetings.One advantage of external gear is that there is zero latency, so you sound like a god as you are recording
I doubt the OP is looking to spend that kind of money, so a bit out of context, but there are definitely good SDCs. In the '70s, I got to borrow a couple of KM84s and Nagra to record my grand piano, sounded awesome. The little Soyuz sound great.There are very fine small diaphragm condenser to be had for voice work, like the Earthworks Audio SR314.
You seem to know a lot on this subject. There are so many cardioid condenser microphones on Amazon. M-Audio NOVA, AT2020, Stellar X2...I doubt the OP is looking to spend that kind of money, so a bit out of contest, but there are definitely good SDCs. In the '70s, I got to borrow a couple of KM84s and Nagra to record my grand piano, sounded awesome. The little Soyuz sound great.
But of course if we're talking budget, and we're talking voice, there is no need to muddy the water—certain advantages to going dynamic, otherwise an LDC is going to be your most likely solution. My cheapest LDC was $50 (CAD GXL-2200) on sale including tax and shipping, and really didn't sound bad (but I bought it to mode, put something like $270 into it, K47 capsule and every component upgraded).
Not so much aimed at VO, but to repeat the point that pro results don't need to break the bank, Alan Parsons said his favorite mic was the AT4033 ($400), and he could record everything with it. If I had no mic and $300, I might get an Aston Origin and be happy, though I haven't tried it on me. (Music Tribe bought them a few months back—will the price drop? Will the quality holdup?)
I don't know...I did look at lavaliers a while back, for the convenience of recording video with dialog in another room (office/studio is a bit crowded, recoding into my iPhone would be convenient and avoid the tedium of dialog replacement). Some sound very good and natural, but of course you won't get the nice low end, if you want that bigger-than-life sound. Though people are used to having an introduction with the speaker that sounds natural, then transitioning to the big intimate sound for voice over, so you can do both. A shotgun mic would be another choice for live sections. In a treated room, a regular mic just off camera might do it.You seem to know a lot on this subject. There are so many cardioid condenser microphones on Amazon. M-Audio NOVA, AT2020, Stellar X2...
And what about lavalier mics?
Think of it this way: you can't boost in what isn't there already.1. When people talk about how microphones sound, are they really not applying EQ? Like, if they say a microphone is light in the bass...that means they aren't boosting the bass? Doesn't EQ account for 90% of a microphone's sound?
Nope! The way they get that polar pattern will be somewhat different, plus capsules are built differently, plus polarization voltage (if a condenser), plus the headbasket/grille.3. Adding on to the room-rejection, this is caused by the directivity of the microphone - shouldn't the directivity basically be identical between different diaphragm sizes/types? Like shouldn't all cardioid 1" units have the same basic pattern?
The problem with small diaphragm condensers is that they're ridiculously sensitive to plosives and they have higher self-noise which makes them not particularly suitable to voice recording. And yes, using the mic as a kind of "static EQ" is a thing.5. My large diaphragm condenser has a sort of pleasant thickness to it, and produces a nice loud signal, but my tiny instrument type omni condensers (made by Niaint) and my speaker measurement microphone sound far truer to life. Does anyone use small diaphragm condensors for voice or are they using the microphone as an effect unit?
Again - can't add what isn't already there. Plus, it's much, much easier to mix already-good sources than having to fix mediocre ones.4. It seems to me that the most useful application for expensive, beautiful sounding mics would be where EQ and other processing is impractical, like a live radio show, but people use them in recording studios where everything is processed anyway? What's up with that?
Interesting – the top review on Amazon has a video where the reviewer recorded his voice and he noted no noticeable noise and it sounded decent:I'd have to agree with him that the AT2020 may be overrated - it's a decent mic but definitely not the last word in either low end response or self-noise.
Aston Origin vs Rode NT1?If I had no mic and $300, I might get an Aston Origin and be happy, though I haven't tried it on me.
Yeah, I haven't heard the NT1, but it's sure popular. The Aston was arbitrary, seemed surprisingly good for the money, but all depends if it floats you boat... [ PS—and to be clear I mean for singing. ]Aston Origin vs Rode NT1?
Still, the more I think about it, if I'm sitting at the computer desk, maybe it would be better to go with a dynamic mic so it doesn't pick up as much of the computer fan noise, the air conditioner, the keyboard, the kids next door, etc. Thoughts?
NB - I would dangle LDCs from slightly above and maybe 45° off to the side (but still facing your mouth)... mounting upside down should keep most dust out of the mic. You don't want any on the diaphragm. The offset angle should also keep plosives out of the mic (even without a windscreen) and at least part of the mic + arm out of the webcam picture (or not in front of your face at least).
Aston Origin vs Rode NT1?
Still, the more I think about it, if I'm sitting at the computer desk, maybe it would be better to go with a dynamic mic so it doesn't pick up as much of the computer fan noise, the air conditioner, the keyboard, the kids next door, etc. Thoughts?
Yeah, I heard the difference pretty clearly here. Watch when he backs away from the mic:The polar pattern of the mic is important if you want to avoid pickup noise from computers etc where you put the noise source in the mics rejection zone, apart from the obvious of removing the source of the noise. My Earthworks SR314 have excellent side and rear rejection, many shot-gun mics are very directional (some are even used for voice over). The rear of my mic is pointing towards the window as to not pickup so much sound from the outside. Keyboard is to the side of the mic to reduce keyboard noise, though learning to type softly goes a long way in any case
Good point, I'll have to look for that.You can even apply a high pass filter at 80Hz or so that can reduce rumbling from air conditioner and some heavy traffic. Not all audio interfaces has this though some mics have a switch for that.
I'd say the Lewitt LCT240 is worth your consideration. I've a few Lewitts though not that model.
I also got a question about mics (well kinda).
You know how on Youtube and video podcasts/radio, everyone and their mother has desk mics. I see super expensive ones sometimes. But no matter what, all of them are actually garbage by the way they're being used. Firstly, they all sound like the person has a mic down their throat. Anytime they move the sound changes insanely.
But then you have people making videos with shotgun/boom mics (or whatever you call those that are off-screen and being held up by a mechanical arm slightly off camera.)
Almost EVERY single one of those microphones are far more consistent when watching peoples videos that use them.
So my question is, honestly besides seemingly these "throat" desk mics I suppose having a sound field pattern that doesn't have to take into account room reflections so much - what is honestly the wisdom behind using these stupid mics where your lips have to be borderline committing visual induendo with the mic? Keep in mind, this goes for those studio-type situations where a person is in a foam padded room, but they're still having their mouth an inch away from the mic, or an inch away from whatever filter is between you and the mic.
Why would anyone use these sorts of mics? Is it honestly people not wanting to buy arms to hold up a mic off-screen. Because if it's all about the sound field pattern (i get that a shotgun mic can use the same one, and is highly directive), then to hell with that pattern because the hit to sound "naturalness" is just awful. I don't want to hear that muffled sound due to how close people have their mics in their face..
I think that's part of why the NT1 sounds good to me - it's natural rather than someone trying to compensate for something. And it doesn't seem like you need to be right on top of it.I also got a question about mics (well kinda).
You know how on Youtube and video podcasts/radio, everyone and their mother has desk mics. I see super expensive ones sometimes. But no matter what, all of them are actually garbage by the way they're being used. Firstly, they all sound like the person has a mic down their throat. Anytime they move the sound changes insanely.
But then you have people making videos with shotgun/boom mics (or whatever you call those that are off-screen and being held up by a mechanical arm slightly off camera.)
Almost EVERY single one of those microphones are far more consistent when watching peoples videos that use them.
So my question is, honestly besides seemingly these "throat" desk mics I suppose having a sound field pattern that doesn't have to take into account room reflections so much - what is honestly the wisdom behind using these stupid mics where your lips have to be borderline committing visual induendo with the mic? Keep in mind, this goes for those studio-type situations where a person is in a foam padded room, but they're still having their mouth an inch away from the mic, or an inch away from whatever filter is between you and the mic.
Why would anyone use these sorts of mics? Is it honestly people not wanting to buy arms to hold up a mic off-screen. Because if it's all about the sound field pattern (i get that a shotgun mic can use the same one, and is highly directive), then to hell with that pattern because the hit to sound "naturalness" is just awful. I don't want to hear that muffled sound due to how close people have their mics in their face..