| too many options!
• | | | |
 | too many options!
by CurtTWood on Jul 18, 2002 at 2:30:23 am |
What would you say is the best mic for under $500? Under $1000?
| | | | |
• | | | |  | Re: too many options!
by Peter Perry on Jul 18, 2002 at 2:45:41 am |
Oh, man...we need more info than that !!!! What type of mic and/or what application?
Peter
| | | | |
• | | | | | Re: too many options!
by dse on Jul 18, 2002 at 3:00:14 pm |
No kidding! Application is critical to this question. Mic's aren't like "One size fits all" shirts...
Lavalier? Live stage? Closed set, general dialog? Instrument? Loud space, quiet space? animal, vegetable, mineral?
Boom mounted, stand mounted, body mounted, floor mounted? suspended?
Ya' want fries with that?
| | | | |
• | | | | | Re: too many options!
by CurtTWood on Jul 18, 2002 at 3:15:22 pm |
I'm looking for something versatile that can get good sound in many situations (shotgun condenser?). Something that's a good companion to a DV camera.
| | | | |
• | | | | | Re: too many options!
by Peter Perry on Jul 18, 2002 at 4:14:13 pm |
I don't want to sound like a dick, but most people who request mic recomendations will give more specifics. Whats the best shotgun for to put on a boom for film? What's the best wireless lav for under $800? I want to shoot a talking head in a closet, which mic do I use?
Most people who do this professionally have or rent a few different mics to handle different situations. A handheld for loud environment stand-ups. A lav or two for head shots in a room. A shotgun for on-camera/boom/mic stand work. NO MIC works in all situations. If you can be even more specific about what/how you are going to shoot, maybe we can give you some choices. Sorry if I'm not answering your question.
Peter
| | | | |
• | | | | | Re: too many options!
by CurtTWood on Jul 18, 2002 at 5:07:00 pm |
Let's put it this way. If you could only have one mic and you only had 500 dollars, what would it be?
| | | | |
• | | | | | Re: too many options!
by Peter Perry on Jul 18, 2002 at 6:19:09 pm |
Why does it need to be one mic?
How about this:
AudioTechnica 835B Shotgun $239
AudioTechnica 803B Lavalier mic $140
Shure SM58 Handheld mic $99
wirh 20 bucks left over for an XLR cable
Peter
| | | | |
• | | | |
Man people, just answer the question for the poor guy. If I had $500 on me and had to choose a mic it would be the Rode NTK hands down. Why? First off, I do a lot of vocals and Acoustic guitar recording in Pro-Tools. The NTK works great for this, as well as many other apps.
Sure, no one mic is the end all and be all. The closest mic to be a one size fits all type deal is probably the Sure Beta SM58 or SM57.
The Rode NTK is a very top of the line sounding and mic, and the value is unbeatable.
| | | | |
• | | | |
PS. I realize that the Rode NTK is not a mic that one may use on a video shoot, but if all I had was $500 - that is the mic I'd buy, and I'd rent other mics for more specific jobs, especialy when it's audio on a video shoot
| | | | |
• | | | | | Re: too many options!
by Peter Perry on Jul 19, 2002 at 1:01:19 pm |
Jeez Carl...you post one reply chastizing me for not answering Curts question and you offer up a mic for consideration. Then you post again saying that that mic is not the best for video applications so you would rent when need be. Isn't this exactly the point that I have been trying to get across to Curt, that there is no mic that is good for all applications? Gimme a break.
Peter
| | | | |
• | | | |  | Re: too many options!
by Mark Simpson on Jul 19, 2002 at 1:36:19 pm |
That's exactly the point. If he needed the mic mainly for video work, the rode whould be useless to him. If he did mostly studio voice overs, a shotgun would be useless. I wouldn't want a lav for recording a string quartet. Depending on the application, entirely different recommendations.
Mark Simpson
| | | | |
• | | | |
Like I said. I just answered the question : ) That's what the man wanted - that's what he got. I also made sure to explain why I would choose those mics so as not to confuse. And Peter, I would never try to chastise you, you’re much more of an authority in the field here than I, and I know that – much respect – just having fun.
| | | | |
• | | | |
No problem, Carl. It's just that I enjoy being a part of the Cow, and I take my cue from guys like Douglas Spotted Eagle, Tim Kolb, Rick Gerard, Nick Griffin, Mark Simpson and the Boomies. Time and time again I have seen these people go out of their way to help people by sharing a little more of their knowledge and experience than they may need to.
Sure, I could have told Curt to get some generic mic, and it would have worked some of the time, maybe even most of the time, depending on what he shoots. But people don't come to the Cow for pat answers. They come here because we work hard to get them the RIGHT answers.
Sorry 'bout the rant, Carl. Have a good weekend, I'm gonna !!
Peter
| | | | |
•
• | | | | | Re: too many options!
by Mazuroo on Jul 18, 2002 at 11:27:35 pm |
Wow, what an open question! Us audio geeks could go on forever on this topic...but while I am here....
All around Studio Mic: AKG 414 - under a grand
V/O, instruments, Drum Overheads
Boom Mic: Pick your favorite Sennheiser Shotgun flavor
Live Stage: Sennheiser MKEII
Interview/Lav: Sony, Countryman
Faithful stand-by: Shure SM-58
I saw a show in Vegas where the guy on stage had a 58 hung around his neck by a thick rope, they obviously tried to hide it in his shirt, but pulled that off very poorly. The whole rig was RF too! Long live the 58!
Try and figure out what 70 percent of your work will be, then buy a mic to fit that. If you will hardly ever leave the studio, get the best large diaphragm you can afford. In the field a lot?, grab a medium throw shotgun with a big wooly sock. Doing a lot of news and interviews?, find a cheap hand-held (58!), and a good clip on.
Dont be afraid to rent.
later
-tm
The Red Zone is for loading and un-loading only, there is no parking in the Red Zone...
| | | | |
• | | | | | Re: too many options!
by Artist on Jul 21, 2002 at 9:17:52 am |
I can see that it´s hard to get a good answer, huh :-)?
Ok, try http://www.SENNHEISER.com - it´s very solid and good German microphone´s.
I bought one for my Sony PD-150, specially for filming.
Do not mountain the microphone direstly on the camera - but, on a mount-piece, so, the micrphone is a bit away from the camera (so the microphone does not hear the "heartbeat" of the camera) and of course you can also use an cable (as long as you need).
Good luck, I hope it helps
Artist.
| | | | |
• | | | |  | Re: too many options!
by leon smith on Jul 31, 2002 at 2:22:52 pm |
Nobody mentioned the best and cheapest mic I have found ever. The Oktava 012 with a Hypercardioid capsule is my preference for boom work. I have a Neuman KM 81i short shotgun and the Oktava blows it away. Dialogue is rich and full at 2 feet or more above the talent.
I also have used stereo pairs in cardioid for recording guitars, street sounds in Japan and voice over work on locations. Now the low end does not compare equally to a large diaphram mic but comes close.
Get this, they are on sale now at "Guitar Center" for $100 ea. in cardioid. Extra capsules cost more. If your interested in matched pairs and slightly better QC go to Oktava.com and you will end up in the Sound Room, lots more choices there.
Good luck
Leon S.
| | | | |
• | | | | | Re: too many options!
by Mark Simpson on Aug 1, 2002 at 6:33:35 am |
Actually, I've sung the praises of that very mic many times in this forum. It is without a doubt the best deal going for a pencil mic. But buyer beware, do not waste your money on any other oktava mic. They're all garbage, but somehow they really hit the mark with the MC 012...... :) I too have put it up against the Neumanns as well as against the AKG 860Bs, and I preferred it over both...
Mark Simpson
| | | | |
| |
|
