Voice-over mic. Mono or Stereo?

drbam wrote on 10/14/2004, 10:11 PM

Mono. Standard choices are dynamic mics: EV RE20, Shure SM7, Sennheiser 421, etc and if you're on a tight budget, an SM 58 will work fine as well. Also, the Audio Technica ATM25 is sometimes referred to as the "poor man's RE20." It sounds great on VO and is a killer tom and kick mic as well. Condenser mics are also used a lot but the above are what is most commonly used for professional VO work.

drbam

MJhig wrote on 10/14/2004, 11:45 PM

If I were just starting out and/or had a limited budget and was looking for the/my first/only all around mic for handling the majority of situations it would be hands down an SM 58.

MJ

RiRo wrote on 10/15/2004, 1:29 AM

I wouldn't go with an SM58 for voice over. I'd pick up a cheap (Marshall, MXL, etc.) large diaphragm condenser. They will sound way better than the 58 for voiceover work, and won't cost any more.

drbam's mic choices are very good... some are costly. Low budget screams cheap condenser.

RiRo

ibliss wrote on 10/15/2004, 9:39 AM

...and buy/make a popshield... well worth it, essential even...

farss wrote on 10/15/2004, 6:11 PM

Use Rode NT1A, not expensive if you shop around and sounds great. However, something no one mentioned, if you're going to use condensor mics you do need phantom power for most of them.

A lot of the dynamic mics are for stage use and will work fine for VOs however you may find them a bit light on in the output department, I know others have had issues with SM58s due to exactly this and Shure spec the mic for use 6" from the mouth which isn't where you want a mic for VO recording.

Bob.

mhbstevens wrote on 10/16/2004, 12:33 AM

Thanks. My mic preamp has little gain; now I am using a cheap Stereo Condenser mic (battery powered) of my camera and even with the preamp I need keep it within 6" of mouth. My preamp is a NAD stereo Hi-Fi preamp where I use the phono input!

I don't have phantom power with my preamp so it seems you are saying a large diaphram battery powered condensor with a high output is my best option. Right?

I guess I need a pop screen and a damping mount too? And maybe a lined absorbant box?

drbam wrote on 10/16/2004, 7:05 AM

Although they may exist, I'm not aware of a battery powered large condenser. If they exist, I would think they would probably cost more than some of the models suggested including a budget mic pre such as the ART TubeMP (or an entry level Behringer mixer like the UB-602 or 802 - less than $50). If you are wanting to produce material that's even remotely professional, you definitely need to invest in at least this much.

drbam

larryo wrote on 10/16/2004, 8:30 AM

While I haven't tried this for voiceover, I think the Studio Projects TB-1 is a decent overall tube mic that come comes with a power supply, no phantom power required. Best price I could find is:

http://www.humbuckermusic.com/studprojtb1r.html

RiRo wrote on 10/16/2004, 1:35 PM

Let me make sure I understand this... you are using a condenser mic into a phono input on your preamp?

And yes, the MXL XP-2 is a 9-volt powered 1" diaphragm condenser... but seriously... running any mic into a phono input isn't going to sound very good.

farss wrote on 10/16/2004, 3:09 PM

I agree, I dread to think what the RIAA Eq is doing to the voice.

mhbstevens wrote on 10/18/2004, 6:26 AM

Yes I am running the mic, a cheap 1/8th plug Audio-Technica condenser ATR25 into the phono plug (high sensitivity input) and taking the pre-out to the line-in on the compuer. I'm no sound pro but the results sound good to me and are much, much better than using a dynamic mic into the mic-in on the computer. The amp has so much power to spare there is virtually no distortion and a very "live" and dynamic sound from such a cheap mic.

I am holding off on XLR until I get a new camera with XLR inputs, then I will get a mic pre with digital out so I can Firewire and bypass the soundcard, but until then this is my stop-gap solution and I am very pleased with it. Setting the mic to mono as suggested here has helped too - thanks.

Geoff_Wood wrote on 10/18/2004, 2:56 PM

I think he means phono as in RCA phono jack-type socket, not a turnatble phono input, I hope.

geoff

adowrx wrote on 10/18/2004, 3:45 PM

If you have $100 or less to spend on a mic, buy a shure sm 58, period. Oh, and a 3- 10 dollar pop screen.

-jb

mhbstevens wrote on 10/18/2004, 4:20 PM

No Geoff: I DO mean the turntable phono plug. This gives the best and only acceptable result. The other preamp inputs like CD or tape are not sensitive enough.

Why do you hope I am not doing this?

Mike

adowrx wrote on 10/18/2004, 5:41 PM

"dread to think what the RIAA Eq is doing to the voice"

as farss pointed out.

http://www.glass-ware.com/audiogadgets/AG_RIAA_Eq_Networks_Design.html

mhbstevens wrote on 10/18/2004, 9:48 PM

I have read about phono EQ. My voice recordings sound fine to me. Is there a way to post a sample sound-byte here?

Mike

farss wrote on 10/19/2004, 4:54 AM

No that isn't possible.
It's quite possible that the combination of cheap mic and wierd Eq that was never designed for what you're using it for produces something that sounds sort of allright. I all depends on your frame of reference, it'd still sound better than a carbon mic but I think when you get some decent gear you'll get one hell of a shock.
I've got some half decent gear, didn't cost a fortune and for the results I get you'd need to be a pro to tell the difference. For certain there's way better gear available, I'm not kidding myself there.
The difference is I can push things very hard (or not) and not have it start to sound horrid.
I used to use cheap gear and it sounded not that bad, but you start hitting the VOs with lots of compression and yuck. If you're just doing this for a hobby then whatever makes you happy is OK in my opinion, start asking money for your work and it's a different matter. If you want to turn your hobby into an income get the good gear first, learn what you can or can't do with it before the guy with the money knocks on the door.
From my experience, I've yet to buy a piece of good equipment that hasn't had the work come to it to justify spending the money.

Bob.

drbam wrote on 10/19/2004, 7:23 AM

Yes, frame of reference and perspective is everything. When I listen to some of the material I recorded years ago on my current system (extremely upgraded over time in addition to my "ears" continually developing and improving), I'm absolutely shocked. What I thought sounded "great" at the time would be completely unacceptable to me today. I'm referring to the recording quality and sound – not performance.

drbam

mhbstevens wrote on 10/19/2004, 8:35 AM

I'm sure you are right and that my audio would not stand up to comparison with that made with better equipment, but as I said I was holding off on a good mic and dedicated mic preamp until I get a camera with XLR inputs and upgrade all at once.

Maybe next month I'll decide on a cheapish firewire preamp with phantom and then next month get a mic, but I still have not decided between an omni dynamic or a LDC; getting lots of conflicting advice here.

For now I will try attaching my mic to the CD input and taking the out to the sound card from the speakers posts rather than from the pre-out which does not have the juice.

Mike S

CorporateSound wrote on 10/19/2004, 11:17 AM

Do NOT hook anything up to a speaker output except speakers. You run a definite risk of damaging everything in your system with the approach you last mentioned.
You need to input the mic into a mic-level input, then the preamp output will have enough gain to go line in to your computer. In other words it isn't the preamp out that's weak, it's that all the inputs except the phonograph in are expecting a much stronger signal than a weak mic.
For the short run I'd keep doing what you've been doing. Next you could hunt down some piece of equipment, like a tape deck, that has a mic input and a line out. The transport doesn't even have to actually work other than allowing the deck to enter the Record Mode, you'll just be boosting your mic signal through the device.
Then keep looking for a decent preamp or small mixer that can supply 48volt phantom power while you're also deciding on a mic and camera.
A large-diaphragm condenser, or specialty dynamic (RE20) certainly is the standard for VO work, but you can use other types with good results.
Some have already mentioned the SM58. I can add the Sennheiser e835, the AKG D880, and the Rode NT3 as low cost alternatives that can serve other purposes beyond VO only.