budget alternative to the oktava 012, for interior dialogue....pleeeease help?

[blake2404]

ive heard discussions about the at3031 and at873r regarding booming interior dialogue....any thoughts, recommendations?....please help.

 

[JordanBlock]

The Oktava IS the budget alternative interior mic.

The AT3031 has a cardioid pattern, which is generally too wide for a boom application. The AT873r is a hypercardioid meant for handheld applications, that doesn't mean you can't boom with it, but its not really what it was designed for.

 

[blake2404]

no i know, thanks, its just i heard about the handling noise on them.....i assume its the same with bella nero and film edition......so i was told u have to shell out more bucks for a really good wind pad and shockmount

 

[JordanBlock]

Regardless of the mic you stick on the boom, you're going to want a good shockmount and at least a foam windscreen.

 

[blake2404]

but is the stock oktava mount good enough?.....and those 10 dollar foam wind screens.....ive heard u need better..........just wondering if you've tried the u873r.....its wierd a couple indie film sites reccomended the at3031........i thought it was wierd for reccomending a cardiod mic, but whatever.....i appreciate the thoughts.......just trying to pick up dialogue with little echo....ha, ha

 

[RERozak]

Although the U873R was designed as a handheld, the barrel/size is the standard diameter of a pencil mic, so it's small/light and easy to boom with. Plus, it's got a relatively low handling noise.

It also has interchangeable cartridges to add an omni or cardioid.

The frequency response rolls off at the low end (I think around 80Hz). But it's still OK for dialogue.

You still should use with a shockmount. You can use this windscreen:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/286953-REG/Remote_Audio_FATCAT_Fat_Cat_Universal_Outdoor.html


Nearly all of the videos in the tutorials section on this site use the U873R (off camera on a stand):
http://www.juicedlink.com/index_files/LC__Intro.htm


Not knocking the Oktava. But I feel the U873R is another reasonable option for a budget hypercardioid.

-R

 

[Noiz2]

Although the U873R was designed as a handheld, the barrel/size is the standard diameter of a pencil mic, so it's small/light and easy to boom with. Plus, it's got a relatively low handling noise.

What?

It's over 6" long and weighs more than twice what the Oktava does

The frequency response rolls off at the low end (I think around 80Hz). But it's still OK for dialogue.

It's switchable.

Not knocking the Oktava. But I feel the U873R is another reasonable option for a budget hypercardioid.

If you can save some $$ then it would be an option. I would like it better for handheld use, it's kind of heavy to boom and I have my doubts about reach.

You can get a good AT shock mount for, I was going to say ~$30, but that was a few years ago but still probably under $50. You will need that with whatever you use. Personally you get what you can justify spending. I think the Oktava has longer legs, ie even if you buy some $$$ mics in the future the Oktava will have it's uses. This mic ,unless you plan on doing a bunch of hand held interviews etc, is a mic you will grow out of rather quickly. But YMMV

 

[RERozak]

It's over 6" long and weighs more than twice what the Oktava does

Granted. But, people boom shotguns of that size/weight all of the time ...