Any of these sound ok

I re-encoded and re uploaded, although I have no clue why it wasn't working.. it did for me... thanks for trying to help.

try

http://www.outsideyourself.co.uk/Media/test/mic.mov

ps I know the technique in these is poo poo I've since read a lot more online.. I just want your opinion if like Jeremy you think these mics are a no go. Remember my budget is around $350

thanks
 
I'm looking for something which I can mount on the camera to make on the go interviewing audio better, but hopefully something that I could use on a boom for shorts later on when I have more time.

i found http://www.dvxuser.com/V3/showthread.php?t=40410
thred really useful but I'm still considering the AT m33a although a few people have told me it's crap but no one has really said why.

thanks
 
Video... no sound. Sorry.

I tried to listen to the fixed re-upload and then I got nothing.

There are tons of options talked about in many threads on here. I think the Oktava MK012-A Hyper-Cardioid for $165 with coupon code "DV" is the best economy choice there is, but if I was going to choose an Audio Technica for some other reason then I'd try an AT3031 Cardioid for $169. The ATM33a (cardioid) should be a similar mic to the AT3031 (cardioid), but I honestly can't say for sure.

Without getting into a really long story about how the best mic companies got started let me just tell you that they all spawned from "eastern block" engineers. Schoeps, Neumann, Oktava all shared relationships from various engineers early on... Schoeps and Neumann ended up in Germany, along with Sennheiser. Oktava ended up in Russia. If you follow the economies of each, respectively, then it's not too hard to understand how Schoeps and Neumann ended up with strict quality control and high-end designs and Oktava ended up with lower quality control and cheaper mics.

Fortunately for us that tide has long since turned, even though the prices are still dirt cheap they have tightened up quality control and now they do sell some really nice mics that sound WAY better then the price would suggest. The Mk012a is the best example in my opinion.
 
many of us started with the sennheiser me-66

it is a good low/medium budget shotgun mic.

mine served me well for many run and gun documentary shoots.

i eventually moved on to the sennheiser 416 and the oktava mk012.

but a decent used me-66 might be a great starting point for you.

matthew
 
thanks matthew...

I'm just don't know what to make of theyankee and his review of the ME66...

"the ME66 is very thin sounding. For me it sounds as if it cuts 50% of all the low frequencies. This leaves a very hollow sounding recording that doesn't add to the experience of enjoying a movie.

This is not a 'plug n' play' mic, and should ONLY be used with an external mixer and someone monitoring and riding the levels. "

I think the AT815b sounds more like what I need. Have you had any experience with it? Do you think it would be a bad mic to mount on the DVX is it too long?

I'm also considering the AT897.
 
I'm not the biggest fan of the ME66 myself, although I do know people have used it on TV as a secondary boom, or for low budget stuff.

If you are mounting on the camera, the most popular options are:

AT897
AT4073a (best bang for the buck, if you ask me)
ME66K6 combo
416
NTG-2

-Dave
 
Is that in Bradford... I'm guessing the accent?

I think the ME66 is expensive for what it offers, but can be powered by its own battery which can be very helpful. If you have phantom power anyway, you can probably buy a better sounding mic for less.
 
I think that guy might have been from east or something.. but that shop is in Bolton... I'm totally going for the AT4073a. I think... I just have to find a store that I can get one in the UK before the 4th. OR get my friend to pick me up one, he's flying from LA.... any ideas on any stores I can walk in and buy the mic from in the shop?? MMM in bolton or london?

Thanks for everyone's input... ESPECIALLY thanks to MattinSTL for so much helpful advice.
 
Regarding my review of the ME66, that was, is, and will continue to be my opinion. Sennheiser makes some incredible mics, but as Dave said, I think that in that price range and below there are better options.

I personally believe if you're doing interview settings, and I have suggested this and will continue to say the same thing again and again... You need an Oktava and KSSM shockmount.

We can drag this conversation on and on, but for your needs thats the ideal mic for you
 
And, of course, the thing that will make the most difference in your quality will be in decreasing the mike to mouth distance as much as possible. When forced to shoot without a boomman, I would either mount a boom on a C-stand for a still interview, or leave it on the cam and shoot full wide and get as close as I can.

And much as I like the 4073A as a shotgun, I agree with Yankee that the Octava is a better solution in this instance.
 
beno said:
I'm looking for something which I can mount on the camera to make on the go interviewing audio better, but hopefully something that I could use on a boom for shorts later on when I have more time.

i found http://www.dvxuser.com/V3/showthread.php?t=40410
thred really useful but I'm still considering the AT m33a although a few people have told me it's crap but no one has really said why.

thanks
Click to expand...

Try a Rode VideoMic if you have a 1/8" stereo input on your camera. It'll feed mono to both inputs.

Ty Ford
 
Hey I never considered this, but you DO have a DVX or some other system (such as Beachtek) which allows you to plug in an XLR mic and get phantom power right?

Ty's post about mini-jacks just startled me into a question I don't remember asking you!

In these audio threads on mics 99% of the time everybody is ASSUMING that you are "plug 'n play" ready for an XLR mic... meaning XLR inputs that supply phantom power. I used to ask this first but I forgot this time.
 
I think he's shooting on a DVX (from the emails he sent me)...

Good question though, Matt. We always seem to just assume.
 
Hi,

thank you for all the help. I think my solution is the Oktava and the 4073a. But for now I'm just going to try and get the 4073a because most of my interviewing in large spaces. Inside/out.

I do have the DVX and therefore Phantom power. I'm assuming that phantom power in the UK is the same as in the USA?

Thanks again.
 
Well, there is 12V T power, but it is now pretty old school. A lot of sounds guys still use it though.

Beno, I don't know any shops in Bolton. There is a good place in Bradford. I bought one of my Sennheisers off Tottenham Court Road but I buy most stuff second hand from BBlist.co.uk now - check it out!
 
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