anyone using the audio technica at4073a or the akg ck93/se300 combo?

robfilms

Veteran
anyone using the audio technica at4073a or the akg ck93/se300 combo?

i have read ALL of the audio stickies on this site and the "other" web forum. i have read & listened to the wonderful article and audio clips posted by dan (thanks)

even with more knowledge, not surprisingly, i still have some questions:

anyone using the audio technica at4073a, instead of the threes esses (senn/schoeps/sanken) that are mentioned as the gold standard?

and where does the sanken cs1 fit in?

with all this talk of indoor dialogue (sorry for the obvious pun), what about something like the akg blue line series with the ck93 hyper mated to the se300b.

i've read over and over again, that a quality hyper like the akg ck93/se300b combo on a good boom will do wonders on indoor dialogue.

since i do many talking head interviews in small office spaces, i'd be interested in the collective wisdom of those who have more experience than i.

as always, thanks in advance for sharing

be well

rob
 
i use the CK93 for everything. On boom and mounted on cam(i know this isnt supposed to be done ) which i get surprisingly good results with for ambience and when you stick the cam in someones face :). We used the CK93 for an entire lo budget feature inside and out with K-tek boom/shock and Rycote fuzz for the outdoor shots. Works really well outdoors as long as you have good boom op and can get it in good position. Just my 2 cents its well worth the money. With that being said if your main focus is on talking heads the mic will work well on boom stand but it may suit you better and be more convenient set up wise to just use a good lav.
 
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A hyper is my first choice fo small office talking heads. I think that my sanken COS11 LAVs are just way too open for that kind of enviornment (I still use them in a pinch or if there are two people).

If you have enough money get:

Gitzo 12' Carbon Fiber Boom $280
K-Tek KSSM Shockmount (for your hyper) $100
K-Tek K-Zepp $300
AT4073a Shotgun $550
AKG Blueline w/ CK 93 Hyper cap $350
Rycote BBG (20mm) $140
Furry Jammer (for BBG) $70
SD302 $1200
Petrol 302 Mixer Bag $100
Camera Snake (or make your own with two XLRs and one 3.5mm TRS to 2 RCA adapter) $200
Sony 7506 Headphones $100
Good Star-Quad XLR cables (Remote Audio makes good ones) $40-$60 each

Then later add:
2 Sanken COS11 LAVs wired TA5 for lectro with breakaways and XLR power supplies $400
2 TA5 to 3.5mm locking TRS adapters (to plug your COS-11 mics int to Sennheiser G2 system $35
2 Sennheiser ew100 G2 wireless mic systems with hand mic adapters $600
 
mike-

thanks for your thoughts

i already have:

gitzo 12' boom
mixpre + cable snake and sony headphones and case

i'm not sure i can get BOTH the akg blueline ck93 AND the at4073a.

as for wired lavs i have the sony 55 but i maybe able to borrow a friend's countryman 6. i'm not in the position (nor have a need) for a wireless set-up

so, if u where forced to choose just the mics which would u pick:

the blueline ck93/ck91/se300b combo for $750-ish

or

ck93/se300b + at875r shotgun for $750-ish

or

just a sanken cs-1 for everything - $750-ish

mount/wind/furry will depend on the mic

any and all thoughts are appreciated.

be well

rob

A hyper is my first choice fo small office talking heads. I think that my sanken COS11 LAVs are just way too open for that kind of enviornment (I still use them in a pinch or if there are two people).

If you have enough money get:

Gitzo 12' Carbon Fiber Boom $280
K-Tek KSSM Shockmount (for your hyper) $100
K-Tek K-Zepp $300
AT4073a Shotgun $550
AKG Blueline w/ CK 93 Hyper cap $350
Rycote BBG (20mm) $140
Furry Jammer (for BBG) $70
SD302 $1200
Petrol 302 Mixer Bag $100
Camera Snake (or make your own with two XLRs and one 3.5mm TRS to 2 RCA adapter) $200
Sony 7506 Headphones $100
Good Star-Quad XLR cables (Remote Audio makes good ones) $40-$60 each

Then later add:
2 Sanken COS11 LAVs wired TA5 for lectro with breakaways and XLR power supplies $400
2 TA5 to 3.5mm locking TRS adapters (to plug your COS-11 mics int to Sennheiser G2 system $35
2 Sennheiser ew100 G2 wireless mic systems with hand mic adapters $600
 
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matt s-

your words are encouraging. it makes me think the akg blueline combo can be a solution to my needs. i'm sorry if i didn't describe that the 2nd channel would be used for a wired lav-a sony 55 but i might be able to borrow a friend's countryman 6.

be well

rob

i use the CK93 for everything. On boom and mounted on cam(i know this isnt supposed to be done ) which i get surprisingly good results with for ambience and when you stick the cam in someones face :). We used the CK93 for an entire lo budget feature inside and out with K-tek boom/shock and Rycote fuzz for the outdoor shots. Works really well outdoors as long as you have good boom op and can get it in good position. Just my 2 cents its well worth the money. With that being said if your main focus is on talking heads the mic will work well on boom stand but it may suit you better and be more convenient set up wise to just use a good lav.
 
It is completely pointless to get a shotgun w/o the zepplin.

If you are limited in budget, you may need to go blueline ck93 hyper capsule $350 , BBG (20mm) $140, + Jammer $70, K-Tek KSSM $110 =$670

Then, later add:

AT4073a $550
K-Tek K-Zepp $325

I have heard that you could use a barrel extension with your hyper to make it work with the k-zepp, but that thing is heavy and big (too big for low ceilings) so I wouldn't do that (plus you don't need fur inside, but the BBG is nice to protect against hard boom swing wind and A/C [can't use a k-zepp w/o fur as it is just a mesh]).

Using a hyper outdoors is not ideal (due to less rejection that a shotgun), but it does work well as long as you pick quieter outdoor locations and mic it close. I would rather have the hyper, bbg, jammer, kssm combo than have two half ass setups (that is what I have in fact). I don't shoot outside that much really though.
 
mike-

again, thanks for sharing your thoughts/experience.

so now that i am at $670, why not also get the akg ck91 shotgun capsule (i think $250-ish) and i then have access to a shotgun so everything covered?

thoughts?

and if u agree, do u know what wind/furry works best with the ck91?

be well

rob


It is completely pointless to get a shotgun w/o the zepplin.

If you are limited in budget, you may need to go blueline ck93 hyper capsule $350 , BBG (20mm) $140, + Jammer $70, K-Tek KSSM $110 =$670

Then, later add:

AT4073a $550
K-Tek K-Zepp $325
 
The CK91 is a cardioid capsule

The CK 98 is the short shotgun capsule. and runs about $400 by itself

http://sound-room.com/inc/sdetail/3362

I would say don't go for a $400 capsule when $550 can get you another mic (the at4073a) which is better.

Don't get a furry cover or rycote softie for you shotgun, get a real zepplin (k-tek k-zepp). That is the only way to get good wind protection.

The BBG and jammer works very well in wind outside for a hyper (it is a small round zepplin). Shotguns need much bigger zepplins.

SO....

save up and get the shotgun and zepplin later..

OR

Charge it!
 
BTW,

"gitzo 12' boom, mixpre + cable snake and sony headphones and case"

You have a great start to your kit! Good Job.

Happy to help!
 
I use the at4073 on a boom all the time and it works great for outdoor shots, open spaces: it produces a really clean and natural vocal sound. I don't like it in indoor situations because it sounds tinny to me and sound seems to bounce off the walls. I've been asking recently and am about to add the ck93 and a zeppelin, to properly round out the setup for diverse conditions.
 
FYI - just realized I made a typo on the "other forum." The AT4073a is a short gun. Should have typed "AT4053a" as an example of a hyper from A/T similar to the AKG se300/ck93 to use indoors.
 
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