MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
This topic is obviously NEVER going away. There's a new thread started every week, or many times per week... about a particular MICROPHONE... but the thread quickly turns to issues that have more to do with other parts of the recording chain, or process.
A recording chain goes like this:
mic > cable > recording device (usually camera)
In this situation... you will get sound, but you WILL have problems almost every time.
A more thorough (and realistic) recording chain goes like this:
Windscreen (blimp w/ optional fur, or softie, etc.) mic > mic in shock mount, on a boom pole with stand or held by a boom operator wearing headphones > cable > mixer with continuous monitoring, peak limiting, amplified line level signal, mixer wearing headphones > possible optional recording device at this stage > another cable > camera with levels set by mixer tone, then fixed in place so they can't be changed accidentally > cam headphone out and cable BACK to mixer > mix-guy has mixer set on return so he KNOWS what the cam is recording.
So... if you're asking about a mic and your concerned about a mic's limits of performance... such as "reach" or "hiss" or "maximum spl"... things like that... and you do NOT have most of that second recording chain as part of your normal production... it's far more likely that any failure in sound will be a result of one of the OTHER missing items in the second recording chain.
I still think it's wise to get the best tool for a given amount of money, and you may get a variance of 1-3 opinions on a given microphone... but 95% of the time the consensus will come down to 1 choice for $ = X... and at THAT point... whatever worries you have about that mic's ability... again... won't be an issue compared to the other missing items from a normal location sound package.
Your best tool will always be knowledge... understand the limitations of your kit (missing items)... and shoot accordingly until you learn what you need, have what you need, and learn to use it.
A recording chain goes like this:
mic > cable > recording device (usually camera)
In this situation... you will get sound, but you WILL have problems almost every time.
A more thorough (and realistic) recording chain goes like this:
Windscreen (blimp w/ optional fur, or softie, etc.) mic > mic in shock mount, on a boom pole with stand or held by a boom operator wearing headphones > cable > mixer with continuous monitoring, peak limiting, amplified line level signal, mixer wearing headphones > possible optional recording device at this stage > another cable > camera with levels set by mixer tone, then fixed in place so they can't be changed accidentally > cam headphone out and cable BACK to mixer > mix-guy has mixer set on return so he KNOWS what the cam is recording.
So... if you're asking about a mic and your concerned about a mic's limits of performance... such as "reach" or "hiss" or "maximum spl"... things like that... and you do NOT have most of that second recording chain as part of your normal production... it's far more likely that any failure in sound will be a result of one of the OTHER missing items in the second recording chain.
I still think it's wise to get the best tool for a given amount of money, and you may get a variance of 1-3 opinions on a given microphone... but 95% of the time the consensus will come down to 1 choice for $ = X... and at THAT point... whatever worries you have about that mic's ability... again... won't be an issue compared to the other missing items from a normal location sound package.
Your best tool will always be knowledge... understand the limitations of your kit (missing items)... and shoot accordingly until you learn what you need, have what you need, and learn to use it.
