BOOM audio package for $1000 recommended equipment?

Haven't priced out the components individually to see if it would be cheaper elsewhere,
but the K-Tek brand pole and accessories this seller includes are pretty good equipment.

If $1k is the maximum budget, I would try to go for a different/better microphone and
spend less on the pole and accessories.. You'd get better sound with a better microphone.
 
The best tip I can offer for getting good sound is to drop the idea of buying your own microphone
and find a sound guy and negotiate a per-project rate.

A sound guy will have the right tools for every application (I personally own five different mics)
and a mixer, good headphones, perhaps two boom poles, some wireless gear, and all sorts of windscreens.

Hiring a sound guy for a week for a discount rate of $1000 would be a much better value than
spending a $1000 on a microphone and paying your neighbor in lemonade and ice cream to hold it.
 
thisiswells said:
The best tip I can offer for getting good sound is to drop the idea of buying your own microphone
and find a sound guy and negotiate a per-project rate.

A sound guy will have the right tools for every application (I personally own five different mics)
and a mixer, good headphones, perhaps two boom poles, some wireless gear, and all sorts of windscreens.

Hiring a sound guy for a week for a discount rate of $1000 would be a much better value than
spending a $1000 on a microphone and paying your neighbor in lemonade and ice cream to hold it.
Click to expand...

Ditto on everything he just said. Are you looking to become a soundman? If so, avoid the ME66. The boompole and shockmount are quite good but I think come in for about $400 together (maybe a little more). So if you buy the items separate at a reputable store you will probably pay less and have added benefit of someone to enforce the warrentee, answer your questions, etc.

One solution is to get a used Senn 416. They are for sale used on Ebay all the time. Often sell below $700. They are a great mic and built to last. Unlike electret mics that have a limited lifespan. If you buy from someone with a good rating you should do fine. If a 416 is "broken" you will be able to tell right away. You won't buy a used 416 and have it die 2 weeks later. IMO buying a used 416 is gonna be the best bang for buck on a budget.

I would also say stay away from DAT. It is more trouble then it is worth these days. Get a HDD/flash card solution. For basic ENG stype stuff I would recommend the Sound Device 722 (not sure of what budget you are looking at).

Good luck
 
mroczkowski83--

I've read through enough of your posts to know you want to make a movie and you've made statements like I'm not a D.P., I need advice, should I rent vs. buy, etc. You've mentioned you have at least, based on this and other posts, $1700 for a camera/mini35 package, and $1000 to spend on audio. Perhaps your budget is more; I wouldn't know.

It would really be helpful to the forum to understand what your role is on the project. Are you the writer? The director? Are you the executive producer (i.e. - are you paying for it) Maybe one big thread called, "this is what I want to do, what are your suggestions?" would yield better more fruitful responses and provide relevant advice in one place.

All these posts across multiple boards about directing, cinematography, audio, lighting, etc. is kind of confusing. I'm not really sure what you're trying to do.. Maybe if you spelled that out, the forum could help you make your movie instead of offering fragmented recommendations that don't really add up to a whole. Does this make sense? Hope so.
 
mroczkowski83-

I checked out that eBay auction, and I would say pass on it. The primary reason: It appears that auction is offered by the former Safer Seas company. They went bankrupt as Safer Seas a few months ago, and left at least one person I know high and dry with an outstanding order. (Now in full fairness, I had good experiences with Safer Seas, but I went there and picked everything up. I did not pre-pay any orders to them).

That being said (and others have already said much of this) we really need to understand what your intentions are. Are you recording a lot of exterior dialogue, interior dialogue, mixed, etc? My starter kit was a K-tek boom, K-tek shock mount, Sennheiser blimp and windsock and the k-tek wired pistol grip, and an AT 897 mic. I got all of that for much less than $1000.

Phil
 
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