Everything I know about mics so far.

Ty,

It's funny, I am not a pro or even an enthusiast. I like getting mics because I think it's cool to see the different tonal qualities between the various mics and how the price of the mic reflects the performance under certain conditions. My collection (as of right now) is pretty much made up of:
Sennheiser MKH416
AKG SE300B, CK93, CK98
Audio Technica 835B
Oktava MK012

Once I got the AKG system I unloaded the 4073a, just didn't see a point in keeping it.

For lavs, what do you recommend?
 
No interest in going pro. I just like the different audio characteristics of mics...

You should have seen me when I was into modular synths... That's expensive
 
Sorry guys, but I am bumping this back up, because of all the great information I have got out of it...

Picked up the Oktava MK012, Severe Windscreen, and SSM-1/SL SABRA-SOM SHOCK MOUNT "Speed Lock" from the sound-room.com for my indoor stuff and am still saving for the 4073A shotgun and accessories...

I am just going down the list of a piece of acceptable equipment every week or two and picked up the 7506 headphones and StarQuad cables earlier...

I just want to say thanks to everyone for laying this out here like this... It has been extremely helpful in getting a newbie like me started in audio with some very useable equipment...

Matt
 
ullanta said:
Just be aware that wind protection is BAD when you don't need it. Take that word "adequate" very seriously! I have too often seen recordists in windless studios and rooms recording through heavy-duty windscreeens (and thereby coloring their sound unnecessarily). If you're indoors in a situation where you can, always avoid wind protection!

-Barry
Click to expand...

I think maybe badish but not BAD. A Rycote or similar has a very light effect on the sound, even with the dead cat. Miles of foam is bad, or even BAD. You do often need something even indoors because of the odd errant draft, but I agree less is better.
SK
 
I'm sure there are people who will disagree with me, but I think both BBGs and blimps are sonically transparent. I keep my Oktavas in BBGs as if that's the only way to use them.

I still can't believe that the first post of this thread is my very first post ever to DVXuser and this thread still won't die :cheesy: I hope everybody's smart enough to realize that some of my advice in this thread was spoken from a lack of experience... and please pay attention to the date of the posts from me. I still think much of this advice is very solid, but in other areas I have evolved. :beer:
 
Watching the evolution of knowledge is nice but I think this thread needs to made more succinct if it is to be a great resource for newbies trying to learn. Let's face it, not many have the patience to shift thru 6 pages and will just repost a question that is answered within here.

Maybe some sort of abridged version that still points to this thread if someone isn't happy with just the cliff notes. :thumbsup:

Cheers
 
That is a good point Wabbit. I'll breeze this and start an updated thread... of course you realize that it will still head off in various directions like all the threads of this type.

Until there is only one way to skin a cat this is just how it's going to go... but at least I can post an update of MY OWN advice! Thanks for the tip! (should have been obvious to me... don't know why I haven't done that already)
 
Perhaps if it is a good primer, it could get stickied and then LOCKED. All comments can be directed to this thread. Keep it nice and neat.

Cheers
 
They really should just make you a moderator Matt. Be branded with that AUDIO EXPERT title you always try to avoid. :laugh:

If Jarred or Barry is reading, is there a process for making someone mod...Matt seems a perfect admin for audio forum.

Best
 
wabbit said:
They really should just make you a moderator Matt. Be branded with that AUDIO EXPERT title you always try to avoid. :laugh:

If Jarred or Barry is reading, is there a process for making someone mod...Matt seems a perfect admin for audio forum.

Best
Click to expand...


I will echo that sentiment... Matt's saved me tons of cash in mistakes
 
I don't like terms like "expert"... it implies that I don't make mistakes. I'm a lot more modest then that... and like most people, I constantly strive to do better.

I like to think of the audio forum as a group of buddies who all like sound... and we're all just sharing our experiences and having fun talking about this stuff. I would never put myself above anybody else on here... if you like mics and want to get good sound then we're no different. Keep an open ear to advice and consider things that people relay to you from experience... even if your instinct is to say, "it doesn't matter".

It's been the input from a few key people at the right moments... like little forks in the road... where I kept an open mind... that I appreciate more then anything.

There are people on this board that I can point to and honestly say, "THAT guy made me spend two thousand dollars!":grin:

I'd hate for some guy with $10K in SD gear and $6K in mics working in Hollywood to come on the board and see some punk-ass from Missouri with the title, "expert". It would make us both feel stupid.:)
 
I just want to be known as a cool guy who likes sound and helping out when I can. It's a lot more fun to have friends and share experiences with them then to look at a group of people who have (sometimes unrealistic) expectations of you.

If you mean I'm suggesting thinning the heard because I want newbies to keep an open mind to doing things that they instinctively feel is unimportant... and we have a lot of 'em who come in wanting good sound but are unwilling to do anything special to get it... then I'd agree to an extent. The good thing is that it doesn't matter what people think about most of this stuff... they won't get decent sound until they proove it to themselves anyway.
 
So 12 pages now... This is the longest thread in history. I also keep my Oktava's in the zep all the time. I have taken them out to use on stands for a concert recording but most of the time they live in the Zep. A friend who uses Schoeps does the same. I'm not sure about that one though since the Schoeps are rather notorious for having problems with dirt and humidity. In theory you should lose a little high end and some transient response in a zep. Other than classical music recording I'm not convinced that you lose enough to worry about.
I would recommend cardioids for BG recordings rather than Hypers. Your trying to gather the surrounding sound not eliminate it, but that's probably just taste. I also have my pair at a tighter angle than most so that may negate the rationale fornot using hypers. The main reason I do it that way is so that it will fit in the Zep I have, but a side benefit is that I'm mostly recording FX and the more forward focus is useful. I have a rant that I don't think I have posted here about the futility of "accurate" stereo recording. The reason is that unless you playback exclusively on headphones anything you captured "accurately" goes to hell on playback through speakers. And with film it is going to have so many layers and junk added in that it is a totally BS concept to "accurately" record the stereo field. Record what sounds best. Use your ears not some strange formula or Styrofoam head to duplicate the ears, because in the end it doesn't matter HOW you recorded it, it matters WHAT you recorded. OK rant over and what ever way you get good recordings is gravy with me. And if your into trying to recreate the human ear as a microphone then have fun but don't fool yourself into thinking it's going to be played back and enjoyed the way you recorded it by any more than.01% of the public. Anyway that's my opinion. If M/S or ORTF or whatever sounds great that is the reason to use it, not because it achieves some mythical (and unattainable) perfection.

SK
 
Kubrick71:

B&H, as many other stores, are not allowed to place their low porice online per agreement with the vendor.

If you read the FULL webpage where that mic is listed, you will see that B&H states:

=========
Note!


Our price for this item is too low to publish on-line.

For an instant price quote please call us at xxxxxx
==========

Just call them and ask! Or call EVS if they have it.
 
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Can anyone tell me if a Rycote ball gag will fit on the AKG CK93 mic?
If so, which model?

Also, what's the best fitting shockmount for this setup (for use w/ a boom)?

Thanks,

-BillP
 
BillP said:
Can anyone tell me if a Rycote ball gag will fit on the AKG CK93 mic?
If so, which model?

Also, what's the best fitting shockmount for this setup (for use w/ a boom)?
Click to expand...

Good question, because I'm trying to convince myself to spend the extra money and get the AKG CK 93 over the Oktava and if I do I'd like to know if Matt's suggections - wait - mandates - OK, OK Matt, "recommendations", (but I take them very seriously), are the same for the AKG as the Oktava. But I think Yankee has a different set up on his AKG.
 
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