Good mics for HVX

S

sodotoguwangus

Well-known member
I debated on putting this in the audio section, and then decided it fit here as well.

Im planning on shooting a feature soon, and I need a good mic for dialogue recording.

For the sake of simplicity, Ive divided this post up into three questions:

1. I only want to spend $200-$400 on a mic. Any recommendations? Ive read that for dialogue, it is best to use shotgun mics. Is that true?

2. And what would be the best workflow? Plugging the mic directly into the HVXs XLR input, or using some kind of external audio recording device? (Remember, I just want to keep it simple, yet professional).

3. Also, when recording dialogue between two actors, do you generally use one or two mics? In other words, do you use two mics (one mic per actor), or do you just use one mic and stick it between them? If using one mic,hHow do you handle situations with a shotgun mic? Do you just have the boom operator point it at whoever is talking?

Thanks so much.
 
A shotgun on a boom or an omni lav is best for dialogue. Since both a directional, you'll need one per actor unless you can have the sound person with the boom switch during the dialogue. That implies that they won't be talking at the same time.

If you need an external audio recording device, you will certainly blow your budget, and you will then also face the added complication of needing to sync up the external audio with the video. It would be much simpler to have the audio recorded in the camera. Feed one mike into each of the XLR inputs so you wind up with each actor's dialogue in a separate audio track.
 
THoff said:
A shotgun on a boom or an omni lav is best for dialogue. Since both a directional, you'll need one per actor unless you can have the sound person with the boom switch during the dialogue. That implies that they won't be talking at the same time.

If you need an external audio recording device, you will certainly blow your budget, and you will then also face the added complication of needing to sync up the external audio with the video. It would be much simpler to have the audio recorded in the camera. Feed one mike into each of the XLR inputs so you wind up with each actor's dialogue in a separate audio track.
Click to expand...
An Omni Directional Mic is NOT Directional!!!!Thats what Omni means!!!
I know I'm a Junior Member, but I am "long in the tooth".
I'm not trying to be clever, just pointing out the truth.
 
So . . . any mics in particular that you guys would recommend?

Also, is there an advantage to having each actors voice on a separate audio track, vs the same audio track?
 
justin_newlands said:
An Omni Directional Mic is NOT Directional!!!!Thats what Omni means!!!
I know I'm a Junior Member, but I am "long in the tooth".
I'm not trying to be clever, just pointing out the truth.
Click to expand...
Oops, sorry, mental lapse. I meant uni, not omni.
 
Read the stickies in the audio section. Good idea to post here though, or else Wabbit and Oleg would be ripping you a new one right about now :)
 
Good Mics For HVX

Good Mics For HVX

Hello,

Good question. It's tough to get something excellent for cheap.

Here are my recommendations for inexpensive and good.

1) Oktava Hypercardiod Microphone. Hypercardiod is best for indoor shooting, but if you get it "close" to your actors it will sound very good in many situations. One of the reasons this type of mic is good for dialogue is it has a "wider" pickup pattern than a shotgun. Your boom operator can swivel it (gently) between two actors and pick them both up. Many people say this mic rivals mics of much greater price. Best price at Sound Room. Around $173.00. Here's the link:

http://sound-room.com/customer/product.php?productid=196&cat=2&page=1

2) You'll need a boom pole. Check www.trewaudio.com. Excellent service. K-Tek makes the best boom poles in my opinion. If you can get an internally cabled boom pole, do it. You can get one for a couple hundred dollars. You can also check at Coffey sound. They have good prices on boom poles.

3) You'll need a shock mount. A shock mount keeps the microphone isolated from movement. It hooks to the boom pole. A good and fairly inexpensive shockmount is a PSC Universal shock mount. It only runs about $55.00. The Oktava microphone is "short" so call Trew audio and make sure it fits. The BEST shockmount for this microphone is the K-Tek K-SSM if you can afford it. It runs about $109.00 at Trew Audio. Here's the link:

http://www.trewaudio.com/store/product.php?productid=326&cat=36&page=1

4) Finally you'll need good cables. I like the ones from FILMTOOLS. They're well made, and fairly inexpensive. Here's the link:

http://cinemasupplies.stores.yahoo.net/miccabbycann.html

5) As an extra piece of advice, I would get a Y splitter and send your microphone cable into BOTH camera inputs. Set Channel 1 audio higher than Channel 2. This way if your actors get too loud, you will have a "safety" take on the lower audio channel. It's gotten me out of some jams in my day.

I hope this all makes sense.

Have a great day! :)

John
 
Spinnie said:
Hello,


1) Oktava Hypercardiod Microphone. Hypercardiod is best for indoor shooting, but if you get it "close" to your actors it will sound very good in many situations. One of the reasons this type of mic is good for dialogue is it has a "wider" pickup pattern than a shotgun. Your boom operator can swivel it (gently) between two actors and pick them both up. Many people say this mic rivals mics of much greater price. Best price at Sound Room. Around $173.00. Here's the link:
Click to expand...

You say that Hypercardiod is bes for indoor shooting. But what's best for outdoor shooting?
 
sodotoguwangus,

One of the reasons a hypercardiod is good for indoor shooting is because it has a wider "front" pickup pattern with better rear rejection. Indoors you often get reflection from the ceiling above the microphone (when booming down on your actors), so a hypercardiod is better with those reflected sounds.

In regards to outdoor shooting, probably the best mic would be a shotgun mic. A shotgun mic has a narrower pickup pattern from the front. You don't have to worry about reflected sounds from a ceiling because the sky is your ceiling. You do, however, have to worry about ambient sounds coming from all around you (traffic, dogs, kids yelling, etc.) A shotgun mike is like a laser pointer. It picks up sounds directly in front of it better than a hypercardiod (that's actually a simplified explanation, but it will suffice for this discussion). I don't know of a good and inexpensive shotgun mic. I'm sort of picky in this realm, though. Some people really like the Sennheiser ME66. This is an inexpensive shotgun microphone, but IMHO it sounds thin. I've never been a fan of this microphone.

For outdoor, you can also use lavalier microphones. These clip right to your talent and position the mic close to the performer's mouth. My favorite lavalier mic is a Countryman B6. Very tiny, but amazing sounding. They run a few hundred dollars, though.

I'd probably call someone at Trew Audio and talk to them about your needs. Tell them where you'll be shooting and what you have to spend. They should steer you in a good direction.

Remember this, though. An inexpensive mic positioned CLOSE to your actor will always sound better than a fancy expensive mic positioned FAR away. Get your mic in CLOSE to your actor. Work with your camera operator to frame a shot. If you're booming your mic from overhead, dip the mic down until it's in the frame. Then back it off until it's just out of frame. Try to position the mic close to the actor and you'll get fairly good sound. I hope this helps.

Happy shooting! :)

John
 
Spinnie, I promise not to bother you anymore, but two more questions. You've been a tremendous help by the way.

1. In outdoor scenes, when using a shotgun, do you recommend having two shotguns (one for each actor), or do you recommend just having the boom operator move a single shotgun mic from actor to actor?

2. Also, for the sake of budget, would the octava mk012 work decently for outdoor scenes (I know this is not recommended, but would it "get me by" so I wouldn't have to plop down for two mics?) Or would I be better off getting a shotgun for outdoors and the octava for indoors. Remeber, I ask this only because of budget. I know that in an ideal world, I would get both.

Can the octava even be used outdoors with decent results?
 
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I agree with filmboy77 ....... also, sit back with your favorite snack and read all the stickies in the audio section. it will change your audio life!
 
Shotgun for outdoors -- consider Audio Technica AT4073a for budget near $500 or even better consider Sennheiser MKH 416 for budget near $1000

These two are top quality in their price range.

Oktava is top notch for interiors considering it's low price.
 
i got me an AT835b from audio technica, and it has great sound, fairly cheap too.
 
I am think of buying the MKH416 for outdoors but which one do you prefer for indoors in the same leage/price range oas the MHK416
 
You guys are asking for simple answers to complicated questions. There is no 1 mic that fills all jobs. What will you be using it for is a good question to start with. Either the AT or the Octava are fine. I threw away my 416 when I got my Octava if that means anything. My soundman told me to do that. My buddy has an AT and an Octava.
Of course an Octava will work outside- just get yourself a a Zepplin or something like it.
 
Nobody did ask for a mic that fills all jobs!!!
Most reviews appreciat the MKH416 over for instance the AT 4073a. I am still indecive between those two. The MHK sounds better in the mid/high area and because of that I hear also some more noise than the AT. The MKH sound more direct but is twice as expensive. However it is an investment which goes from cam to cam. On the other hand in time there will be better mics. So I still don't know what to buy :). For an indoor mic I have not the faintest idea what to buy.

Lenilenapi said:
You guys are asking for simple answers to complicated questions. There is no 1 mic that fills all jobs. What will you be using it for is a good question to start with. Either the AT or the Octava are fine. I threw away my 416 when I got my Octava if that means anything. My soundman told me to do that. My buddy has an AT and an Octava.
Of course an Octava will work outside- just get yourself a a Zepplin or something like it.
Click to expand...
 
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