I'am looking for a microphone

Pascal Parvex

Pascal Parvex

Well-known member
There is already another thread about this up, but all I want is sound, that is 'good enough'. The internal microphone of the DVX is good enough, and I don't have to bother with any installation or expanded space needs, but:

- It picks up sound from the camera and the operator (me), as it is multidirectional
- It is not wind-proof
- I cannot remove it to record sound farther away from the camera

So, what can you suggest? Budget: Zero would be best. Just to lead you the right way. :) The one from Panasonic? Do I need XLR-Inputs for 'good enough' quality?
 
Well, if you are satisfied with the sound of the internal mic, I take you are not a perfectionist. Your main problem would be getting a mic closer to the subject so you could get a clearer signal.

the Least most audio freaks here have guts to recomend is the audio technica at897 it's 270 dollars at BH. If I were you I'd keep an eye for the new rode NTG-1 or NTG2 that list for 50 bucks less. Now if you really don't care about quality, get the Azden SGM-1X. That is the lowest I can recommend.

But your problem is not the mic itself, but supporting it to be close to your actors. So try a homemade boom choice made from a painters pole and a homemade shockmount made from PVC pipe and medical rubber. Put a mic on it, and give it a try.
 
I use a Sennheiser ME66/K6.. It's a pretty decent shotgun for it's price.. I'm no sound guru though.. I just bought it on recommendation from here a few months back.
 
for none professional work,
I think the internal mic works just fine.

for someone who is in the level of purchasing such a good camcorder like DVX100,
I would suggest buying a decent boom mic.
The more I learn about filmmaking, the more I realize how important sound is.
It really is half of the film experience.
I am not a sound guru,
I have alot of experience with ME66,
and some folks like it(since it is the best seller), but I find it to be too cold and too mechanical.
I agree with taubkin, I played with at897 once in a good indoor location and I liked. It is the lowest I would go. Alot of professional folks also recommend Oktava mk012. But it is also very hard to handle I hear.
good luck
 
Anyone is welcome to answer this for me. What type of mics do Hollywood productions use for their Feature Films. Specifically....which boom mics. I'm trying to find a solution as top quality as possible without spending more than the cost of a new DVX ($3500). I'm sure there are mics out there that cost that...but....anyway.....any ideas? Would they use something along the lines of a ME66 or AT897? Probably not...but I'm guessing!! ~reservoir~
 
The Neumann 81, Senn 416/60, and Sanken cs3 are quite popular short shotguns. The Neumann 82 or Senn 816/70 are also popular long shotguns. The Schoeps mk41 is by far the most popular hyper. You will find different Hollywood sound dept have different preferences but those are definitively the most popular.

And no, you won't find the me66 or 897 on a hollywood set (maybe as a prop mic). That level of mic was really designed for event/industrial audio, not TV or movies. That is not to say that you won't find independent productions using these mics (they are the best sellers) but they still pretty cruddy quality mics (comparitively speaking).
 
Do those mics record stereo or four channel audio? See, I would spend 100-300 Bucks for a decent mic, but not 3000$ more for an unbiased quality difference of 3%, that most people won't even notice, me included. I mean, I won't do 7.1 mixing for now.

But then, what kind of microphone would you recommend for film, if there would be no budget limit?
 
I just went and checked out some of those mics *Wabbit* recommended. They go up to about $1,800 dollars. I mean seriously....what kind of quality difference is there between the $500 dollar ME66 and $1800 dollar Neumann 82? I mean we're talking $1300 dollar difference for something that does roughly the same thing. Gimme the scoop!! ~reservoir~
 
reservoir said:
I mean seriously....what kind of quality difference is there between the $500 dollar ME66 and $1800 dollar Neumann 82? I mean we're talking $1300 dollar difference for something that does roughly the same thing.
Click to expand...

Gimme five! :) Maybe it's the same issue as with those 'high quality' audio cables that are sold for 300$ a foot...I hope not.
 
What do you audio experts think of the specs on those Rode NTG mics? I'm considering those, if they're decent.
 
Yes, I forgot the A at the end. If you want, there was a good comparison between few Micros, do a search and the AT4073A was the best value for the price.
 
reservoir said:
I just went and checked out some of those mics *Wabbit* recommended. They go up to about $1,800 dollars. I mean seriously....what kind of quality difference is there between the $500 dollar ME66 and $1800 dollar Neumann 82? I mean we're talking $1300 dollar difference for something that does roughly the same thing. Gimme the scoop!! ~reservoir~
Click to expand...

Well, the 82 is a long shotgun not a short (me66 is short). The Neumann 81 would be the comparable mic to the 66.

The freq response, noise, and off-axis rejection of the professional mics is tremendously better than the cheaper "prosumer" mics. Beaser provided some A/B comparisons of the mkh60 to me66 here...

http://www.dvfreelancer.com/articles/shotgun_shootout.html

The dvx100 (or any prosumer dv camera) is a great camera but still not close to the picture you can get with a professional video camera or 35mm film. You can go cheaper with sound just like video but there is a significant difference.

Secondly, professional microphones have a much longer half-life than your camera. The DVX will be outdated in a few years but professional mics will provide you decades of good audio (assuming you take good care of them). If you are in this for the long run than an investment in good quality audio will be far cheaper than your investment in video in the next 10 to 15 years and beyond.

The Senn mkh416 can be had for around $700 used. So the price difference can be minimal if you are working on a tight budget.

You can pick up some canare star quad cable for far less than $300 a foot. :)
 
Can someone tell me the difference between the Neumann 81 and 82? (besides the price)
82 is $1489.50 at BH
81 is $1299.95 at BH
 
reservoir said:
I just went and checked out some of those mics *Wabbit* recommended. They go up to about $1,800 dollars. I mean seriously....what kind of quality difference is there between the $500 dollar ME66 and $1800 dollar Neumann 82? I mean we're talking $1300 dollar difference for something that does roughly the same thing. Gimme the scoop!! ~reservoir~
Click to expand...


about the same like betwin cina alta and dvx , you pay for quality and name
the holywood sound doesnt depends on the mike allone but all the prosses chain
usiallu the audio budget is 6-7 % of overall ( bellow the the budjet)- so that bring ypu about 100000-1000000
in simple words , the 66 which totaly oberpriced by the euro and 897 are good for situteons where the qulity of the sound is not so important ( news gettering and events ) , they are poor choice for motion pictures .
be happy that your camera cost less then 10 % of my audio set
 
xdinsfx said:
Can someone tell me the difference between the Neumann 81 and 82? (besides the price)
82 is $1489.50 at BH
81 is $1299.95 at BH
Click to expand...
the 82 is more nerro pick uop pattern - usially used in situations that the mike cant come close or in places that need more side regection ( urbanic noice for example)
usially short shot gun is more then enought for 90 % of the work
 
The 82 is a long gun and the 81 is a short gun. Long guns always cost more because it's a bigger design challenge to make a long gun sound natural... Typically the "shorter the pattern" the cheaper the mic... even in the MKH series you'll notice that the price steadily raises from the cardioid to the 70.

A long gun is GREAT when you need it, but most of the time it doesn't sound as good as a short gun... although I'd say that in the Neumann line and MKH series of Sennheiser this is an exception. Still, with both top of the line mics, you're going to have limited usage due to the length and pattern of pick up.

I have a ck69 system which is long AND short... and still I rarely use the short for anything indoors... and the long is only for outdoors...
 
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