ME-66 vs. ATA 897

this is true. i almost always have to boost audio in post with my at897, unless im recording a concert, but all dialogue needs to be boosted. when you get it right though, it sounds fantastic.
 
I'll post some samples from the 897, but they're in only average conditions: in my medium-smallish room. The mess in there may have had a dampening effect, though, so the echoes aren't too bad!

Anyhow, it sounds good enough, but the most important thing is making sure to dampen the room, prevent echoes, and keep the mic close to the mouth.

I have no problem with the 897 being too quiet. You have to adjust audio settings in the dvx's menu and then crank the knobs, but it's definitely loud enough for anything but a whisper. In fact, I have issues with peaking even when the mic is 10 feet away with normal dialogue with the knobs cranked up most of the way.

Still, the 4037a is a true professional mic. I'd splurge, in your case. That way you know you're getting the best and won't have to upgrade later. By the way, I'm thinking of applying to NYU for grad school. How do you like the film production there? I hear great things!
 
We use AT897 mics both on close-range booms and on-camera. I'm currently using one with the HDVZ1U with great success - it really cancels noise from behind and does a great job from the side.

The HDCam CineAlta 900 in particular is a very noisy camera, and we're shooting in tight, tight quarters, so the side cancel quality is very important to us. You can't go wrong with the AT897.

e
 
Here's the opening voice over for my latest "short film." There's a lot of silence since I removed the music surrounding the VO so you could hear just the audio from the 897. Totally unprocessed or mixed at all, just recorded with me talking into my mic on my computer through the dvx through firewire into Final Cut Pro. And, yeah, I do sound goofy here.

http://home.comcast.net/~rwauhkonen/audio.mov

For more, check out the whole movie:
http://homepage.mac.com/daven/scaryboy.avi

In fact, PLEASE check out the whole movie. I put a lot of work into it and no one wants to watch it!!!! Also, there are scenes outdoors (with tons of wind), indoors (with a "dance party" upstairs which we did NOT want in the movie, but made it in a little anyhow), etc. so you can get a good idea of how the mic performs in REALLY bad shooting conditions (also, I had a fever.) It's not always so great, but it impressed me given how much ambient noise there was to deal with. Most of it was shot with the 897 mounted on the camera under really-far-from-ideal conditions. And, yes, it's super directional and makes a great on-camera or boom mic.
 
Policar said:
By the way, I'm thinking of applying to NYU for grad school. How do you like the film production there? I hear great things!
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Hey Policar (and everybody else)-
Thanks for the input and advice. Now if the $500 dollar mic is not in my budget, I will feel pretty confident that the 897 will serve me well....but I'm still crunching numbers to get the pro mic...if you've heard the 4037a from DVFREELANCER.com, you'd understand why...

Policar-
I actually received my Bachelors in Film at CalState Northridge. An excellent, but gritty place to learn filmmaking. The program I am in at NYU is a Masters of Digital Imaging and Design. I wanted to learn all of the nuts and bolts of post production. There are some great classes, some great faculty members and some great pull that comes with the NYU name. However, many other students want to learn how to do Toy Story or Finding Nemo, and I want to film, edit, color correct, composite, etc. Sadly, I am in a major minority there. Other than that, with one year to go (my thesis), it's been a great experience.

Rick
PS sorry everybody else, who wasn't interested in my life history...
 
Policar said:
you can get a good idea of how the mic performs in REALLY bad shooting conditions... it's super directional and makes a great on-camera or boom mic.
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Policar- is the mic a battery hog?
 
I haven't used it enough to say, but I don't think it is. I've never done any careful testing, but it doesn't seem to draw way too much power at all. Others would probably know better than me, but in my experience it's definitely not.

The information about NYU is interesting, by the way. Oddly enough, I'm in a film studies major where everyone is much more interested in art cinema than big budget action and cgi....except for me. I got so frustrated trying to learn 3D animation that I realized it wasn't for me at all, though, plus direction and cinematography (which they don't teach, unfortunately) are much more interesting.
 
A small AA battery usually lasts 100 hours on most shotguns. Very little current draw.
 
Policar said:
I got so frustrated trying to learn 3D animation that I realized it wasn't for me at all, though, plus direction and cinematography (which they don't teach, unfortunately) are much more interesting.
Click to expand...

Policar-
You are speaking to someone who knows EXACTLY where you are coming from. You want to 3D model, that is the place. For a lack of a better term, I want to learn/do "movie magic".

Rush- thanks for the information. I guess my two batteries will be sufficient. By the way, I'm days away from making the call. You should be hearing from me pretty soon.

Rick
 
Update:

I just purchased the AT4037a today from Rush and hopefully will be getting it next week. After I've I tested her out, I will let you know how she fares. I WAS gunning for the AT897. But after I heard samples from the 4037a I just couldn't do it. It sounded amazing. Absolute GORGEOUS sound. Rich, full and resonant. And very clear. And to be honest, the tests I've heard from the ME-66 are nowhere NEAR what a $450.00 dollar mic should sound like. WAY WAY WAY too thin for my tastes. It perplexes me how it became so popular.

Rick
 
Our sound guys prefer the AT897 to both the 416 and ME66. That's quite a statement coming from Sanken and Tram fanatics.

I forgot there was a battery in the 897s - mine are still on the same cells as last summer. Guess I should swap those out? Post some samples from your 4037 when you have a chance?

e
 
Rush-

Thanks to you and your EVS team for promptly getting my order on it's way. I have been following the tracking and it was supposed to arrive Monday, July 11th. But it came yesterday on the 8th, THREE days early! Now I will have the entire weekend to give that mic a real workout...


Thanks again-

Send Kelly my regards!
Rick
 
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