Need a mic for post voiceovers
- Thread starter JaymzB0nd
- Start date
unclebob6958
Well-known member
How much do you want to spend? There are some passable sounding USB mics that are relatively inexpensive like the Blue Snowball ($100), or the Audio-Technica AT2020 USB ($150). You won't need a preamp or interface and can route it directly to your video/audio editing program.
Richard Crowley
Veteran
Budget?
The 3.5mm mic preamp on a computer is likely the WORST mic preamp you will ever use (with the possible exception of the one in your cell phone). NOT RECOMMENDED except for the most bargain-basement no-budget, noncritical application.
If you don't have the budget for an Electrovoice RE-20 or Shure SM7 (or at least AudioTechnica AT2020) and a decent external mic preamp, at the very least consider a USB microphone which will bypass the dreadful mic preamp in your computer. Perhaps something like the USB version of the AT2020.
If this YouTube project is truly a one-off, zero-budget noncritical application, you would probably be better off just recording yourself on your camcorder microphone (used at the proper distance, we don't care what the video looks like, you will be discarding it.) I wouldn't go out and spend any money on a "computer mic".
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Thank you guys very much for your input. My entire set up is new so I'm trying to save as much money as possible. I literally thought a $10 mic from radio shack would suffice for this sort of youtube project.
Since I'm new to editing, would it be possible to, as Richard said, use my mic for the camera (SMG-2) somehow apply just the audio of that to the video? Again, I just bought Sony Vegas and am learning as I go. Thanks.
Since I'm new to editing, would it be possible to, as Richard said, use my mic for the camera (SMG-2) somehow apply just the audio of that to the video? Again, I just bought Sony Vegas and am learning as I go. Thanks.
Richard Crowley
Veteran
A $10 mic from RS would likely suffice for a casual YouTube project (assuming they still sell any mic that cheap anymore?) Buy why spend the $$?
Any decent video editing application should be able to separate the video and audio parts of a clip and use them separately and independent of each other. I am not personally familiar with Vegas although I am committed to migrate to Vegas Pro (from Adobe Premiere). But that is another story.
Steve House
Veteran
Will a bargain basement toy from Radio Shack or a "mutlimedia microphone" from the computer store, plugged directly into the "mic in" on your computer work? Certainly. Will it sound good? Probably not. There's going to be a tradeoff between your budget and your quality standards so your first decision has to be "how good does it need to sound." "A mic for voiceovers" can range the gamut from a $100 USB mic up to a $25,000 vintage Neumann running into boutique preamps costing perhaps $10,000.
Noiz2
Sound Ninja
A few things.
First while the mic in on the computer might be terrible, it might also be OK (not good but OK). I'm sort of with everyone else on the don't buy a crappy mic. The camcorder mic will sound a LOT better IF you can record with out the motor running. So if it's tape based then going to something that can record streaming off the camera will be better. However if this is a total one off do whatever costs the least. Don't spend money on stuff you won't use in the future. So if you really need to buy something get one of the Blue USB mics (or equivalent) that sound decent and that you can use later. You can probably put a posting at the local Junior College and get someone to record you for free.
First while the mic in on the computer might be terrible, it might also be OK (not good but OK). I'm sort of with everyone else on the don't buy a crappy mic. The camcorder mic will sound a LOT better IF you can record with out the motor running. So if it's tape based then going to something that can record streaming off the camera will be better. However if this is a total one off do whatever costs the least. Don't spend money on stuff you won't use in the future. So if you really need to buy something get one of the Blue USB mics (or equivalent) that sound decent and that you can use later. You can probably put a posting at the local Junior College and get someone to record you for free.
Even a $200 DV camcorder with the tape running will still most likely sound better than any mic that plugs straight into the mic jack on a computer. I know this from experience.
As far as other options, the Samson C01U or C03U are both also good. The C03U is nice because it has fairly distinct multiple pickup patterns. I have a C03U, and for what I use it for it is quite nice. Either is in the $70-$100 range.
As far as other options, the Samson C01U or C03U are both also good. The C03U is nice because it has fairly distinct multiple pickup patterns. I have a C03U, and for what I use it for it is quite nice. Either is in the $70-$100 range.