Need Blimp, hyper, and new recording device.

N

Networker

Well-known member
Hi,
I need to start upgrading my equipment and could do with a little advice. I looks like a Rycote S blimp/Zeppelin is about the best bang for my bucks, and I plan on ordering one later this week, although I'm open to other suggestions.

Next, I'm recording into a Zoom H2. My thoughts, and budget, are that I should either buy a Mixpre-D and keep the Zoom, or ditch the Zoom, skip the Mixpre-D, and buy a Fostex FR2-Le or something similar? (If SD would just stick a recorder into the Mixpre-D this would all be a no-brainer, but that is a different discussion.) Are there any other recorders I should look at? I am aware of SD's excellent resale value and that is a point in its favor, but I have never tried the line-in on the Zoom so I don't know how the two of them will work together.

Finally, I need a hypercardiod mic for indoor dialog. My total budget is around $1,200 or so, and I can spend whatever is left after the above on the mic. I'm leaning towards the Octava MK012, possibly with all three caps. (Once my credit card cools off, I'll be looking to add a shotgun mic. But that will be later.)

Or should I skip the hyper this time around and spend all on the money on the mixer/recording part. What are your thoughts?
 
If you are not going for the shotgun right away you won't need the blimp. Cash is precious (I know I am stating the obvious). So spend it on what you need and keep the rest for things as you need it. I think the key to good sound (other than knowing what you are doing) is having good preamps. So I would go the mixpre route and keep the zoom for now. A good hyper like the at4053b or audix scx 1 is in the 500 to 600 range. Oktava works but you'll need to make sure you get the bbg and windjammer. Do you have a boom that will cost also. I think for 1,200 you can get what you need for interiors but you might need to go used. Also do you have headphones? That is another 80 to 100.

A mixpre will be good for a long time and you can pick up a good recorder when you are ready.

There are lots of posts (on various boards) of people discussing a mixpre and cheap recorder vs. a good recorder. I have seen a lot of them, just can't find them at the moment lol.

Without a hyper, I am not sure how you are going to get good interior sound. Do you have another mic already?

On a side note, I am going to be posting a new Audix SCX1 hyper and 3 capsule octava for sale. I just need to stop being lazy!
 
I ran a MixPre into a H4n and while the sound quality was decent (had some low end issues with the line-in on the zoom, but good other than that) it was a complete pain to use having to fumble with 2 devices (there's no good way to bag Zoom gear in my experience).
Ease of use is something I completely underestimated until I got a 702 (i.e. MixPre with a built-in recorder :cheesy:) and now everything is wonderful. But with your budget I'd go for the FR2-LE.

You only need a blimp once you've got a shotgun. You can look at a BBG and windjammer on a hyper for some outdoor recording assuming you primarily record indoors.
 
Hi prexealer,
I have a shotgun already, and I tried some outdoor recordings and they are useless. I need some engine, exhaust, and wheel sounds of my motorcycle and the wind noise just about drowned out the engine. So the blimp is first on the list. The hyper is last since I will need it for some diet/excercise videos my wife wants to make, but she isn't ready for quite yet. Probably in a few months. Don't have a pole yet, but don't need one right now. Got the headphones, Sennheiser HD 280 Pro and got mic stands. And eventually - with any luck - I'll know what I'm doing :)
 
If you want motorcycle noises, Shure SM58s are great, durable, and fairly cheap. Great to attaching near the exhaust and engine, just be careful you don't get gear or the cords where it's going to melt.
 
I got a Shure 515 Unidyne B, which I was told was the precursor to the SM58. I was also told it would not be good for this, but I'll try it. Might be difficult to mount in the blimp due to its size and shape. But I'll try.

I've heard both good and bad about the Marantz PMD660. Some people like it, others not so much. Still looking, but I'm leaning towards the SD Mixpre-D and sticking with my Zoom H2.

As for hypers the Octava still looks good, and the price looks even better.

On a different note; don't we have DVXuser supporters that sell this stuff? I can't seem to find any names.
 
Networker said:
I got a Shure 515 Unidyne B, which I was told was the precursor to the SM58. I was also told it would not be good for this, but I'll try it. Might be difficult to mount in the blimp due to its size and shape. But I'll try.
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Not worth the effort. The 515 Unidyne B is a dynamic mic and is not suited to boom use. The SM58 would be just as out-of-place in this application. You really need to have a condenser, either shotgun or hypercardioid depending on what you're doing.

Networker said:
I've heard both good and bad about the Marantz PMD660. Some people like it, others not so much. Still looking, but I'm leaning towards the SD Mixpre-D and sticking with my Zoom H2.
Click to expand...

Good recorder, awkward design that's not bag-friendly. While the H2 is also a bit awkward of a design, and not terribly easy to keep in a bag, it does have a 1/8" line in that can take the Tape Out from the MixPre. That will give you a workable setup, and you can upgrade the recorder later without making your MixPre obsolete.

Networker said:
On a different note; don't we have DVXuser supporters that sell this stuff? I can't seem to find any names.
Click to expand...

Plenty. Watch the banners at the top. The one that comes immediately to mind is DVeStore.
 
Alex H. said:
Not worth the effort. The 515 Unidyne B is a dynamic mic and is not suited to boom use. The SM58 would be just as out-of-place in this application. You really need to have a condenser, either shotgun or hypercardioid depending on what you're doing.
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For high spl sounds dynamics work great when close micing as they can handle it. Condensers will distort.Also they are cheaper and less delicate in case it drops. I've actually seen a sm58 shot with a shotgun and still work fine.
 
The SM58 and any dynamic mic recommendations are not for boom use, only for FX recording when you're physically taping or tying the mic next to really loud noise sources (i.e. taping a mic next to a car muffler, near the engine block, ect...
When we say dynamic needs to be close, we're talking within a few inches max. The only way a dynamic mic works for dialog is if they're holding it right in front of their mouths (i.e. reporters).
Condenser mics (shotguns, hypers, ect...) work further away and are what is used on boom poles.
 
Gohanto said:
The SM58 and any dynamic mic recommendations are not for boom use, only for FX recording when you're physically taping or tying the mic next to really loud noise sources (i.e. taping a mic next to a car muffler, near the engine block, ect... When we say dynamic needs to be close, we're talking within a few inches max. The only way a dynamic mic works for dialog is if they're holding it right in front of their mouths (i.e. reporters). Condenser mics (shotguns, hypers, ect...) work further away and are what is used on boom poles.
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dynamic loud sound! conndenser boom! This truely is audio 101.
 
So get the dynamic mic within inches of the sound source and forget wind protection? The Shure is a heavy sucker and the shape will make it hard to mount in the zeppelin, but I'll give it a shot once my Rycote S gets here.
 
Networker said:
So get the dynamic mic within inches of the sound source and forget wind protection? The Shure is a heavy sucker and the shape will make it hard to mount in the zeppelin, but I'll give it a shot once my Rycote S gets here.
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For your motorcycle sounds use the dynamic for loud sounds and stick the capsule directly at the source, trust me it won't hurt it. When you zep comes throw your gun in it and point at what you need to record. Experiment for the right sound. We can't do that through a computer screen.

A lot of the time for sound design multiple mics are used on the same source and the later put in phase and messed with for the beefy unnatural, natural sounds.
 
Mitch.Kear said:
For high spl sounds dynamics work great when close micing as they can handle it. Condensers will distort.Also they are cheaper and less delicate in case it drops. I've actually seen a sm58 shot with a shotgun and still work fine.
Click to expand...

The SM58 is designed for close vocal work on stage - so for vocals it's fine, but I would not use it for more distant work. It's insensitive.

No - condensers will not distort if you choose the right one. The Neumann condenser is very popular at the moment for stage vocals, you see it all the time on TV nowadays; that doesn't distort.

Condensers are not cheaper, they are normally more expensive than dynamics. As the capsule is light they are more likely to survive if dropped as they don't hae a heavy magnet.
 
John Willett said:
The SM58 is designed for close vocal work on stage - so for vocals it's fine, but I would not use it for more distant work. It's insensitive.
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Actually the SM58 is virtually the same mic as the SM57 with a ball on top which is used for close micing instruments with high SPL. I never said use it for distant micing.

John Willett said:
No - condensers will not distort if you choose the right one. The Neumann condenser is very popular at the moment for stage vocals, you see it all the time on TV nowadays; that doesn't distort.
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Yes - condensers are more prone to distort compared to the much higher rated SPL handling of dynamics. Lets say the mic you're talking about is the KMS 105, it is a live mic so it has an unusually high SPL for condenser at 150db. The SM58 is rated at 180db. A lot of condensers are rated at 130db or less. A gunshot is rated from 150 - 170db, condensers cannot handle this. We are talking loud sounds not singing or talking.

John Willett said:
Condensers are not cheaper, they are normally more expensive than dynamics. As the capsule is light they are more likely to survive if dropped as they don't hae a heavy magnet.
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You misunderstood, I was talking of the dynamic being cheaper typically. Also you're incorrect about the survivability. This is why the SM58 is designed with a heavy duty cage, for stage use. You can drop, throw, kick, or shoot with a shotgun as I had said, and they will still work. A condenser works differently and is far more sensitive, if dropped can easily be damaged. May not be visible but just the shock of being dropped, you may be able to hear the difference. Or you may not since it stopped working.
 
Thank you to everybody. I have decided on the Mixpre-D and keeping the Zoom H2. With the Rycote S and the Octava w/all caps I didn't bust my budget too badly. Now, to wait for it all...

Thanks again for all your input.
 
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