Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

B

BigWilly1231

Active member
So I have been cruising these boards, as well as others for some time now and cant seem to figure it out.  So here is the question:

I am shooting small projects now (short films, docs) and I was wondering what shotgun to go with, I see the big choices are the AT835b and the AT897, but I see no evidence on which one sounds better.  If anyone could throw me any ideas that would be great.  Or if anyone can suggest something that I would be happier with that would be great.  Once again I am not making huge hollywood pictures.  Yet I am making shorter 20-40 min films, you know building the ol resume.

Thanks Again
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

look for used 416( T or 48ph - doesnt metter) sennheiser or AT 4073 , both of them much better sounding mikes
The 835b is atotal crap , the 897 is not but still dont see it as more then dicent for start
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

Have you seen or should I say heard, good results out of the AT897. I was looking for something that had decent pick up of dialouge. And what does the 897 sound like outdoors.
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

i checked ones - it stands allot behind my low point what i axpect from the mike , its "good "only becouse the price point , not more
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

Oleg,

I'm thinking of picking up an Oktava MC012. I've been shying away from them because they seem to good to be true at their price, but I've been reading some really good stuff about them. I read in a post that you've used one and was wondering what you thought of it for indoor work.

Thanks,

Matt
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

good mike , esspesially   the cardioid - working very well outdoar with good isolation and wind protection , the rycote egg  is exellent for that matter , suffer from high humicity and has sencitibility to rf ( not worse then the schoeps and sankens , much worse then the mkh s )
for boom work it need good shok mount and at least 70 hz hi pass filter
very low self noce - good valiu for money
for indor use alittle bit larger foam -its quit sencitiv to fast boom moovments , i usially use it in situations that are dangerous to my schoeps , buttrooms with open woter , gun shotes ,,ets , for 40$ i paid in moscow few years ago its more then you can usk ( i was idiot not buying dosent)
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

My Octava has become my back up and danger mic. I found it to be very sensitive to handling noise and wind noise. Sound is very good. I use it for sit down interviews where there is no handling or wind.
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

i found my shoeps the same in the beginning so i bit :-) on the boomans hands and since then they are less sensible to handling , the low cut usially do that too  or old dt-48 ;-)
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

xort, what is your primary mic?

Oleg, do you think there are any other mics less that say $600 that perform as well?

Matt
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

pattern? , size ?, capsule change?, for what perpess?
ones 3-4 yers ago the mkh 416 was under 600 mike ( 670 euro) :-)
i alwais wonted to check the audix  pen hiper cardiod - if some one have acsses to this one  that would be nice to hear some rewiw -on the paper they blew everything under 400


http://www.audixusa.com/Acrobat/micros_spec_sheet_2.pdf
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

That Audix looks very interesting. If someone has used let us know.

You can get Senn 416 for about $600 used. Do an ebay search for sennheiser mkh. If you can do T power you could get one for around $500 or maybe less.

Condenser mics (as long as they are treated well) are good for decades. A used is as good as new. Check em out. Here are a few up for auction right now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=41466&item=3775262462&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=15198&item=3776061068&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=41466&item=3776815404&rd=1

The 416 is heads and tails above any of those cheaper solutions.
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

The oktava has a hyper card option, which is what I was looking at. I agree that usually a low cost solution is not a great one, but I have been hearing REALLY good things about these mics by folks I respect. Wabbit, have you worked with one?
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

I have a pair with the 3 caps. I have experiemented with them for dialog work and find them very difficult to work with but do give amazing sound for the price.

I have lent my Oktava out to people doing low/no-budget films and they have come back with mixed results. The problem is they are VERY sensitive to handling noise and movement.

If you are looking for a low budget boom mic for indoors the Oktava is probably the best choice but you need to have your boomman practice and understand it's weaknesses.
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

Thanks! Now as far as the 416 goes, should I just suck it up and get it?
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

That's obviously very hard to answer for an individual.

Properly used the 416 will give you outstanding audio. It won't work perfect in every situation, no one mic will. Properly cared for it will last many decades (the cheaper electret condensor mics have a limited life).

Is it worth the money to you?

The Panasonic SDX900 is a faaaaaar better camera than the DVX100a but the DVX is the right choice for a lot of people.

The price to performance difference is much greater with mics (a little bit more money gets you a lot better mic in the $500 to $1000 range) than cameras soooooo........ :-X
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

Well, duh, I could have written that answer myself... I don't want to think, I want to turn over responsibility for my actions to you.. ;)

Ok, let me get more specific. I have a nice little mic collection, but they are mostly large diameter condensers with a ribbon or two thrown in. I don't have any "boom" mics, although I'm thinking about putting a Rode NT1A on a boom pole and seeing what happens. So, I'll be buying my first shotgun mic. All the ones I've used in the past have been mucho, mucho dinero (owned by other people, bought with their money). I've been hesitating buying one because, well first I'm still learning the camera, but second I know that anything I buy right now will be far inferior to what I've used and I'll be bummed... That said, I'll be buying one mic for now and would like to get the most versitle mic I can and then add to it later. Since most of my shooting will be indoors, I was thinking a hyper-cardoid might be a good way to go and that led me to reading about the Oktava. I figured when it came time to capture dialog outside (summer, too f'n cold right now) I'd get a real good shotgun mic. But if my thought process is off, please tell me. My shooting will be taking place indoors, small rooms mostly. Dialog.
 
Re: Need some help on a boom mic...PLEASE

[quote author=MattC link=board=audio;num=1106143631;start=15#15 date=01/20/05 at 19:15:09]Well, duh, I could have written that answer myself...  I don't want to think, I want to turn over responsibility for my actions to you..   ;)[/quote]

LMAO ;D...Meant no disrespect ;)

Well under the cirmstances you describe, then, the answer is yes (IMHO). The 416 will not disappoint and to someone who cares about audio like yourself, anything less will let you down. I personally own the MKH60 (next generation of the 416 but so many people liked the 416 it never got phased out) and in my opinion it is the best short shotgun out there.

The Sanken CS-3e is preferred by some and it does have less off axis coloration but I don't know if you can pick it up for less than $1300.

People have different tastes in audio so you might find another high-end shotgun more pleasing to your ear but you still wouldn't be disappointed with the 416. Dollar for dollar, best deal out there (once again...IMO). 8)

There is a link that has some A/B comparisons of the most popular shotguns, I don't have it here, will see if I can post it later.
 
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