Shock mount for condenser mics??

Slash6airhead

Slash6airhead

Member
Concerning a condenser mic(neumann km-184). Would I be permitable to just use the clip that came with the mic or should I use a shock mount/suspension
when using a boom pole?
 
Slash6airhead said:
Concerning a condenser mic(neumann km-184). Would I be permitable to just use the clip that came with the mic or should I use a shock mount/suspension
when using a boom pole?
Click to expand...

Definitely you're going to need a proper shock mount when it's mounted on a boom unless it's completely locked-down on a stand with no one touching it during the shot and no vibrations from people moving around, distant traffic, etc creeping in and up the stand from the floor. If you just need a suspension mount and not a full wind control package the Rycote Invision series at about $75 is very effective.

Gotta ask - while the km184 is a very good mic, with its cardioid pattern it's not usually what you'd expect to see used for booming dialog, which is what you'd typically be recording when you put a mic on a boompole. Cardioids don't have enough off-axis rejection to isolate voices from the ambient sound effectively and usually require farily close working distances, which is why hypercardioids are suggested for indoors and shotguns for outdoors. You might want to reconsider your strategy.
 
I am first off very, I'm going to say that word again, very new to sound recording. I have the km 184, a really cheap metal boom pole, a baby ball gag/wind jammer, and a S.D. 702 t recorder. This is what was suggested from my sales associate. That it would be a good beginning mic to get me started recording close up auto sounds. I have not recorded dialog per se. I'm looking to buy a better boom and now a shock mount. For $699.00 I got a good deal on the mic.. I'm happy with it. What would be better for say a Ferrari P series prototype starting up? I'm not looking to give money away but I will budget for quality. I'm also looking to get into Foley/sound effects shadowing some friends that work at Electric Arts this month.

 
If the purpose is for autocross and motorsports, the km184 would serve well. It's a cardioid polared pattern microphone, meaning it'll pickup a wider spatial sound compared to a hypercardioid. Most motorsport events are being recorded using shotgun microphones such as the Sennheiser MKH416 microphone. A shotgun microphone would suit you better because all you want are the car engines and car bys on the track. A cardioid microphone would pickup more of the audience and side sounds as well as giving equal perspective of sound within a semi-circle shape or degree.

Yes, do invest in a more shock-isolating mount. The new Invisions from Rycote are the sweet contenders to most shockmounts at its pricerange. You'll be glad that you've invested in one. Also, the BBG + Wind Jammer could be very helpful in times when the winds are hitting you at about 25-35mph. The more omnidirectional your microphone is, the less low-frequency rumble will be affected.
 
Thank you both. Would a Rycote Invision series mount
allow enough space for my Bbg?
If a hyper is for indoor dialog and a shot gun for outdoor dialog and seems everything else. what good is a cardioid?
 
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Slash6airhead said:
Thank you both. Would a Rycote Invision series mount
allow enough space for my Bbg?
If a hyper is for indoor dialog and a shot gun for outdoor dialog and seems everything else. what good is a cardioid?
Click to expand...

Cardioids are excellent for close-micing musical instruments, drum overheads, stage vocals, in pairs for X/Y stereo recording of orchestras and musical ensembles, there are a great many uses where they're the "go-to" mic of choice and the KM184 is a top notch example of the genre. It's just that recording human speech into a mic held 24 inches from the subject just out of frame out on the end of a boom pole is not typically one of them. The reason there are so many diverse mic polar patterns and response curves is to be able to fit the mic to the specific recording situation.
 
The KM184 should work well for effects, although you'll need to be pretty close to the effects source. Please be extremely careful with those close-range car passbys, okay?

For effects work, the 416 is my go-to mic. The tight pickup pattern and pressence boost lends itself well to achieving a dramatic sound from several feet away. Its also one of the toughest condensors on the market, shrugging off humidity and RF that would overwhealm most other mics.

Don't despair, though. Even if you purchase a `416 down the road, the KM184 will have been an excellent investment. Its a common practice to mic a specific effect from multiple perspectives, and a quiet cardioid makes a great perspective compliment to an in-close shotgun.

Even with a locked-off mic stand, I always use a shock mount. That said, I mostly shoot handheld, since effects tend to be very mobile things. I'm constantly adjusting the mic placement to find the sweet spot, sometimes carefully re-cueing during a take.
 
Thank you SMuir that was a well thought out concise post. very much
appreciated. Made me feel alittle better 'bout the 700us I paid already. I'm going to buy the 416 most likely this week. man thanks again for the post.
 
No worries. Just watch out, `cause the MKH416 is available two flavours: +48V Phantom, and T-12. The two powerring systems are mutually incompatible, although transformer barrels are available from PSC, and some location mixers and recorders can provide both.

If you have any intention of recording around high voltage transformers or near radio transmission towers, a T-powered `416 could become your best friend. My main rig consists of an old T-powered `416 and a shiney new MKH30 (M-S), and from time to time I'm obliged to mute the `30 due to its slightly higher susceptibility to RF when compared to the older `416 design.
 
You will love the Km184 for sitting interviews where you can set up the microphone close enough. On the other hand if the location is quiet you will be Ok using the KM184. I own a KM184 and Km185 and I use the 184 on my boom a lot, it sounds better than the 185 and I don't need to be extremely precise with mic position. I just do documentaries so i have my other hand on the mixer most of the time. Great microphone, keep it.
 
Thanks for the practical applications of the Km184. I am learning on the bottom end of the learning curve but climbing faster(A big thanks to DVXuser.com). Again thanks. I think it was a good choice to begin with for what I intend to record.
 
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