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Tom Test
DC
Joined: 23 Jan 2007
Posts: 629
Location: Chicago, IL
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 Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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Personally, I've never tried a dynamic mic that I've really liked for VO. Over the years, I have owned a Shure SM7B, RE-20, Heil PR-40, Sennheiser e935, and a Blue EnCore 200. All have been sold off. All were tried out using a MAckie Onyx preamp (good and clean), or my old Speck 5.0 (also sold).
I currently own an MD-441 and the Heil PR-30, and so far neither is floating my boat and may well end up on eBay (or here...). And I've tried these through good preamps: my GAP-73 and my dbx286A. There's a distinctive sound that dynamics have that condensers don't - I can't quite put it in words - that I simply do not like on my own mid-range male voice. YMMV. (If you go to tomtest.com and listen to my Corporate or e-Learning demos, all the tracks were recorded at my home studio, using mostly a Gefell M930 or a highly-modded Rode NTK tube mic. I just didn't like the sound I got with my MD-441).
If room tone is an issue, why not try a Harlan Hogan Porta-Booth sort of solution (only $125 or much less if you make your own), and use a good condenser?
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Mike Sommer
A Hundred Dozen
Joined: 05 May 2008
Posts: 1222
Location: Boss Angeles
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| Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | There's a distinctive sound that dynamics have that condensers don't - I can't quite put it in words |
This is called color. The very nature of the dynamic microphones design lends itself to this coloring. I've never been bothered by this, because it's what I expect. As a matter of fact this colorization is heard on most all television animation from the 70's to the 90's.
For less-than ideal acoustical environment an dynamic mic is a good choose. If you need a condenser, then your only option is a shotgun mic, such as the 416, or the Schoeps CMIT 5U.
As for me the porta-booth is more of a problem than it is worth - it brings it's own resonance to the party, and who want's to work in the confines of a little bitty box. Not I.
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Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong. |
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Dayo
Cinquecento
Joined: 10 Jan 2008
Posts: 544
Location: UK
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| Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 2:02 am Post subject: |
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| Mike Sommer wrote: | Well, as I asked above: What is it that you are doing in the control room that you can't or don't want to do in the booth?
Our understanding for the problem will help us get to the solution.
If you need to work in a less than perfect room you're that room is going to become a part of the mix, even with a 416. |
In my control room I can get my hands on my outboad and mangle the sound as much as I please - rather than taking trips to and fro. The fun stuff. It's really only for doing high energy reads, imaging sessions, game show type announcements and so on. |
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Dayo
Cinquecento
Joined: 10 Jan 2008
Posts: 544
Location: UK
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| Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 2:06 am Post subject: |
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[quote="Mike Sommer"] | Quote: |
As for me the porta-booth is more of a problem than it is worth - it brings it's own resonance to the party, and who want's to work in the confines of a little bitty box. Not I. |
Agree about the Porta Booth. I've used it once but I'm afraid it can't break or even bend the laws of physics. Even with a 416 I found it, um ... er.... well... boxy! |
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Mike Sommer
A Hundred Dozen
Joined: 05 May 2008
Posts: 1222
Location: Boss Angeles
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| Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:15 am Post subject: |
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| Dayo wrote: | | In my control room I can get my hands on my outboad and mangle the sound as much as I please - rather than taking trips to and fro. |
Just a bit of insight - If you're looking at the waveform or twiddling the knobs while you are voicing a piece of copy, you are not in full actor mode. When you split your attention, something is always going to suffer. It would be best to get your equipment and sound dialed in before you start, and forget it. When the acting hat is on - act. When that's done, then you can put the engineers hat on.
| Quote: | | It's really only for doing high energy reads, imaging sessions, game show type announcements and so on. |
You're right to be wanting to move toward a good dynamic mic and the SM-7 would be a rock solid choice.
You should also consider treating your control room area anyway. You don't need to go heavy with it, just knock down the early reflections, and as much of the room ambiance as you can.
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Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong. |
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Dayo
Cinquecento
Joined: 10 Jan 2008
Posts: 544
Location: UK
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 1:46 am Post subject: |
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| Mike Sommer wrote: |
Just a bit of insight - If you're looking at the waveform or twiddling the knobs while you are voicing a piece of copy, you are not in full actor mode. When you split your attention, something is always going to suffer.
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I concur. But it ain't that kind of work.
| Mike Sommer wrote: |
You should also consider treating your control room area anyway. You don't need to go heavy with it, just knock down the early reflections, and as much of the room ambiance as you can. |
Yep, it's pretty well treated. Quite a bit of bass trapping too. It's just not so controlled as the booth and an LDC shows that up. Do you think my Great River pre will have enough gain for the SM7B? last time I tried one I only had the Fearn and it really couldn't grab it. |
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Diane Maggipinto
Spreading Snark Worldwide
Joined: 03 Mar 2006
Posts: 6679
Location: saul lay seetee youtee
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 6:25 am Post subject: |
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i should say that my re-20 and shure are used for telephony. yours ain't that kind of work, either, dayo but hey! whatevs. 
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Mike Sommer
A Hundred Dozen
Joined: 05 May 2008
Posts: 1222
Location: Boss Angeles
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Do you think my Great River pre will have enough gain for the SM7B? last time I tried one I only had the Fearn and it really couldn't grab it. |
The Great River is 60 dB of output, I like 65dB or more.
The Grace 101 or the GAP73 might be better bet. I have not problem driving my RE15 with it.
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The Blog:
http://voiceoveraudio.blogspot.com/
Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong.
Last edited by Mike Sommer on Thu Jun 23, 2011 5:46 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Vance Elderkin
Contributor IV
Joined: 02 Feb 2007
Posts: 133
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| Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 2:21 pm Post subject: |
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Both quality mics (and both pretty low output mics, too). I'd say the major difference I've found (other than the price difference) is proximity effect. The SM7B has a LOT of proximity effect when you move close to it. Useful for some reads, I suppose. The RE-20 really doesn't have that much at all, even working close.
I have a few vintage SM7s (which I rebuilt with new capsules) that I use on occasion (like when I voice one of those screamer used car ads), but they're not my primary mics.
Whichever one you get, get a STURDY mic stand that'll hold some weight. |
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captain54
Lucky 700
Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 744
Location: chicago
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| Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2011 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Mike Sommer wrote: | Just a bit of insight - If you're looking at the waveform or twiddling the knobs while you are voicing a piece of copy, you are not in full actor mode. When you split your attention, something is always going to suffer. It would be best to get your equipment and sound dialed in before you start, and forget it. When the acting hat is on - act. When that's done, then you can put the engineers hat on.
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Re-reading this discussion, and have wondered about this very thing from time to time.
It might be interesting to note if there is really any dramatic difference between using recording software that displays the waveform vs the non-display waveform software.
Let's also keep in mind that one can also minimimize most or all software so that it's invisible once you start recording..
the non-display waveform software (correct me if Im wrong)
Sound forge
Twisted Wave
Amadeus
Audacity
the wave display software
Protools
Audition |
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mediaking
Contributor
Joined: 20 Aug 2005
Posts: 33
Location: Earth...this week
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| Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 2:28 pm Post subject: RE-20 for me... |
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The RE-20 has been my goto mic, because I loved it's look and sound. I don't have a treated room, but have sounded quite good with simple gating.
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Hear It Right. Now. |
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georgethetech
The Gates of Troy
Joined: 18 Mar 2007
Posts: 1878
Location: Topanga, CA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 11:37 pm Post subject: |
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Captain54, you are referring to software that doesn't display a waveform while tracking?
The only ones in that list that don't are SoundForge and Amadeus Pro.
Thanks, Mike for reminding people that we can't truly multitask when acting. Your performance will suffer if you are keeping an eyeball on a VU. Set it and forget it...
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If it sounds good, it is good.
George Whittam
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captain54
Lucky 700
Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 744
Location: chicago
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| Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 12:07 am Post subject: |
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| soundgun wrote: | Captain54, you are referring to software that doesn't display a waveform while tracking?
The only ones in that list that don't are SoundForge and Amadeus Pro.
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thanks for the clarification...I have to admit, there was a certain freedom back in the day of hitting a button on a tape machine and forgetting it was there. |
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Dayo
Cinquecento
Joined: 10 Jan 2008
Posts: 544
Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 8:11 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks for the input. Tested a few dynamics but in the end I decided that the best mic for this room was a MKH 416. It actually sounds great in here. |
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