VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

ZNCramer · Joined: 29 Apr 2013 Posts: 20

Hi all, new to getting into the game and looking at a few mics and pre's for a small home studio. I'm liking the looks of the UA710 as a pre, but looking for some recommendations as far as a mic goes for my particular voice. It's a bass/baritone. Budget is around $1,000ish, and my wife gets it so it's possible to go a bit more. Really glad to be here!

-Z

markt · Been Here Awhile Joined: 14 Aug 2009 Posts: 217

Hi negative Z,

First things first. Hop on over to Chat and introduce yourself.

I learned this the hard way; how well is your area treated acoustically? Make sure this is a priority before you start dwelling too much on pres & mics. How well reflections are tamed will help to determine whether you want to start with a dynamic or condenser mic.

And, welcome aboard!

Mark
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graemespicer · Posted: Thu May 16, 2013 9:05 am Post subject:

A few things - first, what Mark said. An introduction in Chat will go a long way when asking advice in the other forums.

Second - have you done a search in the archives? There are literally a hundred threads on mic choices - do a search and puruse through the gold mine of info you'll find there.

And last - I think you'll find some fans here for the UA preamp - being able to dial in a certain amount of tube harmonics or solid state grit depending on the situation is really helpful. Only one slight hesitation about the 710 - I think it's the only UA product sourced in China?

Lots of love around here for the CAD e100s mic, to the point that I bought one, and I love it, too. In fact, I use it over my U87 in many situations. Check my thread in this forum comparing the two mics.

Welcome to vo-bb! Have fun, learn the rules, and soak up the info!
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Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

I'm an old buddy of ZN here. We have had many radio/voiceover discussions
over beer and cigars.

ZN will be a great addition to this community. Glad you found us ZN.

My advice on mics....do lots of research, but first address your recording environment and how you need to treat it for acoustics and isolation.

The best mic out there won't sound good in a sub-par recording environment, while a budget mic in a good recording space CAN give you great results.

Addressing acoustic/sound isolation issues is not as fun as mic shopping (not nearly as fun)....but is key....and should be done first.

If addressing recording space issues is not an option at the moment, then a dynamic mic may be the best short term choice.

cyclometh · Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 12:45 am Post subject:

With that budget you'll be able to get a truly top-flight mic.

However:

DO. YOUR. HOMEWORK. You'll probably find you don't need to spend that budget to get an amazing sound, and I can guarantee you can spend ten times that budget without getting your best sound.

Every voice is different. Every voice sounds a little different on various mics. You'll need to find the right one for YOU and that's going to take some homework and legwork.

You'll want to be able to test various mics in your environment, which means you'll need to be able to test them there. Some places may let you test out mics prior to purchase, others may not. If there's other VOs in your area, maybe you can connect with them to get a test mic to see how it sounds.

Preamps and mics are a black art, and you'll find opinions all over the map here and well- everywhere. The trick is to find the one that most compliments your voice.

All that said, there's a few "standard" mics that you'll hear people talking about. A great place to start is here, where Dan Friedman lays out the dirt on mic choices and talks about the industry standards, and why you might or might not want one.

http://blog.voicebank.net/how-to-choose-a-voiceover-microphone/
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Philip Banks · Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 1:27 am Post subject:

Neumann U87ai. Pay no attention to the comments above. They ALL know nothing. I use one in favour of my other mic of which I don't have one of.

For the record, I know nothing but I did buy a Neumann U87ai so that MUST count for something, mustn't it?

Dayo · Cinquecento Joined: 10 Jan 2008 Posts: 544 Location: UK

You'll get used to Philip Smile

My advice? Don't buy any mic ever without trying it in your room on your voice with your pre.

And a U87 new or older is a classic...
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Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

of course you will need a basic recording setup before you can test

how your recording space sounds...at this point I would suggest considering
re-sale value since you may want to change/upgrade at some point.

TLM 102 comes to mind...if you know how to shop ebay and do your homework you can find used mics at good prices. Just stick with Paypal and sellers with good track records and feedback

Steve Knight · Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 6:04 am Post subject:

I have the UA-710, and I'm quite happy with it,..I would recommend replacing the stock tube to get the full effect..

Mics are such a gray area,..talk to to 10 people get 10 different answers..and none of the will be bad advice...(except for an RE-20)..

ZNCramer · Joined: 29 Apr 2013 Posts: 20

Yeah, I use an RE20 and RE27 at work, and i'm not really a fan of either...I'm planning a trip up to Sweetwater soon to shop and play, and my wife has actually agreed to go with me surprisingly. So that's an extra set of very critical ears. I'll certainly upload some samples for voting and opinions here as well. Thanks for the response so far! The mic's i'm interested in trying are the M930, TM102, Bock 195, Sennheiser 416, and Lewitt 640.

Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

that's a great idea, plus you get to visit exciting FT WAYNE-VEGAS

how it sounds at Sweetwater is a good starting point, how it sounds in your space is most important

see if you can snag some kind of mic, a cheap condensor or maybe even one of the dynamics from work (with permission of course) along with an interface and start recording the noise floor of your recording space and get an idea of the issues (lawnmowers, work crew, barking dogs,) that you will be dealing with.

markt · Been Here Awhile Joined: 14 Aug 2009 Posts: 217

As I said when I first 'spoke' with you, and many are saying now, your room should be step numero uno! Rob has a great idea as far as bringing something home from work, but if you can't find anything suitable, there may be a place near you where you can rent a condenser mic and a preamp for a day. Record a couple of tracks in the space you intend to use. The results will tell you what you need to know acoustically.

But, for a starter kit, I don't think you can go too far wrong with a CAD e100s and a DBX 286 pre. You can probably score both used on eBay for under $500-600. The 286 has got a pretty respectable, smooth gating-system in case your room isn't ideal from the get-go. It will tame things down quite a bit until you can get your room treated.
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captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

Bish · Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 12:14 pm Post subject:

Bill Campbell · DC Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 621

Get some moving blankets and curtains. Hang a blanket in front of you and one behind you. Cover them up with curtains, if your wife demands it. She might. This will greatly reduce your room reflections.

Then, as someone else said, get an industry standard. I'd recommend the Sennheiser 416 with a DBX 286. You'll be set. Then it's your talent and marketing.
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