VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[lkeros885]

I’m a new member hoping for advice from the experts on setting up a home studio. I’ll be using it for a number of things: recording a radio show, doing voiceover spots, doing remote interviews, and recording audiobooks. My avocation for the past decade+ has been live radio announcing, so I’m used to operating a board at the station and some light postproduction at home, but I’m no engineer. Now I'm poised to buy equipment but would like feedback on my list first. Here goes:

Mic: Electro Voice RE 20 (my radio bias is showing)

pre-amp: Focusrite Saffire PRO 24

computer: Dell PC (already own it—no firewire input, though, far as I know)

software: Adobe Audition 3.0 (available free, I hear). Of necessity I’ve been using Audacity until now.

My soundproofing will likely resemble the arrangement Mr. Kafer has.

Thanks in advance for your guidance!

[captain54]

While not claiming to be an expert, you weren't specific on the specs of your Dell.. if its a desktop noise could be an issue if the unit is nearby.. also, the computer should have enough juice to not choke when running video or more processor/RAM hungry tasks...
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Lee Kanne
www.leekanne.com

[lkeros885]

Great point: it's a Dell OptiPlex 760, a few years old, with an Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4GHz processor and 4GB of DDR2 memory. I can see noise as a possible issue. I've heard of people narrating in their closets, though I fear that would get mighty uncomfortable rather quickly.

[Quicksilver]

Sounds like you have a pretty good handle on things.

Unless your computer is quite loud you should be fine with a dynamic mic. If it is just drill a hole for the cables and put it on the other side of the wall, you can also throw a blanket over it while you record, not the best solution but it should give you workable audio provided the room is treated.

I'd look at an Shure SM7B instead of the RE-20, it's cheaper and a little more versatile but the RE-20 is perfectly suitable.

Both those mic's are rather gain hungry, The Saffire has 60db which will work but 65 would be better. Personally, I would get a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and a cloud lifter but that's just me, something else for you to consider though.

Good luck and post pics when you're done!

DC

[Scott Pollak]

Interesting.

I've used an RE20 as my primary mike for 10 years now with no issues at all, either with gain or noise.

I run thru a Presonus BlueTube and for the RE20 my gain is at around 35 on the 0-60 gain knob. I also run a CAD Equitek E100s (condenser) mike thru the Presonus and that gain is set around 20. So while the dynamic certainly requires more boost, there's still a ton of headroom left over.

I think the RE20 gets a bad rap because it IS a radio mike. But then so is the SM7B, another mike I looked at years ago.

So what? On the right voice, they sound great.
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Scott R. Pollak
Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

www.voicebyscott.com

[Quicksilver]

Scott's right. I shouldn't have grouped the RE-20 with SM for gain. It def requires more than most condensers but not nearly as much as the Shure, which requires a careful choice of a pre. I've never heard of any noise issues.

I think the RE's a great mic but so is the Shure, and it's cheaper. I'd bet anyone who has spent much time with either would tell you, you can't go wrong, they are standards for good reason.

I'm curious how others compare the two.

[Bob Stevens]

Let me tell ya about some old friends... a long time ago I spent some time in the broadcast biz during the high anxiety rock and the put you to sleep FM broadcaster era. Of course we used re20's and sm7's (yes it was before the sm7 A or . . Fun while it lasted but I moved on to other things. That was 30 years ago.

As time passed, now and then I would check my chops and do a voice over for one of my or a friends ventures, some announcing when asked and other sorted things including rodeos. Last year a friend approached me and asked if I wouldn't mind doing some in house VO and other readings for his company. Sure why not and "put together all the gear" he said. Cool.

For 6 months I went through different mics and outboard gear like socks, looking for a good combo that would work for my voice. The whole time avoiding the "dynamic broadcasting gear" that was all too familiar and I was sure couldn't hold a candle to the more professional LDC stuff, a whisper room and DAWS.

I finally found an LDC and pre combination that worked but was still open to finding something a little better without breaking the bank. GAS Just recently, over the period of about a month, I managed to acquire a working baby rattle re20 and a mint original sm7 for around half of market. My intention was to repair the re20; which I used to be able to fix blindfolded and turn both for for a hefty profit.

Parts ordered and repairs done I tested both mics with a quality clean high gain pre. To my shocked ears the heavens opened and the the angels were speaking. They sound great! I had found some old friends. I still have both mics, not sure I want to sell them now.

They work great for 80% of the vo stuff I do. Forgiving, easy to work with in post, can handle some room noise and built like tanks. As others have said they both need clean high gain pres (the sm7 much more). I push my sm7 at 58db on a 72db pre.

GO for it! The RE20 and your Focusrite should be a great combo.

Bob
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"Dialog is the painting on a canvas of silence"

[ricevoice]

If you don't already have Firewire in your PC, you may want to avoid the Saffire and go with the Scarlett series (Focusrite's USB line of interfaces). I loved the Saffire Pro24 but when I upgraded PCs last summer I couldn't find anything with Firewire... tried installing 2 different Firewire cards but neither worked, apparently the Focusrites are pretty finicky when it comes to Firewire chips. Finally I bailed and made the switch to the Scarlett 8i6, it's been rock solid for me.
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Chris Rice - Noisemaker
www.ricevoice.com

[ccpetersen]

I won't go into the mic stuff because that's already been covered pretty well, but that Dell... well... I had a similar computer, perhaps a year newer than yours, and the fan was incredibly noisy (for a muffin fan). It was supposed to be a quiet one, but it wasn't. I finally ended up building a small enclosure around it, putting it UNDER the desk, and then the noise level went down.

About a month ago I got a new computer, plus a Mac for my studio (the Mac's fan hardly ever runs), and was taking apart the old Dell to remove a hard drive. The fan was just barely resting on the body in a certain place, but it was enough to cause a resonance that made the fan sound louder than it was. So, check out the fan in that puppy, and if it really is noisy, you might look into a newer quieter fan.

Just my $0.02 worth. adjusted for inflation.
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Charter Member: Threadjackers Local 420

[Lee Gordon]

On the other hand, I have a Dell Dimension 9100 and its fan is barely audible.
_________________
Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

[Scott Pollak]

Sony VAIO here, and ditto, Lee.
_________________
Scott R. Pollak
Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

www.voicebyscott.com

[lkeros885]

Thanks to everyone for the advice--I really appreciate your taking me under the collective wing!