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Jeffrey Kafer
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Frank F
Fat, Old, and Sassy
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
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Location: Park City, Utah
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 Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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Each has pro's and con's. Microphone "C" is not the friendliest for your set up and voice.
To be fair, you should be able to record all three at exactly the same time, using the similar preamps for each track with the same settings.
The need to know the preamp and settings are empirical to determining if you have what it takes for each microphone.
Frank F
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Jeffrey Kafer
Assistant Zookeeper
Joined: 09 Dec 2006
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Frank F
Fat, Old, and Sassy
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
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Location: Park City, Utah
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| Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 3:49 am Post subject: |
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Here is the lowdown as I hear it:
Mic A: probably the nicest feel with your voice. Rumble was interesting in the pause at approx :21 sec., not horrible but definitely there. This mic is a bit fuller for you; which is nice... Notice the first few words and how this mic handles your hard intro better than the other two.
Mic B: Thinner, not as much body as I would like to hear in long form projects such as audiobooks with your voice and presentation. This microphone would not be a first choice as the rumble in the pause at :21 sec. is unique and noticeable.
Mic C: Again thinner and would be grating after a long listen. This mic sounded compressed or affected in some way at the soft ends of sentences and some words. This could be the result of position or placement, but most likely the gain in the microphone, not the preamp..
Both B and C are the right tonality for short form audio projects where background music or effects might be present but the inherent self-noise is distracting for long form. Of the three mics presented I would choose A for long form as it is seems mellower and is less disconcerting.
Room noise was negligible and would pass muster. Microphone B had some uncommon qualities but is not a best choice (in my humble opinion).
Did you have a fan or heater on while recording, the noise in B was different than in the other microphones?
Your opinion may vary, and I accept that.
Frank F
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Andy
Contributor
Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 41
Location: Washington DC
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| Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 6:13 am Post subject: |
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Mic A...you sound good and the self noise/noise floor is good for me. I had my phones turned way up to catch the background. Knowing you didn't apply anything to the sound, I'd have to go with A.
B is way too "loud" in terms of bg/noise floor.
C-I actually liked how you sounded, a bit boomy but not bad but only A had that love noise floor and you sounded, to me, the best on it.
Have a good one!
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vkuehn
DC
Joined: 24 Apr 2013
Posts: 688
Location: Vernon now calls Wisconsin home
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| Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 7:51 am Post subject: |
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This set of Shoot-out Recordings demonstrates just how "dicey" it is to pick the right mic. On my first quick listen, I liked B.
Then I captured the recordings on my machine and put them under the microscope.
C beats B on noise floor by 14 dB. Wow!
C beats A on noise floor by 6 dB. Maybe that rates Ho-hum.
When looking at the Frequency Analysis, yes, B is the loser.
So I would settle on mic C and work on you and the mic coming to terms on working distance, location in the room (maybe orientation in the room? I have an office chair across the desk from my working position. If I don't check the rotation of the chair and make sure that the full sized back of the chair is angled rather than bouncing sound back into the back side of the mic, it makes a difference.) |
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Rob Ellis
M&M
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 2385
Location: Detroit
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| Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 8:01 am Post subject: |
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| At first flush Mic C struck me as the most flattering and well-balanced. |
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Chuck Davis
M&M
Joined: 02 Feb 2005
Posts: 2389
Location: Where I love to be...Between the Vineyards and the Cows.
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| Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 9:03 am Post subject: |
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A is the warmest and the best fit to my ears.
After that B. A bit thinner, but with nice definition.
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Jeffrey Kafer
Assistant Zookeeper
Joined: 09 Dec 2006
Posts: 4931
Location: Location, Location!
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| Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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Here are the mics:
A- TLM103 ($1000)
B- CAD E100s ($350)
C- Audio-Technica AT3035 ($150)
What's interesting is the noise floor on the AT3035 is dead quiet. Disappointed that the CAD was so blasted noisy and with audiobooks, that's a deal-breaker. FYI - I was in a booth with no fans or anything. Dead quiet space. So any noise you hear is self-noise of the mic.
The AT3035 was my first mic ever and so far, I've not heard a mic that encourages me to retire it yet.
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http://JeffreyKafer.com
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FinMac
Lucky 700
Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Posts: 707
Location: In a really cool place...Finland!
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| Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 11:49 pm Post subject: Prefer A |
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Perfer A on your voice. It would be easiest to listen to for an audiobook, at least to my ears  It seemed fuller and warmer than the others.
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Buff-A
Joined: 18 Oct 2014
Posts: 21
Location: Nashville
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| Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2014 1:47 am Post subject: |
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| Jeffrey Kafer wrote: | Here are the mics:
A- TLM103 ($1000)
B- CAD E100s ($350)
C- Audio-Technica AT3035 ($150)
What's interesting is the noise floor on the AT3035 is dead quiet. Disappointed that the CAD was so blasted noisy and with audiobooks, that's a deal-breaker. FYI - I was in a booth with no fans or anything. Dead quiet space. So any noise you hear is self-noise of the mic.
The AT3035 was my first mic ever and so far, I've not heard a mic that encourages me to retire it yet. |
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I have both the CAD E100S and AT3035, and when tested side-by-side they are both very quiet, but my E100S is the quietest of all my mics (I own about 30).
I do really like the AT3035 and consider it to be a real 'sleeper' or secret weapon. I got it recently for $60 and that has to be one of the best bargains in regards to bang for the buck. Sonically, it seems to me to be midway between my AT4050 and AT4033a. And to me the AT4033a sounds a lot like the AT4050 with high pass switch engaged.
Oddly enough, the bargain-priced AT2020 sounds fantastic with my voice (very warm and natural and un-affected), and somewhat different than all the other Audio Technica mics (though probably not so great as an all-around workhorse with diverse audio sources).
If I could keep only one mic, the AT3035 would definitely be a contender (along with the AT2020 and CAD E100S). I recently bought a Bluebird, but it didn't work with my voice and it will have to go (mid-range sounded way too 'scooped' as some would call it). I choose my gear by extensive A-B testing in my own studio, and not according to the opinions of others.
The most interesting thing in all of this is that certain 'bargain priced' mics really can compete in the real world.
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captain54
Lucky 700
Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 744
Location: chicago
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| Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2014 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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The At2035 and 3035 are the same mic. 3035 being platinum and the 2035 black. 2035 replaced the 3035. One comes from China and one Japan., but can't remember which. The 2035 is one of the best mics I've ever used for my home set up
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georgethetech
The Gates of Troy
Joined: 18 Mar 2007
Posts: 1878
Location: Topanga, CA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2014 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, dude, your CAD is one sick puppy, Jeff. Way out of spec.
Love the AT3035, one of the very few mics I kept after the big sell-off of 2005.
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If it sounds good, it is good.
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Buff-A
Joined: 18 Oct 2014
Posts: 21
Location: Nashville
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| Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2014 10:15 pm Post subject: Re: mic shootout time |
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In Jeffrey's shootout, I preferred mic C. Mic B (E100S) seemed to be having technical problems, so it may rank differently if the sound floor problem is fixed.
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heyguido
MMD
Joined: 31 Aug 2011
Posts: 2507
Location: RDU, the Geek Capitol of the South
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2014 12:32 am Post subject: |
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What George said.
That CAD is wacked.
And if you can find an early 3035.... Baby it. 
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Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?" |
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