VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

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

....anybody using either of these successfully for audiobooks?

I'm looking for anything that will help speed up my editing and still sound good.

The editing time on my most recent audiobook was excruciatingly slow (recorded with a LDC/AKG 414)

Jason Huggins · Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 5:51 am Post subject:

I'm using a 416 and I know personally that with experimenting with placement, I was able to find a place that significantly reduced the amount of mouth noise I get in recordings. But I hear the Sm7b is great for narration.

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

Thanks Jason,

Just to clarify, are you using the 416 for audiobooks?

Jason Huggins · Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 8:00 am Post subject:

Well if I was doing audiobooks, I would...but I'm not doing books. I AM using it for longer form narration. Not as long as books, but there isn't a difference when you really get down to it. Commercials and audiobooks are processed differently after recording, but ultimately the same principles apply to both. You want good clean and natural sounding audio that is free from background noise and mouth noise. That's what I'm delivering with the 416 regardless of how it is mastered. I have found the 416 to require less processing after recording in MY personal situation. YMMV. I am only comparing it to other mics I have used in my studio, the one it replaced as my DD was an Oktavamod NT1a LDC. I used that mic for quite a few audiobooks.

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

Thanks.

I know that Bob Souer uses a 415/416 for audiobooks but wondered if anyone else was as well.

SkinnyJohnny · Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 8:55 am Post subject:

I found the tight pattern too restrictive for me and long form things. That's why I sold mine to Bob Souer.
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captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

The Sm7b has a kind of lo-fi vintage vibe for certain types of warm, PSA type broadcast stuff. It's doesn't bark at you, like the Senn 416. I'm reluctant to part with it
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Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

Yes, perhaps I'm being a bit penny wise and pound foolish.

Even if I do outsource it though, I wonder if a different mic (or mic technique)
might also lessen the time for whoever I outsource it to.

bobsouer · Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2015 9:09 am Post subject:

I have been using my 416 for audiobooks ever since I bought it from Johnny! But I don't move around a lot while narrating, so the tight pattern isn't an issue for me. I don't notice any difference in the amount of mouth noise picked up by the 416 vs. my old AT-4033 LDC.
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Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

Thanks Bob, good input.

Bish · Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 9:08 am Post subject:

I have both the SM7B and the 416. I purchased the Shure specifically for long-form narration and used it for a few books. I was told, and I ended up agreeing with, that it made for an "easier listen"... gentler on the ears of the consumer for the long haul. Then I changed my mind, and found that the "easier listen" came at the expense of a certain (comparative) muddiness when put up against an LDC or the 416.

I reverted back to the LDC (CAD E100s or AKG Perception 220) and was a lot happier, finding that my clarity was better, and any advantages of the dynamic mic could be achieved during mastering (i.e. some gentle EQ and the right compression levels).

I recently did about five hours worth of short stories using the 416 and was very happy with the results. I may flip back and forth between the 416 and the CAD, but I'm happy with the 416 as a tool for audiobooks. Well noted the caveat about having a more restricted range of movement during performance.

One tech note with the Shure... it's output level is really low (even by dynamic mic standards) and you may be pushing your pre-amp harder than you want... and still not getting an optimum level. I invested in a FETHead (same as a Cloudlifter) to solve the problem... which it did with no downside.
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todd ellis · Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2015 11:35 am Post subject:

i absolutely LOVE my rca 77dx - such a rich, natural sound. i really should use it more.
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Yoda117 · Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2015 7:30 am Post subject: