VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

FinMac · Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 4:55 am Post subject: New mic, is it a keeper ?

Recently got a new mic. Have been told that it is a bit "dark" by someone that I respect.

Found a new mic position which I think is better. But I don't trust my own ears.

What do you think ? Is this mic a keeper ?

Appreciate the feedback.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qnz5d0an22nj28b/Scott%20McDonald%20-%20Mystery%20mic%20test.wav?dl=0
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www.scottsvoiceover.com - An American voice in Finland

"If you want to get to the top, you have to get off your bottom". (Unknown)

Philip Banks · Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 7:39 am Post subject:

Sounds fabby!

FinMac · Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 7:47 am Post subject:

Thank you Philip! Appreciate the feedback Smile

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www.scottsvoiceover.com - An American voice in Finland

"If you want to get to the top, you have to get off your bottom". (Unknown)

Mike Harrison · Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:28 am Post subject:

The mic sounds great, Scott. And, I don't know what this might mean but, when looking at the sample in Adobe Audition's spectral view (the bottom half of the image below), it appears something in your audio chain is putting out what looks to be some sort of steady pulse at about 16kHz. A frequency analyzer plugin shows the level of the pulse at about -6db. Certainly, no one will hear this, and this doesn't mean it's the mic that's generating the pulse. But, to the ear, the new mic sounds just fine! Smile

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Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

FinMac · Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:56 am Post subject: You are a good detective

Thanks Mike for the good feedback and your careful observation!

My recording space is upstairs near the attic. I just remembered that I have a device plugged into an outlet that emits low frequencies to keep the mice away.

You must be seeing that Smile

I need to remove it from the wall plug before I record !

Thanks so much.
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www.scottsvoiceover.com - An American voice in Finland

"If you want to get to the top, you have to get off your bottom". (Unknown)

samowry · Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 11:50 am Post subject:

What's the mic?

FinMac · Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2021 8:33 am Post subject: Drum roll please!

The mic...is...the...Soyuz 017 Fet Smile

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www.scottsvoiceover.com - An American voice in Finland

"If you want to get to the top, you have to get off your bottom". (Unknown)

Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

Sounds dark or lacking in the high end by a noticeable amount. But it sounds more like it could be a room acoustics issue. Do you have a sample of other mics to compare it to? Thanks.
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Philip Banks · Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:22 am Post subject:

Not hearing any of what Lance is hearing so must be an invisuless problem, there'll be a plugin for that. Try the BRB from WAVES. It optimises nothing across frequencies at the touch of a Virtual Big Red Button. Presets include

Beard Growth
Triple Treble LFs
HF 2.1 Pre blinking NR
Pause Gate
DNRSIARL - Does nothing really simply illuminates a red light
ARC - Affected read compensation
MAF - Mute all frequencies. Popular amongst Audiobook Listeners

FinMac · Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:38 pm Post subject:

Hei Lance,

Thanks for your comments.

Here are 3 short tests of the same mic chain with 3 different microphones. First is the Soyuz 017 Fet, the second was the GZ251 Fet, and then the Rode NT1 (the newer version).

I did switch out one cable between the microphone preamp and the converter. I removed a Belden cable for a Mogami Cable. That is the only difference between the original recording and the new ones.

My concern was about the Soyuz being "dark". But as Philip wrote, he could not hear it. Is it such a bad thing ?

Thanking you for your feedback in advance.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mdzo2mbz0a602t0/3%20mic%20test%20with%20mogami%20cable%20change.wav?dl=0
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www.scottsvoiceover.com - An American voice in Finland

"If you want to get to the top, you have to get off your bottom". (Unknown)

Jack Daniel · Cinquecento Joined: 23 Jun 2016 Posts: 581 Location: SoCal

The Soyuz is definitely the noisiest. Since they're all on the same chain, I'm assuming the Soyuz has a significant amount of self-noise. That would be a deal-breaker for me.

Unless a cable is defective, there is no advantage to using one over another.

In terms of tone (if you remove the self-noise of the Soyuz from the equation), they all sound fine.
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Jack Daniel
Narrator / Man About Town

FinMac · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:55 am Post subject: Thanks Jack

Thanks Jack for the feedback. I appreciate you taking the time.

I wondered if the cable could have been slightly defective, so I switched it out just in case.

It’s possible I may trade the Soyuz for a nice mic made in Finland Smile

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www.scottsvoiceover.com - An American voice in Finland

"If you want to get to the top, you have to get off your bottom". (Unknown)

Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

Thanks for the new samples. It's a little brighter with the Mogami cable, but I'm still hearing a lack of high end compared to the other mics. The Rode sounds the best of the three, but the middle sounds good too. The Soyuz is noticeably noisy, especially next to the others.

I'm confused about the noise. It's supposedly has a self noise of 18 dBA, but it sounds noticeably louder than that. And this mic is expensive and has great reviews. They are very good looking though!

OK, I just listened to the male vocal sample from the Soyuz site, and I thought it was dark and noisy also. At least it's not you! Oh well! Smile

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Skype: globalvoiceover
and now, http://lanceblairvo.com the blog is there now too!

FinMac · Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:51 am Post subject: Thanks Lance

Thanks Lance for taking a listen and for the feedback. I appreciate you taking the time.

Good to know it’s not me!

It is surprising that it is dark. When I look at the frequency response chart it does not look dark at all.

There is someone else on the VO-BB who has one, and the samples that he sent me, especially the one from his wife, don’t sound dark at all.

I will write to the company rep and ask what he thinks.
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www.scottsvoiceover.com - An American voice in Finland

"If you want to get to the top, you have to get off your bottom". (Unknown)