VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

Deep baritone/bass male. Narration purposes, some broadcast

Got the itch to retire my workhorse MXL v88.

TLM 103 or 102 are within budget. No dedicated pre. MBox mini 3

Thoughts?

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

all good mics in my experience, and all are being used by successful VOs.

I gotta ask, tho, have you considered a Sennheiser 416? You could get one for about the same price as a TLM 103. Just another option to possibly consider.

captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

Yep, have considered. Have considered the Neumann and the Senn both. Together. One narration, one promo.

Overkill?

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

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

If it's mostly for narration, then maybe the 102. I'd highly recommend the C1 for bass/baritone voices. I know a guy in Atlanta like that who uses one and he sounds great on it - just make sure it's the newer model with the red badge on it.

Yeah, it's what I'm using, but the CAD E100s is very good for narration. Not dissimilar to a 102 in sound, but it's a supercardioid with crazy-low self-noise (3.7 dbA). Made in the USA, and only $360 new. It has a pretty big beefy sound with a smooth top and handles processing like a champ for promos & commercial work with its very focused sound.
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captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

I did find the older thread from the summer that touched on this..

the CAD sounds good on you Lance, just heard the sample...

that e100s is definitely a sleeper.. But I'm one of those guys lives in the lower part of frequency spectrum for sure. so its tricky..

Philip Banks · Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 6:34 am Post subject:

Just get a 416. Use at normal range (couple of feet) for proper jobs and get far too close ( 3inches max distance from tip) for promo work. Alternative would be to get a U87 and not bother with anything except reading out loud.

The Neumann U87 - The lazy Voice Mic.

Bish · Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 7:33 am Post subject:

Philip... I think that's the most charitable thing you've ever said about the 416! Wink

I must admit, having had a chance work with one recently, it didn't sound half-bad at all. It also seems to travel well.
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heyguido · Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 7:50 am Post subject:

It's not as much the tools as how you use them. Ninja

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Philip Banks · Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:27 am Post subject:

The trick with a good mic is to not "use" it but to leave it alone to simply do what it's designed to do.

Imagine an actor on a film set.

"Excuse me is that a 4-16 you're using for this scene?" he asks the sound person.

"No. It's a pair of MKH50s"

"Mmmmmmmmmokay. Would you change them for the 4-16?"

"Oooooooooo sorry dood, if you're not happy that's ok we'll arrange a change"

"Thanks" replies the now satisfied actor.

The sound person is overheard talking with the director and the director agrees. Sure enough within the hour the actor is back in his apartment wondering how he's going to make the rent,

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

LOL, with my past-life experience as a boom-op, on-camera talent are oblivious about the mics. Once in a while, you get someone keen who's like "Is that a Schoeps?" and when you affirm it, they go "NIIIIIIIIICE!" and wink.

The MKH 50 is probably one of the best narration mics ever made. Just saying...and then there is the MKH 60 which was made to replace the 416 and sounds waaaay better...but nobody uses that for VO. Strange.

Keep the V88 and get a $5,000 preamp for it! Wink

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

Philip Banks · Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 12:26 pm Post subject:

As a TV continuity announcer for ITV (UK commercial network) my studio had an MKH50 and it sounded very nice indeed. I think the key is that its costs more than the 416 ...with good reason.

captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

heyguido · Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 3:18 pm Post subject:

captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

I think it goes without saying that one needs the skills in order to compete in this game... and that if you hook up your new Senn 416 and except the cash to start rolling in, you have some issues.

Your original statement is irrefutable.. However, its a loaded statement and can be taken a lot of ways in the course of discussion about gear..

Its an impossible topic to come to an agreement on. There's no way systematically to prove that your state of the art Mic did or didn't help your career.. would a Phillip Banks or a Beau Weaver be who they are without their Senn 416? who knows..

I do know that those of us that work day in and day out at this want every possible edge to succeed. If there's any remote chance that a Senn 416 is gonna get me 10% or even 5% more booking in a year, I'm in...its worth it.