VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

richvoice · Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 2:37 pm Post subject: Mic setup

Trying to decide how to set up my mic as I get back into VO.

Several years ago, I had my R0DE NT1A going into a PreSonus TubePre, which went into an outboard dbx compressor (with a dbx de-esser side-chained), which went into my sound card via 1/4" phono adapted to RCA cables .

I'm now using a Macbook Air, and while the old PC is still available, I'd really like to avoid it. I'm wondering if I should:

a. set all the gear up as before, and get it into the Mac via 1/4" or XLR adapted to USB via a Blue Icicle or something similar (I assume that I can take the compressor output into the Icicle just as I could take a mic into it);

b. skip the gear and connect the R0DE NT1A directly into the Mac via a Blue Icicle or something similar, and use software for any compression or effects that I need;

c. something else

I'm leaning toward b), simply for ease of setup and because I've always tended to agree with the less-is-more philosophy when it comes to compression, etc.

Thoughts appreciated!

Cheers,
Rich

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

It's really impossible to answer that question until you are more certain of what type of work you are going to be doing and what your work flow will require... audiobooks? short form narration? long form narration? promo? tv/radio broadcast? telephony? e-learning? corporate/industrial technical narration? you get the picture
_________________
Lee Kanne
www.leekanne.com

Jason Huggins · Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 6:41 pm Post subject:

I would personally say, run through mic into a real interface. An M-Audio M-Track is cheap and fully sufficient (at $99). Then get the Rode modded by Michael Joly. Smile

Just my 2 cents.

richvoice · Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 9:51 pm Post subject:

Lee, I guess my answer would be, "yes." Smile

I think I see your point, but I'm not sure how it's applicable here. If I was asking about getting a new mic, I could see where the type of VO might matter. But I'm just looking to hook up my existing mic; if I was going to focus on commercials, would you recommend hooking up the outboard compressor, whereas you'd recommend just going directly through a Blue Icicle if I was going to focus on long-form narration? Just trying to understand how it makes a difference in this context.

(The serious answer to your question is that I'd love to do long-form narration, probably more than most other types of VO work, but honestly, I don't know what the future holds, and I'm trying to stay open to ANY opportunities.)

Jason, is there a specific reason you'd recommend an M-Audio M-Track over a simple converter like a Blue Icicle?

Thanks,
Rich

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

Jason Huggins · Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 8:08 am Post subject:

Yep, it gives you much more flexibility. The Apogee One is a great interface too, but if you just want to get sound into the computer, the icicle will do that just fine. There are quite a few of those style interfaces that will work with most condensers that don't need a bunch of gain. I haven't used the icicle, but I assume it would have a clean enough signal for VO. Most modern interfaces seem to have caught up in terms of a clean signal.

richvoice · Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 1:30 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys.

A Sennheiser shotgun and an Electro-Voice RE20 would be my top choices for my next mic. But right now I'm just looking to get sound into my Mac with the gear that I have and as little additional expense as possible. Once I get up and running and feel confident about the direction things are going, I'll look at investing in better gear to give myself more flexibility.

Thanks for the tip on the Apogee units, they look great!

Cheers,
Rich

Monk · Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 2:23 pm Post subject:

I'll second the Mike Joly mod for the Rode NT1a, it's night and day.

Takes an 'eh' microphone and makes it a moneymaker.
_________________
Company, villainous company, hath been the spoil of me...

www.monksvoice.com

todd ellis · Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 2:59 pm Post subject:

i don't have any data to back this up - so i may be wrong, yet again, but i don't know if the icicle has the "oomph" to drive the RE20.
_________________
"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?

georgethetech · Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 6:38 pm Post subject:

Nt1a-Shure X2u-MBA so you have proper headphone monitoring capabilities.
Icicle sounds fine but no monitoring built in.
RE20 will need a HOT mic preamp, none of the low-end interfaces listed other than an Apogee DUET2 has the juice necessary to drive that thing, unless you bring a Cloud CL1 into the mix.
Then install TwistedWave and be happy, very happy.
_________________
If it sounds good, it is good.
George Whittam
GeorgeThe.Tech
424-226-8528
VOBS.TV Co-host
TheProAudioSuite.com Co-host
TriBooth.com Co-founder

richvoice · Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 9:56 pm Post subject:

Never heard of the Mike Joly mod. Looks very interesting, thanks!

I think for now I'll plan on the following progression, spread out over the next 1-24 months, depending on how things go:
1. Blue Icicle (low initial cost, and I should be able to recoup half of it when I sell it used down the road a ways)
2. Possibly adding in my old outboard gear
3. Apogee One
4. Sennheiser shotgun
5. Mike Joly mod
6. Higher-end interface
7. Electro-Voice RE20

I'm sure this will all change, but it gives me a plan anyway.

Thanks for the advice!

Rich

Jason Huggins · Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 6:59 am Post subject:

I can say after using a modded NT1a foe the last 2 years, it really is a great sounding mic now. Before the mod it was brittle and harsh and did not help my voice a bit. After the mod, it has always sounded good on my voice. Much smoother, very pleasant, still low noise. I grabbed a couple different mics at the recommendation of those on this board and they all went back. The mics I demoed and didn't care for included the 416 and E100s. Both could have their place, but neither sounded good enough on my voice (to my ear) to replace the oddest NT1a. It really is close to the U87. Definitely not the same, but when I've used U87s they had a familiar tone. I've got a pretty unrefined ear though. Smile

richvoice · Posted: Sun May 11, 2014 9:22 am Post subject:

So I was planning on getting an Icicle, but then I started looking at the Apogee One that Lee recommended because of the monitoring issue. Then I found an M-Audio Fasttrack on ebay, currently at $20. Cheaper than an Icicle, much cheaper than an Apogee One.

Is there any reason I should avoid this product? It looks like the M-Track is the current model, so I suppose support might be an issue; but assuming it works, is there a likelihood that the sound quality is going to be vastly inferior to the Icicle or the Apogee? Or... some other problem?

Thanks,
Rich

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

If you're planning on getting an RE20 you will probably want a different interface than the M-Audio....my understanding is that it doesn't have the juice to drive most dynamic mics

richvoice · Posted: Sun May 11, 2014 10:19 am Post subject:

Thanks, Rob. No plans for an RE20 in the near future. By the time I get to that point, I'll have other gear on my list as well!