Microphones

[Corey Bryant]

I need to do a few demonstrations with Captivate. I have been playing with it and so gat it seems pretty interesting.

My microphone - well I am actually even surprised it works LOL it has been through quite a bit. Anyone use one for recording - especially some type of noise reduction? Thanks!

[the_pm]

I use an EV N/D357B for most of my recording work. It's an older microphone. I got it in the early 90s. It wasn't too expensive, but neither is it a cheap Olympus POS or something like that. I think I paid $350 for it at that time (I bought it as part of a package with an Alesis A1 effects processor for $1,100 total). I have an Audio-Technica headset mic as well, which I really love. It's a compressor mic, so it requires phantom power or a battery (the EV is a dynamic), but the sound is studio-quality, the price is <$300, and you don't have to worry about head position.

[Corey Bryant]

Thanks - I'll Gooogle and see what I might be able to come up with on that model. I have never used / needed the mike before, heck I hardly even turn my speakers on usually :)

[Odd Fact]

Can't go wrong with EV or AT. I remember when the N/D or N/DYM series came out. Dealer recieved special pricing to get employees jazzed about using and selling the series. My band competely replaced out older SM series.

Corey is this for recording personal conversation or lecture? Do you need hands free?

[Corey Bryant]

Mainly just to record tidbits for a web site demonstration. I guess you might say something similar to Vito's things. One of our applications is going to be sold to pilates studios and they want little demonstrations on how to do things.

So probably not hands free I would guess? Just something to hook into the computer and go. I did one recording but the background noise was horrific

[the_pm]

Buy a mic with a tighter pick-up pattern. That's the best way to reduce background noise. Price/quality buys you less line hiss/eletrical interference too. This is VERY important, in my book.

[Corey Bryant]

I did not think it would be that easy LOL. I'll take a look around at a few mentioned and probably invest in a few

[the_pm]

Every mic is different and is suited/optimal for different environments. The range of products out there is staggering! FYI - The reason I suggested a tight pickup pattern isn't because this is the mark of a better microphone. It's because it will pick up a more selective area of noise. Ideally, you want a hypercardioid pickup pattern, if background noise is a big problem (or if you want to mic up a ballgame or spy on your neighbors :lol: ).

http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wired_mics/94a69a7f0cbde4b3/index.html - cheap, hands-free and the right pickup patten. Downside - the frequency range is lacking. You're not going to sound like a bass baritone when the bottom of the range is 200 Hz. (I wonder if that's a typo, and it's really 20...).