Voice over microphones?

[Steve Crimmel]

Hi Jim, I would recomend a Shure SM7 or an Electrovoice RE20. These are dynamic microphones, used by many radio stations. I use them for V.O. work because they are not as sensitive as my large diaphram condensers, therefore they do not pick up as much mouth noise. They work the best for me….Steve Crimmel, http://www.paintedskystudios.com

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

This is not a joke.
I own and use several expensive studio condenser microphones.

But here is a link to a Mic that simply will work perfectly for VO work (and yes, it can make an “adequate” voice sound good and a “good” voice sound GREAT.)

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/s=mics/search/detail/base_pid/273156/
The price is $59.99 (yes, that’s 1 cent under $60).

I’m not kidding, this is a terrific mic. It requires Phantom Power to run (the standard is 48 volts, but I have easily run this mic on 12v -20v Phantom power from a battery-powered mixer.)

This mic also sounds quite good on string instruments and woodwinds.
It is very sensitive and can be over-powered by percussion and some brass instruments.
There is another version (for about $100 more) that has a 10db attenuator for use under LOUD conditions.

Info on this mic has been posted on the COW many times and it ALWAYS gets surprised and grateful responses from those who buy it. There are hundreds (thousands?) of these mics in studios around the world.

[Ty Ford]

There are approximately 172 mics that fit your needs.

Good dynamics are better than bad condensers, and there are a ton of bad condensers out there now.

The RE20 and SM7 are good dynamics.

The AT 2020 is a pretty amazing condenser mic for $99. (A lot of cheap condensers sound like crap, but the price keeps luring people buying them.) I have an mp4 clip of it in the video folder in my online archive.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Ty Ford’s “Audio Bootcamp Field Guide” was written for video people who want better audio. Find out more at https://www.tyford.com

[Billelder]

LOL! Well put. I’ve also been hearing good reviews about the AT 2020. Very tempting.

The RE20, Shure SM7 and Sennheiser MD421 are all great dynamic mics. I use the RE20 and it will take anything you throw at it. Plus I like its solid sound. The Shure SM7 has a recessed element from the foam pop filter and more rolloff and pad settings than an RE20. (RE27 has them, tho.)

I have heard the same recommendation about the MXL 990 from musicians as well as VO folks. Hey, Matte, I’ve seen the MXL990S with the pad and rolloff options but haven’t heard any hands on review and there are none on the Musician’s Friend page. Hmmmmm.

I own (and use) a Studio Project mic and have heard great things about the Rode mics as well. One mic that has surprised me is the AKG C1000. A friend has used it to record VO’s of people out of studio and I’ve been impressed with the quality to the point that I asked what mic they were using for that VO. $200 for one, $300 for two.

[Ty Ford]

Warning: Do considerable research on the c1000 before considering it for anything but a doorstop. Seriously.

Ty Ford

Ty Ford’s “Audio Bootcamp Field Guide” was written for video people who want better audio. Find out more at https://www.tyford.com

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

[billelder] “I’ve seen the MXL990S with the pad and rolloff options but haven’t heard any hands on review and there are none on the Musician’s Friend page.”

The version I have of a mic like this is here:
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=live/s=mics/search/detail/base_pid/273162/

The only reason I have it is I found one at the Musician’s Friend Outlet store for $49.00.
It RATTLED.
Well, I took a chance (Musician’s Friend is just across the Mo. River from some local gambling casinos…
I’d rather take a chance on “gear” than on a “slot”.)

Got it home and (as I’d suspected) the element was loose inside.
I opened it up, reattached the element and all was well.
I decided to pull out one of my RE20s and installed this mic.
It sounds very nice for VO.

[Billelder]

Ty,

It was an opinion. If your intent was to dissuade people from making a mistake, could you be so kind as to direct us to an article you have written, or a review that may be helpful?

[Glenn Chan]

I interned at a voice-over recording studio two summers back. They had several microphones there, one of which is a Neumann (very expensive mic, over a thousand dollars). It got used once.

The mic they used all the time was one of the Audio Technica large diaphragm condensors (AT4040 I think), because it is pretty much accurate to the talent’s voice and doesn’t color it.

Sometimes coloration is desireable. Dynamic microphones add a particular coloration to the talent’s voice. A particular microphone’s coloration/tone may work better on some voices than others.

[Ty Ford]

Right now, I’m using a Neumann U 89 a lot for narrations. I’d be curious to know the reason why Glenn’s studio chose not to use their Neumann. Incidentally, one thousand dollars is not a lot to pay for a good mic. I have half a dozen mics in my collection worth more than that, and they sound like it.

The AT 4050 condenser mic is less colorful than the AT 4040 condenser. Both condenser and dynamic mics can color the sound.

The combination of a mic and a mic preamp also results in a certain sound. Plug the same mic into two different preamps and the sound may be quite different.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Ty Ford’s “Audio Bootcamp Field Guide” was written for video people who want better audio. Find out more at https://www.tyford.com

[Jim Kanter]

Thanks for your opinions, everyone. Much appreciated. Will look into al your recommendations.

Jim Kanter,
Digital Film Institute
http://www.dfilminst.com