OK...Let's Test the VO Mic Box.

Someone wisely asked, "how about letting us hear a test of the Portable VO Mic Box you built." Good idea.

When I use the the box, I will most likely use the Sennheiser MKH 416 because of its narrow focus on the sound. That may not be a fair test of the box to use it. So for this test, I grabbed a larger diaphram condenser that's more sensitive to ambient sounds.
We added compression to the test because compression usually enhances any room noice. So you will hear both takes--without and with compression.

VO Mic Box Test and scroll to the bottom.

If you didn't see how we made the simple Portable VO Mic Box, it's two blog post back.

Even the Really Good can grow and Discover New Opportunities

You may have noticed a very unusual mic comparison on the VO Mic Test Page (it's near the bottom of the page). Rarely do we get to share in a compadre's revelation or discovery because sometimes we may not want the "whole" story to get out. It's that trade secrets thing.
But listen to this. One of the most unselfish people I know is Bob Souer. He regularly shares VO knowledge with anyone that ask, and he has a lot of knowledge to share. Is he talented? Well, my wife gave out DVDs for Christmas to relatives that featured Bob on narration. Wait a minute, I produced an entire series for her with me doing the narration....and she didn't give any of those out!
Back to that test. I told Bob I thought he would make any mic sound good, but I thought he would really go off the scale with a few particular models if he had the chance to try them.
Well, he tried some. And he purchased that Sennheiser MKH416 P48 from John Weeks.
Here's the telling of the tale. He recorded voice audio with both his old AT 4033 and his new MKH416 by splitting the channels so he could test both mics with one read. It's a true comparison.
Most all of us that know Bob know that he has done remarkable work with the AT 4033, but watch out now.

There are some exciting things coming in the Voiceover and Broadcast worlds concerning new microphones. That's all I am allowed to say right now. But keep watching the trades and web for announcements at the upcoming NAMM convention in a couple of weeks. I would like to get Bob Souer up to our test studio to let his fabulous tones give some of the new product a workout.
Stay tuned.

It's in the BAG.

While we are waiting for our next mic test, let me update you on a voiceover project from a while ago. I think it was Harlan Hogan that suggested and demonstrated how using a collaspable storage box/bag stuffed with acoustic foam can be an excellent portable vocal booth when traveling.

I purchased the "Whitmor Collapsible Cubes" for $9.99 for a Two-Pack. They are available at Target…or on-line here.

You know what? It really sounds good. Here's a pic:

What!!! USB Mics May Become the Standard!!

When we posted the test of the Blue Snowball USB mic from Steve Anthony, a lot of you called or emailed wanting more information on other USB mic possibilities. I was surprised. Maybe I should have realized that lots of you are looking for a portable solution to hook-up to your laptop on the road. But what about quality?
My buddy, Jim Krusula of CBS News does his reports on the road and I check with him regularly to see what advances the big networks come up with to solve remote recording.
But the newest revelation did not come from Jim—it came from Roy Harper of Marshall Electronics—you know—MXL Microphones.
In a press release from this past November:

NBC 5 / TELEMUNDO CHICAGO’S NEWS EDITING OPERATIONS STREAMLINED WITH MXL USB MICROPHONES
Plug and Play connectivity makes re-recording of voice tracks easy

Chicago, IL… For any broadcast news operation, nothing is of greater importance than delivering the news accurately and in timely fashion. For the photographers and reporters of Chicago’s WMAQ-TV NBC 5 and WSNS Telemundo—owned and operated by NBC Universal—re-recording the voice tracks to accompany video shot in the field was a cumbersome procedure that was inhibiting the entire news gathering/editing process. For Edward S. Mann, Manager, Technical Operations, News for the veritable Chicago stations, there had to be a better way. There was, and he found the solution with MXL’s USB.006 USB/Cardioid Condenser Microphone, of which he ultimately purchased 39 units.

The NBC and Telemundo stations are switching to digital news acquisition in the field. While the stations still have tape-based cameras, they are now also recording onto digital storage devices, which then connect to laptop editors that facilitate non-linear editing in the field. To expedite the transfer of content, the laptops are equipped with air cards that enable the crew to wirelessly send the video back to the station.

According to Mann, who manages the stations’ technical aspects of gathering and editing news material for daily programs and is also in charge of equipment procurement, “An ongoing challenge was the process our crews would use when re-recording voice tracks on location. They would have to stop editing on the laptop and re-connect a camera to the computer so they could record the voice track on tape, which would then be fed back into the computer. Having to constantly disconnect the editing equipment in order to re-connect the cameras just to capture the voice tracks was not only time consuming, it was causing failures in the editing process. After contending with this situation for entirely too long, we decided to try some USB microphones.”

With the MXL USB.006 USB/Cardioid Condenser Microphone, connecting to a laptop computer is an effortless task. Rather than having to interface the microphone via an XLR connector and a separate microphone preamplifier—as is the case with conventional cardioid condenser microphones—the USB.006 makes its connection via a standard USB plug, without requiring any special drivers.

“With our MXL mics,” said Mann, “we now connect directly to the laptop computers and record straight onto the timeline of our non-linear editing software. It’s just amazing how well these mics are working in the field. The process of re-tracking the voice had been a failure point in the news editing process for quite some time due to the constant disconnecting and re-connecting of the camera. With these USB microphones, it’s a night and day difference that makes the entire process smoother—enabling our reporters to do better work faster. Our new microphones enable us to streamline the news edits from the field and get the information back to the station and on the air.”

In addition to improving the efficiency of the news division’s workflow, Mann is equally enthusiastic about the sound quality of the MXL microphones and believes they offer a viable, cost-effective solution for this type of broadcast application. “During our evaluation,” Mann said, “we tested three USB microphones side-by-side and the MXL USB.006 was significantly better than the others. The audio quality is very good—comparable to what we achieve in the studio. We’re very happy with our purchase and I’ve conveyed my enthusiasm to other stations in the group.”

About the MXL USB.006 USB/Cardioid Condenser Microphone
Featuring a 20 Hz-20 kHz frequency response, the MXL.006 microphone incorporates a gold diaphragm, pressure-gradient condenser capsule, and a 3-position, switchable attenuation pad with settings for Hi (0 dB), Medium (-5 dB), and Lo (-10 dB), making it easy to configure the microphone to virtually any sound source. The microphone’s digital section features a 16-bit Delta Sigma A/D converter with a sampling rate of 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz. Protecting the instrument’s capsule is a heavy-duty wire mesh grill. Located behind the grill is an LED that informs the user the microphone is active and correctly oriented.

About MXLAs the professional audio division of Marshall Electronics, MXL is a leading manufacturer of professional audio products for the music recording, broadcast, post production, and live sound markets. Additional information on the USB.006 USB/Cardioid Condenser Microphone and all MXL microphones can be found at www.mxlmics.com.

OK….sounds good, but—how good is the MXL USB’s on Voiceovers? We plan on finding out soon. We plan on testing the bigger MXL USB 008 very soon. This model is getting rants and raves from folks I know and respect.

Also coming…..How about a Neumann TLM103 killer…at a third of the price. Stay tuned. VoMicTests Page

Wrapped Up in Cables.

Posted on the VO-BB site:
I am always thankful for good service and advice. I needed new mic cables. Redco was highly recommended so I sent them a note:

Quote from me to Redco:
"I need two balanced mic lines. One for my home VO studio from phantom pre-amp to my large condenser mic or my Sennheiser 416. 20ft. I would like higher quality if it makes a difference. XLR-F/M. The other line I need is for on-location TV shoots. 25ft, XLR F/M. Hand-held dynamic to camera, or Sennheiser 416 (phantom powered) to camera...often on boom pole. I would like this line to be easy to handle and durable."

Quote from Redco to me:
"For the mic lines I would recommend the Gotham Audio GAC-3, very good high quality cable. I would recommend our TGS-QD Quad mic cable for the boom pole cable. It is flexible, but has a durable jacket and sleeving. Thanks, Chris Stubbs Redco Audio P800-572-7280 chris@redco.com"

I would have never believed that mic line could make such a difference. It is an obvious difference. My old line was the regular grade we all used for years. I understand that Gotham used to be the house brand for Neumann and it's great. The TGS-QD is Redco's house brand and it is made from Canarae wire. The TGS is fantastic for the use I am putting it through. My videographer noticed an improvement the moment we used it. I guess my appreciative rant is more about improving sound quality with the right cable as much as the excellent service from Chris and Redco.


Willie,

I was cruising the VO-BB site and hit your comment on cables. I'm so with you on how critical cables are in the chain. I've done comparisons and they can make a world of difference, especially if you're going from ultra-cheap to quality Mogami or Canare. I started building my own a few years back. I'm a pretty regular Redco customer. The cable that seems to be the most cost effective for me is the Canare Quad Mic Cable (plus it comes in several colors). Neutrik connectors are pretty much standard fair through the studio.

I've heard the Blue cables are excellent along with Mogami.

When folks start thinking about putting the big bucks into a mic or mic pre, they'd be well advised to invest in quality cables, too.

Would a cable shootout border on (or cross over to) anal-retentive?

Thanks,
Steve

Thanks Steve.

Yes, judging the difference good cables make must be very subjective because so many "experts" will argue the point. Like you, I just know what sounds better to me. I would love for someone with the right test gear to do a comparison of any measurable differences between professional cables. I am sure there would be a noticeable difference between low-end and higher quality. I appreciate when companies like Redco tell you when the minute differences in various cable construction will make a difference for your particular needs.
Maybe someone can figure out a way to do that cable shoot-out. VoMicTest

Will it Play on the Radio?

Willie,
Do you think the Upgraded SP-1 would work for On-air Radio?

Eric,
Thanks for your note. Funny you should mention the SP-1 for On-air Radio use. I was just talking to one of my partners about that very subject. There is no doubt that the quality would be fantastic. Plus, the full frequency response could easily be equalized to match the station's particular processing standards. It would be really outstanding in the production room. Most stations like to match the sound of each "room" (control, production, news, etc..) to be pretty similar and the SP-1 would be great for that.

My reservations against using the SP-1 for broadcast is the same for most condenser mics.
1. They need phantom power. (not really an issue)
2. The inherent fragility of the SP-1 in a broadcast invironment. (My experience with the SP-1 finds it a good build made of aluminum, but I sure wouldn't want it banged around or dropped. In a controlled environment, they should be fine.)

However, You can get eight SP-1s (or two of the Upgraded versions) for the same price of your basic Electrovoice RE-20 or Shure SM7b. If one breaks (notice I did not say die, because Jim Williams assured us the new electronics should last 30 years in ours) You just pull out another. (and repremand whoever broke the first one.) We might try one in a broadcast studio in the next couple of weeks to give it a trial by fire. I'll let you know.

"It'll be a Blue Snowball in Hell....

...before I use a USB mic for voiceover." Wait a minute. Not so fast. Steve Anthony thought we would get a kick out of hearing the Blue Microphones' Snowball. He uses it mostly for Skype calls, but you know what, Steve makes it sound pretty good. Of course, Steve sounds great in his "narration" voice and can make anything sound great.
We get a lot of comments about using USB mics and how easy they could make the voiceover process, especially on the road. I'm not sure we have heard one with the quality or versatility we ultimately need. But they are getting close.
What do you think? What is your experience? How come MXL has so many USB choices?
Stay tuned.
Vo Mic Tests

Thanks.....mics & preamps mix it up.

Just when we trying to find a good way to start a conversation about matching the right mic with the right preamp, we get a little “Vocal Voodoo.” Josh Mahler, a purveyor of power promos, steps in and kicks the door down.
Josh matches up four popular VO mics with three preamp combos that we really need to hear.
The mics are the CAD M179, the dual capsule, multi-pattern bargain; every broadcaster’s ElectroVoice RE20; the exciting Neumann BCM104 over the elbow side shooter condenser; and the Sennheiser MKH416.
He gives us examples of each mic running through the Safe Sound P-1 combo preamp and processor, the Apogee Duet preamp and firewire digital interface, and the very popular M-Box 2 preamp and digital interface.
Here’s the great part….Josh test each side-by-side.
The Safe Sound test is exciting because we are all interested in a good preamp that includes processing for less than $700. (I’m working on a deal, if anyone is interested—let me know.)
If you are using Mac, the Apogee is very highly regarded as a clean interface and this test of the preamps is very timely.
The M-Box digital interface’s preamps have been talked about for years, both for and against. Now hear them for yourself.
Thanks again Josh. Hear the test at:
VO Mic Tests

Only if you put a Shotgun to my head....

Why in the world would anyone take a fancy, single purpose piece of equipment like a hyper-cardioid shotgun mic and try to use it for voiceover?
Well, when you ask the top voiceover studios what are their most used mics, an overwhelming majority of the biggest will say the Neumann U87 and the Sennheiser MKH-416. There must be a reason (we'll discuss "standards" later).
But back to our double-barrell break-out.
Bill Campbell is another multi-media monster-man as studio director at ASAP Studios. He asks the same question you might--"Why wouldn't the shotgun-for-voiceover advantage work for any other shotgun mic besides the famous Senn 416--only cheaper?"
I have been asking the same thing for a long time. Even Sennheiser makes lots of other shotgun mic choices--none of which sound like their 416--most of which are less expensive.
What about the other brands? AKG, AudioTechnica, Sanken and others do have models that are highly rated by users and some are even more expensive than the 416. But how are they for voiceovers?
The Rode NTG-1 shotgun has fans that rave about its capabilities on lots of video forums. Now we can hear for ourselves.
Bill has sent us a test of the Rode NTG-1 for the Mic Test Site.
It is really clear and clean--sounds nice. You can get a brand new one for around $250. Wow! Not bad at all.
In addition to using the Sennheiser MKH416 in my voiceover studio, I use it weekly on a boom-pole while doing video spots. I even use it hand-held for on-camera spots (it looks kinda sexy with the windscreen). It really sounds good.
But I like the way Bill's NTG-1 sounds too.
I still want all of us that use shotguns for voiceover to discuss the various techniques we use to get the most out of these very special tools.

Coming: Test of the Sennheiser 421 and EV RE27 Dynamics--worth the money?

VO Mic Test

It's Back!!

Have you ever had one of those moments where you anticipated an event and you really didn't know what to expect....but you were excited about what could happen?
Well it happened, and I looking for words to describe what's going on now. I think "watershed moment" comes to mind. I got the MCA SP-1 back from Audio Upgrades today--a week sooner than expected.
I am writing this just moments after taking it out of the box, (Jim Williams neatly repackages all the parts that came out of the old mic) plugging it in and speaking a few lines into the machine. I did let it warm up a bit.
It is fuller, richer, with better lows and cleaner highs with a full range that sounds a little bumped in the upper low frequencies (or is that the lower mid's). Anyway....it seems suited just for my weak voice.
And it is really clean. Turned it up and let it cook.....very little noise.
Let's recap. Ordered the MXL MCA SP-1 from Pacific Sound, Stage & Lighting for $39.95 (listen to the "stock" test). Sent it to Jim Williams of Audio Upgrades who replaces all the keys parts with higher grade parts. Add $125 plus shipping.
I am going to try and call Jim Williams and get the scoop, the skinny, the what and how. Let me know what questions you want me to ask.
I am also going to try to engage him in preamp theory, especially for voiceover.
You gotta hear this: Mic Test MCA SP-1Modified
MXL SP1, MXL SP-1, MXL sp 1

...and the Beat Goes On.

Are we having fun yet or what! Steve Anthony sent two more mic tests. the Studio Electronics SE2200a and the popular AKG 414 BXLS.
Here's what else, Steve also understands our idea of making the good better...in search of the best.
He tells us, "Coming soon, the Charter Oak rigged with a new tube (a JJ ECC83s goldpin). As I studied upon this particular tube, the gold pin model may add something, so Iordered one. We'll see."
Thanks, Steve. We will begin talking about pre amps pretty soon. Does the pre amp make a difference? What do you think. Better yet--What do you know.
Tell us.
Check out the new mic tests here.

New Mic Tests Posted!

Thanks to Steve Anthony and Lance Blair, we can now hear the difference between a Heil PR40, a couple of CADs, Shure SM7b and a Charter Oak SA538.
Don't you love it when something outstanding starts to come together--better than expected?
In this case, it's been "kicked up a notch" with pro's like Steve and Lance showing us how to do a test on proper equipment.
The mics are almost in the order of approximate investment cost. In reality, the list should go. MSA SP1, CAD GXK2400, ADK A51, the MSA SP1mod and the CAD M177 (these two are pretty close in price).
Then we jump to our first test in the $300 plus range. That's the two dynamics, the Shure SM7b and the Heil PR40.
Yes, we will be talking about the Heil a little more in depth later.
Then, the Charter Oak SA538 at around $1,500 for comparison.
Check out the tests now at http://www.vocalimpactmedia.com/SoundStorage.html.
Send me your ideas and suggestions.

A Third of the Way into our First Test.

Do you remember how long the night before Christmas could be? Man, will tomorrow morning never get here? UPS Tracking says that Jim Williams signed for delivery of our MCA SP-1 microphone for our test. He says it takes about a week or so for the upgrades and another week to ship it back.

Let's recap what we are doing and what's coming. In the world of Voiceover Artists, gear mania can be an easy addiction. Personally, when a new job comes up, the first thing I ask is, "Can I net enough to pay for a new Lawson 47 and a John Hardy preamp?" But is this quest for supreme equipment justified or necessary? The quest should be for the supreme "sound." Do we have to spend a fortune to get the best sound?
I am not an technical expert. I am an experienced user of high tech equipment in the recording and broadcast business. Most importantly, I know technical experts in various aspects of the industry. Like most of us, I know when something sounds good--I just don't always know why.

That's the purpose of our upcoming tests. Can we find outstanding quality at a reasonable price? We will look at preamps, mics, location recording systems, digital interfaces, computers and any other items that make our job easier and more efficient. We will look in unusual places and talk to folks that may have some secrets that you and I wouldn't think of. We probably won't be testing your dream gear. But we just might reveal some real surprises. Most important of all we need to share our opinions and experiences. You have feelings on our various wants and needs, go ahead--let's put it out there.

Quick Note: Sennheiser MKH416 for sale.

I just got word that one of our pro cohorts has an extra "like new" Sennheiser MKH416 for sale at what I think is a good deal.
Contact me and I'll check your papers, credibility, references, see if you have had all of your shots and all other requirements to use this weapon of mass destruction.
Also, someone has asked all users of this intrument to submit notes on the techniques for its proper use. Things we do different than with other mics like breath control, mouth noise control and how to generally "work it" would be appreciated.

Tie up some loose ends.

Thanks for the calls, comments and messages. Joe, in our basic test set-up gear, we go from the Rane MS1b into an Alesis Multimix 8 USB and into the computer using Cool Edit Pro2. This is my extra unit since the "good" stuff usually goes to other systems I don't want to worry about. As it is turning out, this is the most worry free and dependable set-up I've found. We are looking at the MicroPro interface for future testing soon. I'll let you know....Better Yet--you let me know what you think if you have been using one for a while.

Steve Anthony (http://anthonymedia.com/) has one of the most varied mic lockers around. Listen to his demos and you'll hear how a pro is supposed to use his "tool-box." We're trying to convince Steve to add his voice, mics and opinions to the test page (http://www.vocalimpactmedia.com/SoundStorage.html).
I have just been told by my wife that I am late for my birthday party. Shouldn't we outlaw birthdays after age 11? Gotta go. Let me hear from you.

Starting Somthing

OK gang. While we wait for the turn-around in our first test, let's talk among ourselves.
I believe the Heil PR-40 is the dynamic version of the Neumann U87. "Willie--You're out of your mind. Those mics have nothing to do with each other." Let me `splain.
I thought seriously about entering the Neumann Anniversary Video contest where you do a video describing your favorite experiences with the U87. In 1969, I was hired at the flagship station of Southern Broadcasting (I replaced Ken Lowe who is now VP of Scripps and the originator of HGTV. My weekend and summer vacation stand-in was Rig Dees--my, haven't we all done so well). Anyway, the company was so excited about all the great young talent, they invested in the hottest new microphone--the Neumann U87. At that time, I was registered with Eastman as "Wild Willie Edwards--the original Wild Child." Yes...I was a screamer.
Well guess what...It's tough to scream into a hot condenser mic like the U87. Now, in the production room--it was heaven. I had been doing regional movie trailers ("See Barbarella do her thing....") and you can absolutely finese every word ever so delicatley. However, on the air, with all the processing it's like the mic is fighting you. I could not get used to it. Guess what? I slowed down my pace. I started talking to my audience. Putting lots of emotion into the patter. Oh my goodness--I became a morning personality instead of night-time banshee.
But back to the microphones....wait...let's continue this next time.
Let me hear from you if you have any similar memories.

MCA SP-1 Arrives!

Well the UPS dude brought the package from ProSound and Stage Lighting around 5:30pm and we proceeded straight to the studio to get some samples.
First we wanted to get some sort of standard to compare the tests. So we fired up the ADK A51 Type V, set the levels (which would remain the same) and did a few lines.
The Critiera Constant. We intend on testing different levels of pro mics to give eveyone an idea of "return on investment." This group is to show how much mic you can get for less than $200. In all test, there is no eq, compression or limiting, just straight into a very basic Rane MS1-b preamp and into the the A/D converter and into the computer.
So then we plugged in the MSA SB-1 and Wow! This little mic sounds better than I expected. Nice levels and surprisingly low noise. However, I was a little disappointed at the muffled low frequency response. (I did try tweaking the eq in our "broadcast" filter and it was pretty doggone good.)
My opinion--for $39.95, this is a great bargain for someone who needs a mic and can do a little eq tweaking in post production--a great bargain.
Now what happens? The MSA SB-1 is back in a double box and will be on its way to back to Carlsbad, California to Jim Williams of Audio Upgrades. Jim says he will replace all the important eletronic components (details on that later) and we will be shocked and amazed at what we get back.
So stay tuned for the next thrill packed episode when we put these econo condensers head to head in a battle of....wait a minute...I digress.

What other under $200 mics do you consider for Voiceover? Let me know and let's see if we can get them to do battle. Our next series will get very dramatic--the Under $300 Class division. That's when it starts to get interesting. (I'd like to hear the new ADK A-6 "SuperMic.")

Listen to the Microphone Tests here: www.vocalimpactmedia.com/SoundStorage.html

VO Mic Test

This is the very first update for our regular communications of activities. Wow! That sounds formal.
Here's what we are working on. We have ordered a MXL SP-1 from PSSL for a total price including shipping of around $47. That's what I said, $39.95 plus shipping. It is a condenser mic based on a Shoeps circuit and manufactured in China. We have been advised to check out the sound of the stock mic...and then send it to Jim Williams of Audio Upgrades for a complete overhaul of the existing parts.
We plan to have examlpes posted of before and after the upgrade, as well as comparisons to other similar mics.
If this sounds good to you, it means you may be able to get a perfectly fine mic for less than $175.
Stay tuned. This is going to be fun. And let me hear from you.
willie.tv63@gmail.com