Currently use Rode NT1A in a non-treated room

[Recordingstuff]

Without any mic snobbery. Are the mics I listed below any better than it? How so?

Rode NT4
MKH 416
RE20
U47
SM7
Coles 4038
RCA 44
L47

 

[RFR]

Better is totally subjective. You need to try stuff out. Different mics, different placement, different sources.

There was a recent video from an LA studio where they recorded a drum kit with one, yes, only one, sm 57.

A lot of time was spent on placement and the drummer's hits to control volume.

It sounded pretty damn good.

Point being, you gotta find what works for you. Any mic used properly has it's place and can give a good result.

 

[arcaxis]

With the list of mics you gave, guessing recording of voiceover/narration(?) Any reason not to treat the room?

 

[Steenamaroo]

Better is, indeed, subjective and there are a hundred different yardsticks but in an untreated room the 'best' mic is probably the one you're closest to.

The sound of the source and environment probably comes above everything else on the way in but, to answer the question straight, I'd choose a dynamic from that list and stay very close.
That would help to reduce the room ambience relative to the source.

If you're doing spoken word with good blast protection and all of those mics will let you get close, then it's really just personal preference.

 

[RFR]

Haha. As I read the post there was a sweetwater ad dierctly below for an Audix mic. OM 6 for 219 bucks

It's a sign. That 'must' be the best in this situation.


To the op. If you have the chance, you could maybe rent or borrow some on your list to try out.

 

[JefferySmith]

Without comparing the NT1A to the others on the list, your Rode mic can be improved considerably with the Michael Joly modification (oktavamod.com).

 

[cyrano]

Without adding the mic preamp you use and the kind of work you do, that's an impossible question to answer.

For instance, the MKH416 is Hollywood's favourite. It's a very good mic, but not for voice overs. And that despite the fact that you can find dozens of youtube vids showing fools operating an MKH from close range. It's a shotgun mic. At close range, it might sound funny. Go into a humid forest to record birds, and it's your only choice. But it's too bloody expensive to waste it like on voice overs.

The same goes for the RE20 and SM7. Nice mics, but maybe not suited for you since they require a preamp with 60 dB of clean gain. And again, expensive, because they're famous.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Haha. As I read the post there was a sweetwater ad dierctly below for an Audix mic. OM 6 for 219 bucks

It's a sign.

A sign that he should get an Oktava MK219!

 

[arcaxis]

Without adding the mic preamp you use and the kind of work you do, that's an impossible question to answer.

For instance, the MKH416 is Hollywood's favourite. It's a very good mic, but not for voice overs. And that despite the fact that you can find dozens of youtube vids showing fools operating an MKH from close range. It's a shotgun mic. At close range, it might sound funny. Go into a humid forest to record birds, and it's your only choice. But it's too bloody expensive to waste it like on voice overs.

The same goes for the RE20 and SM7. Nice mics, but maybe not suited for you since they require a preamp with 60 dB of clean gain. And again, expensive, because they're famous.

I may respectfully disagree with that. May not be the only used mic for the voiceover actors listed below, but it's in their collection. Surprisingly a few I haven't listed here are using USB mics such as the AT2020USB+ and have a fair sized list of clients. A few Rode NT1A's can be found as well.

Check the gear listing and take a listen to the demos....
William Dougan | Voices.com
Chris Nichter | Voices.com
Kamran Khan | Voices.com
Bryan Kopta | Voices.com
James MacPhee | Voices.com
https://www.voices.com/actors/hotgravy
https://www.voices.com/actors/tomleighknight
https://www.voices.com/actors/samwilliamsonkc
https://www.voices.com/actors/bjvoice
https://www.voices.com/actors/deanometer
https://www.voices.com/actors/stevefreedman
https://www.voices.com/actors/spencercannon

'Front page'
https://www.voices.com/explore/category

 

[cyrano]

Let me rephrase that

It's not my first choice for a first, or even a second mic for voice-overs. Due to it's size and price, other mics might be a better solution. You simply cannot get close with a shotgun and it's that effect that some VO artists need sometimes.

Even Sennheiser doesn't promote it for VO work. There must be dozens of mics that do better, for less money. But it's one of the finest for dialogue, especially on movie sets, when the mic has to stay out of the picture.

Also, it tends not to work to graciously with USB powered interfaces, cause it needs all the phantom power the interface can supply. That gets usually worse when the mic gets older.

That's also why I want to know which preamp/interface the OP will be working with.

 

[Fast Frank]

As far as I can tell, defo stop worrying about mics until you’ve treated the room. If the room is horrible- metallic ringing if you all around it clapping- then use an SM57 until you can address this.

I’m s much less sensitive than a LDC so will sound much better than a ‘better’ mic is a bad space