I need help with choosing a mic

  • Thread starter Thread starter fox929
  • Start date Start date
F

fox929

New member
Hey guys.

At current, i'm a student wanting to work in Radio. So yeah, you have probably already realised i'm looking for a broadcasting mic.

I really don't know what to look for. I get lost, and I only end up putting myself into a bigger hole in choosing a mic.

So basically I want something that can connect to my computer [I know the cable, just need the Mic] so I can do air checks, practice broadcasting/announcing and so forth.

So any auggestions?

Obviously something not thousands of dollars... so any help will be greatly appreciated! :)
 
EV RE 20 or 27
of the cheaper equivalent in the PL (?) series
I don't know your cable hook up to your computer so if you are stuck with one of those USB things, you are stuck anyway so I wouldn't sweat the Mic.
 
We need to know more about your computer's soundcard and if it has firewire ports. You don't have any recording software? You don't have any kind of interface?

We also need to know more about your budget. We need to know the level of quality you want to achieve.

You can't just put a microphone next to your laptop and expect to record anything.

If you're into broadcasting, you'll have to get an RE-20 at some point anyway.

It's also my favorite vocal microphone.
 
EV RE-20 or Shure SM7b for voice over and broadcast type stuff.

As far as the interface, it's hard to say anything about what you have without knowing what you have. Most integrated sound cards and such that typically come with computers are not that great or able. i.e. Not full-duplex so no multi-tracking. And they are generally hissss monsters. You will likely need some form of microphone preamp, either as part of the interface, or externally.
 
Listen to Kenny, Shadow, and Supercreep. See, the answer to the question you asked is easy. Electrovoice RE-20 or Shure SM7b. These are mics you will see in nearly every radio station on Earth. The hard part is the answer to the question that you *think* you know the answer to. You *can't* just plug a real mic into a computer. This requires one of several specialized pieces of hardware, as follows;

1; A mic with USB output. That is available in only a handful of mics, and by and large, they aren't top broadcast mics.

2. A specialized recording soundcard- check offerings by M-Audio. This will also require a microphone preamplifier. If you go that route, I would recommend M-Audio DMP-3 for your purposes.

3. More cost effective but a little less versatile than #2 above, a recording interface. This is a mic preamp and external sound card combined, and will usually come with basic software for recording. It will output by USB or firewire. Make sure your computer meets the minimum systems requirement for whatever you buy. There are offerings by Lexicon that are pretty cheap- check alpha, omega, and lambda, and M-audio Fast track.

Any way you look at it, you are looking at a $300 or so dynamic broadcast mic, and an interface from $80-$200. The software is the easy part. Most interfaces come with software that will meet your needs, or you can use shareware.-Richie
 
Oooh Wow!

I seriously didn't think i'd get much help at all! Thank you all very much for reading my thread, and replying to it. I greatly appreciate what you have written and so forth. So thanks again! :)

I'm going to reply this way...will be much easier I think than quoting what each and every one of you have written :P

Big Kenny: The RE-20. Wow...you've just identified a microphone that I was looking at yesterday! Wow! As for the connection, i'm going XLR [out of microphone] > 1/4inch Jack [to input of microphone on sound card] instead of XLR > XLR, if you get what I mean. I'll consider this microphone, thanks!

Supercreep: Yep, budget is around ~$250 - Australian that is. If it's worth going to $300 well so it be.

Shadow_7: I think the integrated sound card will do for now..I mean, it's just for practice at the moment. I'm a student in Year 12 atm anyways, so don't want to splurge kinda thing... thanks though for the info!

Richard Monroe: RE-20 seems to be popular...so i'm going to read about that today sometime [have to go to bed since it's hit morning uh oh!]. Thanks for the help though!

Ronan: Wow..another for the RE-20!

Thanks guys! Muchly appreciated! Keep them coming if you can...you guys are a big help :).

By the way...since this is being done at home [radio broadcasting practice], i've been told to stay clear from the gooseneck. Thoughts?
 
This is the only situation where Id reccomend the Cad or Samson USB mics...they seem to be cheap enough and are pretty good for a computer radio setup...plus you wont need anything else like a preamp.
 
IMHO add the Electro-Voice EV 635a and Electro-Voice RE16 (or RE15) to your candidates.

If it's just for you, it's also possible the SM57 (or SM58) works quite well too.

Chris
 
Guys...with all those other mics...he will require an interface...sure Id recomend an SM7 or RE20 if he allready had one.

But if you go with the RE20 go ahead and get the Line6 UX1...its a great one channel preamp with interface for 99 bucks.
 
Hmm thanks for the help and suggestions guys :)

If I get a normal microphone, how do I power it up? Cause obviously it can't be powered from the 1/4inch jack line...
 
Just to clarify, you may or may not need to power the microphone (more on this in a second), but you need to amplify the microphone's signal. This is what a preamp does.

A clarification to the comment above that you would need both an interface and a preamp - most entry-level USB interfaces on the market right now have preamps built-in. Look at the Tascam US-122L, M-Audio Fast Track (Pro), Digidesign MBox 2 Mini, E-MU Tracker Pre, or Lexicon U22. If you're on a Mac, the same options are there, or you could look at the Apogee Duet. If you're on a budget, look at the Blue Icicle, which is a little inline preamp and converter for less than $70.

The power issue only comes into play if you're choosing a condenser microphone - which needs an electrical charge in order to operate (phantom power). Any of the interfaces above offer phantom power for this purpose, although it is not needed for a dynamic microphone such as an RE-20 or SM7b.

Lastly, if this purchase is purely for learning and practice, there's nothing that says you must spend the money on the same mics used in radio stations. You can learn just as well on a Shure SM-58, using a little converter like the one I mentioned above and free Audacity software. If, on the other hand, you're set on having a "pro" setup while learning, I'd give another nod to the RE-20 and SM7b, and I'd also add the Heil PR-40 to the list.
 
What Darrin said- dynamic microphones do not require power. Most condensers do. USB mics are mostly condensers, but are powered by the USB or a battery. And- although the RE20 is a great dynamic mic, so is Shure SM7b, and it simply costs less. The interface Darrin recommends should work fine, as long as you only need to record one signal at a time. I would choose a 2 channel unit, in case you want to do simultaneous background music, stock tracks for commercial work, or interviews with a second mic.-Richie
 
I managed a radio station and taught broadcasting for 26 years. Both the RE20 and the SM7 are certainly fantastic microphones, and the Sennheiser 421 is also great. (All the great WLS SuperJocks used the 421).

But all three of these mics are quite expensive.

Someone else suggested the EV635A, and I concur. You can get one for less than $100:

http://tinyurl.com/cyqb7a

This mic has been used in radio since the 1960's, and it is also used by TV news standup field reporters. It is probably the best-selling radio microphone of all time.

The EV RE50 is the same mic as the 635A, with a better pop filter built in, and less handling noise. (Handling noise is not an issue if the mic is mounted on an arm). The EV RE50 costs about $150:

http://tinyurl.com/d6zq7t

You can't go wrong with either of these, and then you can get one of the more expensive mics later if you stick with the biz.

You do need to know that it is difficult to find an on-air radio job nowadays, and nigh on impossible to find one that pays a living wage.

---Dan, http://danhughes.net
 
Kinetic Sound: Hmm the Digidesign one is so nice, yet I don't know if i'd be able to afford that! I'd be in serious debt!

Richard: I'd rather stay clear of USB microphones..they look too cheap to me, would rather the real deal microphone :)

Danhughes: Ahh! Thanks! The RE-50 is like a hand held microphone? :/ Hmmm

I've found this site that is relatively cheap...my budget i'd say is up to $300

http://www.turramusic.com.au/Pages/CategoryList.aspx?CAT2ID=57

May push to $350 if there's anything on there that is good getting. I'm liking the RE-20, but that is out of budget :( :( :(
 
fox929 said:
Kinetic Sound: Hmm the Digidesign one is so nice, yet I don't know if i'd be able to afford that! I'd be in serious debt!
Click to expand...

:) Nobody said this was a cheap hobby. :)

On a more serious note, you can still do well on a modest budget. Have a look for one of these: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=571273&Q=&is=REG&A=details

or these: http://www.frontendaudio.com/Centrance_MicPort_Pro_p/9999-01463.htm

Both are used by many of my VO colleagues with fine results. An icicle would still leave you $240 in the budget for your mic & stand.
 
Well you cant go wrong with an SM57...like 100 presidents used it:)
 
KineticSound said:
:) Nobody said this was a cheap hobby. :)

On a more serious note, you can still do well on a modest budget.

Both are used by many of my VO colleagues with fine results. An icicle would still leave you $240 in the budget for your mic & stand.
Click to expand...

Hmm interesting. Does it help if I have an amp, like what you use for microphones when your at an event or something like that? Cause i've got one here, and it's powering up my cardiod mic just fine...and then connect that to the computer through microphone-in, and take it from there?
 
fox929 said:
Hmm interesting. Does it help if I have an amp, like what you use for microphones when your at an event or something like that? Cause i've got one here, and it's powering up my cardiod mic just fine...and then connect that to the computer through microphone-in, and take it from there?
Click to expand...

I would be a little uneasy about how clean the signal is coming in to your computer. I would recommend, going a nice interface. One of which that has been recommended.

As far as the mic goes, 635A, RE50 are both great mics that are on a professional level. Spend the rest of the your budget on a nice pop filter, and stand. You can pick up a better mic later when you become more serious.
 
fox929 said:
Hmm interesting. Does it help if I have an amp, like what you use for microphones when your at an event or something like that? Cause i've got one here, and it's powering up my cardiod mic just fine...and then connect that to the computer through microphone-in, and take it from there?
Click to expand...

Noooooo Mr. Bill! The mic input on a computer's cheap soundcard is designed for a *very* weak signal. The output on a PA is designed to drive a speaker- a very strong signal. That combo is likely to produce nothing except the wonderful smell of ozone as the soundcard is fried. Even if the PA amp has a line out, your soundcard is not designed to handle it.

You can't get out of the fact that computers are not designed for recording. Between the mic and the CPU, there *must* be some form of mic preamp, and some form of analog to digital convertor. That can be done in several ways, which I listed in my first post above. That isn't going to change.-Richie
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top