mic distance - boom in

[sugarman]

I am currently recording my voice at regular volumen using a borrowed Audio-Technica AT875R attached to an overhead boom. To avoid having the mic visible on camera the closest I can position it 22 inches away. I have to return this mic soon, and I am looking around for an alternative. At 22 inches distance is their any alternative to a shotgun condenser? Thanks.

 

[TheChikenMaster]

clip on lav hidden under your shirt works great.

 

[Bobbsy]

Yup. That's basically the two options for working where you don't want the mic seen--a shotgun on a boom or a small lav under your shirt, often taped to your chest.

My current recommended shotgun would be the Rode NTG 1 (or, if you need a self powered mic, the NTG 2 sounds the same but takes internal batteries).

For a lav, I've recently bought a bunch of Chinese cheapies from eBay and they sound remarkably good. They had a model with an XLR connector that can work on phantom for about $40 (usually you have to mess with connectors and 5V power supplies for bias voltage).

 

[John Willett]

clip on lav hidden under your shirt works great.

But nowhere as good as a mic. on a boom.

You can always hear when a hidden clip-on has been used due to the muffled sound, lack of treble and chest cavity noise.

 

[Bobbsy]

But nowhere as good as a mic. on a boom.

You can always hear when a hidden clip-on has been used due to the muffled sound, lack of treble and chest cavity noise.

Total bullcrap. The frequency response of any decent lav is specifically designed to be used in exactly that position.

Taping a lav to the chest is a very common professional technique--huge number of films and TV shows you watch every day are shot with mics in this position. A small amount of EQ in post an it sounds fine, often better than a shotgun on a fishpole, especially when shooting in less than ideal acoustics or in noisy locations.

Huge chunks of sound done on shotguns ends up being replaced in ADR sessions during post production. Yeah, in an ideal world a shotgun can sound nice but ideal conditions rarely exist--and the lav is far, far from being as evil as you suggest

 

[sugarman]

Thanks all, so too far for a dynamic or regular condenser? I am going to start shopping around for a good starter lav or shotgun. Thanks.

 

[John Willett]

Total bullcrap.

No - not at all

The frequency response of any decent lav is specifically designed to be used in exactly that position.

No - nearly all clip-on mics are designed to be used outside clothing.

Hidden under clothing you lose treble, which has to be compensated for.

Taping a lav to the chest is a very common professional technique--huge number of films and TV shows you watch every day are shot with mics in this position.

Yes - but that's no reason to assume it's the best way.

They are used because it's easier for the director and lighting, not because of sound quality.

Every single professional sound engineer I know says booming is better (and I know a lot).

A small amount of EQ in post an it sounds fine, often better than a shotgun on a fishpole, especially when shooting in less than ideal acoustics or in noisy locations.

Yes, you need EQ to sort a buried clip-on mic. And, yes, they can sometimes be better in a poor acoustic, though even here a boomed mic. in the hands of a professional boom op. can often be better.

Yeah, in an ideal world a shotgun can sound nice but ideal conditions rarely exist--and the lav is far, far from being as evil as you suggest

Maybe I was laying it on a bit thick But that was because people always seem to go to the clip-on first, when really it should be last.

I can hear the difference between a properly mic'd voice and a clip-on on a normal TV at home, and the properly mic'd ones always sound better.

 

[Bobbsy]

No - not at all




No - nearly all clip-on mics are designed to be used outside clothing.

Hidden under clothing you lose treble, which has to be compensated for.

Yes, but not so much it can't be easily compensated for.

Yes - but that's no reason to assume it's the best way.

They are used because it's easier for the director and lighting, not because of sound quality.

Every single professional sound engineer I know says booming is better (and I know a lot).

Trouble is, the audio department is part of a crew and the needs of the director and the lighting cameraman also count. To that, I'll throw in the needs of the editor doing the post production. Editing a scene shot on a boom where the background noise changes on every cut is a recipe for a move to ADR however good you think the sound is when on location. Frankly, have done both location recording and audio post duties, I quickly learned that close miking with lavs (as long as the location sound also give you a good chunk of atmos separately) is often the better way to go.

]Yes, you need EQ to sort a buried clip-on mic. And, yes, they can sometimes be better in a poor acoustic, though even here a boomed mic. in the hands of a professional boom op. can often be better.

In this case, the phrase "professional boom op" is likely not applicable. I agree that an experienced pro is worth his (or her) weight in gold but the trouble is, as soon as they get good they want to be promoted and do YOUR job!

Maybe I was laying it on a bit thick But that was because people always seem to go to the clip-on first, when really it should be last.

I can hear the difference between a properly mic'd voice and a clip-on on a normal TV at home, and the properly mic'd ones always sound better.

On this one I was reading between the lines and assuming a guy who wants hands-off audio while sitting in front of a noisy computer in an untreated room, hence my suggestion. Well, that and the fact that decent Chinese lavs have suddenly become dirt cheap--to the point where one pro stuff I often consider them a consumable like batteries rather than an expensive mic!

 

[sugarman]

Could you send me a link to some of those Chinese lavs please? Whilst I bargain hunt for a good shotgun mic, they may be the best short term option. Thanks.

 

[Bobbsy]

THIS is the eBay seller that I used for the lavs I bought. I've only bought once but delivery was quick and the mics were surprisingly good for the prices.

From memory you can either buy a mic that has an XLR 3 connector that can work directly from phantom power or there's a phantom power adaptor you can use to plug electrets with mini jacks into.

 

[sugarman]

Great - thanks