Mic to record spoken voice in small room?

[w@ntonsoup]

I've got a small room to record in, and will be recording only spoken word (reading). I tried the Musician's Friend-recommended MXL 990 but it was far too sensitive, picking up every noise in the neighborhood. I'm currently using an older AKG C1000S but have decided to get a new mixer and mics and just update everything.

I'm really torn on the whole dynamic vs condensor right now. I'm reading that, as a rule, condensor are more sensitive and will tend to pick up the extra sounds that I don't want. MF customers seem to recommend two dynamic mics pretty highly, the Digital Reference DR-LVX2 and the Sennheiser E825S, both dynamic and both right in my price range. Any opinions on this matter? I simply need a mic that is excellent at my application, and won't pick up all sorts of echo and extra background noise like the AKG I tried did.

EDIT: Looking to spend under $100...

 

[chessrock]

You might be better off with a hypercardiod dynamic.

Something like a Beyer M-88, or even an M-69.

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[Herm]

On the high end side a Electovoice RE20 400.00 or shure sm7 about 325.00 but it needs a pretty high output preamp. Or on the Very good and affordable side shure sm57. $80.00

 

[w@ntonsoup]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

I can't go any higher than $80-100 for the mic, because I need two mics and $200 is the ceiling of my budget for this!

 

[chessrock]

Good luck, then.

.

 

[Innovations]

I've got a small room to record in, and will be recording only spoken word (reading). I tried the Musician's Friend-recommended MXL 990 but it was far too sensitive, picking up every noise in the neighborhood. I'm currently using an older AKG C1000S but have decided to get a new mixer and mics and just update everything.

I'm really torn on the whole dynamic vs condensor right now. I'm reading that, as a rule, condensor are more sensitive and will tend to pick up the extra sounds that I don't want. MF customers seem to recommend two dynamic mics pretty highly, the Digital Reference DR-LVX2 and the Sennheiser E825S, both dynamic and both right in my price range. Any opinions on this matter? I simply need a mic that is excellent at my application, and won't pick up all sorts of echo and extra background noise like the AKG I tried did.

EDIT: Looking to spend under $100...

A mic is not going to turn a noisy room into a quiet room. Dynamics tend to pick up little details in a sound like mouth noises, but it is not like dynamics have selective hearing. Before you go trashing all that gear you might look at whether rcording in a more isolated space in your home or making a DIY vocal booth might be money better spent. But if you do want to go the mic route then consider a shotgun mic. A lot of voiceover work is done with them and on some voices they sound fantastic. Position them nose height and pointing toward your upper chest.

 

[chessrock]

But if you do want to go the mic route then consider a shotgun mic.

A shotgun mic for less than $100?

Your best bet, at this point, is probably a couple of Beyer M-69's off ebay. They're hypercardiod dynamics, so they'll be less sensitive, and they'll reject some of the environmnetal noise if you get right up on it. And they'll sound decent / good, and should easily come in under your $200 budget.

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[steveanthony]

Or consider an ElectroVoice RE635.

 

[frogpondaudio]

Can you explain the ev 635a recommendation? Reason I ask is I've had one for many many years and every once in a while I try a vocal with it and always find this particular mic to be terribly lacking in low freq response, and a little noisy as well. Is it just my mic? I also would think one would have more difficulty rejecting unwanted sound/reflections in a small room with the omni pattern. At least that's how it sounds to me, +/- 3 db.

Dave

 

[frogpondaudio]

Oops

I see your recommendation was for an RE635, not 635a. Differerent mic I imagine.

 

[Innovations]

A shotgun mic for less than $100?


.

Yes the Audio Technica ATR55 can be bought new on ebay for less than $50. Some others, particularly used, can easily be found for less than $100

 

[steveanthony]

Can you explain the ev 635a recommendation?

Dave,

The 635 has been a radio station standard, particularly in the news room, for decades. For spoken word, in the $100 range, I believe it's something to consider. I have used them over the years and they sound good. Plus, it's probably one of the most rock solid, dependable mics on the market.

Steve

 

[Innovations]

Dave,

The 635 has been a radio station standard, particularly in the news room, for decades. For spoken word, in the $100 range, I believe it's something to consider. I have used them over the years and they sound good. Plus, it's probably one of the most rock solid, dependable mics on the market.

Steve

The EV635 is indeed a broadcast news standard, but as a field interview mic, not a studio mic. Studio newsroom mic standards are the RE20 and SM7B.

In particular with his describing his problem being "the mic picking up every sound in the neighborhood" an omni is a particularly unsuitable choice

 

[AGCurry]

You want a cardioid dynamic mic.

For $80? Used. Shure SM57/58, Electrovoice RE15/16/18, Beyer M69 come to mind, but there are others which would do okay as well.

 

[ozraves]

Audio-Technica ATM25 is a good choice but it's just outside your budget. You can still get these at $140 from 8th Street but prices have risen sharply elsewhere.

 

[Big Kenny]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Audio-Technica-...ryZ41466QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem