Microphone Auditions

Much of the information and the images below are from Recording Hacks web site.  Recording Hacks has reviews on many of the microphones we have. I have included images of the frequency response for each microphone below. Please read more at their website.

Student Samples

Mr. Le Duc’s Sample Recording

https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/233567780&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true

With and Without Pro Microphones

iPhone Sound

Pro Mic Sound

The Microphones

Studio Projects C1

C1

Below is the Neumann U87 for comparison with the Studio Projects C1 priced at $360 and a Neumann U87 Ai legendary microphone that is priced at over $4,600.

Shure SM58

Shure SM7B

  • The Shure SM7B is an industry-standard cardioid dynamic microphone.
  • It has a reputation for being a go-to studio mic for numerous sources, including vocals.
  • It is also a popular live stream, podcast, and radio microphone
  • Read more: http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Shure/SM7B

Sennheiser e609

Electro-Voice RE-20

  • The RE-20 is a cardioid dynamic microphone
  • It is designed for the radio and television broadcast market
  • It is an end-address dynamic tailored for close-recorded vocals like podcasting, YouTube streaming, and close-up singing
  • Read more: http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Electro-Voice/RE20

AKG C1000S

Blue Baby Bottle

Microphone Polar Patterns (How the mic ‘hears’)

Polar pattern images from Wikipedia by Wikimedia Commons user Galak76

(Microphones are facing the top of blog page)


Omnidirectional (used to pick up ambient, public, natural sound)

Bi-directional or Figure of 8 (used to mimic stereo sound like our ears)

Subcardioid

Cardioid  (from the Greek καρδία “heart”)

Hypercardioid

Supercardioid

Shotgun (used in primarily in film)

Recording Tips

“A common problem when recording vocalists, particularly if they are more familiar with live performance than studio work, is of that they can get much too close to the microphone, causing popping, sibilance, excessive bass boost, and creating humidity problems. Very large foam windshields might help, but a separate pop shield (the nylon stocking on a wire frame idea) mounted four or five inches in front of the mic is better. An alternative technique is to rig a microphone for the vocalist to ‘eat’ with a second mic positioned something like eight inches further back and six inches higher. Normally you would record only the sound of the distant (normally a decent capacitor mic), but if you rig a conventional live-performance dynamic model as the close mic and mix in some of that mic’s signal, you can achieve a more interesting and slightly aggressive sound!”

– from 20 Tips On Using Microphones at SoundonSound.com

Other Recording Devices

Zoom H4N Digital Multi-track Recorder

  • The Zoom H4N is a stereo condenser microphone recorder
  • It has two microphones at 90 degree angles from each other to reproduce stereo sound
  • It can be mounted on top of a camera or used separately to record sound effects, Foley, etc.

Olympus PCM LS-11 Video Tutorial

Olympus PCM LS-11

  • The Olympus PCM LS-11 is a stereo condenser microphone recorder
  • It has two microphones at 90-degree angles from each other to reproduce stereo sound similar to the human ear
  • Read more: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Olympus-LS-11-Linear-PCM-Recorder
  • Read the Users Manual and examine the best recording setting for the event
    • When you pull the Olympus LS-11 into the Mac with a USB cable, a drive titled LS-11 will mount
    • Double-click the drive and you will see the directory pictured below
    • Your recorded files will be in the DSS_FLDA directory or folder

Apple iPhone, Ear Pod, or Cell Phone Microphones

 Resources for the Microphone Audition

  • The Script (PDF)