Which Mic For Recording Voice For Podcasts?

[brianmole 0]

I wonder if someone is in the know on this subject. I need to get a mic specifically to record speech for the production of podcasts. I suspect some kind of condenser will do the trick, and my studio mixer already has phantom power. So what are your recomendations, budget and otherwise. The first person to suggest an SM58 gets lamped! :fish:

 

Cheers, Brian

[Andy Westcott 0]

How about an SM58??

 

Any microphone will do, it's just that you don't need studio quality as the audio is going to be pretty highly compressed.

 

Some kind if dynamic compression will be handy/essential to maximise subjective volume of your voice within the 0dB constraints of the digital system, software or hardware - it doesn't matter.

 

Use your DJ microphone - it will be ideal as it won't cost you anything. smile icon

 

Edit:

Make sure you have it mounted on a stand to avoid handling noise, and with cardioid pattern mics, make sure you speak into it always from the same distance and direction, to avoid volume drop-offs.

[buskersball 0]

How about an SM58??

 

Any microphone will do, it's just that you don't need studio quality as the audio is going to be pretty highly compressed.

 

Some kind if dynamic compression will be handy/essential to maximise subjective volume of your voice within the 0dB constraints of the digital system, software or hardware - it doesn't matter.

 

Use your DJ microphone - it will be ideal as it won't cost you anything. smile icon

 

Edit:

Make sure you have it mounted on a stand to avoid handling noise, and with cardioid pattern mics, make sure you speak into it always from the same distance and direction, to avoid volume drop-offs.

 

 

 

A really good mic for the money is the Behringer B1///needs phantom power though...I've used it for onstage vocals as well.

 

[brianmole 0]

Thanks, I have phantom power.

[RichardP 0]

What did you plump for in the end, Mr M?

 

Just as an aside, according to a mag article I skimmed earlier, a common technique for reducing noise from breath is to invert the mic and suspend it opposite the bridge of your nose, where it is out of the path of the mouth and nostrils. Moving the mic further away from the body helps reduce other body-generated sounds, but then you need to compensate by increasing the recording level.

[brianmole 0]

Ooh, useful stuff... Thanks Richard. I have not made up my mind yet, but I am not going to use my SM58 for this, the quality is not really all that crisp, although the mic is very rugged. I have a Beyer M260N which I will try out, this is much better quality than the SM58, and if the results are not acceptable, I'll look into the B1 or any other suggestions which come along.

[RichardP 0]

That mag article also seemed quite keen on this pro condenser mic, which at just over 100 quid includes a shockmount cradle:

 

AKG Perception 200

 

[Tom 0]

You can get mics with usb if thats what you are looking for, i think samson do a cheap one.

[HalfPint 0]

This is a picture of our Demo Studio Microphone

 

 

comes complete with case / shock mounting / Pop shield

 

 

http://www.dragonspirit.co.uk/mambo/images/stories//dmstudio1100.jpg

 

Pm me is interested. Prices are substantially bettere than Thormann

[tazy7 0]

you could use a rode nt2-a not used this mic but used its predcessor the nt2 and its the dogs bits (and a price tag to match). alternatively a shotgun microphone is a good option, gives the advantage of being directional so reducing the surrounding background noise. the beyer shotgun mics are a good cheap and have a sound. The disadvantage i find with a shotgun mic is the lack of bass that you get with a mic like the rode

 

a pop shield, shock mount and a mic stand are necessary stuff for voice recording to ensure quality and obviously some where thats quiet and acoustically dead, an echoey orginal recording when compressed will sound awful.

 

just my 2 cents worth :joe: