But it is a completely valid methodology to correct for source/mic mismatches via equalization. Then, too, you could certainly EQ any of these mics - and some of them, you’d definitely want to! □ For the purposes of this test, we are taking a purist approach, with unprocessed tracks. Therefore I encourage you to use these samples to come to some understanding of what each mic is doing, and then use that understanding to determine which mic might best fit your needs. This is a roundabout way of saying that however tempting it might be to listen to these clips and pick a “winner,” the utility of said mic in your room, on your voice, will remain to be seen. No matter which of these mics you prefer based on these audio samples, it is very unlikely you will ever be asked to record MY voice in MY room. Through headphones (Sennheiser HD650s), the differences are more apparent: the noise floor, the amount of room sound, the detail of the high frequencies, and the shape of the mids all come through.īut let’s be clear about something: every voice is different, and every room is different. When monitoring these files over nearfields (mine are Mackie HR824s), the differences between the condenser tracks seem fairly subtle. If you don’t have a relatively quiet space, your voice recordings will be better served by a dynamic mic. But this is potentially another problem with using condensers for podcasting - they’ll “hear” your computer fan, the HVAC, and your neighbor’s television. This is one of the reasons I tend to prefer dynamics for this application.Īlthough a few tracks contain audible noise, none are noisy enough to cause problems. □Įvery one of the condensers in this test picked up more clicky mouth noises than the dynamic mic. (I strongly recommend this book you’ll be hard-pressed to open to any page and not learn something.) I used the same excerpt in The Ultimate Podcasting Mic Shootout, facilitating comparisons to the best dynamic mics in the world.īefore you click the button to see which mic was which, ask yourself if you heard the RE20 that I snuck in there for comparison purposes. The audio sample is an excerpt from Mixerman’s awesome book, Zen and the Art of Mixing. The original 24-bit, 44.1 kHz WAV files were converted to 320kbps mono MP3 via lame. Gain was set to produce consistent RMS levels in Pro Tools during tracking levels were later fine-tuned prior to output. The preamp for all tracks was channel 1 of my BLA-modded Digi 002 Rack, with the high-pass filter engaged. ![]() I used a dual-layer nylon pop filter in all cases. My working distance was 10 inches for all mics. Any pads or filters on the mics were disengaged. Each mic was set up within my RealTraps PVB to minimize room reflections. (To find a full description, specifications, and sale prices on any of these nine microphones, click the appropriate thumbnail images in the table below.) ![]() It is a no-frills mic, with a simple ring mount, no pad, no filter nonetheless, some claim it is the best $99 microphone on the market, and proponents use it daily for vocals and acoustic guitar. The Audio-Technica AT2020 is the first-generation version of the AT2035 both are electret condensers, although the AT2020 has a smaller capsule. It is the only multipattern mic in this test. It ships in an oversized, padded plastic case with both a ring mount and a shockmount. It has a -20dB pad, a high-pass filter, and a continuously-variable pattern selection switch. The CAD Audio M179 is a remarkable bargain at its common street price of under $150. To these, we’ve added two from my personal collection: However, if you’re shopping for a multi-purpose “studio workhorse” microphone, which would be tasked for everything from podcasting and voiceover to instruments and sung vocals, then by all means please read on for a blind listening test of nine top-selling condenser mics. ![]() Even better, see the more recent (November, 2012) shopper’s guide, RecordingHacks Editors’ Choice: Podcasting Gear. Strongly held biases (plus over 50 years of broadcast history) require the following disclaimer: if you are shopping for a dedicated voice/podcasting microphone, I encourage you to visit The Ultimate Podcasting Mic Shootout, which features numerous mics that I feel are better suited to podcasting than any of the inexpensive condensers listed below. Here in Part II, we’ll hear these mics - and a couple more - in a podcasting test. We recently surveyed seven entry-level condenser mics on vocals, acoustic guitar, and electric guitar cab, in part I of The Best $200 Condenser.
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