CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Non-Audio Stuff => The Geek Cave: Home Theatre, Computers, and More! => Topic started by: iRo on April 27, 2015, 09:50:00 AM
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I'm in need of getting standalone mic for streaming. Any recommendations from someone who knows the ground? I've tried searching for some mic measurements and found this database (http://recordinghacks.com/microphones) of mic's frequency responses with some comments.
From what i understand i'm looking for cardioid USB mic, with main candidates being from AKG Perception line (http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/savedsearch/429925), Audio-Technica AT2k line (http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/savedsearch/429926) and Blue Microphones' Yeti (http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/savedsearch/429927). There is also this one (http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Oktava/MK-012-USB) that i could try sourcing locally, which seems to be USB version of Oktava MK-012 (http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Oktava/MK-012). From measurements AT seems to be most linear ones with the broad extension, while AKG and Blues have some roll-off in lower frequencies with AKG having a bit of bump in high frequencies.
Also would like if someone educate me a bit of what accessories i'd need. I guess it would preferable to get pop filter and potentially mic windscreen depending on the model? Would i also need to get some kind of suspension shockmount to attach mic to the stand? Still not sure what kind of mic stand i'm looking for, i'd most likely prefer some scissor arm for table mounting than standalone one. Is there any difference/nuances when it comes to mic stand?
Last question is how the mic gonna play out with having and using speakers nearby? Is it possible to set it up so it wouldn't pick up sound from there?
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For voice or instrument? For music or speech?
Not that I'm going to know the answer, but people who might will need this information.
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The Rode NT-USB looks good. It comes with a pop filter and table stand included. Just keep in mind that it's a condenser and not a dynamic, so it'll pick up a lot of sound you didn't think existed in your room.
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For voice or instrument? For music or speech?
Not that I'm going to know the answer, but people who might will need this information.
Voice, speech. Gaming content. No particular budget, but i guess i'll keep it ~$300+.
The Rode NT-USB looks good. It comes with a pop filter and table stand included. Just keep in mind that it's a condenser and not a dynamic, so it'll pick up a lot of sound you didn't think existed in your room.
Thanks Tom, that looked promising until the last sentence. It's not like there's a lot of noise in my room (my PC pretty much silent, thanks to Gourami's setup (http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,1681.msg60171.html#msg60171)), but there's now construction site nearby and since i live on the top floor of high-rise building on the windy side, wind noise can be an issue depending on weather. Also my living room is the only room in the apartment where you could hear the neighbors talk loudly...
If we talk dynamic USB mics, there doesn't seems to be a lot of choice according to this list (http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/tag/dynamic+usb) - 6 mics total and only 4 of them are cardioid. Maybe i should drop USB mic idea and just look for the normal mic + audio interface combo instead.
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I have a Blue Snowball that I've used for conference skype calls and occasional radio type work. From a setup perspective, it's far easier than doing a mic+interface.
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Yeah, i agree. I also reconsidered that if i do plan to finally relocate in near future, i already have a lot of stuff to take with me/care of. So i'd rather keep things simple for now, that's why i thought about getting USB mic in the 1st place.
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Voice, speech. Gaming content. No particular budget, but i guess i'll keep it ~$300+.
Just for voice, you probably do not need to spend that much, and nor should you be too worried about either end of the frequency response chart. Even telephones, these days, don't make people sound as if they are talking on the telephone! Just look at this lot (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Blue+Microphones&x=0&y=0)
Maybe i should drop USB mic idea and just look for the normal mic + audio interface combo instead.
The moment you go there you are on a different learning path. You have to know about mic pre-amps (hopefully built into your interface) and, well... stuff.
If you just like gadgets and playing studio, you could end up with something like a small (eg 4-channel) mixer connected to a sound card or interface. Oh, yes... I like playing with toys like that: been there and done that :)p4 .
You'd be giving yourself a heap of flexibility for the future. Any chance you're going to be doing interviews for podcasts? Inviting a couple of mates round to make some music?
If there is a serious possibility of a yes to those questions, consider that route, but it is going to cost you more than a reasonably modest USB mic. Which is all that your probably need at this time.
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I use AT2035 + Shure X2U and never have any complaints on voice chat.
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For just a single input, stick with a usb mic. If you're ever going to need more, then get a compact interface and regular mics.
I have an Echo2usb (now discontinued) that is about as compact as you can get for a 2in/4out device. It has phantom power (w/wallwart), and basic mixer capabilities. There are many similar devices from MOTU, Focusrite, NI, RME, etc. Heck, you can get a cheap Peavey usb mixer for $300ish (Behringer for less, but don't go there). Or a Mackie mixer if you want some more ruggedness.
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Mine was a Soundcraft (still is, but at the back of the cupboard). Interfaces were RME internal card and then an Echo Audiofire2 firewire card. I have three or four mics, but the most used was a Shure SM57, which I used to take to concerts as the sleek shape did not get in the way of my fingers when playing my morsing (S. Indian jaw/jew's harp.
Edit: Shure with an H, dammit!
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Switching from a cardioid to a dynamic has been the best move I've made thus far. As a fellow streamer who skypes and uses twitch I can't see myself going back. I've owned the Blue Yeti, AT2020USB, Snowball, and demoed the Rode and they all were too sensitive for my liking. One of my pet peeves is when people in skype complain about my constant typing (Mech Keyboard). That and the fact that they can hear cars rolling past my house just annoys the yell out of me. Yes I know that this can be partially eliminated with software but I didn't want to deal with that so I just bought a podcasting setup.
Right now I'm running a simple, to the point setup.
PC > Scarlett 2i2 > TritonAudio Fethead > ElectroVoice RE-20 (best mic ever)
Stand: Rode PSA-1
You need that extra phantom power if you get something like the RE-20 or Shure SM7B. There are other great options at a lower cost. So far I love the setup and I don't see myself changing anything other than maybe adding a cleaner source later on.
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I had a mic + interface setup before. Dreams of using it to record music with friends, but it ended up being used mainly for...gaming VOIP.
AT2020 + interface (M-Audio Firewire) + Hercules mic stand + pop filter
Pretty troublesome to setup!
I guess if you have the space, a USB mic + stand + pop filter should do the trick. You really want to decouple it from the desk as far as possible, because it will pick up typing noise.
Greed's advice also makes a lot of sense--dynamic mics are probably better since they are less sensitive, so they won't pick up too much background noise.
Stick with less sensitive, directional mics, and keep them as close to your mouth as possible, and I think you're good to go.
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In that case most of the Shure SM series mics would be just about perfect for the application or maybe cheapy shotguns with a shure xlr usb thingy.
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Ah the SM57/58. I have literally beat someone over the head with those and they still work fine.
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SM57/58 wouldn't even need a pop filter, come to think of it.
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All of Shure dynamic microphones have a pop filter built-in and decent anti-shake internals. If you want a cheap one, PGA58 is a good pick - pretty flat frequency response with decent extension.
No high frequency boost in this one, unlike PGA48, SM57/58. PGA57 differs in directional pattern - doesn't have as much near-field bass boost.
Shure's X2u interface is also ok, but not as good as a dedicated USB soundcard or a professional ADC + amplifier combination. Especially the -76 dB SNR which is quite 13-bit.
Note that sync between devices (incl. virtual) is tricky - they may drift and lag. Especially if one or more are USB devices.
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Switching from a cardioid to a dynamic has been the best move I've made thus far.
Slip of the tongue/fingers? Cardioid is a sensitivity pattern, dynamic is a technology. Did you mean to type "condenser?"
You need that extra phantom power if you get something like the RE-20 or Shure SM7B. There are other great options at a lower cost.
Phantom power is for condenser microphones. It is not a case of more, less or extra, but that they need to be powered. IIRC, dynamic mics are built so that they safely ignore it rather than blow up.
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Slip of the tongue/fingers? Cardioid is a sensitivity pattern, dynamic is a technology. Did you mean to type "condenser?"
Phantom power is for condenser microphones. It is not a case of more, less or extra, but that they need to be powered. IIRC, dynamic mics are built so that they safely ignore it rather than blow up.
I think it was fairly obvious what I meant when comparing the two but yes to be technical - condenser vs dynamic. In regards to phantom power I was commenting about my specific setup. To reiterate: the 2i2 doesn't have enough gain to sufficiently power my RE-20 (due to the low sens, etc.) and one of the cheapest and most cost effective solutions is adding a Fethead or Cloudlifter.
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Such things are fairly obvious to those who know already: to those who come looking for information, they are confusing.
You may be using phantom power to drive an intermediate device, but not to power the microphone. A dynamic microphone cannot be powered, sufficiently or otherwise.
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Here's a question for those that may know: Is it possible to hook up a dedicated mic pre to my Schiit Yggdrasil? I assume it wouldn't work if I need instrument application but since I'm using this setup only for streaming and podcasting, would this work?
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Shoot Schiit an email is probably more fruitful than asking here.
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If the pre has digital out that Ygg can take then it should work.
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Is it possible to hook up a dedicated mic pre to my Schiit Yggdrasil?
No. You can't run an analogue input into a DAC [Digital to Analogue Converter.
Having said that, there are going to be DACs with pre-amp functions and all kinds of mixes available , so I'm not doing absolute truth here. But generally speaking... you'd run a mic pre-amp into an ADC.
The question here is what are you trying to achieve? Where do you want to hear, process or record the output of that mic? You mention streaming and podcasting, so I assume you need it as a signal inside a PC.
You need an audio interface. Or a USB Mic.
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Figured as much, thanks for the info guys. I'm already setup with all that, I was just wondering if I could improve the performance of my mic with something I already have. I'm probably going to move up to a higher end audio interface but I'm not sure where to go at this point. Looking at the Focusrite Forte or maybe the RME Babyface.
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I became a great fan of RME, when I put one of their cards in my PC, about 2003ish, and found hifi sound coming out. The only problem that I have them now is that they are not particularly Linux friendly, and I'm not Windows friendly any longer. Actually, my old card works, but it doesn't sound so hifi now. Not sure how much of that is my standards have changed, and how much is some component on the card has aged. Frankly, my hearing has got a lot worse, so I suspect the card has become faulty.
You just need to be careful you get the right ins and outs. Buying an expensive pro interface that actually only works with pro studio protocols and connectors would make for a very bad day.
I do think that RME is a step up the pro quality ladder and I doubt that you could go far wrong with a Babyface --- as long as you double check that you will be able to use it in the way that you want to, connected to the gear that you have or intend to buy.
By the way, if I had plenty of money, and didn't mind using Windows (neither is going to happen) I'd buy a Lynx Halo :)p7 .
See Gearslutz (https://www.gearslutz.com/board/) if you want to stimulate the salivary glands over this kind of stuff. Enjoy!
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RME mic pre-s (i'm talkin' pre+adc here) are good, but not world class fidelity.
Had a FireFace once, Yulong D100 beat it in dac front, but analog samples saved to computer through its adc-s sound good even today through much better dacs.
IMO RME skimps on analog side of things a lot. PSU-s are SMPS. IC-s are well optimized, but low-end.
Their digital/software side and functionality is great though.
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So how would you rate the Babyface? Or ...same comments apply?
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My friend uses an Audio-Technica AT2020 and gets pretty good results. Only about $120 for the USB version if I remember correctly.
Needs a shock mount and a pop filter though...
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I'm using an AKG 3000B into a Native Instruments 6 pre/A-D. Hanging by XLR cable from a cabinet/shelf so that it's floating in front of me.