Shotgun Mics ft. Sennheiser MKE200/600 & Audio Technica AT897
Vložit
- čas přidán 25. 07. 2024
- This week is another suggestion from a viewer. We look at some different shotgun style mics in the studio and outside the studio! We were asked to comment on using a shotgun mic for voice-over work. This was a new one for all of us at the studio so we take a dive into the strange world of "Line" or "Shotgun" microphones.
As a bonus... we found a strange solution to a problem many people around the web have seemed to experienced with the Sennheiser MKE200. Check the time stamps below if you're having an issue with your MKE200 and are using it with a wall powered camera (hint).
**LINKS**
mynewmicrophone.com/ -- thanks for the LOBAR pattern image (best one found on the web)
monologueblogger.com/the-last... - Thanks for the monologue sample we used for the voice over test. Fun read!
**SESSION FILES**
Since most of the files were captured ON-CAMERA this week, there wont be a session file. If you're really interested in hearing the original files un-processed by our video edit, please request in the comments and we'll try to put it together.
**Contents**
0:00 - Intro
1:07 - Shotgun mic history and technical aspects
2:20 - The Myth: Mic Reach
3:11 - Tech Specs Sennheiser MKE200
4:26 - Tech Specs Sennheiser MKE600
5:38 - Tech Specs Audio Technica AT897
7:03 - Indoor Distance Test
8:49 - Outdoor Distance Test
9:44 - Voice Over Test
11:13 - Problems with the MKE200 - Possible Solution to Hum/Buzz when used with camera
12:33 - Conclusion
14:15 - Outro - Hudba
Excellent
Sennheiser MKE 600 is the clear winner out of this group, especially at distance. I was looking for a good reference source on our stage to feed backstage monitors and assisted listening service at a 500 seat theatre. I can't wait to try them out.
I now use the 600 for almost all my videos now. Its not overly expensive and gets the job done.
Sennheiser mke400 has same ground loop issue. thanks for the video.
Ive narrowed a few scenarios down to mitigate the issue. If using a battery pack, dont have the battery pack plugged in (charging). Using a wireless transmitter/receiver with the camera isolates the ground as well. On my black magic camera, the issue goes away if i use the stock power connector/adaptor. However, this isnt the case on my canon camera. Very quirky.
@meistudiony Yes, same thing. I made a video about it and shown to Sennheiser. They sent me an email saying it was designed so. Well. No other mic I own was designed so. The MKE400 is not a cheap mic, and not a bad concept either. How Sennheiser can allow this, and how come only a few youtube reviewers speak about it... mystery to me.
@@ww1www my guess is the only ones talking about it are the ones that werent sent it for free or paid to talk about the mic. Thankfully there are workarounds but if someone hit this issue in the field, that could be a pretty big problem. Keep fighting the good fight. This is not proper professional level design flaw.
This is high quality content, video and sound. Amazing job! I'm considering buying the mke 600 and I made up my mind with you video haha Thanks for it. Could you tell me which headphone are you using? Would you recomend the wireless version of it?
I dont usually use headphones. The studio has a bunch of Akg and others but the audio technica ath-m series is very comfortable and sound great. Sorry i cant be more help on that side of things.
i must say i was very pleased with this review Sir and i thank you . but in your review of the Audio Technica AT897, it sounded really really well and so im off to purchasing it, i now await your review of some Large diaphragm condenser microphone options ($300-$400 range), for voice over, beginning with the T4040 and the Lewitt 440 pure. thank you soooo much
Thanks for watching. The lewitt 440, LCT and the Maono PM500 have essentially the same body construction. It tends to be a little too resonant for my tastes. nut they're not bad sounding mics. The AT4040 isn't bad, and for that money, I'd probably go with the Rode NT1a as it tends to be a quieter mic. They all tend to be on the brighter side, so you'll likely have to roll off some top end in post. Also, check out the AT4033 and the MikTek MK300. If you're good with a soldering iron, you can put together an amazing mic for under $400 from micparts.com.
@@meistudiony yes i am aware of the Maono being resonant, but i dont think the same applies to the Lewitt 440 pure
@@antoineinniss5586 literally the same body, different capsule.
@@meistudiony ok. but what of the resonance issue? is it with the lewitt as well?
@@antoineinniss5586 yes its liternally the same body/materials with a couple of small cosmetic differences.
I liked the AT at 6ft - I think this could work in a sound booth for video introductions since I _really_ want to avoid a mic in frame.
Ive been using the sennheiser under boomed for most of my recent videos. If you can keep it closer to you, either one will sound great.
you end up getting one? I keep hearing people say not to use shotguns indoors and only use pencil condensers.
@@2ndAveScents I don't currently have a pencil mic for comparison and it's sorta hard to justify buying yet another mic right now. However, I haven't tested the setup yet (just moved into a new house). When I do setup the mic, I plan to keep it as close to me as possible while also out of frame. I've tried this with normal condensers but they pick up too much room tone.
I have the the AT897 and it sounds great outside, but terrible indoors in an untreated room. Do you think the mke 600 does a better job rejecting room reverb?
I really should try to use these things in untreated rooms to check that sort of thing. For me, the 600 picked up more in a more narrow pattern (which is why it performed better outside in the noisy environment). It would really depend on how close you are TO the mic. For instance, if you're a foot or so away from it and your body is blocking anything coming from behind, it keeps things tight. Ive started to use the 600 for my videos and like the tone of it. I use it only about a foot or two from my face just out of frame. From a distance, (with any of these mics, even the $1000+ ones) you're still going to get that room bleed regardless. If the room is REALLY live, I'd suggest using lav mics over a shotgun indoors.
A lot of professional voiceover work will require some type of condenser microphone, they just tend to pick up more detail, a small diaphragm condenser microphone is more accurate and sounds a little more natural than a large diaphragm condenser, a lot of shotgun Mics are designed specifically for dialogue, in a properly sound treated room, the thingy dingy he's on the side or going to cause you any phasing issues, some smaller soundbooth can have a little bit of a boxy sound in some claim that these types of microphones can help reduce the boxy sound. . And there's something else about them that they do in the booth that I can't recall offhand. I know some voice actors who love their 416 shotguns , the most knowledgeable person I ever meant but it comes to microphones and audio explained exactly what those little tubes do and I wish I remembered all of it but there is some sort of reason for it, Elsa when they travel they can often take the mattress and couch cushions and stuff and make it makes your booth in the hotel room and I guess that these type of microphones can help reject a little bit of extra noise here in their in their makeshift booth. So you got all of that and they really just sound good in a properly treated sound booth.
Thanks for checkin it out. Most of my later videos after this one were done using the MKE600 just out of frame. I've grown to like it more than the lav mic for this type of stuff. For VO work i still prefer my 414 or 47clone, especially if i want to over emphasize proximity... but yeah, the shotgun mic does well. The holes on the side (thought i put this in the video) basically are put at certain intervals on the side of the mic to cause cancellations out from sound coming from the sides of the mic. The number of them and length of the tube determines what frequencies it can effectively cancel. When you're in a small room, if not treated properly, this effect can be minimized because of reflections and actually cause the mic to sound worse. The better the room is treated, the better it works, so yeah, a good vocal booth properly padded will work very well.
@@meistudionynice, the 600 is amazing since you can put it on a camera or plug it into your interface , I have to keep my shotgun mic close, I have some furniture and some sound treatment which cut out most of the reflections, but I still have hardwood floors and my desk and the stuff sitting on top of it reflect a lot of bass frequencies and the shotgun mic does not like that when I try to boom it overhead. If I'm moving away from the desk it's okay but I have a couple of gaming channel so I'm normally recording from my desk. .. but it's amazing how much sound bounces off of the desk in the computer monitor.
@@dannylightning-audio-reviews yeah i hear ya. Ive been under booming for it pointing up. Little less reflections that way.
oh and i forgot to include the Sennheiser MK4, also for voice over.
I forgot one too.. check out my video on the Austrian Audio OC16. That is one of the nicest sounding LDC's (for any money) i've heard in a long time. Goes for around $399USD.
czcams.com/video/5x-cS0sxrx8/video.html
@@meistudiony ok Sir, i will. may i ask if the Austrian Audio OC16 was reviewed from a voice over perspective? its difficult to determine that, if test was centre around singing
@@antoineinniss5586 if it sounds good on a singer, generally, it will sound good for a voice over. The proximity effect was very pleasing on it, and tonally it is very smooth and doesn't have the harshness that you'll find in a lot of the other mics in that price range. This is one of those hidden gem mics where you get WAY more for your money than what it costs.
Are you trying to tell us the JFK story is some CT? what about MLK's or MalcomnX'? Lol!! All that aside though.. what type of mic or what specific mic on a budget would then recommend for single person interview in an untreated indoor space ?
Im not sure what youre referring to in the first part of that… been a while since i watched the video. 😂
But depends on the situation. A shotgun mic can work really well for interview situations either over or under boomed. All my newer videos for the most part are using the sennheiser 600 from this video under boomed about a foot away from me. If you want a more personal sound, saramonic makes some really good wireless units that arent crazy money that i used for a while as well. (Blink 500 i think we have here). Comes with 2 transmitters, a stereo receiver so you can split channels and lav mics to plug into the transmitters. GREAT sound quality for the $. Thanks for watching!!
"carrying sack" not "carrying case" - silly guy!
LOL when youre right youre right! :)
What ever you are using is over modulated
Not quite sure what you mean... I don't use any modulation in post for the spoken parts and the examples are the audio direct with no processing except for setting levels.
@@meistudiony in your video when you are sitting for your delivery you sounded as though the recording is “over modulated” which means that recording came in a little hot and slightly distorted. It happens just thought you should know. Over modulated is a common audio engineering term.
@@tjwalkup7155 ive heard it used in terms of radio where modulation deals with frequency. (Same in the studio) In my 25+ years of being an audio engineer ive never heard someone use the term like that… but now i have! :) Thanks!
Some of my earlier videos were experiments with different mics and positions and mastering in post. Took a while to dial it in but i think im in a better place now.
Thanks for the comment! Appreciate you checking it out!
@@tjwalkup7155 i guess that would be amplitude mod. in this case. 👍
@@meistudionythat’s it. I just use short hand on my comment, in the field we have spoken of “over modulation” synonymous with “amplitude modulation” in that it’s the hot version. Been in the industry for over 34 years. Maybe it’s short handed by west coast guys here I guess. It’s goofy like C-47 or the Mole Richardson catalog number for clothes pin. Sorry. Incidentally I like the video. You did a great job and your VO beautiful on all the other stuff. What ever you used there did you justice. Perfect