microphone would you suggest

arcane secrets and handshakes revealed!

microphone would you suggest

Postby jumeetha » Wed Sep 07, 2011 1:57 am

What is a good microphone for picking up ambient noise? I want to produce NPR style radio interviews. I'm looking for a microphone that can produce quality sound during both interviewing and recording of ambient noises. Any suggestions on what I should look for in a microphone or microphone suggestions?
____________________________________
affiliateelite ~ affiliateelite.com ~ adgooroo ~ adgooroo.com
Last edited by jumeetha on Sat Sep 10, 2011 4:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
jumeetha
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2011 12:20 am

Postby Geek » Wed Sep 07, 2011 3:29 am

Hi,

An omnidirectional would do you fine for that.

What's the operating conditions and your budget? That can determine if a dynamic or electret is called for...

Cheers!
-= Gregg =-
Fine wine comes in glass bottles, not plastic sacks. Therefore the finer electrons are also found in glass bottles.
User avatar
Geek
KT88
 
Posts: 3585
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2007 3:01 am
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia

Postby elbinster » Wed Sep 07, 2011 12:25 pm

I don't have much practical experience with interview recording, but I know if the room acoustics have too much reverb, a simple omnidirectional mic will make it sound like you're having a conversation in the bathtub.

A cardioid pattern will still pick up some ambient sound, but you have to point it at the person talking. If you want to go all out, you can set up a microphone pair in a standard XY (or Blumlein if you have the cash for bi-directionals).

Tascam has a cheap hand-held recorder that can be set up in an XY pattern (http://tascam.com/product/dr-07mk2/), which will maintain the stereo imaging of the ambient sounds, making it easier to let them blend into the background. Again, you'll have to be pointing it at the person making noise though. Or you can get creative and set it up perpendicular to the interview having one person predominantly on the left, the other on the right.
User avatar
elbinster
 
Posts: 81
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 3:45 pm
Location: Springfield, VA

Postby Geek » Thu Sep 08, 2011 12:03 am

elbinster wrote:I don't have much practical experience with interview recording, but I know if the room acoustics have too much reverb, a simple omnidirectional mic will make it sound like you're having a conversation in the bathtub.


True!

If you listen to shortwave, think of Radio Moscow or some Radio Australia setups... a little reverb actually helps intelligibility with fluctuating or weakish signals (if your interview is for broadcast).

Cheers!
-= Gregg =-
Fine wine comes in glass bottles, not plastic sacks. Therefore the finer electrons are also found in glass bottles.
User avatar
Geek
KT88
 
Posts: 3585
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2007 3:01 am
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia


Return to test & measurement

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests

cron