Podcastage

Today i review the Rode NTR, an active figure-8 ribbon microphone which has a really healthy output so you don't have to worry about your preamp that much. This gives you a very classic sounding ribbon tone with an insanely robust bass and low mids, a slightly more neutral mid section, and then the treble and air are tame but not overly so. RECORDING SETTINGS: Interface: Focsurite Scarlett 18i20 2...

Today i review the Shure Nexadyne 8/C, a handheld dynamic. The mic has a cardioid polar pattern with good off axis coloration, it has a controlled lowend and a dominant upper-mid and treble boost which allows it to sound less muddy when your lips are on the grill. However, when you're farther from the microphone the low cut and high boost can make it sound a bit unappealing. I also found that it d...

Video: http://podcastage.com/rev/nxn8c-comp This is a supplemental demo to my full review of the Shure Nexadyne 8C ( http://podcastage.com/rev/nxn8c ). The 8C is a handheld dynamic that seems to be primarily designed for stage use where you are going to be close micing with your lips touching the grill. So I wanted to demo how that sounds compared to a number of other options. TONE I found that th...

Video: https://youtu.be/241Yn_IKJRA Should you get the Neumann U87 Ai or the TLM49? I don't know what you should do, I'm not your dad! But in this video I provide spoken word samples, background noise tests, distance tests, as well as electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and singing tests, and then I share my opinions. I hope this helps you understand the differences between this microphones sonicall...

Today i review the Shure SM4, a new offering in the $200 price range. The mic is very straight forward with a cardioid polar pattern and no pads or switches. This is a brighter mic which controls the bass, has a neutral mid section, and then a dominant boost focused in the treble and air frequencies. I found that on some S's they could sound a bit sharp on this mic, and also the self noise is a bi...

00:00 - Dynamic Mic Specs (Sensitivity) 02:30 - Condenser Mic Specs (Equivalent Noise / Self Noise, Max SPL)

00:00 - Understanding Different Frequencies 01:35 - Reading a Frequency Response Graph 03:33 - Different Microphone Tone Samples 05:38 - What Tone is Right For You?

00:00 - Intro 00:18 - Demo of Polar Patterns 01:27 - Discussion of Polar Patterns 04:00 - Which Pattern is Right for You? Which polar pattern is the best option for your situation of online content creation. In this episode I demo cardioid, omnidirectional, and figure-8 (bidirectional) so you can hear the polar patterns and then discuss which pattern is the right option for your situation.

Which mic type is right for your content, studio mics, large diaphragm dynamics, condensers, cavaliers, headsets, shotgun mics, in this video I discuss 4 common mic uses and share my thoughts on the best mics for those uses.

On episode 1.2 of PGOA, I talk about the differences between Dynamic and Condenser microphones, share what I believe to be the pros and cons of each, and then spent a lot of time discussing and demoing the contentious topic of “Do dynamic mics reject more noise than condenser mics”? THE DIFFERENCES Condenser microphones are active and will require phantom power, while MOST Dynamic mics are passive...

On episode 2 of PGOA, I discuss the differences between XLR and USB microphones and which connection may be the best fit for your project. If you just want simple and easy to use, then USB may be the proper route to go, but if you want more versatility, control, and options, and you have the budget; XLR will serve you well. Should you get an XLR or USB Microphone? This can be simplified to a singl...

Why does microphone selection even matter? The mic that you choose to record with is one of the biggest contributing factors to the final audio quality of your recording (your environment and proper setup are also HUGE factors but we’ll cover those later). This choice will impact the tone of your recording (i.e. is it Bright, Dark, or Neutral), how much reverb is picked up, and how much background...

Audio & Video:  https://podcastage.com/rev/mk300 Today i review the Miketek MK300, a relatively affordable multi pattern condenser mic with a -10dB pad and 100hz high pass filter. I would classify this mic as a bright and clear sounding mic with a pretty heavy focus on a treble and air focus while still exhibiting good bass extension.  RECORDING SETTINGS: Interface: Focsurite Scarlet...

Today i review the sE Electronics X1a, a budget studio condenser microphone. This offers a cardioid polar pattern, -20dB pad, and 100hz high pass filter. The sound is more on the neutral side compared to it's direct competition with extension into the bass, neutral clear mids, and a slight bump in the treble and air frequencies. At the time of review the mic costs $100 and at this price it offers...

Today I walkthrough, explain, test and review the new Heirtage Audio i73 Pro 2. I compare it to the 18i20 2nd Gen, compare it to a BAE 1073, test the preamps with the SM7b, demo the D.I. Instrument inputs, and walk through the software. Buy the Heritage Audio i73 Pro 2 (Affiliate Links) Amazon:  https://geni.us/i73pro2 Sweetwater: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/i73pro2 B&H Photo: https://bhpho...

Today I review the Rode Lavalier II which is Rode's more recent Lav release. It offers a good build quality and a ton of great accessories. The noise is 27dBa but for a Lav, that's not the worst. The sound when used on the collar or on your chest can be kind of muddy and low detail compared to the competition, but if you get the mic away from your body so the front of the mic faces your mouth you...

Today i review the Shure SM27, a studio workhorse or all-purpose cardioid condenser microphone. Features wise it offers a -15dB pad and 2 high pass filters. The sound has a bit of a bump in the bass, and then a presence and treble boost, with a slight boost in the air which gives it a brighter sound. It also leans slightly on the sibliant side so for sibilant voices it may not be the best choice....

Video & HQ Audio: https://podcastage.com/rev/d2pp Today I review the Behringer D2 Podcast Pro, an XLR and USB dynamic mic that costs about $130. This offers a headphone port, an XLR port, and a USB output. On mic you have a headphone volume control as well as a mic mute button. Conversion wise you can record up to 24-bit/96khz, but playback seems to be limited to 16-bit 48khz. I find the sound...

Today i review the CAD M179, a relatively affordable multi-pattern condenser mic ranging from Omni to Cardioid to Figure 8 or anything in between. The mic gives a slightly more V-shaped sound with a high frequency boost and deep extension into the bass frequencies. RECORDING SETTINGS: Interface: Focsurite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen Conversion: 24-bit / 48kHz Gain: ~12:00 Boosted in Post: +7dB SPECS: P...

In Q&A episode 3 I discuss my ultimate 5 microphone collection, podcast habits/trends that I find incredibly annoying, what mic and interface I'd select if I was starting over, and what band/albums inspired me to pick up a microphone. 00:00 - Ultimate 5 Microphone Collection 07:31 - Annoying Podcast Trends 10:59 - Interface & Mic to Start Over With 13:57 - What Band/Albums Inspired me to P...

Video: https://youtu.be/KCpCjQ1_jNU Specs: https://zoomcorp.com/en/us/handheld-recorders/handheld-recorders/h1essential/ Today I walkthrough, explain, test and review the Zoom H1e. This is very similar to it's predecessors the H1 and H1n, but it introduces 32-bit floating point which means you are theoretically unable to distort your converters; although you can still distort the microphone capsul...

Video: https://podcastage.com/rev/tf5 Today i review the Rode TF-5, a premium small diaphragm condenser from Rode. This offers a pretty healthy bass response, clear and open mids which sound less forward than much of it's competition, and a nice amount of detail and articulation in the upper frequencies. The only downside I hear is the slightly higher self noise which sounds like it may be a bit a...

Video & HQ Audio:  https://podcastage.com/rev/mv7plus Today I review the new Shure MV7+ an XLR & USB dynamic microphone with a lot of DSP processing available over USB. The sound of the XLR is great with a supportive lowend, somewhat mid focussed but pleasing sound, and a non-aggressive upper frequency range. Over USB the sound is a bit different with a somewhat hollow sound with cong...

Today i review the Lewitt Ray, a microphone based on the LCT440 but with technology inside that adjusts to your distance. This means that if you move around a lot while recording it will maintain a relatively consistent level and tone. The mic leans on the brighter side of mics with tons of detail and it also has a physical mute button which is tight.   RECORDING SETTINGS: Interface: Focsurit...