User Name Password Log in Remember Me?

What's New? Articles Forum Blogs Register

New Posts FAQ Community Forum Actions Quick Links

Forum Video Editing Forums Archive

Pre January 2014 Video Editing Forums Archive
Film and video production techniques Sound Recording and Audio Editing
Cheap Microphones... An Explanation.

Follow us on twitter and Facebook

You can view and post to VideoForums on the move using our android app or iPhone app.

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 Last
Results 1 to 10 of 23

Thread: Cheap Microphones... An Explanation.

Like Be the first of your friends to like this.

Thread Tools Display

01-07-2009, 01:12 PM #1

Rembrandt Rob
Senior Member
R=E([K/N]A)+W

Join Date: Mar 2005

Posts: 4,160
Blog Entries: 2

Cheap Microphones... An Explanation.

One of the most common questions in this part of VideoForums is "What (cheap)
microphone should I buy for video recording?" The answer, given time and time again is
"None." The trouble is, some newbies don't want to hear this and keep asking the
question in the hope that, miraculously, they will get a different answer.

So, I'm going to try and explain why there's no such thing as a "decent" cheapo
microphone.

It doesn't matter which camcorder you buy, the in-built microphone will not be the best
solution to recording sound. It's better than nothing, but only just. Even on a £4k
camcorder, the manufacturer will only have spent £25 on the microphones. They figure
that most serious videographers will buy a separate microphone anyway. So,
theoretically, a £50 - £100 mic should sound better than the camera's mic. Unfortunately
it doesn't work like this.

Cheap microphones sound like cheap microphones. They are often identical to the
capsules used in the camcorder mic, just in a different housing. When you consider that
the housing, packaging, transport and import duties will be about 70% of the cost of a
sub-£100 mic, you can see how little is left over for the actual capsule and electronics!
There is a myth that cheap chinese microphones are identical to more expensive
makes, since some of the expensive brands' components are made in China. This isn't
the case. What sometimes happens is that components rejected by known brands find
their way into the cheap mics. Not an ideal situation by any stretch of the imagination.
In the same way cheapo mics from firms like Vivanco, Hama etc will not improve your
sound dramatically. When you work out labour costs (small though they are in some
countries) A £50 mic will still only have components worth about a fiver!

One fact should be remembered at all times: To get the best sound, you need to get in
close. Distance kills sound. It reduces the clarity and the high tones. A cheap
microphone up close will, nearly always, sound better than a good microphone a long
way away. Since it's not always practical to have the microphone six inches in front of
the speaker's mouth, different types of microphones have been developed. The most
common, for video use, is the "shotgun".

The following is meant to let beginners have an idea of how microphones work. Some
explanations have been simplified or reduced in order to avoid ten pages of technical
descriptions.

Shotgun Microphones:
There are more misconceptions about shotgun or short-gun microphones than anything
else. They are directional, sort of, but are not the aural equivelant of a telephoto lens.
They work by rejecting sound from the sides using an interference tube. In essence this
tube delays the sounds coming from the sides, or "off-axis" in such a way that they
cancel each other out. Where it has difficulties is with middle and lower tones and with
echoes. So, a shotgun microphone ten feet from the speaker will still sound "distant" or
"roomy". For recording the spoken word at the best quality, even a shotgun should be no
more than a yard from the speaker.
It's also worth noting that off axis sounds lose some of their spectrum, resulting in
speech sounding distorted if you aim the microphone incorrectly.

The top Shotgun microphones are the Schoeps CMT5U and the Sennheiser MKH60,
both costing over £1500. Next, at just under a grand, comes the Sennheiser workhorse
the "416", a solid microphone which has been around since the seventies and is still
going strong. These microphones will last for ever. One of our most prolific members is
using a thirty year old MKH416 and it still sounds superb.
Moving down the scale are the sort of "shotguns" which most enthusiasts or semi-pro
videographers should be looking at. The Rode NTG3, the Sennheiser K6 range and the
Audio Technica 8035 and 4071 mics all around the £400 - £500 range.
In the budget shotgun section the only serious contender, in my opinion, is the AT897 at
around £150. Anything less will sound poor. It doesn't matter how you phrase the
question or how many times you ask, the answer remains the same... Cheap
microphones sound cheap.

The biggest restriction on your choice of microphone will be the powering required. Most
profesional microphones need "48v phantom powering" which professional camcorders
deliver through the xlr cable. If your camcorder doesn't deliver 48v phantom power then
it doesn't mean that you can't use pro microphones, there are alternatives.

Some mics, such as the Audio Technica AT897 and the Sennheiser K6 system have the
ability to power themselves with an AA 1.5 volt battery which fits into the microphone. It
results in a slightly weaker signal than if phantom power were available but it means that
you can (with an appropriate adapter) use these mics with any camcorder, even those
with a 3.5mm socket.
Alternatively you can buy a Location Mixer, a sort of electronic handbag which enables
you to adjust the volume and mix various mics together. It's not the sort of thing you can
operate at the same time as the camera, so it requires a sound assistant.
Finally you can get a 48v supply. This delivers phantom power to the mic.
http://www.artproaudio.com/products....0&cat=13&id=70

If you are starting out and/or don't anticipate going pro in the near future I would
recommend the Audio Technica At897 as a good value-for-money shotgun microphone
at about £150.
Audio-Technica - Microphones, headphones, wireless microphone systems, noise-
cancelling headphones & more : AT897 Line + Gradient Condenser Microphone

If you anticipate moving into semi-pro or drama videomaking then you should be looking
at something like the Rode NTG3 or the Sennheiser k6 series. In the past Rode,
although known for good value studio microphones, hasn't had a good reputation for
video mics. Its chinese-made NTG1 and NTG2 were not at all good however the NTG3
seems to have broken the mould and is getting good reviews for a £500 shotgun
microphone.
http://uk.rodemic.com/microphone.php?product=NTG-3

The Sennheiser range consists of a base unit (the K6) and a selection of capsules
which are fitted onto the K6 depending on what type of characteristics you want. This
has the advantage that you don't spend as much on a range of microphones as you
would buying a non-modular set of mics.The most common capsule is the ME66
shotgun. Sennheiser mics are known for their clarity and nice tonal qualities.
http://www.sennheiser.co.uk/uk/icm.n...microphones_k6

If you're just going to have your microphone attached to your camcorder and only want it
to replace the in-built mics for general shooting, then a shotgun is probably a bit too
directional for this purpose. You need a "cardiod" or "hypercardiod" microphone. These
accept sound from the front and (to some extent) more from the sides than a shotgun.
With a narrow pattern (shotgun) mic, anyone off the axis will sound strange as some of
the vocal frequencies are filtered out and others remain. It means that the camera has
to be pointed directly at the sound-source. Not always possible, or what you want.
The two decent (but not cheap) budget hypercardiods which I recommend are both
modular systems. This means that you can change the capsule to another one,
depending on your needs. One system is the K6 from Sennheiser. The other, which I
prefer, is the "Blueline" series from AKG which is very good indeed and a reasonable
price.

http://www.akg.com/site/powerslave,i...nguage,EN.html

As with all aspects of videomaking, it's a question of taste. Some people prefer the
sound of Schoeps microphones, others the Sennheiser MKH range. In the budget
section, some swear by the AKG or the K6 range, others are fans of the Audio
Technicas. There is no "right" microphone but there are a hell of a lot of "wrong"
microphones.

I hope this answers your question "Which cheap microphone should I buy?" and
explains why the answer is "None... get something decent."
Last edited by Rembrandt Rob; 01-08-2009 at 02:13 PM.

01-08-2009, 01:47 PM #2

Andy Lockwood
Senior Member
Video Editing Junkie

Join Date: Jan 2005

Location: Warsop,
Nottinghamshire.
Posts: 4,465
Blog Entries: 2

A super post that informs and educates as usual Guru.

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away I bought a Rode VideoMic and at the time
 thought it lovely. Now, years on I freely admit how wrong I was and how that seventy
quid would have been better saved and put towards a quality mic...

These days I have a lovely Sony shotgun that hails from the dawn of time but is rich in
sound and a pair of Sennheiser body pack G2s that are just wonderful.. I do still have a
Rode though, but it's the Studio mic (NT1A) and is used exclusively for voice over work.

01-09-2009, 12:37 AM #3

sasha
Member
HDTV

Join Date: Dec 2008

Posts: 43

Do you have any recommendations for lapel mics, for talk- or cooking-show style
videos?

Super Cheap - Canon ZR900, Aiptek A-HD, Premiere Pro CS4, Avidemux, VirtualDub,
Audacity, GIMP

01-09-2009, 12:59 AM #4

Mark W
Opinionated Moderator

Join Date: Nov 2005

Location: Bristol uk
Posts: 8,938
Blog Entries: 1

Andy -

I got a rode v mic - same here.

ANd I got an old sony s gun - it is excellent but mine needs a battery made of unotanium
so I dont often use it - a c74 ? It feels like you could smash granite with it is soo heavy
and nicely made.

01-10-2009, 09:58 AM #5
 worddigger
Senior Member

Join Date: Apr 2006

Location: Huntington, West
Virginia USA
Posts: 863

Originally Posted by sasha

Do you have any recommendations for lapel mics, for talk- or cooking-
show style videos?

This is one of the best: Sennheiser Mics at DVcreators.net

Johnson Imagineering - Internet-Based Editing and Post-Production Services

01-12-2009, 02:03 PM #6

Rembrandt Rob
Senior Member
R=E([K/N]A)+W

Join Date: Mar 2005

Posts: 4,160
Blog Entries: 2

Okay, lavalieres or tie-clip microphones.

The same rules apply for these small babies as for their bigger cousins. if you buy
cheap, it will sound "thin" and, more importantly, they won't last. Lavalieres have to be
small yet sturdy. The capsule can be as little as 3 or 4mm in diameter, in some cases
even less. Although cheaper than the average "shotgun" if you're working professionally
or semi-pro you should still be looking at around £200 for a decent lavalier.

If you buy a Sennheiser G2 radio-mic set, you get a tie-clip mic in the kit as standard.
The ME-2 or ME-4. This is actually remarkably good, certainly up to the job of weddings
or news interviews. If you're going into documentary or drama production you should
think of upgrading. The following are a few suggestions, they are all good. It's all a
question of taste, like the Schoeps v Sennheiser debate in the shotgun field, different
soundies have different favourites.

Let's get one thing straight, there is no "industry standard" microphone. However, the
most common has to be the Sanken COS 11 at around £400. Small, robust and reliable
it's very good for the spoken word and is often visible on just about every newscaster.
Another common studio microphone is the £400 Sony ECM-88 series. The cheaper
ECM-77 series is also used in regional studios.

For drama productions where the microphone has to be hidden the American-made
Tram TR50 at £300 is often the soundie's weapon of choice. Closely followed by the
cheaper Countryman B3. The Sanken is also used a lot but is not so good when it has
 to be hidden under clothing. Sennhesier has a range of high-quality lavalieres, the MKE-
2 being particularly good at £300 and the Danish firm DPA make astounding mics which
are often used for music and orchestral recordings but cost well over a thousand quid
each.

Moving into the cheaper bracket, the Audio Technica at899 at around £150 is a good all-
round microphone but, for the non-pro enthusiast at about £100 the Audio Technica
at831 and at803B are worth a look as is the ECM 44B from Sony.
Last edited by Rembrandt Rob; 01-12-2009 at 04:31 PM.

01-12-2009, 05:32 PM #7

Mark W
Opinionated Moderator

Join Date: Nov 2005

Location: Bristol uk
Posts: 8,938
Blog Entries: 1

Superb info.

I would say be wary of old lavs. I have a really old sony ecm 50 - from the sevnites i
think - too muddy for my ears. I shall certainly aspire to one of the above when I have
the folding.

01-09-2010, 04:11 AM #8

Luna01
Junior Member
Windows Movie Maker

Join Date: Jan 2010

Posts: 3

Wow, last year i ordered a cheap microphone from uxsight.com, it has worked well so
far. Maybe sometimes we need to spend more time on finding so that we can find cheap
items with good quality. So i personally think that uxsight is a good online store to offer
cheap microphones. That's all! Anyone has other opinions?

01-10-2010, 10:36 AM #9

Rembrandt Rob
Senior Member
R=E([K/N]A)+W

Join Date: Mar 2005

Posts: 4,160
Blog Entries: 2

I am surprised that you are spamming uxsight and their cheap microphones are
absolute rubbish. Are you somehow connected to the company perhaps?

10-18-2010, 12:55 PM #10

molo78
Member

Join Date: Oct 2010

Posts: 93

This is a brilliant thread. I would like to whole heartily agree. Cheep mic are worst than
no mic at all. If one is serious about the sound quality the I would suggest a Sennheiser
MKH 416. A second hand one on ebay is the same as a new sennheiser K6 (which is
also not bad at all). The 416 is just about the best there is and is a standard for film and
TV.
However no mic is going to be any good if the reflected (echo) sound reaches the mic
before the direct sound. So if you are in a big echoy hall or something, then you need
radio mics. Check out sennheiser old school G1, but remeber to check the frequency
with the DSO (digital switch over) due in 2012

wedding video
wedding videos

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 Last

Quick Navigation Sound Recording and Audio Editing Top

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Similar Threads

Camcorder Microphones Replies: 6

By mitchellrobs in forum Wedding and Event Videography Last Post: 11-29-2010, 10:48 PM

External Microphones Replies: 3

By sachin in forum Technology advice and tips Last Post: 05-25-2008, 08:14 PM

External microphones Replies: 1

By quatinus in forum Sound Recording and Audio Editing Last Post: 02-27-2007, 08:00 PM

Microphones
By Benjibum in forum Ebay and other classified ads: gear, cameras and video editing stuff
Replies: 1
Last Post: 02-01-2007, 04:36 PM
Advice on microphones please Replies: 4
By Bill Ritchie in forum Technology advice and tips Last Post: 12-20-2006, 05:03 PM

Bookmarks Posting Permissions

You may not post new BB code is On

threads Smilies are On
You may not post [IMG] code is
replies On
You may not post [VIDEO] code is
attachments On
You may not edit your HTML code is
posts Off

Forum Rules

-- VideoForums VB4 Contact Us Video Editing Forums: Digital Director

Archive Privacy Statement Terms of Service Top

All times are GMT. The time now is 09:50 PM.

Copyright © 2014 Marc Peters