Are low end shotgun mics just terrible?

[Marc Wielage]

Sound is the other Half of the Image... Never go with any low end mics, never.

Ketch is a wise man. :thumbup:

There is a ton more to it than hiding mics and getting them as close to talent as possible. On complex and critical shoots, hiring a professional would be much cheaper than hiring foley and post folks to cover up mistakes.

Ditto! Much cheaper and better to do it right the first time than it is to try desperately to fix it in post.

 

[Rob Castiglione]

All the advice about using high end equipment when you can is right. However, if budget is limited then the NTG 2 and 3 are actually quite usable. Also the Octava series can be modded with new electronics relatively cheaply and can give quite a nice sound especially the omni.

 

[Mike P.]

All the advice about using high end equipment when you can is right. However, if budget is limited then the NTG 2 and 3 are actually quite usable. Also the Octava series can be modded with new electronics relatively cheaply and can give quite a nice sound especially the omni.

Please elaborate on this "mod"... what does it solve/do (and how do you perform it)?

I was thinking of getting an MK012 Oktava to hold me over until a bigger (aka bigger budgeted) job requires something better. Then I got gun-shy when I started reading about all the counterfeit stories -- people saying, "I used one that was very similar a Schoeps (with wind noise managed), but the one I bought sounds like crap" -- and I just couldn't pull the trigger. I'm definitely liking Steve's link to Sound Room... Kind of put the option back on the table... Especially if all the accessories (wind screens, etc.) can be used on its eventual replacement.

 

[Rob Castiglione]

Michael Joly of Michael Joly Engineering based in Cape Cod upgrades the circuits on the Oktavas. They are much cleaner. He really does do a fantastic job. You can find his website under Michael Joly Engineering. You also get the assurance that you are getting the real deal. Warning - once you find the Joly website the microphones become addictive.

 

[Marc Wielage]

However, if budget is limited then the NTG 2 and 3 are actually quite usable.

I think a better alternative is to find a good used Sennheiser MKH416 and go with that. I don't think Rode mics are terrible, but to me, the higher-end Sennheisers are in a different class.

 

[Rob Castiglione]

For sure Marc is right. You should be able to pick up a second hand 416 for not too bad a price. I picked up a second hand MKH40 which had clearly seen tons of service for the cost of a brand new crappy microphone and I use it a lot - still working and sounding wonderful.

 

[Chris Henze]

One more thing to keep in mind. I've seen a lot of people blame the Mic for bad sound when they're taking it and dumping it onto a terrible recorder. There's a reason a Sound Devices 722 is thousands of dollars and a Zoom H4 $300. Mic preamps. Make sure to keep that in mind when considering how to get the best sound. A basic shot gun with a great recorder will sound better than a great mic with a crappy recorder, IMHO.

 

[Mark Phelan]

One more thing to keep in mind. I've seen a lot of people blame the Mic for bad sound when they're taking it and dumping it onto a terrible recorder. There's a reason a Sound Devices 722 is thousands of dollars and a Zoom H4 $300. Mic preamps. Make sure to keep that in mind when considering how to get the best sound. A basic shot gun with a great recorder will sound better than a great mic with a crappy recorder, IMHO.

Yep, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. To quote Miracle Max, "Don't rush me sonny. You rush a miracle, you get rotten miracles."

 

[Bob Gundu]

Hey guys. Great discussion here. I'd like to ask the experts here their opinion on the Neumann K81i Short Shotgun Microphone? And what it's worth used? I may have a lead on one.

 

[Steve Sherrick]

Hey guys. Great discussion here. I'd like to ask the experts here their opinion on the Neumann K81i Short Shotgun Microphone? And what it's worth used? I may have a lead on one.

Great mic. I've used it for some exterior dialogue with a zeppelin and it sounds really good. I love Neumanns , especially their vocal mics like the U87 which I used for Voiceover for years.

This might be a weird comparison but I almost feel like it does to audio what Cooke lenses do to images. That might be a stretch but that's all I can come up with. Very warm, smooth sound.

 

[Allan Black]

Hey guys. Great discussion here. I'd like to ask the experts here their opinion on the Neumann K81i Short Shotgun Microphone? And what it's worth used? I may have a lead on one.

Unless you're totally sure of its history, buying a used expensive mic runs risks.

Neumann mics are legendary, but imo costwise, a new Rode NTG-3 is better value and it has a free 10yr warranty when you register it online.
Just getting a Neumann cleaned costs big bucks.

I started with Neumanns in 1964. I remember meeting their rep in Sydney and we asked what's their secret. He says 'The Berlin air in the capsules'
Slight pause then we all laughed, who says the Germans have no sense of humour

In 2001 we sold our studio business and reluctantly, our beloved Neumann mic collection which also included 3 Senn 416 shotguns.

Then Rode came along with the NTG-3 which sounds better to me, and pricewise suited more to new guys. 2 advantages are,
it's not subject to humidity and has a slightly wider pattern, great for new boom ops.

Cheers.