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USB Mics?
- Thread starter JJR
- Start date
A while back I purchased a Samson Q1U to carry around in my briefcase for use with my laptop. It works OK, but it absolutely needs a wind screen, at least for me. It also seemed to have a lot of handling noise. I shouldn't be too surprised considering how inexpensive it was. Although not terrible, it left me a little under whelmed.
I've finally given up on it and now carry around a (now discontinued) Audio Technica ATM-61HE dynamic mic and a small external USB audio interface from Sound Blaster. It doesn’t take up much more space. The combination works OK and allows me to monitor on headphones in real time. There are a variety of other USB/audio interfaces out there that should be better choices than the Sound Blaster offering, but this thing was $39.95 a couple of years ago at my local Wal-Mart. High tech, no. Pretty handy, “yes.”
Santa brought a Zoom H-2 for Christmas. It is a very neat little stand alone digital recorder that sounds good as is, but you can also use it to interface the mic of your choice either to its flash memory card or directly to a USB input. Of course, at $200 it is more than most USB mics, but it also does a lot more too.
I've finally given up on it and now carry around a (now discontinued) Audio Technica ATM-61HE dynamic mic and a small external USB audio interface from Sound Blaster. It doesn’t take up much more space. The combination works OK and allows me to monitor on headphones in real time. There are a variety of other USB/audio interfaces out there that should be better choices than the Sound Blaster offering, but this thing was $39.95 a couple of years ago at my local Wal-Mart. High tech, no. Pretty handy, “yes.”
Santa brought a Zoom H-2 for Christmas. It is a very neat little stand alone digital recorder that sounds good as is, but you can also use it to interface the mic of your choice either to its flash memory card or directly to a USB input. Of course, at $200 it is more than most USB mics, but it also does a lot more too.
The Samson C03U works very good. Much more detail than the C01U.
And, of course you should use a pop filter and a shock mount just like
you would on any other condenser mic.
The C03U and good knowlege of your software will give you excellent results
at home or on the road.
FYI: I own 14 microphones in all price ranges.
(I know, I have a problem)
And, of course you should use a pop filter and a shock mount just like
you would on any other condenser mic.
The C03U and good knowlege of your software will give you excellent results
at home or on the road.
FYI: I own 14 microphones in all price ranges.
(I know, I have a problem)
Get an MXL "mic-mate" from Ebay for around 50 bucks..It has an XLR connector and goes right into the USB port..you can use ANY pro mic you like..including 48v phantom powered condensers, and the AD converter is BETTER than the Edirol UA25 (imho) We use it with Sennheiser MKH416s on the road and with AKG414s in the RV..unbelievable!
M
menotti1
Guest
well that would work great with my laptop ,hopefully it will with vista..you can download a free 2 track software from their site as well...
V
voiceguy
Guest
The other USB device I'd like to recommend is the CEntrance Micport Pro.
It's outstanding. I have an Apogee Duet, an MBox 2, an MBox 2 Pro, and a whole variety of mics...
And I must say, that I've been nothing but impressed with the CEntrance device.
And, it's got the ability to record up to 24/96 resolution!
It's just sick...it's not terribly expensive, more than the MXL product ( I think at Sweetwater it usually comes in around $130 - $140 or so ).
I actually started using it the last trip I made out of town, instead of the more expensive and more "pro" Duet.
I am now in love with the CEntrance, and am planning on leaving the Duet at home to use as my laptop soundcard when loading music and SFX from my laptop into my desktop machine.
Use it with any studio mic, and you're all set.
My mic of choice is the MKH 416.
Don't get too caught up in the USB mics...I have a friend who was basing her studio around one, and every file she recorded, just sounded terrible. SHE sounds great, but there was so much hiss and noise in her recordings, that it just really wrecked what she was trying to do.
She just got he Micport Pro...and is in the market for a new studio condenser.
Good luck!
It's outstanding. I have an Apogee Duet, an MBox 2, an MBox 2 Pro, and a whole variety of mics...
And I must say, that I've been nothing but impressed with the CEntrance device.
And, it's got the ability to record up to 24/96 resolution!
It's just sick...it's not terribly expensive, more than the MXL product ( I think at Sweetwater it usually comes in around $130 - $140 or so ).
I actually started using it the last trip I made out of town, instead of the more expensive and more "pro" Duet.
I am now in love with the CEntrance, and am planning on leaving the Duet at home to use as my laptop soundcard when loading music and SFX from my laptop into my desktop machine.
Use it with any studio mic, and you're all set.
My mic of choice is the MKH 416.
Don't get too caught up in the USB mics...I have a friend who was basing her studio around one, and every file she recorded, just sounded terrible. SHE sounds great, but there was so much hiss and noise in her recordings, that it just really wrecked what she was trying to do.
She just got he Micport Pro...and is in the market for a new studio condenser.
Good luck!
M
menotti1
Guest
centrance is more expensive but does have a headphone jack. Isn't that basically the difference? couldn't you use the headphone port on a laptop to monitor the recording?seems like the mic mate is the better buy.
V
voiceguy
Guest
It's more expensive yes...but from what I can tell, from personal experience...I don't like MXL products.
That's my personal opinion. They're very touch-and-go...no two mics sound the same, one will sound great, the next one in line might sound like complete crap.
Also, the CEntrance has a really quality sounding pre-amp...AND, it supports recording rates up to 24bit / 96Khz
Now, most people aren't going to go that high...but if you WANT to, you can.
Also, the headphone jack on the CEntrance allows zero-latency recording.
You're monitoring your input in real-time...no delay through the software at all.
In my opinion, to each their own...you like MXL products, and want to save the $50? Buy the MXL.
I've never been impressed with their products, so I'm just throwing out another option.
In my opinion, the CEntrance is a more professional option...
Mike Bratton, Voice Guy
www.mikebrattonvoice.com
That's my personal opinion. They're very touch-and-go...no two mics sound the same, one will sound great, the next one in line might sound like complete crap.
Also, the CEntrance has a really quality sounding pre-amp...AND, it supports recording rates up to 24bit / 96Khz
Now, most people aren't going to go that high...but if you WANT to, you can.
Also, the headphone jack on the CEntrance allows zero-latency recording.
You're monitoring your input in real-time...no delay through the software at all.
In my opinion, to each their own...you like MXL products, and want to save the $50? Buy the MXL.
I've never been impressed with their products, so I'm just throwing out another option.
In my opinion, the CEntrance is a more professional option...
Mike Bratton, Voice Guy
www.mikebrattonvoice.com
M
menotti1
Guest
Thanks Mike.I've never cared for their mics either, but thought the mic mate might work ok.But i'm leaning more toward the centrance.what software do you use on your laptop? thanks
Only have experience with one USB mic, and that is the Samson C01U. It sounds "okay," but even for the work I do that doesn't require supreme sounding audio (like web-related stuff), it just wasn't up to par. I've read some folks that say they've even done imaging work with a USB mic, but I could never have gotten the Samson to sound good enough for that. I tweaked and tweaked in Cool Edit but was never happy with the end result. I'm quite happy now with my Shure SM7 fed into a DBX 286A....yes, more expensive than the USB route, but IMHO, much worth it.
V
voiceguy
Guest
Menotti...
For my laptop, I have a Macbook, so I normally use ProTools.
However, I recently upgraded to the new Leopard OS, and of course, Digidesign is WAY behind in development for that...
So, in the meantime, I've been using Apple's LOGIC PRO for recording my voiceover tracks when on the road.
It's great...sounds terrific together...editing in Logic is a pain, but I like that it's completely tied-in with the operating system.
It's really stable. I'm finally figuring out the editing functions, it's just taking me more time than I'd like.
Ah well...it happens.
Anyway, the beauty of the CEntrance, and I'm sure the MXL box too, is that they're class compliant.
So, no matter what you plug 'em into, PC or Mac, they SHOULD recognize it without any drivers at all.
Pretty sweet.
For my laptop, I have a Macbook, so I normally use ProTools.
However, I recently upgraded to the new Leopard OS, and of course, Digidesign is WAY behind in development for that...
So, in the meantime, I've been using Apple's LOGIC PRO for recording my voiceover tracks when on the road.
It's great...sounds terrific together...editing in Logic is a pain, but I like that it's completely tied-in with the operating system.
It's really stable. I'm finally figuring out the editing functions, it's just taking me more time than I'd like.
Ah well...it happens.
Anyway, the beauty of the CEntrance, and I'm sure the MXL box too, is that they're class compliant.
So, no matter what you plug 'em into, PC or Mac, they SHOULD recognize it without any drivers at all.
Pretty sweet.
I'm hoping the Mic Mate works as well as, well I hope it does. I have a few people at my office who have been begging for me to find a reliable way record listeners on the road and this might just be the most cost effective way to do that, and it only puts a few small pieces of equpiment at risk - because they already have laptops.
N
NeuroMan42
Guest
I recently purchase a Rode Podcaster, and shockmount. Simply stunning quality and a 10 year warranty. The construction is rock solid, and it fully works with PC and Mac.
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