External shotgun mic AT ATR55
 

Hey guys,
I just purchased an Audio Technica ATR55 to help with my sound, I'm afraid it's not gonna be what I want. What mics do you all recommend. I'm on a budget fellows. Thanks,
Josh M.

Call Brian at Zot Digital, he'll help you with a mic selection. He talked me into the new NRG as opposed to the Senn or the AT. It works pretty well, though if I had the $280, I'd go get the AT 835b in a heartbeat. If I had $430, I'd upgrade to the SennM66. If I had a million, well, let's not go there.

What kind of budget? That is , how much can you spend?

shotgun mic
 

100.00 maybe 200.00 if it was a substancial difference.

For low cost shotgun mics, check the Sennheisr MKE300, the Azden SGM-1X or 2X, or perhaps the recently appearing NRG Research SA-568. Keep in mind that in mics you generally get what you pay for.

I believe the MKE300 doesn't come with the XLR option. If you have the MA300 - which I do - you will be stuck with the standard plug end looking for a place to go! Senni MKE66 here, with the XLR, straight into the MA300.

Grazie

The low cost mics often come with a shoe mount and mini-phone plug connector so the MA300 may not be required to use them.

The ME66 is substantally above the $200 upper limit specified.

Ouch! Got it Don!

Grazie

Its going to be hard to find a new mike that a sound guy will like for under $200. You may be able to get the stock mike from a guy with a PDX10 or PD150 who put on an ME66 or above.

If you post on pro audio you will get some good answers.

If you don't need the MA-300 device can you just use XLR to mini plug??? I heard of such a device at Radio Shack I think. Beachtek makes it too right?

I was looking at the Audio-Technica AT835b mic and it only has XLR though.

There are a variety of low/medium cost made up XLR to 3.5mm Mini-jack adaptors available in the UK. Canford Audio (www.canford.co.uk) have range of high quality adaptors - type XFB is OK. Depending on mic output and cam input impedances you may need one which incorporates a matching transformer. All the Sennheiser mics are 5/600 0hm impedance which is OK for the GL2.


Provided the lead is short, there is no need to go to the expense of a balanced-unbalanced transformer. You need an XLR-3F and a 3.5mm stereo mini-jack and a length of double screen audio cable. Wire:

XLR pin 1 to mini-jack sleeve
XLR pin 2 to mini-jack tip and ring
XLR pin 3 to mini-jack sleeve (or to XLR pin 1)

I use a 20cm lead to connect my ME67 to my XM1. I find that a right angle XLR connector is more convenient than a straight one - the mic is too long already!

Alan, how does one locate the "direction" or identify the Pins 1 thru 3? Is that looking at the pins head on? In a clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation? I'm sure there must is an XLR convention I could look up. Are the pins numbered internally, within the plug housing?


Is it like this - looking onto a male XLR head on at the pins?

_________ 1


_____ 3 _______ 2


Grazie

I find it easier to describe the female of the species. This is a view looking at the outside end of the female socket. The order is 1,3,2 round the arc, with a locating rib next to pin 2.

O represents the hole for the pin.

...............3
...............O


........1.............2
........O............O
...........Flat here.....Rib Key here

..........Lock catch
.............here


Sorry, this is not very clear. I have had to use the dots to position the representations of the pins. Spaces don't seem to show up when I post.

Every XLR I have seen has its pins labelled, usually both internally and externally. I usually buy Neutrik brand

Alan - well clear - thank you! G

Which mic is better.

The Audio-Technica AT835b or Canon's Zoom mic, or that NRG mic??? How can u tell how far it will pick up sound from anyhow?

It's obviously not as good as that ME66 but better than the MKE300???

I might buy that Audio Technica soon so let me know.