Please help me choose LOW budget mic
 

Hi all,
I plan on getting an external directional microphone for myself for Christmas.
I use a Panasonic Dv852 and make silly short films and am beginning to make a sitcom with a group of guys that I work with for the main purpose of putting on our webpage and youtube.

I want to spend as little as possible and have narrowed it down to these three...

Audio Technica ATR55
Azden ECZ-990
Azden SMX-10

I would love to hear your opinions of these mics or recommendations of other microphones in this price range.

Please don't try to talk me into $150 mics because my wife won't give me the greenlight for it since things are a little tight this time of year.

Thanks,
Adam

I hear the ATR55 is good for normal distance...but if you are trying to pick up something further away, the noise level gets a little high. As of now, this is the mic I will be purchasing. You can find plenty of info by doing a search.

JS

What scared me about the atr55 were the reviews on the b&h photo site.
It didn't fare so well compared to the Azdens.
The $55 ecz-990 did pretty well in user reviews.

Audio-Technica | ATR55 Dual-Pattern Shotgun Microphone | ATR55

Azden | ECZ-990 - Super-Cardioid Shotgun Mic | ECZ-990 | B&H

Azden | SMX-10 Stereo Microphone | SMX-10 | B&H Photo Video

Røde VideoMic. I had one back when I had my GS70, and I loved it. It's a larger mic, but it comes with its own shock mount. It can be mounted to a boom, tripod, or video camera's shoe.

These kinds of requests always concern me. Exactly how do you plan to use the new mic? If you place it on top of the camera, it won't do much more than what you already have. If you place it near the people speaking, how will you keep it still and out of the frame? You'll need a mic stand. And if you plan on having the people moving while you film, you're going to be SOL without a boom pole and and assistant. Not to mention the cabling to get it back to the camera.

There is no free lunch in this business. So my suggestion is to keep the money in your pocket or spend it on beer for you and your buddies. Or wait until you can actually afford a decent mic ssystem (not the same as a decent mic) and buy it.

I'm not trying to discourage you here, just trying to keep you from tossing money down a hole.

Azden's reputation is less than sterling, B&H's reviews not withstanding. Smart money looks elsewhere.

Yep the RODE Videomic. It's the worlds biggest selling mic in its class.

Cheers.

Another vote for the Rode Video Mic. Try and get the newer model that has the attenuation switch within the battery compartment. Mine is the original model (that lacks this feature - a result of customer feedback to Rode to make the VM work better with a wider range of cameras I believe). My VM still works amazingly well with my old Sony HC1. I also have the Stereo Video Mic for the same camera and that's really excellent too, wonderfull "open" sound. Both "punch above their weight".

If you want an off camera mic solution the Zoom H2 is a good LOW budget start point. However, once you get serious about sound you'd be looking to trade that in for something better. I still use mine occassionally but the Fostex tends to come out more now! The Rode VM will cost a lot less than the Zoom H2 so I still think that fits your request best. Go for it.

Ditto from me for the Rode.

And a big no-no for the ATR55, which is frankly not very good at all.

Why Alan?

I don't think I've reviewed that particular AT mic yet , so I can't speak to what it can do. I can comment on the "reviews."

The one from the guy who bought ten for students to use was pretty funny. Most school gear I've seen is pretty ripped up because students don't have enough experience to take care of something. He goes on to suggest Azden. I have yet to see an Azden mic I've liked. Something fishy about this "review."

The post from the guy who said, "it recordsin stereo but 1 channel." I don't know, expecting, stereo from a mono mic....um, I'm speechless.

The review that says, "The mic itself is very likely to actually give off a whine or drone depending on how it feels. The length is long for a microphone with such a short range of pick-up. Anything over 10' is going to be drowned out by the ambient noise."

Mics don't give off a whine or drone. They may pickup camera noise. Lots of cameras are physically noisy. A mic will pick that up, especially if it's mounted on the camera. "Anything over ten feet......." Well that depends on the ambient noise level and the acoustics of the space, but, DUH!, if you're using any small, camera-mounted mic to record audio at ten feet, you're doing it wrong.

Regards,

Ty Ford



Regards,

Ty Ford

You don't have to spend 1500-$2000 for a top of the line mic to get decent sound . However spending 250 or so for a decent mic is about the minimum, even looking for something used. You'll still need a boom, maybe $150 or so,plus shockmount, and cables. Maybe a beachtek or juice link as preamp to camera.

No free lunch here. Buy it cheap then buy it right which costs more then just buying right the first time. Maybe a cheap pair of used lavs hardwired will work better. Ecm44's on eBay go for under 150 da plus adater to camera.

Gents...................
 

I get the distinct impression people aren't listening to the patient here, could be wrong, it's been known to happen.

Adams budget is seriously under $100, which, as we are all aware, is rediculous for a "real" mic.

OK, his stated use is for "silly short films" which, from what I can make out, he's using the on - board mic(s) for.

Again, as we all know, this is audio "death".

My suggestion, Adam, for what little it's worth, is to go for whatever is within your budget that you have the best feel for.

Few, if any of the shooters here would even consider a mic at the level you are looking at, as such, the input they can provide will invariably be to push you further up the pay scales, something you have already said is a non starter.

Go for what you can get and just accept the sound you record is going to miss Hollywood (or even Bollywood) standards by a couple of light years.

Given your budgetry restraints, there's nothing else to be done.


CS

Exactly Chris. Which is why I said what I did. Guy says not to steer him to a $150 mic, and gets numerous recommendations for a Rode...

No mic under $100, placed on-cam, is going to help much. As we all know, a decent windscreen would cost more. Nevermind a stand and cable.

Just be honest with the guy and help him save a few bucks. Times are tight.

buy a used ECM44 and tape it to the end of a painter's pole. you could do that for $150.... actually a ECM55 will work even better, about the same price used. its a great plant / podium mic and more sensitive.

Here is the guy's DIRECT quote

And you just recommended him a $150 solution.

Adam.............
 

if it's any consolation, I started about where you are now.

Lashed out practically every available dollar (pound actually) on the camera and tripod and little, no - no, zero, nada left over for "off camera" sound.

I went to a place renowned in London, called Henry's, in the Edgeware Rd, and bought a couple of super el - cheapo, no name dynamics with mounts and cable for the grand total of about 30 quid from memory, could even have been less.

Mounted them under the outside garden table (plastic) with the leads running in throught the window, connected to my XL1s.

Not balanced, so on wet nights, hum to make you cringe.

On good nights, the sound of our "dogs" (urban London foxes) going about their business was to die for.

The mic's were only a foot above their heads when they were feeding (we put a bowl of food directly under said table every night) and they captured pretty well everything else going on in the garden to boot.

Not bloody bad for 30 quid, and those tapes (now nearly 8 years old) as as good to watch now as they were when they were new.

You'd be suprised what you can capture with gear the pro's would label "absolute rubbish".

Go for it.


CS

I would recommend the Audio Technica ATR55.

I have a number of AT mics and they pretty much sound better than what they cost, and they are very suitable for the purposes they are designed for.

The ATR55 is made for video cameras, has settings for different distances that might make the mic a bit more versatile, comes with the necessary accessories, and it will improve on the sound coming through the camera's built in mic.

As Ty says, Azden is probably not your best choice.

And while a $50-100 condenser mic is not likely to satisfy many if any professionals, Audio Technica does make professional quality products at a reasonable price, and I would trust5 their low-end more than a company that only has low-end.

Here's the AT page for the ATR55:
Audio-Technica - Microphones, headphones, wireless microphone systems, noise-cancelling headphones & more : ATR55 Cardioid Condenser Shotgun Microphone

Not really. BUT, as I said in my first post, you HAVE TO GET THE MICS NEAR THE SUBJECT. As soon as you mount that cheap mic in the same place as the on-camera mic, the advantage is gone. So yes, if he wants to mic his buds with the mic on a boom 3ft away, then he's going to see improvement. Howevver, if he mounts a $50 or $250 mic on the camera, he might as well save the money and go drinking.

Adam, save your money. Buying a sub-$100 mic for on-camera use won't do much of anything to improve your situation. Even $1000 and up mics are dicey at best when mounted at the camera position. If you spend the $100 now, you'll simply be throwing it away because when you go to buy something that WILL help, you'll have no trade in value on whatever you bought with the hundred - it'll just sit on the shelf gathering dust. Save your cash until you can add a bit more to it for something like the aforementioned Videomic and pole. The upshot is if you spend the hundred now, when you eventually get something you can actually use, you'll have spent a total of $350-$400 instead of $250-$300.

Adam:

I tried quite a few of the inexpensive mics a few years ago before I found they usually don't produce good results.

The SMX-10 is a newer and even less expensive version of the SGM-X. Don't waste your money on that one. Very flat sounding and has a low output level. However, the low output level may be to prevent pumping on audio AGC on some camcorders.

If you want a like new SGM-X in the box to experiment with, Paypal me $25. Report back here later what you think.

Jeff
jeff9329@aol.com

Guys.............
 

Even if Adam had said anything about mounting the new mic "on camera" (which he hasn't) I think he's probably got the message, and is sorting out that broom handle even as I type.

Bit of duct tape and ingenuity and he's good to go.

BTW, those el - cheapo extending handles found in hardware stores for either paint rollers or window washing brushes make super boom poles, I've got one here that extends to about 13 feet and the screw thread on the end actually fits a standard mic holder to boot.

Not as flash as my Rode boom but got the job done till the Rode arrived.


CS

I've got an atr-55, and i also have a gold colored i think"phonix" shotgun and a radio shack "realistic" shotgun that are all basically identical apart from color. They look like they came out of the same mold. They have the same switch that lets you choose between lots of hiss and even more hiss. The ONLY good thing i can say about the these mics is that they are not permanently mounted on your camcorder. If you buy a long 1/8" extender cable and are careful about positioning the mic within like 24" of the talents mouth, you will get a better sound than if the mic is on camera.

If you are on the path to creating good video like lots of us, then eventually you'll outgrow crappy mics and wish you had all that money back to apply towards a nice mic instead. My only suggestion then is to spend as little as possible on your mic. Seriously. The difference between a $40 and a $100 "shotgun" is minimal. They all sound hollow and unnatural, but when put in the right place will produce "legible" sound, which is the first goal of having ANY mic. The lesson you'll learn (or not) will be the same. "hey, this mic is crap! I want a nicer sound that is easier to listen to and rejects more off axis crap". (or "that sounds fine to me!" in which case you probably cant tell the difference between a $20 and $200 shotgun)

This is all pretty much stuff said by others already. My big revelation is that you should buy the absolute dirt cheapest shotgun you can find, especially used. (atr55 do NOT hold their value). If you can find a shotgun so cheap that its pocket change and you dont mind the cost at all, then you can figure out exactly what you like/dont like out of cheap mics and know what to save up towards. (or you'll be happy and have saved money towards beer and steadicams)

I don't know how or where you plan on using this mic but the the Apex 191 pencil condenser is a very nice sounding mic for the money. Batt or phantom power. They can be picked up used for well under $100.($50-$65) Not a shotgun, but great LOW budget mic.

I'm looking for a mic and would take up your offer!