Mic reccomendation?

[dfira]

Recording solo voice, for online conferences.

So, i really want the kind of big, full, musical and rich sound of something like an AT2035 or NT1 (yes my budget is low). But it will be used exclusively on camera where ideally it will be completely out of shot. And in either case wants to take up less real estate.

I still want "wow" factor sound though. Can pencil mikes achieve that?

I was thinking about the Oktava mk012 hypercardoid, or Se Electonics se 8, or very interestingly the Line Audio CM4 which is not very well known but is only around 100 pounds and sounds clear, open and very honest! REALLY hangs with the big boys as far as i can tell.

I want crisp and clear bass extension though since my final product is solo voice, I don't have any mixing compromises to make. I've had problems with mics in the past that just don't capture the very lows of my voice, or do, but are also just muddier sounding overall, which is a problem for me. My current mic is also just too harsh on the sibilants. It's really a problem.

My budget is low, so the Mackie EM-91C is not out of the picture... The way it appears to deal with the problems of a harsh upper end is just to not record them at all!

What would you get?

[Drew Stephenson]

What's your room treatment like? If I want a full and honest low end, at a distance (I.e. off camera) then an omni is a good starting point. But if it's a bad sounding room then it's going to pick all that up.
Have you considered a lapel mic?

[Sam Inglis]

It's not quite clear to me from your post whether the mic is to be for sung or spoken vocals. Either way, I think that in order to get the immediacy and presence you're after, you will need a close mic. So the question is what sort of a close mic will get you the effect you're after and be acceptable from a visual point of view. The most obvious choice would be a lavalier or headset mic. You can sometimes pick up used DPA models at a fairly good price, or there are many new models within your price range.

A pencil mic would also be an option. I often use an AKG C451 with the VR1 capsule extender when I need something that's visually discreet. That's no longer available but again they can be found second-hand at reasonable prices. Be aware that directional pencil mics are often quite vulnerable to popping, though.

If the mic absolutely has to be out of shot then another thing you could consider is a short shotgun mic.

[ef37a]

Bit paradoxical to me? "Conference work" but then "a big, full rich sound".

Surely the prime requirement for a 'conference' mic is intelligibility? I rarely listen to Classic FM but when I do I turn off after the music because I cannot understand the hairy chested link persons. OK, i AM mutton but R3 peeps are mostly very clear.

With my old sound reinforcement hat on, the last thing you want is a 'full' bottom end.

I use a £20 Sennheiser headset for Skype. Maybe something a bit better and even less visible as per Kylie? Incidently my son Skypes me using a 91c and I have no trouble understanding him (although close up of the gob no doubt helps!)

Ah, just beat me there Sam!

Dave.

[James Perrett]

Can you set up the shot so that your head is close to the top of the screen? That way you could mount a mic over your head just out of shot.