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The Rode NT1-A microphone.

In a sea of inexpensive large diaphragm condenser microphones, you need to stand out. In the $150-$250USD range, there are many makes and models to consider.

Besides visual flash – bright colors or chrome trim, some microphones simply succeed on their reputation. Rode is in a unique position to offer an affordable studio microphone with better-than-average quality.

At first glance, the NT1-A looks like a thousand others. No glitz factor. However, a few key things stand out. The NT1-A has the traditional extra heft and solid feel. Once shipped with a clamp-on universal shock mount, the NT1-A CRS adds a re-designed, custom shock mount, with a mount of its own to hold the (included) blast filter. The new shock filter is a vast improvement on “the clamp”. The blast filter is an added bonus.

The CRS (Complete Recording Solution) simply means that you get the updated shock mount plus blast filter. In addition, you get an instructional DVD and 20′ of good quality mic cable.

Most important is how the mic sounds. This is where consistency counts. The NT1-A is not shocking or surprising in any way, although it does have a sonic character. Many describe it as ‘bright’. I had a hard time deciding.

All in all, this cast is made possible because I bought an (older run) NT-1A and decided I couldn’t do without it over the years. …never regretted the purchase

Street Price at Post Time: $229

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A screen capture from a recent ADR project using Audition.

Have you ever heard a sound and knew you liked it …without knowing why? Not so much a song or artist, but a style.

For me, that happened long ago. At the beginning of my on-air career, I worked at an AM/FM combo. We were a medium market, but our signal easily penetrated a large market (Toronto). The cool guys and gals at the station worked album rock on FM. Let’s just say that I worked the AM side. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

We monitored the station in real time. There was no talk show delay (mainly because there were no talk shows. we were all music, all the time except for CBS News at the top hour). There wasn’t a computer in site. ITC 3D cart players to the left and right. A Gates console, read-board and clock to the front. We monitored audio with Electro-Voice monitors and headphones when the mic was latched on. The on-air talent heard the same signal everyone else did. That meant mono, lo-fi along with lightning crashes and other static. Of course, we logged transmitter and antenna specs every hour by hand. If we heard static on the monitors, it was our job to remotely reset the transmitter. After all, everyone had a restricted broadcast permit ; )

Our format was “contemporary hit radio” or CHR. When I was hired, we were in the middle of a compression war with a competing station. My music director wanted a sound “louder” than anyone else on the AM dial, and he may have succeeded, at least in our market. As you could imagine, the music (compared to todays standards) didn’t sound all that great, but we had plenty of listeners.

I remember putting on the phones and switching the huge Gates mic channel on with a big thunk and succession of relay pops. Even I sounded good! It was magic. That super-compressed, low-bandwidth audio sounded great. As I started podcasting and netcasting, I kept searching for that sound. Well, maybe not that exact sound. Add some dynamic range, drop the lightning crashes and give me bit more high-end in the frequency department. Otherwise – I still like to push the processor a little harder than most. If you’re a classical music buff, you are probably cringing right now. Sorry.

So that’s it. At a pivotal point in my life, I was exposed to compression and leveling to make an AM signal sound as it was never intended. Today, I appreciate what the audiophile crowd hears, both the ‘transparent’ and ‘psycho-acoustic’ crowd. The change in sound design that created Home Theater (or was it the other way around) with dramatic dynamics and exaggerated bass. My best friends are severe audiophiles, and the conversations between us are always a blast.

Many people search for sonic accuracy. What goes into a mic or amp is exactly what should be heard. That’s impossible (with the exception of test tones), but the pursuit isn’t. Just as artists experiment with instruments, I experiment with processing. When a customer requests a voice-over ‘dry’ – I can deliver. I can also make the spot sound like it’s for a tractor-pull convention or anywhere in between. These days, my personal taste is somewhere in the middle – as exposure to both extremes has conditioned me.

My breed is definitely outnumbered – big time. As a voice talent, I do just as instructed.

However, when given free reign on the show, I do like to punch it a little. Old habits.

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The beautiful (well… it is pretty?) Neumann TLM 49 microphone.

Our video demo of the new little Neumann TLM 102 drew quite a response – and for good reason. All of the elements for a great mic just came together. Quality, legendary precision and a sound that could only be described as smooth & sweet. All, for under $700USD?

Like many, I can’t help but compare that already famous ‘102′ sound to another Neumann, albeit more costly. The U87 is arguably the most popular contemporary Neumann. However, I found a sweet spot myself for the TLM 49. The 49 is an excellent large diaphragm condenser inspired by the decades old M 49 and M 50. Optimized for speech, the TLM 49 appears in much of my work.

Ok – before I get confused myself, we’ll concentrate on the TLM 49. Many people asked for comparisons to the 102. I’ll apply a little phantom power and let you decide just how the TLM 49 looks and sounds…

Street Price at Post Time: $1599

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Funny how things happen. I had this show ready to post on December 24th. Basically, our Macs are used for video and PC’s for audio. Laura and I recorded this show (and many others) on my trusty Dell XPS laptop, but didn’t post at the studio. It was time to shut down Studio1A for the Holidays, so I’d normalize, tag and post at home. As a precaution – I uploaded the raw WAV file to our off-site server. Always good to backup.

Surprise! I booted up later that evening and ‘POOF’. Well, the laptop didn’t really make any noise, but that’s part of the problem. My M1710 started displaying strange screen patterns – even at POST. It was toast. Of course, that has nothing to do with our show, except for timing …and the sad departure of a good ole’ Core 2 Duo audio partner.

Laura and I had fun talking about some of the stand-out gear of the year. I realized later that a lot of very cool field gear never made it into the categories. This really is a core, popular list of the gear that gets mentioned most in emails and on the channels.

In with the new. A very Happy 2010 from the people at Studio1A!

VOICEOVER MICROPHONES


What makes a good (or great) voiceover microphone? That’s a loaded question.

My personal picks for this, and the other categories are based on my own studio, clients and preferences. A few things I always keep in mind (besides performance) is ambient noise and how the mics will be used. A large diaphragm condenser is great if your studio is well isolated. Otherwise, a dynamic may be the only practical choice.

Surprisingly, the two mics listed below are very forgiving (compared to some) of room noise considering one is a condenser and the other is an electret (form of condenser).

The Incredible New Neumann TLM 102

The “LA” Mic. The Amazing Sennheiser MKH-416

BROADCAST/NETCAST MICROPHONES

These mics weren’t so much picked by me as they were/are selected by broadcast engineers all over the country. Walk into a broadcast control or production room in the US, and odds are you would see one of the mics below.

Electro-Voice RE-20 & RE27. Broadcast Standards.

Sennheiser MD-421. Sennheiser Quality in a Broadcast Dynamic.

The Shure SM-7B. A Solid Broadcast Dynamic.

A Relative Newcomer – The Heil PR-40 Brings Rich Lows to a New Broadcast Contender.

BROADCAST VOCAL PROCESSING

Some like real time processing, while others will process in post. For me, a good vocal strip is essential for workflow. There is no right or wrong. However, if you prefer a hardware vocal strip, these are my favorites.

A Workhorse Pro Processor – Budget Priced.

The Symetrix 528e is a Trusted Mid-Level Vocal Processor.

My Choice as a Premium Vocal Strip – The Aphex 230.

BROADCAST (non RF) FINAL PROCESSING

The idea of a ‘final’ processor, in broadcast radio terms, was originally to protect the transmitter from audio spikes and to stay within FCC guidelines. In addition, a final processor can act as a mechanism to master recordings, control dynamics of Podcasts, streams or any other form of aural medium.

Final processors for radio and television are prohibitively expensive and complex. Amazingly – in the last 5 years or so, much of this high-end processing power is now available to home studio owners. Typical functionality in a final processor may be multi-band compression, leveling, limiting and a myriad of other functions depending on the make and model.

Having said all that, the choices for a home studio final processor are still slim. I almost started to include others, but found only one that is currently under $1000USD and performs quite well. No doubt, prices will lower on other brands and soon there will be more competition. As it stands now, my personal pick is the Finalizer Express from TC Electronics.

Final Processing that Should Cost More! The TC Electronics Finalizer Express.

MIXERS/CONSOLES

Audio mixers and consoles. Where to begin? There are almost too many choices out there. Many people (especially in the voiceover field) get along just fine without a mixer. For me, it comes back to habit. I like the feel of a fader and controlling levels with a nice long throw or liquid smooth Gates ‘pot’. Realistically – you could mix in software, or use the input adjustments on your audio interface. Maybe you have a USB or Firewire mixer that doubles as an interface? There are so many options.

First – a mixer and console. What’s the difference? Using my own definition, an audio mixer is designed for music recording. That means you can tailor the channel(s) with a trimmer, EQ or even pan.

A radio, or broadcast console doesn’t allow you EQ or pan audio on the fly. The reason? In a commercial setting, the dynamics and spectral sound is the job of an engineer; not the talent. The on-air personality should be able to adjust levels, assign outputs and select bus assignments, but that’s about it.

In the context of a small, but professional studio, I selected my favorite budget mixer and a few excellent consoles. There is a huge difference between a budget mixer and an on-air console – both in price and functionality.

The 10 Channel Yamaha MG102C-CA. Yamaha Quality on a Budget.

The Standard in Broadcast Consoles. The AudioArts (by Wheatstone) AIR 1 is a True Broadcast Console.

A New Era. The Henry SixMix Brings Back Memories of a Miniature Gates Console.

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The Heil Heritage Microphone. …sounds as good as it looks.

In the spirit of the Holidays, we look at a microphone that brings to mind the past, with technology from the future. …or at least present

Bob Heil demands great sound from his microphones, but he also likes them to be eye catching. I caught a glimpse of the Heritage microphone and had to try it out.

If you have tried a Heil PR (professional) series PR-20, you’ll have a good idea of the Heritage sound. That’s because Bob didn’t settle for a cheap element in a beautiful enclosure. The Heritage is an excellent microphone to show off on video, due to its brightly polished chrome housing that shines like the bumper of a ‘57 Chevy.

I could type more and tell you about its nice cardioid pattern, solid mount, integrated blast filter and shock mount – not to mention the humbucking coil for RF rejection, but let’s have a look and listen in!

Street Price at Post Time: $169

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The NewMediaGear Holiday Product Roundup is Here!

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2009 is almost history. As Laura and I look back on ‘09 and fast-forward to 2010, we take a look at some of the coolest gadgets and gifts for the technically minded. Normally, we’re all audio (now video too), but we like to have fun this time of year and hope you join us.

A Holiday Season tradition at Studio1A – the Holiday Product Roundup has arrived. The gear is here…

The Kodak Zi8 portable HD video camera is an amazing little device. The link will take you to all of the specs and hype, but it’s important to know that Kodak really thought this video cam through, maximizing performance and features in this price range. For me, here are the things Kodak got right on the Zi8:

1. Price. Most people are finding the Zi8 HD from $159 to $179.

2. Image stabilization is critical, especially for a small-mass camera. Although not perfect, it helps.

3. HD. For me, 1080p is overkill in a cam of this caliber. The sweet spot is 720p. Kodak allows 30 or 60fps options @ 720.

4. Codecs. The Zi8 creates easy to read MOV files encoded in H.264, making iMovie or even Final Cut imports a breeze, unlike DiVX.

5. An external mic input! This is amazingly useful and hard to find in this type of camera.

THE BAD?

1. Internal Lithium-Ion battery. Charge time is quick (about 2 hours), but I would have preferred AA’s, which are available almost everywhere. The worst situation is to be on-location with a dead battery. I’m getting an extra pack that should solve the problem.

Overall, Kodak hit a home run with this one. I already applied the easy-to-update firmware. The most notable change is a smoother zoom. Don’t forget to pick up a fast SDHC card!

What can’t be repaired, created, modified or improved using a Dremel tool? Dremels have been an important part of the inner, and back lot (garage) at Studio1A for years. The folks at Dremel mentioned their new oscillating Multi-Max, and I had to try it.

The cable-feed hole under my console (don’t tell Laura) was created by a Dremel, as well as countless installs and Amateur Radio projects. Oh, there were plenty of home improvement projects too …or were there?

Anyway, the new Multi-Max from Dremel really delivers. It’s oscillating head is easier to manage and offers a lot of power in a small package. Anything that can fit in your hand and comfortably cut through 1/4″ oak is pretty cool! For cutting, sawing, sanding, grinding and many other tasks …there’s nothing like a Dremel.

Don’t take my word for it. Check out Dremels 30 Minute Miracle videos with Paul Ryan, and don’t forget to enter the 30 Minute Miracle contest*!

*The 30 Minute Miracles contest is wholly administered by Dremel

I have a fascination with internet radio, which explains why I’ve watched wi-fi internet devices like the new Logitech Squeezebox very closely over the last few years. They’re getting much more refined. Overall, Logitech designed a great sounding device that opens an entire world of streaming radio. The Squeezebox connected right away to my 802.11g wi-fi and prompted me to update the radios firmware. The update went smooth.

Within minutes, I was cruising around, listening to very nice sounding streams. I experienced a few disconnects after long listens, but not one buffering problem, which was pretty impressive. The overall amp/sound from the Squeezebox is excellent for a tabletop radio. Nice rich, ported bass and a great amp. There is also a line-in that allows the Squeezebox to play your favorite portable player. Not just limited to wi-fi, there is an RJ-45 connector on the back for direct internet connection via cable (just as in the old days).

The menu is easy to navigate and the radio has a solid, even heavy feel. The crisp multi-color LCD panel keeps you informed. Applets are available, but still a bit clunky. The radio worked very well, and that’s where I spent my time. The Squeezebox can be remote controlled via the web or using a Squeezebox Server. I had issues using the server, which were caused by my laptops firewall.

Internet radio is certainly maturing from the clunky devices of the past. Keep in mind that the Squeezebox is available in several different models. My tabletop model is currently selling for about $159 street price. This line of internet radio from Logitech offers incredible listening choices, nice sound and a smooth, colorful menu. The room filling, quality amp and integrated bass port is welcome and often overlooked on internet radios. No annoying stutters or buffer problems were experienced on my end. I do have a wide bandwidth pipeline, but am still impressed with the Squeezebox compared to other ‘I’ radios that we’ve tried in Studio1A.

Street Price at time of publication – $159-$179

What’s a chumby? If you don’t utter those words when you first see, or hear about it, you must really be a geek! The chumby has a cult following of geeky users and developers alike. The chumby is an open platform mini-computer that encourages people to develop apps, or widgets.

The original chumby started it all with little more than a small LCD panel and open architecture. Soon chumby programmers were busy making widgets and the rest is history.

Over 1500 widgets can be found in the ‘community’, along with any type of pixie clock you could imagine. The chumby one input consists of a click wheel on the side, its touch panel display and a large button on top. If you often buy things before knowing how you’ll use them, you’ll love the chumby one. I found it very cool. Nobody needs a chumby, but I certainly wanted one!

On Sale at post time for $99.95

I first met the folks at Otterbox during the Podcast Expo, year one. Every year, we’re proud to have Otterbox back on the Holiday Roundup.

This is a huge year for smart phones and Otter cases offer Rambo-like protection for everything from handheld devices to small laptops. I tried out their new line of cases for the iPod Touch. The iPhone and BlackBerry is also well supported. These cases offer everything from light protection, to armor-like shielding from the elements.

Over the years, I’ve found that nothing protects my valuable little devices like an Otter. Check out the full line at Otterbox.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the show. Of course, we’ll chat again before 2010!

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True – the Holiday show isn’t here [yet], but I like that graphic from years past. We’re deep in the gear. …audio coming soon

It’s that special time of the year again. Laura and I really enjoy the Holiday Season even though there will be no snow to shovel …no ice to scrape off the windshields.

In the States, we just had a great time with Family and Friends celebrating Thanksgiving. Those brave enough, are taking part in ‘Black Friday’ sales at the stores.

BUT… where is the NewMediaGear Annual Holiday Special? Closer than you may think. We are busily working on delivering a peek at the best Holiday gadgetry. As always, the Holiday show is sponsored by our friends at BSW and made possible by many participating companies.

Back to the eggnog and tree trimming (I mean show prep). Laura, of course, will join me for the Holiday Show, in traditional Studio1A audio-only form.

Here at Studio1A, we look forward to having you join us for a festive season and a great launch to 2010.

Talk soon!

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Amazingly BIG sound from a small mic. The Neumann TLM 102.

Just looking at the smallest Neumann of all is a thrill. The mere size of the box made me wonder where the mic was hiding? Opening the box revealed the smallest large diaphragm condenser I have ever held – with that beautiful Neumann label on front. My TLM 102 is black, but Neumanns trademark nickel finish is also available. Weighing in at a mere 9 ounces, I needed to weigh down the boom or it would fly upward.

The magic of the TLM 102 doesn’t stop at the eye. This minuscule wonder was designed with an emphasis on speech and vocals, making it a new favorite as my general purpose voiceover microphone. Perhaps to make up for it’s small stature, the TLM 102 is a strong little mic, able to handle percussion instruments and amps without flinching.

What makes it work? Traditional Neumann quality is a given. The TLM model prefix tells us this is a transformerless design. Starting with a newly designed large-diaphragm pressure gradient element, the TLM 102 includes an excellent internal blast filter. The element is also cradled by an integral shock absorber. Most notable is where Neumann added an articulation bump – at 6kHz. This would appear to be a bit high for speech, but I can’t argue with the results.

Smooth as molasses with a gentle proximity effect, the TLM 102 ignores what might become plosives in other large condensers. I found a sweet spot only 4 inches away from the very top of the grill.

The real surprise with this quality microphone is the price. As I record, the street price is $699 USD. For a Neumann that doesn’t hold back, that is a true bargain.

Big, mature sound in a small package – that’s the TLM 102.

Have a look and listen!

Neumann TLM 102 Street Price at Post Time: $699

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