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The Blue enCORE 200 on-boom at Studio1A.

In Studio1A, we’ve been having a lot of fun lately with Blue microphones. The latest offering from Blue is the enCORE series, featuring 4 models. The most intriguing to me is the 200, which hits a nice balance between performance and price.

What sets the 200 apart from other stage microphones (Blue does list Broadcasting as an application as well)?

This is a dynamic mic that cleverly uses 48VDC phantom power. The 200 has a transformer as well as active electronics needed to boost amplification. This unique design allows for a very low impedance of 25 ohms. A feature of the enCORE 200 is that it tolerates long cable runs better in this configuration. I wasn’t able to test this, since our longest in-studio run is about 75 feet.

The 200 sounds a bit like a hybrid, having punchy mids and plenty of gain (almost condenser-like) while using the Blue aria dynamic element. I think the real beauty of this mic is it’s proximity effect; not allowing things to get boomy, but ultra-smooth.

Physically, the body of the mic extra tough, with a small LED that lets you know 48 volts has arrived. The laser engraved capsule area and large grille ring add to the unique look.

The enCORE 200 is supplied with a carry pouch and mounting clip. As we recorded this show, street prices were about $150USD. Have a listen to the Blue enCORE 200 and let me know what you think?

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As promised in the Tube MP audio cast, here is a video showing the device in use.

This time, I utilized a condenser (Blue Mouse). As expected, the 20db pad (and phantom power) came in handy. The audio-only program was recorded with our Electro-Voice RE-27ND dynamic.

Hope you enjoy a look. There’s a lot of value in this sub-$100 box.

The Studio V3 Tube MP at BSW.

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Silky smooth Voiceover Microphone from Blue. The Mouse is here.

Don’t let the Mousy stature of this mic fool you. The Blue Mouse delivers killer low-end; about as smooth as it gets for vocals and speech.

The Mouse is a condenser, but handles like a world-class dynamic. The capsule rotates on the stout body giving the Mouse its unique look. The included shock mount works well. I was actually able to adjust the capsule smoothly without making a (noticeable) sound. In the large box, you’ll find the mic cradled in a rosewood finished, velvet lined case. Fit and finish is immaculate.

Besides the shock mount, standard threads on the mic body allow it to be mounted from the bottom.

The sound? Deep and rich, allowing you to roam a little off axis without throwing things off. Even with all the lows, proximity and plosives were never a problem. The Mouse isn’t inexpensive, but delivers with amazingly big sound and equally strong quality. It stands up to the best of them in this price class.

Have a look and listen to the Mouse and let me know what you think?

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A fearful, legendary name for a practical, friendly looking microphone.

With a name like ‘Yeti’, visions of the mythological Himalayan snow creature disappear at the site of this Blue USB microphone. Looking at the mic, those thoughts are replaced with visions of a stretched out R2D2.

The Yeti is Blue Microphones latest USB offering; as unique in form and function as its name. This microphone is big and the desktop stand is hefty. However, boom mounting is no problem thanks to the recessed threads at the base.

Feature-wise, the Yeti offers zero-latency monitoring through the adjustable gain headphone amp. A handy mute switch is on front. The back reveals a gain pot above the pattern switch. The Yeti has plenty of gain. The sound is good, but very different depending on the pattern. Four patterns, three 22mm elements. This mic excels at being versatile. The stereo pattern allows voice imaging or instrument separation. The cardioid was a favorite of mine for speech. The figure eight would work fine for interviews and the omni opened things up with an airy sound.

As with most USB mics, the nice part is simply plugging the device in a compliant (1.1 or greater) port and recording. See the Blue microphone site for detailed requirements.

The Yeti is a great value and very versatile. Have a look and listen!

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In the USA, we have a handful of broadcast classic microphones, used on-air for radio/television. The Sennheiser MD 421 is definitely among the broadcast elite.

The Sennheiser MD 421 recently celebrated its 50th birthday. As with all classic microphones, minor tweaks have been made along the way, but the same classic 421 sound remains unchanged. For a dynamic, the 421-II sounds nice and bright. The very aggressive 5-step low-pass filter allows for a dramatic change in sonic character.

In this Vidcast, I take the MD 421-II around the block in Studio1A, demonstrating the filter, its bright sound and unique mounting bracket. All these things make the Sennheiser MD 421-II a trusted studio staple.

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Be sure to check out NewMediaGear page on Facebook! I’ll be posting there between shows.

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Drop me a line with comments, thoughts and suggestions:
mark at newmediagear dot com

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This video pits the Rode ProCaster up to the famous Electro-Voice RE-20 and RE-27. Is the Rode a contender as a broadcast standard?

The very loyal following of Rode fans have requested this video.

The ProCaster is a great broadcast dynamic microphone. At record time, it is a bargain too, coming in at almost half the price of (what I consider) its broadcast peers; the Electro-Voice RE-20 and RE-27.

Have a look and listen as we put the ProCaster up against the RE-20 and RE-27…

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Regardless of the product, one-size-fits-all never seems to work out as well as made-to-order.

Processing is always a hot topic, so I wanted to smooth out the processing as well as punch it a little. Notice that (if you keep listening), your ears eventually begin to adjust. The brain is an amazing A/B comparator.

When enjoying music after work, I want to hear the soaring highs and dramatic lows. The extra bandwidth and bit depth of Home Theater has (arguably) taken over the audiophile hobby, trumping transparent audio with exaggerated bass and dynamic range. However – when I’m listening to talk radio in the car, a ‘classical’ approach would be ineffective. Much of this can be translated to how we, as broadcasters process our audio.

Have a listen as we twist the knobs on first and second level processing in Studio1A…

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Much smaller than your laptops power supply – the GoMic is ready for travel.

With a built-in zero-latency headphone amp along with omni and cardioid electret elements, the GoMic gives a lot of bang for the buck. It won’t replace a studio microphone, but it will deliver surprisingly good results as a substitute for your laptops built-in mic. Many people are even using the GoMic to record acoustic guitar and piano.

Keep in mind that I purposely left the GoMic levels low. A USB mic will require normalization and processing on the back end. Keeping levels conservative during USB recording helps guard against flat-topping.

Have a look and listen to the little mic that delivers on value.

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THE radio guy – Spyder Harrison joins us for an informal chat on mics, classic compressors, radio and loud commercials. From radio voice tracking, spots heard round the world and voicing several channels at Sirius/XM, Spyder is a busy guy behind the mic.

drop by for a rare glimpse inside Spyder Studios…

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