Hey folks,
I'm shopping around for something to do up close, "micro" stereo
sampling work in the field that can also double-duty as a mic for
capturing wide soundscapes to replace my AT 822, which I consider too
noisy and not sensitive enough for my purposes. I'm picking up a new SD
722 in a couple weeks, and it will be a while before I can save up the
bundle required for a Sennheiser 60/30 pair. I plan on it for 2007, but
I'd like a new mic set to roll with until then. After some discussion
with Rob Danielson in Milwaukee last week, I drew up a couple
possibilities.
My two affordable options right now would be either a pair of AT 3031 or
3032 mics or a single Rode NT 4.
Issues are:
* US $450 or less for the stereo set
* Lowest self noise + highest sensitivity as possible within price range
* XY stereo or M/S are preferred over other techniques/placements
* Professional balanced XLR connections
* P48 phantom power (no PiP)
* Portability + ease of use (i.e. 2 x NT 2000's would be out on the
grounds of being too bulky/heavy and inconvenient as an M/S rig)
* Ability to do both close stereo micing with some off-axis rejection
and full stereo-field soundscape captures
Pros and Cons:
* The plus with the 303x's would be variable micing
techniques/positions, while the NT 4 is a fixed XY.
* I could choose from an omni (3032) or cardioid (3031) with the AT
mics, but the NT 4 is fixed as cardioid.
* The plus with the NT 4 would be a single point application that can
fit inside a zeppelin windscreen by itself, while the 303x's mounted on
a bar would require a very different way of windscreening which could be
very clumsy and bulky.
I'm looking at an NT 4 for US$ 250 right now, but I see they can go for
a bit more (my max would probably be US$ 450 for a new one), while I
understand that a pair of 303x's should run US $ 300-400 (anybody have a
cheap supplier for matched pairs?).
I'm aiming at the NT 4 right now, but this could change if folks here
tell me that it is substantially noisier than the 303x's, or could show
me a compact windscreen diagram for the pair of mics mounted XY on a
bar, or could come up with any other convincing reason why the unfixed
arrangement would be a fantastic thing.
In the case of the Audiotechnicas, would people recommend the
cardioid-patterned 3031's or the omni-patterned 3032's, keeping in mind
that one of my primary applications is sampling "micro" sounds out of
larger environments? I'm guessing the cardioid is more up my alley.
Other mic suggestions in this price range are also welcome if there's an
arrangement out there they has surprised anyone for it's performance,
but I figured I probably nailed the quietest ones with Rob already.
thanx and best,
d.
--
derek holzer ::: http://www.umatic.nl
---Oblique Strategy # 84:
"How would you have done it?"
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