[Charles Adams]

For the occasional away-from-home voiceover, I'm considering a USB
microphone attached directly to my Macbook Pro. Just wondering if there
are any that could do the job. They don't have to perform like a U-87,
but still be suitable for broadcast quality. I can always EQ as
necessary. Single track, voiceover-only is all that's required.

Thanks for any experiences or thoughts.

C.A.

[Mike Rivers]

Charles Adams wrote:
For the occasional away-from-home voiceover, I'm considering a USB
microphone attached directly to my Macbook Pro. .... suitable for
broadcast quality. I can always EQ as necessary.

I'd look into what MXH has to offer. They're probably the most 'pro' maker
of USB mics. Maybe the USB-008. The USB-009 offers direct hardware
monitoring and playback, with a headphone jack and volume control and
even runs at 96 kHz if you need it.

I haven't heard either of these mics, but I've heard the "analog" version
that the USB-008 is based on and it sounds just fine.

[Arny Krueger]

"Mike Rivers" wrote in message

Charles Adams wrote:
For the occasional away-from-home voiceover, I'm
considering a USB microphone attached directly to my
Macbook Pro. .... suitable for broadcast quality. I can
always EQ as necessary.

I'd look into what MXH has to offer. They're probably the
most 'pro' maker of USB mics. Maybe the USB-008. The
USB-009 offers direct hardware monitoring and playback,
with a headphone jack and volume control and even runs at
96 kHz if you need it.

That would be MXL, not MXH. Finger check, right Mike? ;-)

[Geoff]

Arny Krueger wrote:
"Mike Rivers" wrote in message

Charles Adams wrote:
For the occasional away-from-home voiceover, I'm
considering a USB microphone attached directly to my
Macbook Pro. .... suitable for broadcast quality. I can
always EQ as necessary.

I'd look into what MXH has to offer. They're probably the
most 'pro' maker of USB mics. Maybe the USB-008. The
USB-009 offers direct hardware monitoring and playback,
with a headphone jack and volume control and even runs at
96 kHz if you need it.

That would be MXL, not MXH. Finger check, right Mike? ;-)

Also RODE.

geoff

[Mike Rivers]

Arny Krueger wrote:

That would be MXL, not MXH. Finger check, right Mike? ;-)

Rogjt., Armu

[Ty Ford]

On Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:44:57 -0400, Charles Adams wrote
(in article ):

For the occasional away-from-home voiceover, I'm considering a USB
microphone attached directly to my Macbook Pro. Just wondering if there
are any that could do the job. They don't have to perform like a U-87,
but still be suitable for broadcast quality. I can always EQ as
necessary. Single track, voiceover-only is all that's required.

Thanks for any experiences or thoughts.

C.A.

"Broadcast Quality" used to mean something good. Now it doesn't.

Away from home voiceovers usually suffer more from the acoustics of the space
in which you're recording than anything else.

Without knowing the specifics if your usual chain, it's impossible to
speculate, but the Audio-Technica AT202USB, while not a u 87 into a Neve
preamp does a credible job.

Regards,

Ty Ford


--Audio Equipment Reviews Audio Production Services
Acting and Voiceover Demos http://www.tyford.com
Guitar player?:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA

[Ty Ford]

On Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:57:26 -0400, Ty Ford wrote
(in article ET):

On Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:44:57 -0400, Charles Adams wrote
(in article ):

For the occasional away-from-home voiceover, I'm considering a USB
microphone attached directly to my Macbook Pro. Just wondering if there
are any that could do the job. They don't have to perform like a U-87,
but still be suitable for broadcast quality. I can always EQ as
necessary. Single track, voiceover-only is all that's required.

Thanks for any experiences or thoughts.

C.A.

"Broadcast Quality" used to mean something good. Now it doesn't.

Away from home voiceovers usually suffer more from the acoustics of the space

in which you're recording than anything else.

Without knowing the specifics if your usual chain, it's impossible to
speculate, but the Audio-Technica AT202USB, while not a u 87 into a Neve
preamp does a credible job.

Regards,

Ty Ford


BTW, the MicPort Pro from Centrance is a very nice 24/96 unit for about $150.
You can use any mic you have.

And BIF, I have AT2020USB samples up he
http://idisk.mac.com/tyreeford-Public/AT2020USB

Regards,

Ty Ford




--Audio Equipment Reviews Audio Production Services
Acting and Voiceover Demos http://www.tyford.com
Guitar player?:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA

[Charles Adams]

In article ,
"Soundhaspriority" wrote:

"Charles Adams" wrote in message
...
For the occasional away-from-home voiceover, I'm considering a USB
microphone attached directly to my Macbook Pro. Just wondering if there
are any that could do the job. They don't have to perform like a U-87,
but still be suitable for broadcast quality. I can always EQ as
necessary. Single track, voiceover-only is all that's required.

Thanks for any experiences or thoughts.

C.A.

Charles, you can buy a usb plug,
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search...N=0&InitialSea
rch=yes ,
and your choices will then be unlimited.

In answer to your original question, yes, but the best microphone is the one
which is optimal for your voice. That's a tricky, individual thing.

Bob Morein
(310) 237-6511

Thanks to ALL who posted replies. Much information and many good
suggestions.

C.A.

[Arny Krueger]

"Charles Adams" wrote in message

For the occasional away-from-home voiceover, I'm
considering a USB microphone attached directly to my
Macbook Pro. Just wondering if there are any that could
do the job. They don't have to perform like a U-87, but
still be suitable for broadcast quality. I can always EQ
as necessary. Single track, voiceover-only is all that's
required.

I was looking at the tech specs of the MicPort Pro from Centrance.

The question in my mind - is the mic preamp in this unit really comparable
with even the low-cost mic preamps in commodity equipment? I know from
experience that one of the more obvious problems with some mic preamps is
that they can't handle the kind of signals that can come out of a fairly
sensitive condensor mic being addressed by a robust, close-miced speaker.

One spec in MicPort Pro from Centrance kinda struck me as being atypically
low:

http://www.centrance.com/products/mp...Data_Sheet.pdf

Maximum Input Level (full scale) -9.5dBV (min. gain) to -45.5dBV (max. gain)

Compare this with the by no means exceptional specs of a vlude-priced
Behringer mic preamp - the ADA8000:

Maximum Input Level +6 dBu (min. gain)

Including the slight difference in reference level, there's an approximate
14 dB difference in overload points, with the MicPort coming up on the short
end of the stick.

Since I've occasionally overloaded the inputs of an ADA8000 with a robust
speaker using a condenser vocal mic with typical sensitivity, I might be a
little concerned about this. Unlike the Behringer box (which isn't a USB box
but has merely 8 times as many mic inputs for not a heck of a lot more
money) there doesn't seem to be any overload light on the MicPort or its
interface software.

Also note that the MicPort has only about a 35 dB range of gain, as compared
to 50-60 dB on typical low-end mic preamps. This lack of gain might be
important with some dynamic mics and soft or more distantly-miced speakers.

Bottom line, I think that the MicPort Pro can be made to work, but frankly
for the money you might get more flexibiilty for the same or less money
using a cheap Behringer preamp along with one of their inexpensive USB
interfaces.

I'm also not sure that any of the competitive USB mic interfaces are any
better. The MicPort might have opened itself up to more criticism of its
performance based on its spec sheet, by providing a more complete spec
sheet. IOW, this good deed might be in the process of being punished. ;-)

[Arny Krueger]

"Arny Krueger" wrote in message

"Charles Adams" wrote in message

For the occasional away-from-home voiceover, I'm
considering a USB microphone attached directly to my
Macbook Pro. Just wondering if there are any that could
do the job. They don't have to perform like a U-87, but
still be suitable for broadcast quality. I can always EQ
as necessary. Single track, voiceover-only is all that's
required.

I was looking at the tech specs of the MicPort Pro from
Centrance.
The question in my mind - is the mic preamp in this unit
really comparable with even the low-cost mic preamps in
commodity equipment? I know from experience that one of
the more obvious problems with some mic preamps is that
they can't handle the kind of signals that can come out
of a fairly sensitive condensor mic being addressed by a
robust, close-miced speaker.
One spec in MicPort Pro from Centrance kinda struck me
as being atypically low:

http://www.centrance.com/products/mp...Data_Sheet.pdf

Maximum Input Level (full scale) -9.5dBV (min. gain) to
-45.5dBV (max. gain)
Compare this with the by no means exceptional specs of a
vlude-priced Behringer mic preamp - the ADA8000:

Maximum Input Level +6 dBu (min. gain)

Including the slight difference in reference level,
there's an approximate 14 dB difference in overload
points, with the MicPort coming up on the short end of
the stick.

Also note that the MicPort has only about a 35 dB range of gain, as
compared
to 50-60 dB on typical low-end mic preamps. This lack of gain might be
important with some dynamic mics and soft or more distantly-miced
speakers.


I also compared the MicPort Pro to an inexpensive USB audio interface with a
mic preamp that is more conventionally packaged, namely the eMu 0202 that
sells for signficiantly less.

It offers an overload point of +6.7 dBv (IOW 16.5 dB better) and a 60 dB
range of gain. It seems to have signficiantly better specs in other areas as
well. If 96 KHz sampling impresses you, then the 192 KHz sampling of the eMu
should delight you to no end.

[Mike Rivers]

Arny Krueger wrote:

I was looking at the tech specs of the MicPort Pro from Centrance.
The question in my mind - is the mic preamp in this unit really comparable
with even the low-cost mic preamps in commodity equipment?
one of the more obvious problems with some mic preamps is
that they can't handle the kind of signals that can come out of a fairly
sensitive condensor mic being addressed by a robust, close-miced speaker.

It's really close in sound to a Mackie VLZ-Pro, it's as quiet, and
there's plenty of
headroom. It has an analog record level control and with it set for
minimum gain,
-7 dBu in gives 0 dBFS out. That's certainly reasonable for a mic that's
not being
shouted into by a rock singer.

Compare this with the by no means exceptional specs of a vlude-priced
Behringer mic preamp - the ADA8000:
Maximum Input Level +6 dBu (min. gain)

Different applications. There's really no practical need for a mic preamp
to accommodate +6 dBu unless you want to use it as a line amplifier, in
which
case it should have about 20 dB more input headroom.

Since I've occasionally overloaded the inputs of an ADA8000 with a robust
speaker using a condenser vocal mic with typical sensitivity

Really? Well, that's why they make pads.

Also note that the MicPort has only about a 35 dB range of gain, as compared
to 50-60 dB on typical low-end mic preamps. This lack of gain might be
important with some dynamic mics and soft or more distantly-miced speakers.

Yes, I'd like for it to have more gain. And honestly, I've rarely used
mine. I keep
it next to the computer in case I want to use Skype (never actually done
that
either) and take it along when I'm doing a "how to record with your
computer"
demo as an illustration of the direct USB approach. But for what it
works for, it
works well. I see no reason why it couldn't be mated with a decent mic
for on-the-spot
voice recording.

But there are probably better choices, if for no other reason than that
a decent mic
with built in preamp and USB interface is one less piece of hardware to
deal with.
I wasn't aware (or I didn't remember) that the AT 2020 was available
with a USB
back end. That would probably be a good choice because it's a fairly
decent sounding
mic, it's compact, and I'm sure that being Audio-Technica, it's pretty
rugged.

Bottom line, I think that the MicPort Pro can be made to work

There are many other USB mic interfaces like the CEntrance now. Shure makes
one, MXL makes one, probably Behringer makes one.

for the money you might get more flexibiilty for the same or less money
using a cheap Behringer preamp along with one of their inexpensive USB
interfaces.

More haywire, less portable, probably no better audio quality.

I'm also not sure that any of the competitive USB mic interfaces are any
better. The MicPort might have opened itself up to more criticism of its
performance based on its spec sheet, by providing a more complete spec
sheet. IOW, this good deed might be in the process of being punished. ;-)

Yes, they're pretty conscientious folks. There's some trickery in there,
something
like an add-on driver in firmware, that lets it do 96 kHz sample rate
through USB 1.1.
And they have their Universal multi-device driver that lets you use
several (or at least
two for stereo) coherently as a multi-channel input source. That's not
something that's
needed or even useful for voice work unless you want to record a
conference, but
it's kind of a cool concept.

[Richard Crowley]

"Arny Krueger"wrote ...
"Charles Adams" wrote in
For the occasional away-from-home voiceover, I'm
considering a USB microphone attached directly to my
Macbook Pro. Just wondering if there are any that could
do the job. They don't have to perform like a U-87, but
still be suitable for broadcast quality. I can always EQ
as necessary. Single track, voiceover-only is all that's
required.

I was looking at the tech specs of the MicPort Pro from Centrance.

The question in my mind - is the mic preamp in this unit really comparable
with even the low-cost mic preamps in commodity equipment? I know from
experience that one of the more obvious problems with some mic preamps is
that they can't handle the kind of signals that can come out of a fairly
sensitive condensor mic being addressed by a robust, close-miced speaker.

For the convieneice of a small USB preamp for occasional use
on the road, seems like one could simply avoid close-micing a
robust speaker

[soundpro]

On Sep 16, 7:44*pm, Charles Adams wrote:
For the occasional away-from-home voiceover, I'm considering a USB
microphone attached directly to my Macbook Pro. Just wondering if there
are any that could do the job. They don't have to perform like a U-87,
but still be suitable for broadcast quality. I can always EQ as
necessary. Single track, voiceover-only is all that's required.

Thanks for any experiences or thoughts.

C.A.

Hello:

Yes, there are several really low cost USB mics that are not very
good, but the AT2020USB is quite good, and moderately priced:

http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cg...tem/AT2020-USB

Hope this helps!

Hello:

Thank you for writing. My response is shown below - if you respond to
this message, please include all previous messages.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Best Regards,

Chris Carfagno

www.soundprofessionals.com
The Sound Professionals, Inc.
3444 Sylon Blvd
Hainesport NJ, 08036
800-213-3021
609-267-4400
609-267-0054 fax

[Arny Krueger]

"Richard Crowley" wrote in message

"Arny Krueger"wrote ...
"Charles Adams" wrote in
For the occasional away-from-home voiceover, I'm
considering a USB microphone attached directly to my
Macbook Pro. Just wondering if there are any that could
do the job. They don't have to perform like a U-87, but
still be suitable for broadcast quality. I can always EQ
as necessary. Single track, voiceover-only is all that's
required.

I was looking at the tech specs of the MicPort Pro from
Centrance. The question in my mind - is the mic preamp in this unit
really comparable with even the low-cost mic preamps in
commodity equipment? I know from experience that one of
the more obvious problems with some mic preamps is that
they can't handle the kind of signals that can come out
of a fairly sensitive condensor mic being addressed by a
robust, close-miced speaker.

For the convieneice of a small USB preamp for occasional
use on the road, seems like one could simply avoid
close-micing a robust speaker

As Mike pointed out, you can also just carrry some XLR pads. Ironically they
are almost as big as the MicPort, but even so, they're all very portable.
The problem of not enough gain is a little tougher to deal with, but the
MicPort noise level is probably low enough that you can make up much if not
all of the needed gain in the digital domain. Make those low-order bits work
for a living! ;-)

[Steve King]

"Mike Rivers" wrote in message
...
| Arny Krueger wrote:
|
| I was looking at the tech specs of the MicPort Pro from Centrance.
| The question in my mind - is the mic preamp in this unit really
comparable
| with even the low-cost mic preamps in commodity equipment?
| one of the more obvious problems with some mic preamps is
| that they can't handle the kind of signals that can come out of a fairly
| sensitive condensor mic being addressed by a robust, close-miced
speaker.
|
| It's really close in sound to a Mackie VLZ-Pro, it's as quiet, and
| there's plenty of
| headroom. It has an analog record level control and with it set for
| minimum gain,
| -7 dBu in gives 0 dBFS out. That's certainly reasonable for a mic that's
| not being
| shouted into by a rock singer.
|

I'm a really satisfied user of the MicPort Pro from Centrance. My road kit
in addition to the Centrance is a Sennheiser 416, a Toshiba laptop, and a
pair of 7506 earphones. It all fits nicely in the laptop rolling bag. The
earphones are the next to be replaced by quality earbuds to get the kit
smaller. I've recorded VO auditions and tracks for air in hotel rooms, in
tents, and in private homes. I've never had a complaint from some very
finicky engineers I work with regularly. I've also used a pair of Centrance
units into the laptop with a pair of MXL SE-1 microphones to record a
community musical theater performance. I wasn't expecting much, but it
turned out that the hall and the mic placement worked will. The two
MicPortPros as stereo pre-amp/convertors worked great.

Steve King

[Badmuts[_2_]]

... the Audio-Technica AT202USB, while not a u 87 into a Neve
preamp does a credible job.

Seconded!

Bm