NTG-3 and RODE Blimp - your take?

John Willett · December 3rd, 2009, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

"I find it astonishing that a 10 year old MKH-416 like Ty Ford's older model still sounds like new. A testament to a well designed, high quality, battle tested microphone. "

Guy,

You're showing your video bias. :) Good microphones last a LOT longer than cameras if they are reasonably well taken care of. 20 years is not long in mic years, whereas 2 years can be too long for some cameras.

Regards,

Ty Ford

I totally agree - I have lots of mics all over 20 years old and still as perfect as the day they were bought.

And most of them are still in current production.

Allan Black · December 3rd, 2009, 02:27 PM

No secret that you guys are looking after them.

There's a huge difference between mics used by their owners and those used by non owners from mic lockers in TV stations, newsrooms and similar places.

Having said that, the mic room at Abbey Road has mics available for their regular studio use, from the 1930s.

Cheers.

Ty Ford · December 3rd, 2009, 02:38 PM

Alan,

You speak the truth. I get gigs from Maryland Public TV and generally find their audio gear pretty beat up. Of course I'm not sure how old it really is. I think they still believe a C battery is used to power the grid on vacuum tubes. :)

Regards,

Ty Ford

Chuck Fadely · December 4th, 2009, 03:41 PM

I got my $1 (Australian) Rode blimp yesterday. Thanks Guy! Great deal and great service. Unlike every other manufacturer's rebate deal I've ever experienced, Rode shipped the blimp right away from a web form; no waiting, no mail-in forms involved.

I love that the blimp comes with it's own dead wombat brush - check both ends of the box for bits packed in the styrofoam.

My first impression is that the blimp is the size of the Hindenberg and that at the end of the 10' Ktek boom it weighs as much as a freight train. I'll have to hire a weight lifter as a sound guy... I haven't used the blimp yet but the quality is fine.

Oh, the mic - just playing with it so far but it sounds way different than the ME66 I've been using. It feels like a quality piece of equipment and the heavy-duty aluminum case that comes with it can be used to beat back one of those Transformers robots if they ever attack you. The NTG3 is the opposite of the ME66 - warm and timbre-ful instead of bright and brittle. I like it.

Andrew Smith · December 5th, 2009, 09:08 AM

I haven't received mine yet, but I'm personally looking forward to adding a couple of eyes and a tongue to the front end of my "dead wombat". Anyone I interview is bound to either be put at ease, or crack up laughing at this thing on the end of a stick, or think I'm an idiot.

That's the funny kinda guy I am. :-)

Andrew

Chad Johnson · December 5th, 2009, 03:08 PM

Does anyone have a mic stand solution for the blimp?

I need something that can screw onto a mic stand (as a typical mic holder does) that has a screw that fits the handle on the blimp. This would allow me to do a one-man-band style shoot of talent talking outside, avoiding sennheiser wireless, and leaving my hands free to run the camera.

I got the mic and love it! I am suprised how well it does indoors. I mounted it on my EX1 for Thanks Giving home movies, and the sound had little coloration from reflections. Quite directional, as you could hardly hear my smart assed comments as I wandered around. I have not done a side by side, but I think it may even do better indoors than my NT3 hyper.

I have not used the blimp yet, and the boom pole is due on monday. I feel great about this purchase as I got 525.00 worth of stuff for free for buying the NTG-3.

Allan Black · December 5th, 2009, 04:18 PM

Chad, the RODE Blimp pistol grip handle has a 3/8" screw hole in the bottom so you can mount it on a standard stage mic stand.

Ideal for solo op work, add weights at the base of the stand to keep it stable.

Cheers.

Chad Johnson · December 5th, 2009, 05:28 PM

Hey Allan. I am a professional musician, with many mic stands, and they are all 1/2". My boom pole has a 3/8" screw you can use while booming, but no stock mic stand has this little screw that I know of. Even the mic clip that came with the NTG-3 has a 1/2" threaded female to take a standard mic stand.

So I'm looking for a 1/2" female to a 3/8" male I guess. Alan do you have a link to a mic stand with 3/8" male on the end?

Allan Black · December 5th, 2009, 05:50 PM

Try these Chad, shop locally save freight :) Ronstronics 2451 Buhne St Eureka, CA 95501-3206 (707) 445-1810

Northcoast Audio | Custom Audio Video - Home Theater Installers | Eureka, CA

Welcome to Sound Advice Eureka - Northern California's Home Theater Specialists

or good 'ole BnH.

K&M | 21800N Threaded Adapter | 21800-000-01 | B&H Photo Video

Cheers.

Chad Johnson · December 5th, 2009, 07:08 PM

Thanks Alan. I actually just got back from a local music store. They didn't have one, but they ordered one for me. And I picked up a tenor Ukulele too! I have to be careful going into music stores....

John Willett · December 6th, 2009, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad Johnson

Hey Allan. I am a professional musician, with many mic stands, and they are all 1/2". My boom pole has a 3/8" screw you can use while booming, but no stock mic stand has this little screw that I know of. Even the mic clip that came with the NTG-3 has a 1/2" threaded female to take a standard mic stand.

So I'm looking for a 1/2" female to a 3/8" male I guess. Alan do you have a link to a mic stand with 3/8" male on the end?

1/2" threads are very rare and were mostly used by Neumann.

The are also used on large stands (EG: K&M) where long heavy booms are mounted.

The standard for mic threads is 3/8" Whitworth thread (except in the USA where they use a 5/8" thread with fine threads).

Ty Ford · December 6th, 2009, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad Johnson

Hey Allan. I am a professional musician, with many mic stands, and they are all 1/2". My boom pole has a 3/8" screw you can use while booming, but no stock mic stand has this little screw that I know of. Even the mic clip that came with the NTG-3 has a 1/2" threaded female to take a standard mic stand.

So I'm looking for a 1/2" female to a 3/8" male I guess. Alan do you have a link to a mic stand with 3/8" male on the end?

Chad,

3/8", really? Not 5/8"?

Which ones?

Regards,

Ty Ford

Chad Johnson · December 6th, 2009, 02:09 PM

Actually Ty I think it's 5/8 for the mic stand, and 3/8 for the boom screw. Right?

{{{{UPDATE}}}}}} Maybe it's more like this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=232831&is=REG

Allan Black · December 6th, 2009, 07:43 PM

Chad, as mentioned I don't think your mic stands are 1/2" .. if you bought them locally they're 5/8" The Blimp handle is 3/8" so you need this little jigger.

AKG | 3/8" Male to 5/8" Female Thread | KM216BLACK

Cheers.

Chad Johnson · December 6th, 2009, 08:59 PM

Thanks Alan. That looks like the ticket.

December 3rd, 2009, 02:27 PM	#32
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,928	No secret that you guys are looking after them. There's a huge difference between mics used by their owners and those used by non owners from mic lockers in TV stations, newsrooms and similar places. Having said that, the mic room at Abbey Road has mics available for their regular studio use, from the 1930s. Cheers. __________________ Drink more tap water. On admission at Sydney hospitals more than 5% of day patients are de-hydrated.

December 3rd, 2009, 02:38 PM	#33
Ty Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 2,337	Alan, You speak the truth. I get gigs from Maryland Public TV and generally find their audio gear pretty beat up. Of course I'm not sure how old it really is. I think they still believe a C battery is used to power the grid on vacuum tubes. :) Regards, Ty Ford __________________ Ty Ford's Audio Bootcamp Field Guide Ty Ford's Audio Video Blog

December 5th, 2009, 03:08 PM	#36
Chad Johnson Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Arcata, Ca Posts: 750	Does anyone have a mic stand solution for the blimp? I need something that can screw onto a mic stand (as a typical mic holder does) that has a screw that fits the handle on the blimp. This would allow me to do a one-man-band style shoot of talent talking outside, avoiding sennheiser wireless, and leaving my hands free to run the camera. I got the mic and love it! I am suprised how well it does indoors. I mounted it on my EX1 for Thanks Giving home movies, and the sound had little coloration from reflections. Quite directional, as you could hardly hear my smart assed comments as I wandered around. I have not done a side by side, but I think it may even do better indoors than my NT3 hyper. I have not used the blimp yet, and the boom pole is due on monday. I feel great about this purchase as I got 525.00 worth of stuff for free for buying the NTG-3. __________________ My Work: http://www.youtube.com/ChadWork1 Sony FS5 :: Panasonic GH4 :: Sony PMW-EX1 :: FCPx :: AT4053b :: Rode NTG-3,

December 5th, 2009, 04:18 PM	#37
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,928	Chad, the RODE Blimp pistol grip handle has a 3/8" screw hole in the bottom so you can mount it on a standard stage mic stand. Ideal for solo op work, add weights at the base of the stand to keep it stable. Cheers. __________________ Drink more tap water. On admission at Sydney hospitals more than 5% of day patients are de-hydrated.

December 5th, 2009, 05:28 PM	#38
Chad Johnson Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Arcata, Ca Posts: 750	Hey Allan. I am a professional musician, with many mic stands, and they are all 1/2". My boom pole has a 3/8" screw you can use while booming, but no stock mic stand has this little screw that I know of. Even the mic clip that came with the NTG-3 has a 1/2" threaded female to take a standard mic stand. So I'm looking for a 1/2" female to a 3/8" male I guess. Alan do you have a link to a mic stand with 3/8" male on the end? __________________ My Work: http://www.youtube.com/ChadWork1 Sony FS5 :: Panasonic GH4 :: Sony PMW-EX1 :: FCPx :: AT4053b :: Rode NTG-3,

December 4th, 2009, 03:41 PM	#34
Chuck Fadely Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: United States Posts: 306	I got my $1 (Australian) Rode blimp yesterday. Thanks Guy! Great deal and great service. Unlike every other manufacturer's rebate deal I've ever experienced, Rode shipped the blimp right away from a web form; no waiting, no mail-in forms involved. I love that the blimp comes with it's own dead wombat brush - check both ends of the box for bits packed in the styrofoam. My first impression is that the blimp is the size of the Hindenberg and that at the end of the 10' Ktek boom it weighs as much as a freight train. I'll have to hire a weight lifter as a sound guy... I haven't used the blimp yet but the quality is fine. Oh, the mic - just playing with it so far but it sounds way different than the ME66 I've been using. It feels like a quality piece of equipment and the heavy-duty aluminum case that comes with it can be used to beat back one of those Transformers robots if they ever attack you. The NTG3 is the opposite of the ME66 - warm and timbre-ful instead of bright and brittle. I like it.

December 5th, 2009, 09:08 AM	#35
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,065	I haven't received mine yet, but I'm personally looking forward to adding a couple of eyes and a tongue to the front end of my "dead wombat". Anyone I interview is bound to either be put at ease, or crack up laughing at this thing on the end of a stick, or think I'm an idiot. That's the funny kinda guy I am. :-) Andrew

December 5th, 2009, 05:50 PM	#39
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,928	Try these Chad, shop locally save freight :) Ronstronics 2451 Buhne St Eureka, CA 95501-3206 (707) 445-1810 Northcoast Audio \| Custom Audio Video - Home Theater Installers \| Eureka, CA Welcome to Sound Advice Eureka - Northern California's Home Theater Specialists or good 'ole BnH. K&M \| 21800N Threaded Adapter \| 21800-000-01 \| B&H Photo Video Cheers. __________________ Drink more tap water. On admission at Sydney hospitals more than 5% of day patients are de-hydrated.

December 5th, 2009, 07:08 PM	#40
Chad Johnson Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Arcata, Ca Posts: 750	Thanks Alan. I actually just got back from a local music store. They didn't have one, but they ordered one for me. And I picked up a tenor Ukulele too! I have to be careful going into music stores.... __________________ My Work: http://www.youtube.com/ChadWork1 Sony FS5 :: Panasonic GH4 :: Sony PMW-EX1 :: FCPx :: AT4053b :: Rode NTG-3,

December 6th, 2009, 02:09 PM	#43
Chad Johnson Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Arcata, Ca Posts: 750	Actually Ty I think it's 5/8 for the mic stand, and 3/8 for the boom screw. Right? {{{{UPDATE}}}}}} Maybe it's more like this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=232831&is=REG __________________ My Work: http://www.youtube.com/ChadWork1 Sony FS5 :: Panasonic GH4 :: Sony PMW-EX1 :: FCPx :: AT4053b :: Rode NTG-3,

December 6th, 2009, 07:43 PM	#44
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,928	Chad, as mentioned I don't think your mic stands are 1/2" .. if you bought them locally they're 5/8" The Blimp handle is 3/8" so you need this little jigger. AKG \| 3/8" Male to 5/8" Female Thread \| KM216BLACK Cheers. __________________ Drink more tap water. On admission at Sydney hospitals more than 5% of day patients are de-hydrated.

December 6th, 2009, 08:59 PM	#45
Chad Johnson Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Arcata, Ca Posts: 750	Thanks Alan. That looks like the ticket. __________________ My Work: http://www.youtube.com/ChadWork1 Sony FS5 :: Panasonic GH4 :: Sony PMW-EX1 :: FCPx :: AT4053b :: Rode NTG-3,