Microphone packaging and protection

Andrew Smith · January 17th, 2010, 07:51 AM

Fresh from making the most of the Rode microphone specials of late, I've still got the boxes that they came in. The question is ... should I retain them?

What do you guys do for your on-the-shelf microphone storage?

Andrew

Colin McDonald · January 17th, 2010, 08:24 AM

I keep my NT-1As in their original boxes because I don't carry them about unless I need to use them.

I use the pouch supplied with the NTG-2 to carry it in my camera bag.

The silica gel sachets are checked regularly and heated in the oven as per instructions and kept in the plastic bag at the business end of the mics.

I use the heavy duty plastic bags (the kind that have a flap with poppers) that supermarkets package kids clothes in for other stuff, including my Senny G2 Radiomic set. The receiver, transmitter mic and battery sets are all kept separately bubble wrapped inside the clear plastic bag which has lasted for over 2 years now, being carried almost daily.

Andrew Smith · January 17th, 2010, 10:07 AM

I've been thinking about retaining the box for the blimp just in case it turns out to be the best thing for in-transit protection (give or take some assembled PVC tubing).

Using the boxes definitely makes it harder to lose the mics in amongst all the other gear! :-P

Andrew

Dan Brockett · January 17th, 2010, 12:21 PM

The RØDE NTG-3 comes from RØDE with a a really slick aluminum tube that resembles the body of a large MagLight. Pretty much indestructible. So my advice is to just throw all of your mics in the trash and replace them with an NTG-3. ;-)

Assuming you won't dump all of your current mics, go to Home Depot/Lowes and buy some threaded lengths of ABS or PVC pipe a little larger than the diameter and length of your mic. Buy a couple of caps, one for each end. Glue a couple of pieces of foam to the inside of each cap. Basically indestructible, cheap and low key when traveling. I also built one of these for my carbon fiber Gitzo boompole as well, it has flow all over the world and has never been damaged. So easy and simple and works great.

Dan

Robert Turchick · January 17th, 2010, 12:51 PM

Having worked in recording studios, some with hundreds of mics, they always were kept in their original packaging or as much of it as possible. All the better mics had hard cases which made it a no brainer. For stuff like sm58/57's the "pleather" pouch was always used. All the studios had mic lockers which were really nothing more than a closet or cabinet with lots of shelves. Now that I have a few wireless setups, I basically made pouches for the mics and use socks for the transmitter/recievers and then fit nicely in a small tool briefcase I bough at Home Depot with the pull apart foam.

David Rogers · January 17th, 2010, 03:27 PM

I work mostly on location, so my microphones get moved around from location to location. Also space is important when traveling. I use mostly short hypercardiods with some longer shotguns. For the hypercardiods I have found the cases made to carry cigars in work very well. The ones I use are made by a couple of folks that used to work for Otterbox in 2007. Check them out at cigarcaddy.com Various online vendors have them for reasonable prices. They are very rugged and small. For the larger shotguns you might check out the "dry tubes" from Vark.

Regards
David Rogers

Mark Boyer · January 18th, 2010, 12:05 AM

I use a small Pelican case with foam inside. Any plastic box about the size of a phone book with a good latch works.

Marty Welk · January 18th, 2010, 12:32 AM

Box with foam cutouts, holds all the different mics and transmiters, heads, and mic types. manufactures supply some really nice boxes, but for transport, that stuff would take way to much space.
i gotta have foam, because i got tired of all the scratches and chips and stuff making the equiptment look like it had been through heck.
Not much sits on a shelf, if it was on a shelf it would still have to be accessed quickly, and not in double layered packaging.

i DO keep the original boxes, because for resale the next person might need them, but i also have the space for that , so it isnt an issue.

Brian David Melnyk · January 18th, 2010, 01:11 AM

i have used water-pipe insulating foam- perfect interior diameter, over 1/4 inch thick durable foam, space saving, CHEAP, and you can cut it to the perfect length.

Nathan Moody · January 27th, 2010, 10:47 AM

Pelican 1500 with the pick-n-pluck foam but with a large zippered pouch in the lid for holding miscellaneous flat stuff (commercially available from Pelican but I just use an Eagle Creek pouch and velcro). Reusable silica packs and adapters are also stored in said case. I keep my zeppelin and baby ball gag windscreens in a camera backpack when not in use (I use this backpack for carting the zepp and audio gear into the field anyway), with the fuzzy windscreens turned inside out for storage and to minimize shedding. Cables are wrapped on piggin straps and set on pegs on the inside of the gear closet door.

Someday maybe I'll have a DPA Windpac that will just collapse and fit inside the Pelican, too...

January 17th, 2010, 07:51 AM	#1
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,065	Microphone packaging and protection — what do you use? Fresh from making the most of the Rode microphone specials of late, I've still got the boxes that they came in. The question is ... should I retain them? What do you guys do for your on-the-shelf microphone storage? Andrew

January 17th, 2010, 12:51 PM	#5
Robert Turchick Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 1,389	Having worked in recording studios, some with hundreds of mics, they always were kept in their original packaging or as much of it as possible. All the better mics had hard cases which made it a no brainer. For stuff like sm58/57's the "pleather" pouch was always used. All the studios had mic lockers which were really nothing more than a closet or cabinet with lots of shelves. Now that I have a few wireless setups, I basically made pouches for the mics and use socks for the transmitter/recievers and then fit nicely in a small tool briefcase I bough at Home Depot with the pull apart foam. __________________ The older I get, the better I was!

January 18th, 2010, 12:32 AM	#8
Marty Welk Major Player Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: East Bay Cali Posts: 563	Box with foam cutouts, holds all the different mics and transmiters, heads, and mic types. manufactures supply some really nice boxes, but for transport, that stuff would take way to much space. i gotta have foam, because i got tired of all the scratches and chips and stuff making the equiptment look like it had been through heck. Not much sits on a shelf, if it was on a shelf it would still have to be accessed quickly, and not in double layered packaging. i DO keep the original boxes, because for resale the next person might need them, but i also have the space for that , so it isnt an issue. __________________ ----------------sig----------------- Re-learning everything all over again, one more time. Last edited by Marty Welk; January 18th, 2010 at 02:52 AM.

January 27th, 2010, 10:47 AM	#10
Nathan Moody Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: SF Bay Area, CA, USA Posts: 78	Pelican 1500 with the pick-n-pluck foam but with a large zippered pouch in the lid for holding miscellaneous flat stuff (commercially available from Pelican but I just use an Eagle Creek pouch and velcro). Reusable silica packs and adapters are also stored in said case. I keep my zeppelin and baby ball gag windscreens in a camera backpack when not in use (I use this backpack for carting the zepp and audio gear into the field anyway), with the fuzzy windscreens turned inside out for storage and to minimize shedding. Cables are wrapped on piggin straps and set on pegs on the inside of the gear closet door. Someday maybe I'll have a DPA Windpac that will just collapse and fit inside the Pelican, too... __________________ designer of media for eyes and ears sound design and field recording at http://www.noisejockey.net/blog

January 17th, 2010, 08:24 AM	#2
Colin McDonald Trustee Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 1,546	I keep my NT-1As in their original boxes because I don't carry them about unless I need to use them. I use the pouch supplied with the NTG-2 to carry it in my camera bag. The silica gel sachets are checked regularly and heated in the oven as per instructions and kept in the plastic bag at the business end of the mics. I use the heavy duty plastic bags (the kind that have a flap with poppers) that supermarkets package kids clothes in for other stuff, including my Senny G2 Radiomic set. The receiver, transmitter mic and battery sets are all kept separately bubble wrapped inside the clear plastic bag which has lasted for over 2 years now, being carried almost daily.

January 17th, 2010, 10:07 AM	#3
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,065	I've been thinking about retaining the box for the blimp just in case it turns out to be the best thing for in-transit protection (give or take some assembled PVC tubing). Using the boxes definitely makes it harder to lose the mics in amongst all the other gear! :-P Andrew

January 17th, 2010, 12:21 PM	#4
Dan Brockett Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 2,109	The RØDE NTG-3 comes from RØDE with a a really slick aluminum tube that resembles the body of a large MagLight. Pretty much indestructible. So my advice is to just throw all of your mics in the trash and replace them with an NTG-3. ;-) Assuming you won't dump all of your current mics, go to Home Depot/Lowes and buy some threaded lengths of ABS or PVC pipe a little larger than the diameter and length of your mic. Buy a couple of caps, one for each end. Glue a couple of pieces of foam to the inside of each cap. Basically indestructible, cheap and low key when traveling. I also built one of these for my carbon fiber Gitzo boompole as well, it has flow all over the world and has never been damaged. So easy and simple and works great. Dan

January 17th, 2010, 03:27 PM	#6
David Rogers Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Nashvegas, TN Posts: 79	I work mostly on location, so my microphones get moved around from location to location. Also space is important when traveling. I use mostly short hypercardiods with some longer shotguns. For the hypercardiods I have found the cases made to carry cigars in work very well. The ones I use are made by a couple of folks that used to work for Otterbox in 2007. Check them out at cigarcaddy.com Various online vendors have them for reasonable prices. They are very rugged and small. For the larger shotguns you might check out the "dry tubes" from Vark. Regards David Rogers

January 18th, 2010, 12:05 AM	#7
Mark Boyer Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Bothell Washington Posts: 174	I use a small Pelican case with foam inside. Any plastic box about the size of a phone book with a good latch works.

January 18th, 2010, 01:11 AM	#9
Brian David Melnyk Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg Canada Posts: 532	i have used water-pipe insulating foam- perfect interior diameter, over 1/4 inch thick durable foam, space saving, CHEAP, and you can cut it to the perfect length.