Amazing mic for outdoors at DVinfo.net

Dave Largent · August 18th, 2005, 01:30 AM

Talking here about the Audio Technica 4073a. I mostly
had used it indoors with unsatisfactory results
90%+ of the time due to a hollow sound.
Been using it outdoors lately and, wow, things
that are 20 feet away come through like they are
5 feet away! This mic has an on-mic presence
at a distance unlike any other mic I've worked
with. Must be the combination of sensitivity plus
narrow angle of focus plus the tone of the mic.
Anyone else notice this about the AT4073a?

Dave Perry · August 18th, 2005, 05:52 AM

We use one indoors and I love the sound it has fot indoor use. Outdoors it is fantastic as well. I like the compressed sound it has. I don't know if there is some sort of limiter or compression circuit built into it but it has a nice smooth but hot sound.

Matt Gettemeier · August 18th, 2005, 07:52 AM

Dave, I always noticed that too... That's my top pick as best bang for the buck shotgun... and probably overall bang for the buck mic!

There's plenty of people who don't share my opinion on this part, but I even think the 4073a compares very well with the 416.

While the 416 is smoother, warmer, has more rear rejection, and a little tighter pattern out front... the 4073a is still great in those areas and it's crazy sensitive. Kinda' makes you want to pop on some 'phones and go exploring your audible environment doesn't it?

Some days I have my mic and 'phones with me in the car 'cause I never know when I'll come across a tree packed full of birds or a cool machine working on an otherwise quiet construction site. When you have a mic like that the world is FULL of incredible sound effects.

Dave Largent · August 19th, 2005, 03:51 AM

Yeah, I'd really like to try/have a 416 some day.
The couple samples of them I've heard sound
pretty good. I think I've heard that the 416 does
better indoors than what most shotguns do, so far
as not getting that hollow sound that most
shotguns are prone to. Anyone else heard this about
the 416? (Ty has an example of the 416 in that
instructional video he just mentioned.)
One thing I've found about using the 4073 outdoors
for run and gun is that, when I've had it in AGC
(i.e. auto gain control), it is very easy to get
distorted/clipping audio for spoken word. My thoughts
to get around this is either to set a couple different
manual levels and pick which gives the better
results, or use an attenuator.
And what you mentioned about exploring the world
with a mic and headset on, wish I had more
opportunity to do that -- see the world in a new
way.
Someone had some clips up somewhere of a swamp
at night where you really hear all the frogs, bugs, etc.
Maybe that was your site?

Ty Ford · August 21st, 2005, 06:14 AM

Now stop it guys!!! :)

NO SHOTGUNS INSIDE, ONLY HYPER CARDIOIDS!!

Yes the 4073 is cool, but if you side by side a 4073 and 416, you'll hear the difference.

Ty Ford

Dave Largent · August 21st, 2005, 02:52 PM

Ty, from your instructional video it seems like you
were saying that the hypers are more directional than
shotguns in the lower frequencies. Did I understand this
correctly? And so it must be that the shotguns are
more directional than the hypers in the upper frequencies?

Ty Ford · August 24th, 2005, 08:44 AM

Hello from sunny Halifax, NS.

The answers are Yes, then No.

Shotguns have reach that hyper don't have. That's the main tradeoff.

Ty Ford

August 18th, 2005, 01:30 AM	#1
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	Amazing mic for outdoors Talking here about the Audio Technica 4073a. I mostly had used it indoors with unsatisfactory results 90%+ of the time due to a hollow sound. Been using it outdoors lately and, wow, things that are 20 feet away come through like they are 5 feet away! This mic has an on-mic presence at a distance unlike any other mic I've worked with. Must be the combination of sensitivity plus narrow angle of focus plus the tone of the mic. Anyone else notice this about the AT4073a?

August 18th, 2005, 05:52 AM	#2
Dave Perry Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Roanoke, VA Posts: 796	We use one indoors and I love the sound it has fot indoor use. Outdoors it is fantastic as well. I like the compressed sound it has. I don't know if there is some sort of limiter or compression circuit built into it but it has a nice smooth but hot sound. __________________ Dave Perry Cinematographer LLC Director of Photography • Editor • Digital Film Production • 540.915.2752 • daveperry.net

August 21st, 2005, 06:14 AM	#5
Ty Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 2,337	Now stop it guys!!! :) NO SHOTGUNS INSIDE, ONLY HYPER CARDIOIDS!! Yes the 4073 is cool, but if you side by side a 4073 and 416, you'll hear the difference. Ty Ford __________________ Ty Ford's Audio Bootcamp Field Guide Ty Ford's Audio Video Blog

August 24th, 2005, 08:44 AM	#7
Ty Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 2,337	Hello from sunny Halifax, NS. The answers are Yes, then No. Shotguns have reach that hyper don't have. That's the main tradeoff. Ty Ford __________________ Ty Ford's Audio Bootcamp Field Guide Ty Ford's Audio Video Blog

August 18th, 2005, 07:52 AM	#3
Matt Gettemeier Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: St. Louis, Missouri Posts: 936	Dave, I always noticed that too... That's my top pick as best bang for the buck shotgun... and probably overall bang for the buck mic! There's plenty of people who don't share my opinion on this part, but I even think the 4073a compares very well with the 416. While the 416 is smoother, warmer, has more rear rejection, and a little tighter pattern out front... the 4073a is still great in those areas and it's crazy sensitive. Kinda' makes you want to pop on some 'phones and go exploring your audible environment doesn't it? Some days I have my mic and 'phones with me in the car 'cause I never know when I'll come across a tree packed full of birds or a cool machine working on an otherwise quiet construction site. When you have a mic like that the world is FULL of incredible sound effects.

August 19th, 2005, 03:51 AM	#4
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	Yeah, I'd really like to try/have a 416 some day. The couple samples of them I've heard sound pretty good. I think I've heard that the 416 does better indoors than what most shotguns do, so far as not getting that hollow sound that most shotguns are prone to. Anyone else heard this about the 416? (Ty has an example of the 416 in that instructional video he just mentioned.) One thing I've found about using the 4073 outdoors for run and gun is that, when I've had it in AGC (i.e. auto gain control), it is very easy to get distorted/clipping audio for spoken word. My thoughts to get around this is either to set a couple different manual levels and pick which gives the better results, or use an attenuator. And what you mentioned about exploring the world with a mic and headset on, wish I had more opportunity to do that -- see the world in a new way. Someone had some clips up somewhere of a swamp at night where you really hear all the frogs, bugs, etc. Maybe that was your site?

August 21st, 2005, 02:52 PM	#6
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	Ty, from your instructional video it seems like you were saying that the hypers are more directional than shotguns in the lower frequencies. Did I understand this correctly? And so it must be that the shotguns are more directional than the hypers in the upper frequencies?