AT835b VS AT897 at DVinfo.net

Richard Zlamany · August 14th, 2006, 11:22 AM

Hello, are there any sound difference or application differences between these two mics?

The at835b transducer is a Fixed-Charged, Back Plate, Permanently Polarized Condenser with a frequency response of 40 hz - 20 khz

and the

at897 transducer is a condensor with a frequency response of 20 hz - 20 khz

Is that the same thing? Does it make a sound difference?

Is one mic more sensitive?

The at835b is about 4 inches longer?

I shoot weddings with a pd170 and I am using the at835b. It looks funny because of its size but sounds great. Would the at897 be a better mic for this application or should I stick with the at835b?

Don Donatello · August 14th, 2006, 11:46 AM

if i didn't have a mic and had the choice between those two i would choose the AT 897 .. the 835 is over 10 years old .. IMO the 897 is a improvement over it ... but i'm not so sure i would buy the 897 if i already owned a 835?
not so sure the slight improvement would be noticed with weddings ??
so would the 4 inches shorter help you move around better and is that worth the $$

if i had a 835 would step up to the 4073 but again not so sure a 4073 would be a big difference on weddings ???

Richard Zlamany · August 14th, 2006, 03:54 PM

Thanks for the help. I am borrowing the at835b with the option to buy.

As of right now the mic is so long that it blocks the light a bit. I compensate by pointing the mic up a bit.

The thing is I am satisfied with the of the at835b at the reception hall and don't know if the other mics can compete.

Bill Hamell · August 15th, 2006, 06:08 PM

Richard,

I am not to far away from you and have a AT897 if you would like to test drive it.

Bill

Richard Zlamany · August 15th, 2006, 06:13 PM

Thank you for the offer.

I would like to get together and compare the sound.

I'll email you to find out what time and where is good.

Bill Hamell · August 15th, 2006, 07:16 PM

Got it and I replied. :-)

Richard Zlamany · October 15th, 2006, 11:04 AM

Well, I've been using the at897 for weddings but I have one problem.

At receptions when I stand near the DJ's speakers and the music is pumping the sound I record is horrible. I use this mic with the pd170 and I have one ch set to AGC and the other set to manual in case there is clipping or the music is too loud for recording. Both channels sound bad even though the manual CH is set lower.

What could be causing this problem? IS the mic overloading? Or is it something else?

The stock mic never had this problem and neither did the at835b. It did not sound like this at the reception.

Is this sound useable? Can it be fixed in post?

I think if I had used the bass roll-off feature this audio may have sounded better? But I am not sure.

Here is an example.

Steve House · October 15th, 2006, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Zlam

Well, I've been using the at897 for weddings but I have one problem.

At receptions when I stand near the DJ's speakers and the music is pumping the sound I record is horrible. I use this mic with the pd170 and I have one ch set to AGC and the other set to manual in case there is clipping or the music is too loud for recording. Both channels sound bad even though the manual CH is set lower.

What could be causing this problem? IS the mic overloading? Or is it something else?

The stock mic never had this problem and neither did the at835b. It did not sound like this at the reception.

Is this sound useable? Can it be fixed in post?

I think if I had used the bass roll-off feature this audio may have sounded better? But I am not sure.

Here is an example.

Which direction were the speakers in relation to the long axis of the mic? Directly in front, off to the side, towards the rear?

Shotgun mics are selectively directional according to frequency - very directional in the mid and high frequencies, not so much in the lows. Sounds coming from the sides or the rear will be attentuated in the mid/high ranges but the lows will come though pretty near full strength. The result is a sound with a tonal balance all out of whack compared to the original. I'm just guessing but it sounds like that might be what's happening here. If you go to the A/T website and look at the polar patterns of the two mics you'll see that the 897 has a much larger low frequency rear lobe than does the 835b.

Richard Zlamany · October 16th, 2006, 02:08 PM

OK. Thanks for the reply.

I think you are right. The speakers were on the side of me. I was using the mic wrong for the job.

I'll try the at825 stereo mic for the next reception and see how it compares.

August 14th, 2006, 11:22 AM	#1
Richard Zlamany Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hamden CT Posts: 470	AT835b VS AT897 Hello, are there any sound difference or application differences between these two mics? The at835b transducer is a Fixed-Charged, Back Plate, Permanently Polarized Condenser with a frequency response of 40 hz - 20 khz and the at897 transducer is a condensor with a frequency response of 20 hz - 20 khz Is that the same thing? Does it make a sound difference? Is one mic more sensitive? The at835b is about 4 inches longer? I shoot weddings with a pd170 and I am using the at835b. It looks funny because of its size but sounds great. Would the at897 be a better mic for this application or should I stick with the at835b?

August 15th, 2006, 06:08 PM	#4
Bill Hamell Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mystic Ct. Posts: 477	Richard, I am not to far away from you and have a AT897 if you would like to test drive it. Bill __________________ Cinematographers Bring Shadow To Light

August 15th, 2006, 07:16 PM	#6
Bill Hamell Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mystic Ct. Posts: 477	Got it and I replied. :-) __________________ Cinematographers Bring Shadow To Light

August 14th, 2006, 11:46 AM	#2
Don Donatello Hawaiian Shirt Mogul Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: northern cailfornia Posts: 1,261	if i didn't have a mic and had the choice between those two i would choose the AT 897 .. the 835 is over 10 years old .. IMO the 897 is a improvement over it ... but i'm not so sure i would buy the 897 if i already owned a 835? not so sure the slight improvement would be noticed with weddings ?? so would the 4 inches shorter help you move around better and is that worth the $$ if i had a 835 would step up to the 4073 but again not so sure a 4073 would be a big difference on weddings ???

August 14th, 2006, 03:54 PM	#3
Richard Zlamany Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hamden CT Posts: 470	Thanks for the help. I am borrowing the at835b with the option to buy. As of right now the mic is so long that it blocks the light a bit. I compensate by pointing the mic up a bit. The thing is I am satisfied with the of the at835b at the reception hall and don't know if the other mics can compete.

August 15th, 2006, 06:13 PM	#5
Richard Zlamany Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hamden CT Posts: 470	Thank you for the offer. I would like to get together and compare the sound. I'll email you to find out what time and where is good.

October 16th, 2006, 02:08 PM	#9
Richard Zlamany Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hamden CT Posts: 470	OK. Thanks for the reply. I think you are right. The speakers were on the side of me. I was using the mic wrong for the job. I'll try the at825 stereo mic for the next reception and see how it compares.