Rode NT3 suitable for a beginner?

[Chris Hocking]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

Art & science. Do you really think the pros would buy expensive gear if they could get good sound with crap?

Point Taken. Thanks!

[Ty Ford]

I don't run the mic cable unbalanced. I run down my balanced the output snake from the mixer and, at the end, I convert down to an XLR to mini TRS and plug in to the camera. My snakes are 15 and 20 feet long. No problems.

Regards,

Ty Ford

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

I don't run the mic cable unbalanced. I run down my balanced the output snake from the mixer and, at the end, I convert down to an XLR to mini TRS and plug in to the camera. My snakes are 15 and 20 feet long. No problems.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Are you sending mic level or line level from the mixer to the camera?

[Ty Ford]

Depends on the camera. The XL2 likes mic level.

Regards,

Ty Ford

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

Depends on the camera. The XL2 likes mic level.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Doesn't the XLR to TRS adapter cable at the end unbalance the entire cable? Sounds like the rumors of the dangers of noise pickup in an unbalanced cable over a few feet long are somewhat over-rated <grin>.

I'm curious. With the XL2 why use the mini TRS mic input at all when you've got those balanced XLR inputs at your disposal?

[Ty Ford]

Originally Posted by Steve House

Doesn't the XLR to TRS adapter cable at the end unbalance the entire cable? Sounds like the rumors of the dangers of noise pickup in an unbalanced cable over a few feet long are somewhat over-rated <grin>.

I'm curious. With the XL2 why use the mini TRS mic input at all when you've got those balanced XLR inputs at your disposal?

-- It's balanced until it isn't. The output of the mixer is balanced. The cable is balanced.

I don't like running unbalanced lines from unbalanced outputs.

I don't use the min TRS with the XL2. I use the XLR input at mic level.

Ty Ford

[Jon Fairhurst]

Originally Posted by Douglas Royds

It certainly appears to be good value, but I'm thinking that on my very limited funds, a hypercardioid would be more versatile - on the boom indoors, or on a stand for voice-over, ADR, or foley. I'm aware that a hyper won't be as good as a shotgun outdoors.

The NT3 still looks promising as a versatile mic, if somewhat heavy on the boom.

Without doubling the money (or more), am I on the right track here?

As long as you're looking at doing more indoor/VO/ADR work than outdoor work, getting a hypercardiod first makes the most sense. If you were looking at primarily outdoor work where you want more off-axis noise rejection, a shotgun would be the better choice.

And if funds are tight, and the NT3 is priced well and in good condition, you can't lose. Rode makes a nice mic. If you like it, you can save up for a LAV or shotgun to eventually broaden your range. If you hate it, there's always ebay...

Also, there's nothing like trying a mic out before buying. That's *really* true for a vocal mic, though not quite as critical for a general purpose video mic. It sounds like this mic is owned by a friend or acquaintance. If so, give it a test drive. If it sounds good to you, buy it. If it's no better than the on-camera mic, skip it.

As an example, we use an AT815B shotgun. I bought a pair of cheap Studio Projects small diaphragm condensers for my daughter to record with. I A/B'd the two and found that the noise and distortion of the Studio Projects mic were so bad, that the shotgun was way better - even indoors. To be honest, I didn't expect the indoors result.

Trust your ears, if you can.

[Ty Ford]

I keep saying this mostly on recording forums. This is what you get when you buy chinese import mics. There are minor variations because as an importer you can stipulate some different parts. Still, I have yet to hear a chinese knock-off that rivals the sound of a top shelf mic and I've been reviewing mics professionally for trade magazines since 1986.

There are companies in the US (and probably elsewhere) that import most of the mic from China, and then attempt to clean it up by adding their own custom parts to complete the mic. I have yet to hear one of these that sounds as good as a Neumann, Schoeps, 4000 series Audio Technica or upper end Sennheiser or AKG.

AKG sells the Perception line of condenser mics. Audio Technica the AT2020 series. Both are made in China. Both are OK, but they are both made to meet the chinese knock-off price point. The AT mics are QCd in China, then in Japan at Audio Technica, then a third time at AT US before they hit the stores.

Can AT, Sennheiser, AKG (or any mic maker) make a mic that sells for $99 that sounds as good as one they sells for $1500? I don't think so. There are parts costs, attention to tolerance details and manufacturing costs that come into play. There is a big difference in cost and sound quality between the Sennheiser ME66 and MKH 416. These mics have been around since way before the invasion of Chinese knock-offs.

The Chinese have been good at reverse engineering mics, but they have yet to get a mic that sounds as good as a top shelf mic. What are they missing? A great mic is more than the sum of its parts. It's about the knowledge of how a piece is put together and what secrets lie in that process.

It's suprisingly easy. When you can't afford steak, you buy hamburger. You can spice it up, but it's still hamburger. Sennheiser and Audio Technica expanded their lines to include hamburger and steak. So far, Neumann and Schoeps have not.


Regards,

Ty Ford

PS. I bought a nice cowboy belt at Cow Town Boots, across from the Las Vegas Convention Center when I was at NAB year before last. (I had bought boots from their Tucson store a few years back.) I took the first one back two days after I bought it because the leather had failed. The replacement I got is now failing in two places. Both were made in China. Thinking with our wallets is easy, but not always good for us.