Microphone recommendation for spoken word recordings.

fretmeister

What's good for this purpose?

The room isn't particularly quiet and there is no way to get the PC further away so it needs to be something that doesn't pick up a lot from behind. I've got a Rode Condenser that is a great mic but for quieter stuff like spoken word it's just too damn sensitive.

Any ideas?

Danny1969

Shure SM7 is a good allrounder for that .. bit if an investment though. There may be cheaper clones available 

Winny_Pooh

Most decent dynamic mics will pick up less room noise. Depends on budget. EV nd76 or Audix om5 would do. At upper budgets an RE-20 or RE-320 would be more pro choices.

McSwaggerty

I use an Aston Stealth Microphone. I find it a good broadcast Mic,  and it has 4 switchable voices.

DuploLicks

Have you a preference to USB or XLR?

I’ve got the Akg Lyra which is USB and quite useful for a number of functions without all the XLR overhead

Do you use a mic baffle or maybe look at temporary damping with blankets while your recording if your really stuck for space?

fretmeister

DuploLicks said:

Have you a preference to USB or XLR?

I’ve got the Akg Lyra which is USB and quite useful for a number of functions without all the XLR overhead

Do you use a mic baffle or maybe look at temporary damping with blankets while your recording if your really stuck for space?

xlr ideally.

No room for baffles etc. need to have my desk fully functional with nothing in the way.

fretmeister

Anyone tried the Shute MV7 that is both usb and xlr? 

octatonic

SM7 is inexplicably popular, I don't like it for VO though.
It always seems to need more EQ than I would like.
When I am on the Production Expert podcast I record with a Beyer M201 (into an API 512v, no EQ or compression to disk) and I believe I am not the only one on the team who does.

Aston Stealth is a good shout too.
Or the Rode Procaster.

I have both but I always return to the M201.
I also like that it takes up hardly any room on the desk and doesn't obscure me being able to read my screen when podcasting.

maltingsaudio

One from outside the box I would suggest Trying a Sennheiser E906 , and you’d probably find a dear old SM58 would work well. You could also try turning down the input gain on your mic, sitting closer and talking louder!

Stuckfast

Yeah I'm not sure why the SM7 has become an industry standard for podcasting. Nothing wrong with it exactly, but it's quite expensive for what you get. Ditto the RE20.

The Beyer M201 is cheaper and smaller and sounds good, but it's hypercardioid so has a LOT of proximity effect. Could be too boomy on some voices without EQ. 

Macca_25387

It does isolate really well to be fair. So it’s great for non treated environments. 

Stuckfast

Macca_25387 said:

It does isolate really well to be fair. So it’s great for non treated environments. 

That's mainly a function of the fact that it's designed to be used very close up. You can take pretty much any other directional dynamic mic and stick a heavy-duty windshield on it and it'll isolate just as well if used at the same distance.

stickyfiddle

I have a Beyer M88 which is fantastic. Similar vibe to an SM58 but works much better for my voice. Great on drums too, apparently, though I haven't tried that myself

Stuckfast

Yes the M88 is a brilliant mic. Excellent on kick drum.

Legionreturns

Another vote for the Aston Stealth. I've used mine for loads of things and it handles them all with ease.

fretmeister

Legionreturns said:

Another vote for the Aston Stealth. I've used mine for loads of things and it handles them all with ease.

I wasn't aware of those.

Great idea having the internal amp that doesn't have to be used. Might be just the thing.

Adamski

Lewitt LCT440 Pure. 

Best value mic under £500 IMO - very low noise, almost nothing from the back, especially on the supplied shock mount. 

I have access to two vintage Neumann U87s and side by side, there’s not much in it at all, especially considering the gulf in price!