Microphone

[WDAN]

I did a search for "Microphone" to see what would come up and did not see a topic that really answered my question. Just interested in what type microphones some of you were using to DJ with. In particular I have a hard time getting people to hold the mic up to their mouth so they can be heard. For some reason they want to hold it down around their waist or way under their chin and it is a pain trying to control the volume. Are some mics better than others so it would not matter how they hold it?

[Dr.J]

A condenser style microphone is better at picking up distant sounds and may work better, but must have the proper mixing console as the mic requires power when wired, wireless already have the battery power. But, they are usually more susceptible to handling noise, so your mileage may vary.
Shure SM86, Beta87

Alternately, a super-cardioid mic may do an okay job, allowing you to raise the gains further without feedback - unless the mic is held facing a speaker (not unheard of in the wedding industry
Shure Beta58A

I would definitely recommend renting a few mics and trying them in different situations to find what works best for you.

[Ed]

Dynamic Electro-Voice RE 20, professional broadcast microphone, superior quality, average US price $400

[milky]

This question is a bit like the one about "how long is a piece of string". In short, there are studio mics and stage mics. Each will work in the opposite environment, but many studio mics are built to specialise in picking up certain frequencies (for violin, cello acoustic guitar or the spoken voice, for instance).
A stage mic usually is built for the full audio spectrum, although there are some which match voice better than instruments, and are usually used by the lead singer. Most stage mics are designed to only be sensitive when held very close to the mouth. This is intentional, because the sound mixer does not want the other instruments feeding through the same mic, to give him more control over the end mix, and to avoid feedback. Microphones like the very popular SM58 and its clones. This has a "sweet spot" about a half inch from the grille. Any further away, and the sensitivity (and frequency response) drops off rapidly. Many novices don't understand this and tend to hold the mic further out so something which is a bit more forgiving should be looked at. Again, bear in mind that, if it can still pick up their voice at a distance, it will also be able to pick up your sound system, and possibly comments from the audience and other extraneous audio you really don't want to re-amplify.

Even in the radio studio, there are certain mics for certain tasks. Typically, a single presenter could work well with a Behringer B1 or R0de NT1 or the Sennheiser Professional series. These give him the freedom to sit back a bit from the mic and allow him to cue records, tapes, CDs etc without actually having to face directly into the microphone. An SM58 would work, and would have the advantage of ignoring a lot of background noise, but the presenter would have to sit right over the mic. If you wanted an "open panel" type of program where there may be a group of people sitting around a desk, a B2 or NT2 would be a better choice because they have two opposing elements to pick up the sound in almost 360 degrees. Note, these types of mic require a special "phantom" power source, so this has to be supplied from the mixer or a special transformer.

The over-riding factor comes down to cost. "Roadie" mics tend to get dropped and mistreated badly, so outlaying hundreds of dollars on a mic that may ultimately be trashed by revellers is usually not an option. It may be better to educate your patrons on correct mic technique than to try to wade through the mire of choices available in the market place.

[Dj Buik]

great piece of information, Milky.
Hell, i think you could write a novell about studio equipment 

[clover-leaf-productions]

Our friend Milky is so smart, and has been published so many times, on so many subjects, we could open a Milky Library!

[Ed]

Yes, milky is not the average Joe, he always takes things a step furthur...he knows his stuff!

[milky]

Thank you guys. I am by no means an expert in all areas. Ask a question about beatmixing, or MIDI programming, or lighting controllers and I go very quiet. Fortunately, we have such a great team, we can all contribute in different ways to plug any gaps in our collective knowledge.

[Jumpin' Jeff]

Fortunately, we have such a great team, we can all contribute in different ways to plug any gaps in our collective knowledge.

Absolutely!
Kudos to them all!

[Darryl]

I concur - there's plenty of knowledge of Ots products on this forum.  I don't check as frequently as I used to so often I find someone has beaten me to it.  Also, we work in different environments so experience of one doesn't necessarily mean we understand the others - so I think we give fairly balanced advice on here.

[markebenson]

SURE SM 58               FOR DJ

FOR STUDIO - EV RE 20      (CLEAR CHANNEL/iHEART STILL HAS THESE IN 3/4 OF THEIR STUDIOS!)

[Tim Gainer]

Sorry if I'm chiming in late...been gone for a while.

markebenson hit the nail on the head; for live/remote/public happenings, the Shure SM58 is the way to go...



I've been using them for over 30 years and they've never let me down; a real workhorse. In fact, I know of some studios that will use these for their main mics as well.

The nice part about these mics (along with their sound and durability) is the price. The SM58 you can grab for about $100USD.

As to your main question, though...is there a 'magic bullet' to hear folks better or get them to stop pointing the mic at their feet? No. The Shure will help a little...but it's always best to keep your finger on the fader.

REMEMBER: This is being done by a professional. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS AT HOME.

[Lane]

One advantage of an sm58 that *every* engineer in *every* recording studio or live gig knows *exactly* what they sound like and what do with them. You will never go wrong walking in with one.

Going to mention a new mic I purchased to try out. It's a 'low end' large diameter dynamic broadcast mic in the re20/sm7b space. This is a Canadian company, which has resulted in it being easy for me to get and cheaper than US folks can get it. I paid $170 Canadian for it, where the other two mics I just mentioned at in the 450 price range locally.  I've seen the D7 in the US Amazon store for $270.

http://artproaudio.com/microphones/product/d7/



ART is a brand you could consider low end, but when it comes to microphones, I find you can't judge them based on the mixers a company might also make. I've been very happy with low end behringer mics for example, whereas I don't recommend the behringer mixers. I bought one of these D7's, mostly to try out. At much less than half the usual price for this type of mic, I couldn't resist. At some point, I'll do some comparison recordings against an sm7b which I also own and will post a link here once I do that.

[Tim Gainer]

At some point, I'll do some comparison recordings against an sm7b which I also own and will post a link here once I do that.

Oh, yeah - y'know, I keep forgetting about the SM7B...that's a real studio workhorse as well. I've only used those a few times but they are great to the ear.

As for the ART, you've got me intriguied. I notice the Traynor is under their umbrella; I had a Traynor guitar amp several years ago and absolutely loved it. Definitely keep us posted on that one! For that price, I'd check things out if it's worth it

[clover-leaf-productions]

You can not go wrong with one of these.