Am 28. Mar, 2020 schwätzte David Schwartz so:
moin moin David,
HA! You’re asking for a one-size-fits-all computer, OS, and programming
language!
Shell on debian on generic AMD box :).
But, yeah, I understand sound isn't as simple as those things are.
Thanks for the detailed answer. Reminded me of a lot of things and
definitely expanded my knowledge.
Mics are inherently very specialized pieces of equipment. You choose a mic to
fit your need. Anything even approxminating a one-size-fits-all solution is not
going to produce good results for a wide range of needs.
The only truly solid thing I can recommend is to look for a “unidirectional”
mic. That would be one with a “cardioid” or “hypercardioid” pickup pattern
rather than “omnidirectional”.
The mentioned samsung go has both and you can switch back and forth.
Simple for use with a laptop is also a win for family use.
Omnidirectional mics pick up everything in the room, and are the main source of
feedback you hear when people have their computer speakers on.
FWIW, most lapel mics (the ones that clip onto your shirt) are almost all
omni’s. They tend to be paired with transmitter packs that have ALC so they
don’t pickup a lot of room noise, just the loudest signal nearby.
Another general recommendation if you want to use it with a computer is that
you typically have two choices:
1) get a mic with a built-in A/D converter and a USB plug on it; or
2) get a mic with a common XLR (3-pin) connector on it and a decent mixer /
preamp / computer interface.
A mic with a USB connector on it will be mostly “plug-n-play” for most
situations and fairly universal. It’ll look like a sound card and USB port.
Last time I tried a standalone USB mic ( close to a decade ago ), it
didn't come up. I presume things have gotten better.
They typically come with a desk stand, or are designed to be mounted on a mic
stand or moveable arm.
There are generally two kinds of mics: dynamic and condenser. Actually, they’re ALL
dynamic, but some have a preamp built in, and they’re called “condenser” mics. So
you need "phantom power” to make them work, and you get it from a preamp or
mixer. (Some take batteries, but most use phantom power.)
Mics have different sensitivity levels and different abilities to handle high
Sound Pressure Levels (SPLs). You put mics that can handle high SPLs on drums
and brass instruments.
Electric guitars have pickups built-in and they put out line-level signals that
are much higher than typical mics. Keyboards also put out line-level signals.
Acoustic guitars and woodwinds would use mics that are good for vocals. They’d
also be good for podcasting, voiceovers, and Zoom-type meetings. Don’t use them
for drums or brass instruments or you’re likely to damage them.
I was worried that a vocal mic might not do a good job with the ranges
needed for the violin. Don't want a bunch of shrieking for the music
teacher, compression of what she's listening for or just dropping out
range.
The most popular all-purpose mics in the world are the Shure SM57 and SM58 (and
its little brother, the SM48). You’ll need a preamp to use them with your
computer. Shure also makes some nice USB mics with desk stands.
Just got to that portion of Ed's video and the first guy there also
recommends the SM58.
Many USB mics have a rather retro look to them.
A lot of people get these big (4”) round things on a gooseneck that are
suspended in front of the mic. I think they’re pretty silly unless you’re doing
professional-level sound. They’re used as “pop filters”. A foam windscreen that
goes over the mic is just as effective most of the time, and a lot cheaper.
In today's world a big dorky spit guard sounds like a great idea :). I
might get one for wearing when going to the store!
Mics designed to sit on your desk typically have foam inside the mic. An
external foam windscreen is good today because you can take it off and wash it.
You could consider a gaming headset; they’re going to have both a mic and
headphones, along with either a USB plug or two 1/8” connectors (pink and
green, for the mic and headphones). Headsets usually have omni mics on them,
which is OK since you’re listening through the headphones.
We used a headset today. I haven't yet heard back from the instructor
about how it sounded on her side.
I need something simple for family to use. That was the primary reason for
asking today.
For me a good headset is probably sufficient for everyhing I do today.
What I do tomorrow might change, which was the second prompt for the
email. That might also get me to check into a mixer for me.
I will be asking later about a more complex setup for a friend. She needs
to start video casting due to no longer being able to do face to face
stuff and can't just wait for everything to blow over.
She's got a small initial budget, so we'll probably just start with a mic.
Her background is radio and she'll eventually want to do more complex
stuff like she's used to in a studio. At that point we'll definitely have
to move to a more robust setup. She might even insist on that to begin
with. We'll see.
In any case, I'll be going over your points with her in the near future.
ciao,
der.hans
I prefer to listen through my computer speakers, and I use an AudioTechnica
PRO-8HEx head-mounted mic. It’s a unidirectional dynamic mic, so you need a
preamp or mixer with it. I use a Scarlett Solo. These head-mounted mics are
used by lots of radio and sports announcers who work in noisy environments, as
well as traffic reporters who report live from helicopters. If they can block
out chopper noise, you think they can block out your computer speakers and
prevent feedback? HECK YEAH! And dogs, kids, traffic noise outside, etc., all
of which are often picked up with cheap omni mics.
Omni mics have their purposes, for sure, but not for use in front of computers.
That’s one reason there’s not a one-size-fits-all mic unless you get one that
has a switch on it that lets you select the pickup pattern.
A few interfaces I can suggest are:
* Scarlett Solo or 2i2 — great quality, looks like a sound card to the system,
but they have their own Windows drivers. (Dunno about Linux.)
* Zoom LiveTrak L-8 — it’s a new device that’s designed for podcasting. It has
some really unique features, like the ability to plug in a TRRS plug from a
cell phone that bypasses the main mix (called mix-minus) to avoid feedback.
It’s for when you want to talk with someone on the phone during a podcast or to
record an interview. It’s a 12-track recorder, mixer, EFX, 4-channel headphone
splitter, and computer interface all in one spiffy box. Computer is optional.
* Presonus StudioLive AR8c — this is another new device that’s very similar to
the L-8 but instead of a TRRS plug it has Bluetooth 5.0 built-in. And no
headphone splitter.
As an aside on mixers today: There are something like three vendors who make
A/D and D/A chips that are used by virtually everybody who makes digital audio
equipment today. So the specs on most equipment are going to be nearly
identical. Which means companies are finally starting to have to innovate by
adding new and useful features to these devices without charging an
arm-and-a-leg for them. The features you find on these two mixers at the level
of sound quality they offer was unheardof 10 years ago. They are full digital
recording studios in a box with a bunch of EFX and other features you usually
wouldn’t find in typical mixers. And the EFX themselves are quite good quality.
So most people buy a MIXER that has a bundle of features they’d want or need
(even if it’s as simple as a Scarlett Solo or 2i2), and then get a couple of
basic mics to use with it. The nice thing is, mics are universal things, like
keyboards — they can plug into just about everything. So you don’t get “one to
beat all”. Rather, you get a mixer, and then add mics that you need when you
need them.
-David Schwartz
On Mar 27, 2020, at 4:41 PM, der.hans <pl...@lufthans.com> wrote:
moin moin,
With everyone else suddenly going online I need to finally improve some of
my versatility.
Any recommendations for microphones?
Needs:
* something that does well with voice, e.g. podcasts, presentations, meetings
* something that will work for an acoustic instrument
* works with laptops and desktops
* can eliminate background noises
* works with debian/Ubuntu
Wants:
* one mic to rule them all rather than needing multiple mics
* works with cellphones
* wired connection option
* inexpensive
* can be used in an open room with someone else joining the same chat room
in a different room in the house without flashback sound effects
* can be used in an open room with someone else joining the same chat room
in a different room in the house with flashback sound effects because
kidling thinks it's hilarious :)
We already have that last feature with the current setup.
For the most part, mic use can be in isolated parts of house. I might end
up needing multiple mics. If so, preferably they'd all be the same, but
that's not strictly a requirement. Most likely, I'll be buying one mic and
multiple headsets with mics.
Preferably, I'll be buying from Newegg.
ciao,
der.hans
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