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Low Budget Indie Sound (again... Sorry :-( )

Hi all,

Before I start, can I apologise to Alcove, and other regulars - I know this gets done to death...

Low budget, Indie. I recognise the need for good audio, and have some history in studio recording, though not on set/boom operation, etc.

I have access to a Yamaha AW1600 DAW which I figure is pretty good for indoor (ie; where I have power) recordings. I think the pre-amps are pretty good, and it's reliable and stable, if heavy and a pain to carry around.

I appreciate I need a hyper-cardioid, and the one that looks good ATM is the Avantone CK-1, right? But as a shotgun, I'm a bit confused. I know that Alcove rates the AT875, and notes that it's not wildly different to the 897. I saw a video online that showed that it's off-axis rejection wasn't brilliant, but maybe this is just 'get what you pay for' territory?

In this post, Alcove explains why the 875 is better with the DR100 than the Sennheiser K6, or the Rode NTG-2 - I presume that I would have the same issue with the DR40, as opposed to the DR100. I have the budget for a DR100, if it's better than the DR40 - any thoughts on this..? Given my access to the AW1600, do you think that makes something like the Marantz PMD661 overkill? And is it ok to use the DR40 without a preamp or should I expect trouble?

Thanks in advance - and just to recognise this one - I know the other obvious approach would be to hire someone in, but I just like learning about this stuff..!

Cheers
 
The AW1600 is a music production unit. That being the case, the mic pres are "colored," or not as transparent as mic pres used in units aimed at film production. The another downside is it only records at 44.1kHz (CD resolution); film/video is 48kHz. And, as you pointed out, it needs external AC power.

I do not consider the PMD-661 to be overkill at all. It is far superior to the DR-100 or DR-40.

In this post, Alcove explains why the 875 is better with the DR100 than the Sennheiser K6, or the Rode NTG-2

The issue is the mics, not the recorders. Most mics that use an internal battery as a part of an internal phantom power scheme as a way of avoiding the need for external phantom power tend to have lower output volume - as much as -4dB and possibly more as the battery loses its charge.
 
Sorry - just one more. Having established that battery-powered shotguns are very much not the way to go at the lower end, is the AT875 preferable to the K6/ME-66 unpowered version?

Also, Alcove, when you suggest battery packs to avoid the fall-off effect, are you talking about spare batteries/battery packs made specifically for the recorder)? Or some sort of generic portable power?
 
s the AT875 preferable to the K6/ME-66 unpowered version?

Your choice. I personally find the ME-66 a little brittle sounding.

when you suggest battery packs...

The batteries in micro budget recorders like the H4n, DR-100 and DR-40 drain very quickly when supplying phantom power to the mics, so a battery pack will give you more duration, and a second battery pack will get you through the day. As far as I know only Tascam makes battery packs for their budget units.

You will not have as much of a problem with mid-priced recorders like the FR-2, PMD-661, HD-P2, etc., and, of course, the professional brands are quite power efficient. However, most professionals use NP-1 style batteries or a power supply for their whole audio bag (which usually contains a recorder, a mixer and several wireless receivers).
 
I have used the Avantone CK-1 (I own two) with the hyper cap for indoor dialog and have been very pleased with the result. You'll get some of the room but that is not in itself a bad thing. Make sure you roll room tone. The handling noise of the CK-1 is much better than the Octava. Mine rides in a Rycote lyre suspension and I keep a softie on it to minimize wind sounds when the mic has to move during the shot.
 
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