Mic for Tascam Dr-100?

[Enaver]

Evening everyone,

Currently making short web films. Got myself a canon 550d and a tascam dr-100 attached to a Rode Video Mic Pro. I don't know a great deal about sound but im pretty sure the rode video mic is limiting the sound quality of the Tascam dr-100, have problems with low volume.

I have a boom pole and attach it all that way.

Was just wondering what a decent mic would go with the tascam dr-100, got a decent budget, just want something of equally quality to get the most out of it.

Cheers

Edit - Its mostly out door recording

 

[Alcove Audio]

The two most popular low impedance micro-budget shotgun mics are the Audio Technica AT875 ($160) and the Rode NTG-1 ($250). As both require phantom power from an external source I would strongly suggest getting battery packs for the DR-100.

Also popular are the AT897 ($200) and NTG-2 ($270); however, as they use an internal battery to supply their phantom power there can as much as -6dB lower signal level.

You will also need a shock-mount and most definitely get some decent wind protection like a softie.

If you really have some extra change the Rode NTG-3 ($700) is a great mic.


As always, knowledge, skill and technique make the most difference. So get the mic in close and properly aimed, and properly gain-stage your recorder.

 

[Enaver]

The two most popular low impedance micro-budget shotgun mics are the Audio Technica AT875 ($160) and the Rode NTG-1 ($250). As both require phantom power from an external source I would strongly suggest getting battery packs for the DR-100.

Also popular are the AT897 ($200) and NTG-2 ($270); however, as they use an internal battery to supply their phantom power there can as much as -6dB lower signal level.

You will also need a shock-mount and most definitely get some decent wind protection like a softie.

If you really have some extra change the Rode NTG-3 ($700) is a great mic.


As always, knowledge, skill and technique make the most difference. So get the mic in close and properly aimed, and properly gain-stage your recorder.

Cheers Alcove,

I can fork out the extra money for the NTG-3 if you think the money difference is worth it between the NTG-2, as then I wouldn't need to upgrade & would have a decent set up all round for my short films.

I already have a rode boom pole, what sort of shock-mount and wind protection would you suggest?

Also, sorry to be a pain but I am totally new to sound, I don't know what "gain-stage" means or how I would go about knowing how to do it.

Thanks.

 

[Alcove Audio]

Since you have little or no experience with audio you should perhaps rethink your audio kit.

Go with the AT875 (the kit with the shock-mount is $225) and get the Avantone CK-1 ($150) for indoors usage.

For wind protection a Rycote Softie for the AT875 is $100, a ball gag for the CK-1 is around $135. Rather than the softie and ball gag you may want to think about a real blimp with a dead cat; they start at around $250.

Sound Devices MM-1 preamp ($500). This is like magic; the preamp is light years better than the preamps in the DR-100. (You plug the mic into the MM-1 and the MM-1 into the DR-100.)

Do you have a good set of flat-response closed-back headphones like the MDR-7506? Good headphones are essential.

If you search through my posts you'll find my $500 and $1,500 sound kit recommendations.


BTW, are you the one running the audio, or are you handing it off to someone else?

 

[Enaver]

Since you have little or no experience with audio you should perhaps rethink your audio kit.

Go with the AT875 (the kit with the shock-mount is $225) and get the Avantone CK-1 ($150) for indoors usage.

For wind protection a Rycote Softie for the AT875 is $100, a ball gag for the CK-1 is around $135. Rather than the softie and ball gag you may want to think about a real blimp with a dead cat; they start at around $250.

Sound Devices MM-1 preamp ($500). This is like magic; the preamp is light years better than the preamps in the DR-100. (You plug the mic into the MM-1 and the MM-1 into the DR-100.)

Do you have a good set of flat-response closed-back headphones like the MDR-7506? Good headphones are essential.

If you search through my posts you'll find my $500 and $1,500 sound kit recommendations.


BTW, are you the one running the audio, or are you handing it off to someone else?

Thanks for the advice, yeah I have pretty much no experience with audio apart from what I have halfed learned from filming.

I would love to be able to get the MM-1 but I don't think that I will have enough money. Is it possible to explain in more detail to what it actually does? Will have to save up for it.

I have some decent head phones that I use for sound, got them around a year ago and do a decent job.

I do pretty much everything from camera work, audio and editing. Most of the time I am filming and will get someone else to record the audio. But I am the one monitoring the audio and then editing it in afterwards. I make short films as a hobbie and learn as I go, no money making in it at all and I pretty much do everything myself, kinda why I don't know a great deal about audio.

 

[Alcove Audio]

The SD MM-1 is basically a one-channel mixer. It has a very high quality pre-amp, a limiter, supplies phantom power and a headphone output among it's other attributes. It is pretty much de rigueur for boom-ops.

Which headphones do you have? Headphones for production sound need to have a flat frequency response and should be closed back. The idea is that you need to hear exactly what is really being recorded. Most consumer and bargain basement headphones color the sound, so you are not hearing and accurate representation of what is being recorded.


I recommend that you get "The Location Sound Bible" by Ric Viers.

 

[Enaver]

Just bought a copy of The Location Sound Bible, should get it tomorrow and can start reading.

Not to sure the name of the headphones that I have, will invest in the pair you linked on my next pay day as by the sounds of it I need certain ones.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to explain everything to me, I am sure it must be a pain to explain all the time to people like me who don't have a clue. Once I get reading this book I will have more of a clue in what to do.