Topic by sightlessHorseman 2018-06-21 00:35:50

  • From: Germany
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Hey everyone.

Ok, this is going to be a bit longer.
So for recording, podcasting and comunication reasons I am searching for new audio hardware for my computer and for in the field purposes.
Currently, my field recording set is made up out of an Olympus LS14 together with the Ohrwurm 3 microphones which are a special set of microphones for 3D sound recording.
I use the normal Olympus LS14 microphones at the pc by using the LS14 as an external soundcard, not the best solution, but it does the job ok.
Regarding a PC microphone, I looked at the Rode-NT1 and for me it looks like a good voice over and review mik.
Any suggestions regarding that mik or any other suggestions you guys usually use?
What I need is a mik with minimal white noise in the background and a good and clear sound.
I am quite happy with the LS14 in the field, also there any other suggestions and if so, why?
Also, what mixers do you guys use and would recommend?
And for the last point, I have a question about external sound cards.
I heard that some of you use external soundcards.
Why is that so and what advantages do these have over internal soundcards which are build in by the manufacturer? Would it only make sense to get an external soundcard if you are proffessional in music production or when would it be usefull to get an external one?

Already thanks in advance.

Greetings Moritz.

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Reply by flackers 2018-06-21 01:08:45 (edited by flackers 2018-06-21 01:35:27)

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I use an audio interface rather than the built-in soundcard for the inputs and outputs they offer, and because you need to have the system sounds/screen reader using the onboard card and the DAW using the external one. I've never used a built-in soundcard for recording music, but I imagine there are latency issues when monitoring. Built in soundcards don't have the right sort of inputs for the kinds of mics and instruments most people use for music and stuff, i.e. XLR  and 1/4 inch inputs. And interfaces have useful stuff like phantom power for condenser mics, 1/4 inch outputs for monitors, and if you play electric guitar, a HiZ switch. They just give you better options and allow you to use ASIO, which is the only thing worth using for recording in my opinion. But I'm not a techy person, so if you want more technical info, I'm not the man for the job. The mics I use are a pair of CAD M179's. I don't think there's anything special about them, I just got them cheap on ebay, and they have a high pass filter of 100hz which is good for acoustic guitar, and they can be set to three different position: Omni, which records sound from all around and tends to make everything sound louder and fuller, figure 8, which records everything in front and behind the mics, but not the sides, and cardioid, which just focusses mostly on sound directly in front.

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Reply by cw 2018-06-21 02:30:01

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Plus the external sound cards has the advantage of converting analog audio to digital and the other way around without you having to worry that the RF and or any other noise from your PC is entering  the audio at the point where the audio is at the analog stage. Think about what happens when you one a speaker wire pass an electrical appliance and I think you will see the problem. If you did not care about the audio, it would be one thing, but doing the digital to conversion is better if you can do it outside of the computer where you control what it comes in contact with.

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Reply by flackers 2018-06-21 12:01:21 (edited by flackers 2018-06-21 12:06:51)

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My one bit of advice for recording your voice is to either get an omnidirectional mic, or find some way to hang some thick padding around yourself to stop any sounds from being reflected off the walls. This is partly a regurgitation of what I've read from more technical people, and my own experience of hearing that horrible fuzzy nasal sound that's very difficult to remove with EQ. Apparently if you have a mic that mostly records stuff from in front of it, like a cardioid, the sound that bounces off the walls and hits it from the sides has this coloration that causes that awful unnatural fuzz that just makes it sound like you're talking into a plastic mic you got free with a packet of Weetabix. Omnidirectional mics pick up sounds from the sides in a more natural sounding way. If you're recording just your voice you really don't need to minimize sounds from the sides like you might need to do with a drumkit, so Omni is probably your best bet.

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