Sorry to be a pain - but USB mics....

Vance Elderkin · **Voice Talent** Joined: 01 Nov 2005 Posts: 184

Sounds like about the same approach, Heather. I use the C01U for auditions, but for final recordings I use either a Studio Projects C1 or a Shure SM7--both good, but the SM7 is a little more forgiving if I need high volume. (I'm saving my pennies for a Neumann someday.)

Only problem I've had with the C01U is reflections from the room, which I fixed with the Pat Fraley pull-a quilt-over-your-head technique. Looks stupid, but it actually works!

Heather Ruby · **Voice Talent** Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 188

Vance; That's funny b/c I have the same set up in my hubby's walk in closet. Its wall to wall clothes, plus carpet, such that I can barely fit my stool to sit in and get the door closed, but it works great!

Vance Elderkin · **Voice Talent** Joined: 01 Nov 2005 Posts: 184

Actually, our walk-in closet is where I do my main recording. Clothes all around, with the mic set up in a corner. I use a battery-powered light (since the mic picks up the florescent ceiling light) and I have a double layer of thick cloth that rolls down over the door. Cost me about $30 to set up. Best studio ever!

Courtney Lyons · **Voice Talent** Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 11

I picked up a usb mic a Marshall 007 for about 150 on ebay a few weeks ago and I really like it and the quality (to my novice ears) sounds great. I think with the USB mics work great it's just the mixer you use with them and the editing software that can bungle things up. I think....

Jaime Merkle · **Voice Talent** Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 19

Debbie Deutsch · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 1338

You folks in the closets should post pictures! It would be very cool.

Gaby Guimarey · **Voice Talent** Joined: 21 May 2007 Posts: 1

Thank you sooo much for the information!
I didn't know how to start to record my voiceover at home!
I'll try the Samson C01U and the I let you know!
Gaby

Doris Lauerwald

Hi Luke,

greetings from Munich, Germany Wink

here comes another opinion regarding the use of USB mics:
I´ve bought 2 USB microphones recently, as I´m on the road sometimes and I wanted to be able to deliver urgent auditions at (nearly Wink

) anytime. In my homestudio I´m using a Neumann U87 in combination with an SPL Gainstation A/D, recording in a soundbooth, editing and producing ond my MacBookPro Core2Duo in combination with ProTools, Logic or Samplitude, depending on the project. Of course you will hear the difference - and I´m telling my clients that I´m on the road, but the "Samson C01U" is ok for auditioning - and sounds much better than the "Rode Podcaster", which is more than double the price of the Samson. I´ve tested both of them in different acoustical surroundings and I was really surprised... So I can recommend the Samson for this purpose and I hope you´ll receive good results with it.
Doris Lauerwald - German voice talent and Session Singer

Kirk Talmadge · **Voice Talent** Joined: 08 Nov 2006 Posts: 1

A word of caution about both the Snowball and the Sampson, if you are using Vista as your operating system, they may not work.

This has been an issue for the Snowball since Vista came out. MS points at Blue Mike as the baddie and Blue Mike points to MS as the baddie. I can't migrate to Vista until the issue is cleared up.

Kirk

Vance Elderkin · **Voice Talent** Joined: 01 Nov 2005 Posts: 184

Kirk, I wouldn't doubt it a bit. Vista has issues with a lot of software. I tend to wait at least a year before upgrading to a new OS. For now, and the forseeable future, I stay with XP with SP2.