What's your equipment chain?

Mike Cooper · **Voice Talent** Joined: 11 Jun 2007 Posts: 3

Thought while I was in the forums I thought I'd had a go too Very Happy

I only got into the voicing at home thing a few months back, and went for this lot in the "booth" (actually my walk-in wardrobe, which I'm lucky enough to have in my basement away from traffic noise…):

Audio Technica AT 4040 condenser
Presonus Inspire 1394 Firewire interface
Beyer DT100 headphones
Apple MacBook running Sound Studio 3

I record in there and save across my Wi-Fi network to my iMac where I edit. The iMac has some M-Audio DX4 monitors which sound great.

Recently I added to the booth a Fostex 6301B monitor (just to check what's going on and check for "pops" - also useful when helping/coaching others and needing monitoring) and an SE Electronics Relexion Filter.

The Relfexion filter makes a huge difference, even in a room which has good soundproofing anyway. It stops the 4040 picking up fan noise from the laptop and helps the acoustic even further (IMHO).

Where I live in London, we're some way above a "reversing loop" on the Northern Line (the Tube) so trains do rumble past underground at intervals, usually fairly quietly. A combination of the high pass filter on the mic and the Reflexion filter seem to help reduce this to being unnoticeable.

I've tried various "popper stoppers", from the AT foam shield for the mic, to the VAC-3.5c from Popless Voice Screens, a combination of both, and still had problems, the 4040 is so sensitive! I'm now on an SE Dual Pro Pop, which works just fine all on its own (and also looks very smart!)

What would you guys recommend as an alternative mic? I'm attaching a file with no EQ, and was wondering what might suit my voice better - bring through a bit of richness, help soften the top end, etc (see attached file). I have my eye on a TLM 103 when funds allow, but am I missing anything else that I should take a look at?

Thanks folks!

Mike

Chris Clementson · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 216

I heard breath noises throughout. Using my audio editor I reduced the level of one occurring a little over 12 seconds in by 18 dB and it was much less noticeable. Some say eliminating breath noises altogether makes a recording sound unnatural. I can't say I agree, but it took 18 dB of level reduction to get it to a level where I felt was inconspicuous.

Lance Blair · Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008, 21:06 (GMT) Post subject:

Two of the breaths are excessive, but that has nothing to do with your signal chain. My initial impression is that it sounds great for a home studio 4040 recording, imo. Don't worry about your signal, just work on breathing more quietly (hard to do, I know...)

If you're worried about noise and can't really treat and proof your home properly, look into buying a nice dynamic mic (Shure SM7b, Heil PR30 or 40, RE 20) and pair it with a nice preamp to power it (Grace 101 or True Systems P-Solo). The two together will be cheaper than a new TLM 103.

I think your voice would be nice with the Shure.

Scott Feighner · **Voice Talent** Joined: 13 Oct 2007 Posts: 55

David Kimm · **Voice Talent** Joined: 26 Aug 2007 Posts: 1

Shure Popper Stopper
Audio Technica AT3035
Lexicon Lambda USB PreAmp/Mixer
Adobe Audition 3 or Audacity 1.2.6
Audio Technica ATH-M30 Headphones
Dell Duo core 1.66ghz 1 gb ram

John Weeks · **Voice Talent** Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 186

Neumann TLM 103
Manley Voxbox
Lynxx L22 Soundcard
Dell Computer
Whisperroom with acoustic panels from GIK Acoustics

Bobby Knight · **Voice Talent** Joined: 18 Oct 2006 Posts: 67

OK here's my updated set-up;

My big mouth..
Neumann TLM-103
True systems P-solo pre-amp
DBX 286-A mic processor
Soundcraft EPM-6 mixer
M-Audio fastrack pro
Adobe audition 1.5

I tried to run the dbx as an insert on the mixer but for some reason it wont work right..be that as it may, It still sounds clean

Greg Houser · **Voice Talent** Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 174

some new additions as of late (not sure about keeping the M610, but trying it out with some NOS Telefunken and Mullards for a bit)

Lance Blair · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008, 05:11 (GMT) Post subject:

I just switched things up a bit:

Violet Design Dolly Black Condenser Microphone
Heil PR40 Dynamic Microphone
ART MPA Gold Preamp: It's two channel, sweepable impedance and HPF - so I put a wooly & warm JJ/Tesla 12AX7 with 1k impedance for the Violet channel, and a punchier/brighter Tung Sol tube 12AX7 with 3k impedance for the Heil Pr40 channel. The tubes that it came with are now in the trash. They sound better there.
Now the preamp sounds pretty good. I might go for nicer tubes in the future, but I at least wanted to see if it was worth it with this unit, and it is. Better than the P-Solo that I'll keep as a backup, actually. I'll take a picture like Greg did of the innards for tube-replacement. Replacing tubes is a breeze! It took five minutes...maybe seven if you include ordering the tubes online. BTW, this is one of their few non-starved plate preamps. You can also run it as a starved plate preamp with decent results.

Echo Audiofire Interface: man, anything has to be better than the Presonus Firebox that I had...and I just heard a good thorough test where the Audiofire held its own with an Apogee Rosetta. I prefered the Audiofire.

The computer is an HP Pavilion zv6100 with 2gig RAM, AMD64 with TI firewire chipset and I'm running Cubase SE3 as my DAW. I save to external drives.

Greg Houser · **Voice Talent** Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 174

Heh... first time someone called me that here.

Really... went with the Tesla? I hadn't had much luck with them, so I went NOS with the GE tubes, then eventually onto the Mazda, Teles and Mullards. Tele Platinums and Mazdas are the favorites overall.

P-Solo... yeah, I'm not quite sure what they were thinking with that one. Great idea, but it doesn't sound remotely close to a 610, which is what I think they were trying for. The ribbon version of that preamp is interesting though... didn't sound the same to me.

Funny story: when someone first showed me one, I was expecting a solo-610. Imagine my surprise...

You'll have some fun with the Echo card... trust me on that. When coupled with the appropriate interface to a DAW, I found the Rosetta to be superior, but using FW as most folks do, it just doesn't work as nicely as it should.

If you ever get the change to use a Rosetta though, link it to a Big Ben or Pelican... totally different machine. Same goes with an AES16.

Personally I seem to gravitate towards the Aurora and HEDD myself. Just seem to like the sound (clean with Aurora and nicely musical without being overbearing with the HEDD).

Lance Blair · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008, 06:26 (GMT) Post subject:

The Tesla is wooly...almost "chewy" if that makes sense...and it really tames mics with that touch of AKG/103 brittle high end while keeping the rest in good shape for little money. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother. It sounds bad on the Heil, but good on the Violet.

The True is odd: I really like it with dynamic mics which is why I got it...but it does some weird things to voice in general. That being said, it is unbelievably good on acoustic instruments, and as a DI for guitar it is also top-notch.

I think I understand what you wrote about the Rosetta and the Echo. But by "fun" do you think I'll enjoy the Echo, or I'll be too busy pulling my hair because of it? Smile

Greg Houser · **Voice Talent** Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 174

You'll enjoy it.

I've yet to use an Echo card that I didn't like.

Lance Blair · Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008, 19:57 (GMT) Post subject: Before and After

Before:
Heil PR40 - True Systems P-Solo - Presonus Firebox

After:
Heil PR40 - Art MPA Gold with Tung Sol and JJ tubes - Echo Audiofire

After: JJ/Tesla - same After setup, different tubes.

The Before sample is from a few months back found on the "Post a Sample..." thread, and the After sample is recorded in the same space under similar conditions on the same computer.

The Stand Back clip is the After set up with some processing. I'm a bit off the mic since I'm being loud so the proximity effect isn't in play as much.

You were right Greg. I'm liking the Echo very much. I'll be keeping the Firebox as a backup. As in "Back up that truck so I can throw out this Firebox."

Clinton Nobles · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 197

I did a lot of research on this and tried to get the right stuff, but looking over some of this stuff . . . all I got to say is your "Chain's" hang low haha. Here is my equipment chain:

StudioProjects B1 Broadcast microphone
USB M-Audio MobilePre
Adobe Audition 3.0
5.1 Surround Sound Logitech monitor
6" pop filter

I have been really pleased with the quality of the StudioProjects B1. For a $130 I don't see how you could beat it.

Greg Houser · **Voice Talent** Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 174