VO Microphones Pt. 4 – What Makes a Good Mic?
Why do some Voiceover Microphones cost so darned much?
Let’s start with a couple of reasonable questions:
What are you paying for when you purchase a good quality microphone for voiceover?
And how much does “good quality” actually cost?
I mentioned last week that the characteristic sound of a Large Diaphragm Condenser (LDC) microphone model begins at the capsule. This is the disk-shaped object you see through the microphone grille, which contains the diaphragm – a super sensitive, wafer-thin membrane which reacts to the changes in air pressure from our voice. The funny thing is that there aren’t that many basic capsule designs. In fact, the capsule in any given microphone is probably one of four common (and proven) styles.
It’s hard to argue that any one of those are “better” than the others (though one of them tends to age less well and is the least commonly found in most current models). Without going deeper into the mic-nerd well we’ve been digging, let’s just realize that each have a characteristic sound. Microphone designers could be seen as trying to correct and balance the signal received from the capsule they have chosen, so that it records incoming sound accurately.
As audio makes its way through the electronics inside the condenser, that signal gets filtered and processed and amplified so that it becomes usable.
Why do some mics cost so darned much?
As a working voice actor, your microphone needs to operate flawlessly every day.
In this case three key things you are investing in are:
- Quality of components
- Tolerance of material spec
- Customer support
What makes a microphone bad?
Some inexpensive microphone models may have simply reverse-engineered a high quality mic and tried to reproduce it – arguably, there are companies where “R&D” stands for “Replicate and Duplicate.” For example, some years ago a bunch of cheap microphones showed up on the market trying to emulate a Neumann design. But those designs neglected to include the filter circuit which balanced the tonal result of that capsule design. This resulted in microphones which had a very harsh and overly bright sound.
There are definitely some very “sparkly” looking mics which sound pretty bad. They usually have inexpensive amplification circuits which add high levels of audible noise to your signal. The circuit needs to be quiet – a quality mic will have reasonably low “self noise”. Cheaper mics may also be a bit “hyped” in their frequency response, overemphasizing the upper mid vocal frequencies to make them cut through. They sound very “present” at first, but that edginess is not a compelling feature for voiceover.
Those are two common issues with cheaper LDC models: noisy signal and a harsher tone.
How much Mic do I need for VO?
We live in a time of riches for equipment. A few decades ago, most usable recording equipment demanded a pretty significant investment. But these days, if you can budget somewhere in the $2-300 range for a Large Diaphragm Condenser, there are a number of models which can take you a long way in your VO career.
(If you want to jump ahead – Voiceover Microphones: Part 6 has specific model recommendations).
As with anything, you can certainly spend more. A higher price generally means that the components are better, the manufacturing tolerances are tight and that the company looks out for their customers. Quality components last longer and are more reliable. That means your sound won’t change over time and the mic shouldn’t suddenly fail. Higher tolerances in the parts means that there’s more consistency between production runs. The mic you buy should sound similar in quality to another of the same model. Finally, support matters. The last thing you want to find out is that the company which made your mic cannot (or will not) stand behind it through warranty repair or replacement.
It’s also unlikely to be the last microphone you ever purchase, which means that working from a realistic budget is never a bad choice. As I wrote in the Winter of our Microphone Discontent, there’s nothing wrong with owning equipment which makes you feel like you are rocking the VO world. But, if you need to book a gig in order to finance the microphone you bought on credit, it might add just a tinge of desperation to your audition reads…
Everyone has a slightly different tolerance to what defines “expensive”. When you have never booked any VO work, even a modest investment in equipment can seem like a heavy burden. It’s reasonable to get the best you can afford now, and upgrade when it’s appropriate.
Microphone Basics – Microphones Pt. 1 – can be found here.
Types of microphones – Dynamics, Ribbon, & Condenser – Microphones Pt. 2 – can be found here
Condenser microphone capsule designs – how that influences sound quality – Microphones Pt. 3 – can be found here.
What exactly makes a “good” microphone for VO? – Microphones Pt. 4 – can be found here.
Recommended USB Microphones for VO – Microphones Pt. 5 – can be found here.
Recommended XLR Large Diaphragm Condenser Micrphones for VO – Microphones Pt. 6 – can be found here.
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