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Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: eddie1 on January 22, 2013, 11:58:58 AM

Title: Advice sought on basic kit for Interviews
Post by: eddie1 on January 22, 2013, 11:58:58 AM

Hello all

I need to get some basic, small, portable kit together for a series of Radio Interviews.
Could I get some advice on the best - yes I know this is subjective - gear comprising a small good quality reliable recorder (tascam/zoom/ olympus) and a microphone
thats easy to use not to big or too heavy.

Thanks in advance

Title: Re: Advice sought on basic kit for Interviews
Post by: rastasean on January 22, 2013, 08:38:38 PM

most times these questions are asked in recording gear or Microphones & Setup section, so there may be some results in there for you to review.

Going on the terse info provided, check out the dynamic cardioid Sennheiser MD46 microphone and maybe a recorder like the Sony PCM-M10. The mic is mono and the M10 only records in mono so look for a XLR female to 1/8" stereo male cable.

Treat cardiod mics like a flashlight, it won't magically pick up audio if you forget to point it at your subject. Wear headphones so you know how not to create handling noise.

Title: Re: Advice sought on basic kit for Interviews
Post by: F.O.Bean on January 22, 2013, 10:40:21 PM

Also look at a cheap AT shotgun mic. My cousins have one(don't know which model) but its a shotgun mono channel mic that's around $100 and has an 1/8" mini output that would plug into a Sony m10 perfectly. I've used this exact setup for interviews for their YouTube videos they make and it's def very suitable and good for the price!!!

Title: Re: Advice sought on basic kit for Interviews
Post by: twatts (pants are so over-rated...) on January 22, 2013, 11:14:14 PM

Reminded me of this photo...

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=159982.0

Terry

Title: Re: Advice sought on basic kit for Interviews
Post by: TSNéa on January 22, 2013, 11:36:58 PM

Hello eddy1,

You could take a look on this excellent site:
http://transom.org/?p=30163

And if you do not have any software to edit radio interviews, maybe Hindenburg Journalist is a good choice:
http://transom.org/?p=19946

FWIW.

Title: Re: Advice sought on basic kit for Interviews
Post by: eddie1 on January 23, 2013, 04:19:20 AM

Thanks all v helpful esp link to Transom site

Title: Re: Advice sought on basic kit for Interviews
Post by: eman on January 23, 2013, 01:16:29 PM

I found the AT822 is a great interview mic- we used it plugged into a video camera and it manages to give good weighting to more ambient sounds without being overwhelmed if you put it near someone speaking. In other words, you can set it up on the table with a little weighted stand and get interviewer/interviewee in stereo, or hold it and go back and forth between the speakers. It is a stereo cardioid and runs on a AA for many many hours, you could plug it into an M10 or equivalent (yes another M10 endorsement). It comes with a dual mini 1/8" that you can plug into a stereo mini adapter and also 2 x 1/4" adapters that screw on.

Title: Re: Advice sought on basic kit for Interviews
Post by: F.O.Bean on January 23, 2013, 11:42:56 PM

Quote from: eman on January 23, 2013, 01:16:29 PM

I found the AT822 is a great interview mic- we used it plugged into a video camera and it manages to give good weighting to more ambient sounds without being overwhelmed if you put it near someone speaking. In other words, you can set it up on the table with a little weighted stand and get interviewer/interviewee in stereo, or hold it and go back and forth between the speakers. It is a stereo cardioid and runs on a AA for many many hours, you could plug it into an M10 or equivalent (yes another M10 endorsement). It comes with a dual mini 1/8" that you can plug into a stereo mini adapter and also 2 x 1/4" adapters that screw on.

That's a good route too. I'd go my route or this route