What's the best microphone for voice overs?

I just inboxed the Neumann TLM 103 and am blown away. Yes, it is worth all the hype in my opinion. I’m comparing recordings from the old AT4033 to the TLM 103 and there is a huge level up.

In addition I’m hardly turning the EQ and compression dials at all on my mixing console/dbx 286s.

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Great Review mike , this mic is exceptional; clean and detailed with plenty of headroom at 138dB max SPL and a dynamic range of 87 dB. The bass frequency response of this mic is focused and clear with no muddiness while the treble end sings brightly without a “ceiling”. This mic can also capture nuances of performances that would be lost on plenty of lesser mics (sensitivity at 1 kHz into 1 kohm - 23 mV/Pa) .
On order and on it`s way .:sunglasses::beer::beer: Cheers mike hope your bros stag night goes well and fast recovery ,have plenty of beer.:beer::beer:

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@Mike You should try to record all three at the same time, but that wont be possible with Hail, so If I may suggest, set At4033 and TLM 103 side by side (one from below other from up) with popup filter in front and record some voice overs, that would make best comparison among two of them because you will talk at same level, same distance, same pitch.

I have AT4050, AGK C414, Sure SM7b and two AT3035 among others. I had a chance to record with TLM 103 and U87. There is no need to speak about U87, but I love TLM 103, so little eq work is needed, while on AT I need to clean up some low end. Nevertheless I love my AT and because of it’s nice highs and mids I use if for all of my branding. I would use TLM if I had it :smiley:
AKG C414, oldy but goldy (and this one is over 20 years old) sounds different and I love it on commercials and trailers

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Yeah, that’s what I use. Love it.

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My big boss now at my studio place it’s the AKG C214, little kid for the C414 but great still!

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Hi guys,

@Mike the Neumann TLM 103 looks and sounds amazing!

However the Neumann is ever so slightly out of my price range at the moment. :blush:

Does anyone have recommendations for a budget mic for voiceovers? I have £150 max budget here, so I appreciate this will only get me an entry level spec.

I’ve been looking at such a wide range of mics and I want to get the best sounding mic with the money. A few of the mics I’ve been looking at include the Samson C01, Behringer C1 and the Rode NT1A

I’d be interested in all your thoughts, thanks in advance guys! :grinning:

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Hi @audioanvil From what you wrote Rode is good one, other two just ignore. But in your place I would go for used Audio Technica on ebay. I bought my AT 4050 on ebay for £140 and I love it.

Check this, it’s one Mike uses…or at least he did until now :smiley:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audio-Technica-AT4033aSM-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone-/263194216033?hash=item3d47990661:g:zYkAAOSwcRNZqru0

Other option is to go for

I have this, but I didn’t play with mic a lot, but it should be better than Samson or Behringer. I don’t know your setup, but this would do for start. But if you are serious about voiceover, than good headphones and mic is the must.

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Good eBay finds @Saba!

@audioanvil those are some good prices on the AT4033a (my old microphone).

I know that pro voiceover, Bill DeWees, recommends the MXL 2001 as a budget voiceover mic in that price range.

For those that can’t afford the expense of a TLM103 - I recently bought a Rode NT1 (the new black model) and I’ve been blown away by how nice it sounds. Certainly worth a look IMO.

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I am very fond of my CAD e100s. I have seen some comparisons between it and a lot of other mics and it is the winner 9 out of 10 times. In fact a lot of voice over sites recommend it for mid level budgets.

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