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Welcome to the dark side!

This is a project I thought I’d do for fun; sheer enthusiasm and downright geekery. Normally i’m a filmmaker so recording audio isn’t new to me; it’s been a part of what I do for 20 years.  But this last year has really thrown me into a lot of audio projects and it's something I've really connected with in new ways. I’ve began to appreciate the nuances of microphones, frequency response, processing and the voices that pass through them. And I love everything about it.

I’ve no idea where this is going other than to share some of the things I hear in the hope you hear them too. Feel free to ask questions in the comments, I'll do my best to respond with something helpful!

Take care for now, Mike.

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Here’s my Austrian Audio OD505 Review,  it really surprised me, this one!

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How does the preamps of the @ZoomSoundLab #F3 fair against the #PodTrakP4 using the @shure #SM7B ? We answer life's important questions! 😛

📽️: youtu.be/eYITNHwDXvw via @YouTube

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CAD Equitek E50 Review

The CAD Equitek E50 offers a simple, barebones entry into a classic line of microphones and it's currently on offer for around $80. Am I missing something or is this one of the most overlooked mics of the last year?

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CAD Audio Equitek E50

This wee mic from @cadaudio has knocked my Christmas socks off. Sounds incredibly warm and rounded and it’s on offer for about $75 at the moment, which quite frankly is nuts. #CadE50

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Austrian Audio OD505

First listen of the Austrian Audio OD505 Handheld active dynamic mic, a premium offering thats bright but still unusually smooth!

The Dark Side of the Mic · Austrian Audio OD505 Dynamic mic

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iRig Pre HD: Cheap gain for the SM7B

The IK Multimedia iRig Pre HD is on offer at the moment and can comfortably run the SM7B with really clean gain in a small portable device. Here is a demonstration.

The Dark Side of the Mic · IRig Pre HD with the SM7B

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Two popular budget on-camera #ShotgunMics come up against each other with the @rodemics  #VideoMicGoII and the @Sennheiser #MKE400 

 Which one sounds best and which is the most useful?

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How close does the sE DynaCaster get to the Shure SM7B? We look at the most comparable on board EQ settings and noise performance for achieving that signature dark dynamic sound for spoken word. 

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Rode M2 v Rode M3: Best 1st mic?

Looking for your first mic? I think these two represent excellent budget options that make it very easy to sound good if you are just starting out in audio. More importantly, You'll also want to keep them as you progress - The M3 was my first mic and and still have it!

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3U Audio Shootout

Today we compare 3U Audio Warbler MKI large diaphragm condenser mic with their premium model, the GZ251FET. Both mics offer an incredible high spec component list for prices at much less than you would expect.

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Takstar SGC-600 Review

Could this be the best value video mic on earth? I think so!

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Two excellent budget dynamics in the sE V7x and the Prodipe TT1 face off in this 60 second shootout. Different sound signatures but what's your preference?

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Today we give a quick overview of the Koss Porta Pro Headphones, a retro design from the 1980s that's found a whole new generation of users today. We've recorded this on the 3U Audio GZ251 FET, one of their premium microphones, so a first listen at that too. 

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Blown away. These #PortaPro headphones @KossHeadphones have to be the best budget deal on earth and with the orange #YaxiPads they take on a killer #retro vibe. Shades of #BTTF ...and they sound fantastic too!

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Sennhesier face off!

Today we compare the Sennhesier MKE 400 II, a £150/$200 on camera mini shotgun with the 'Godfather' of shotgun mics, the $1000 MKH 416, asking what makes a good on-camera mic. 

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A tale of two Beyers

This week we look at two vintage Beyerdynamic M55s. I think its fair to say these mics have gained a bit of a cult following as a very inexpensive way of achieving that old school retro sound of the 1960s in quite possibly, one of the coolest looking designs of all time. We jump back and forth between two copies (they are different!) and do some EQ on them as well. 

The Dark Side of the Mic · Vintage M55 Microphones: a tale of two Beyers