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Microphones / Miking

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    Q. Can I leave my mic powered up?

    I've just bought my first mic, a Rode NT1A, which requires phantom power, and I'm wondering if there's anything wrong with leaving it plugged in with phantom power switched on for long periods of time?

    Sound Advice Sep 2005
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    Q. Should my Valve Mic be this noisy?

    I have just got hold of a CAD M9 valve mic and the background noise level seems high compared to my other condensers...

    Sound Advice Aug 2005
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    Q. What kind of mic setup should I use to record a choir?

    I have been planning to record an upcoming choir concert with a centred ORTF stereo pair of Rode NT5 cardioids...

    Sound Advice Feb 2005
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    Q. Can measurement mics be used for recording music?

    Can you tell me if it's common practice to use measurement microphones for recording? I have access to a good selection of...

    Sound Advice Dec 2004
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    Q. Is a pop shield better than a wind shield?

    I recently bought a large-diaphragm condenser mic which came with a foam wind shield (the kind that fits over the top of the mic). Will this do a good enough job of stopping plosive blasts?

    Sound Advice Dec 2004
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    Q. Can I use acoustic screens to prevent drum spill?

    I'm wanting to record a band all at the same time in the same room, and my main problem is that the drummer is much too loud...

    Sound Advice Nov 2004
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    Q. What are the correct input impedances for Guitars and Mics?

    I bought a Boss guitar effects processor the other day and noticed that the guitar sounds a lot better through it than it does just straight into my mixer. Also, could the sound from my mic be similarly improved by getting a stand-alone voice channel for it, rather than just putting it through the mixer?

    Sound Advice Oct 2004
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    Q. Can dust affect microphone performance?

    If I left my Neumann TLM103 mic out on its stand when not in use for long periods of time, would its performance be affected, by dust in particular?

    Sound Advice Oct 2004
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    Q. What mics should I use on a snare drum?

    I am looking at buying a matched pair of SE Electronics SE1 mics for drum miking. Would the SE1s be suitable for 'over and under' miking of the snare? If not, could you offer any alternatives for this kind of configuration?

    Sound Advice Oct 2004
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    Q. How do I take care of my valve mic?

    I've just got hold of an Oktava valve mic. Having not used one before, I was wondering if there are any general rules or guidelines I should be aware of when using valve mics?

    Sound Advice Jul 2004
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    Q. How can I tell if a pair of mics is well matched?

    I bought a Rode NT1A a few months ago and I'm now considering buying a second one. How can I tell whether the two mics are closely matched enough for use as a stereo pair?

    Sound Advice Feb 2004
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    Q. Is it safe to apply phantom power to dynamic mics?

    I did a recording session recently using a mixture of dynamic and condenser mics, and realised my desk does not have switchable phantom power for each channel — they're either all on or all off. Luckily, I had some external channel strips which I ran the condensers through, but is it safe to apply phantom power to dynamic mics?

    Sound Advice Jan 2004
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    Q. Do I need a mic with a HPF and pad?

    I've just been looking at buying a cheap condenser mic and I was wondering how useful it is to have the low-frequency cut and 10dB pad options that are on some mics?

    Sound Advice Nov 2003
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    Q. Is it wise to buy a second-hand microphone?

    With so many brand-new budget-priced microphones out there these days, I'm wondering if it might be better to get a high-quality mic second-hand instead?

    Sound Advice Sep 2003
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    What Mic Should I Buy First?

    Sound Advice

    We answer one of the most common queries from those just starting out with home recording.

    Sound Advice Jul 2003
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    Q. How can I record acoustic guitar better?

    I've recently bought myself an electroacoustic guitar and it sounds really loud, clean and crisp when I play it. Yet...

    Sound Advice Mar 2001
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    Q. Which budget mic should I choose?

    I'm looking for a decent microphone for my small studio, which is based around a Korg D8 eight‑track digital...

    Sound Advice Dec 2000
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    Mic Types & Characteristics

    Dynamics vs Capacitors vs Back-electrets

    The type of microphone you choose for a given task can have a profound effect on the quality of the resulting recording. Paul White sorts out the dynamics from the capacitors.

    Sound Advice Apr 1998
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    Capacitor Microphones Explained

    Their Advantages For Recording

    Paul White looks at the workings of capacitor mics and discusses their advantages for studio recording.

    Sound Advice Feb 1998

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