Voiceover microphone...

[Nathan W.]

Sorta off topic but...

Was watching some video shot in the studio for Toy Story 3, looked like they were using a Neumann mic but couldn't quite tell. I think it was a Neumann TLM 49. Anybody known the mic of choice use for animated film/voiceover work of this type? Looking for some other mic options here, that's why I'm wondering.

Nathan

[BradLyons]

There are many to think of---- but a lot of top guys use the M149 or the Manley Reference microphone, some use the U87 as well. I gotta tell you though that MOUSE from BLUE for $999 is phenommoninnonal (LOL) for this---AND there is a $200 rebate right now. I bought a MOUSE for that very purpose, and I could have afforded a U87.

[D'Animation]

A lot of the studios we work with use U87s or TLM103's. We don't do a lot of vo work in-house but we get great results from the Rode K2 once (as always..) your careful with the mic placement. I've had vo in from a Gefell M930 too and it sounded great
There is a few threads over on the Gearslutz Post forum with lots of other opinions flying about!
D

[chrisdee]

A few threads is a understatement.

There are endless threads and opinions on this, and hard to make any sense of them. If possible I'd reccomend trying out different mics.

[EarHole]

It really depends on what your going for. I love the U87 but because I'm often recording Announcers for TV ads, I usually use the 416. It's got more bite for that.

[paranerd]

We use Advanced Audio's CM-87s with great results for $379.00.

[BradLyons]

Hmmmmmmm just wondering here.....if Chuck Norris were to do a VO would he need a microphone? I mean, wouldn't he just put his voice right onto the track just by telling it to do so? LOL

[BobbyDazzler]

We use the 416 mostly. We have a TLM 170, U87 and a U47fet. The Neumanns barely get a look in, but that is as much due to their age.
We're trialling a Blue Mouse at the moment and I have to say it is probably the punchiest mic I've ever heard. Sounds very nice, but you have to be very careful with how close you get to it.

[Vedat]

I use 416 for high energy stuff, and u87 for more rich sounding / dramatic stuff.

Female VO def. on U87.

[SteveH44]

We are a major supplier of dialog for most theatrical motion picture, TV and radio spots, Here are the why's and wherefores on mic's and why they are used.
Basically Neumann U-87A are the mic of choice, and here's why - consistency!
Not that this is the greatest mic on the planet, but because just about every major stage, and almost any studio has one. For radio, the MKH-416 for it's directionality, that in your face sound needed to get the product dialog across in the worst of listening enviornments, and again consistency. For ensemble records, those can vary - U-87, U-87A, TLM-170, Microtech Gefell's S70 or S71. For everything else, almost any mic made (for matching elements).
These aren't the only mic's used, but are the one's most in session during the day.

Steve H
LA Studios