Travel Mic recommendations?

[robroy]

I will probably have my macbook air and apogee duet interface with me.... I'm interested in a mic that would work well with that setup yet be rugged enough for travel. I think that rules out most condenser mics, especially with the shock mounts. There is a zoom h4n locally for sale, but there's probably something better, right? Acoustic guitar and vocals. thanks good people!

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by robroy

I will probably have my macbook air and apogee duet interface with me.... I'm interested in a mic that would work well with that setup yet be rugged enough for travel. I think that rules out most condenser mics, especially with the shock mounts. There is a zoom h4n locally for sale, but there's probably something better, right? Acoustic guitar and vocals. thanks good people!

Hi robbery…
I have some very nice condenser mics, which I've owned for over 10 years, and all of them came in travel cases (which I still own). They are well padded - properly foam lined - with well fitted cutouts for mics, shock mounts, and capsules.

I wouldn't hesitate to take them in our RV, or on a plane if I needed/wanted to do professional recordings while traveling. I guess it would really depend on what you mean by travel. If you are off-roading, I'd be as concerned for the Macbook-Air as the mic. The things I protect my gear against are heat, moisture, and shock.

For serious recording of acoustic guitar, I'd not consider anything less than a decent condenser mic. I have a Zoom H4n which I sometimes use for a mobile interface (much like your Apogee Duet). It's also a great mobile recording device. I also own/use a Zoom H2n which I carry for casual recordings, and it does a great job of capturing acoustic guitar when I'm not doing recordings I plan to put to serious use. The H2n is half the size/volume, and much more travel friendly for a single package.

Either will mount on top of a camera tripod (which I always travel with) so I don't have to worry about mic stands, unless I'm going to be doing professional recording.

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by robroy

I will probably have my macbook air and apogee duet interface with me.... I'm interested in a mic that would work well with that setup yet be rugged enough for travel. I think that rules out most condenser mics, especially with the shock mounts. There is a zoom h4n locally for sale, but there's probably something better, right? Acoustic guitar and vocals. thanks good people!

The H4n would work as an interface and mic combined but would be a noticeable step down in self-noise compared to the Apogee. A Zoom H5 or H6 would be closer in quality to the Apogee and again replace it as an interface, although it would lack some features compared to the Apogee.

A Rode NT4 stereo mic would be easier to deploy than a pair of separate mics, comes with a padded case, and delivers excellent quality.

The AKG C535, Shure SM81, or Shure KSM141 are all suitable for stage use and come in protective cases, and there are a number of other condensers that would easily handle travel.

Fran

[moon]

Maybe one of the miniature DPA mics?

[DesolationAngel]

I sometimes just travel with an Apogee Mic, super portable, lightweight, comes with it's own (admittedly naff) tripod stand thing... but is truly plug and play. The other night, though, while I was sat at my coffee table, I wanted to try something different. So I plugged in an Apogee One–also small and lightweight–and then plugged in an AT4041 to that. I have a tiny mic stand–4" round base, 3" upright and a 6" goose–and sat the mic on that. You could go that option, plugging something like a 4041 straight into the Duet. The lack of shock mount, in my scenario, didn't seem to make any negative impact. I'm going to have a go at aggregating the Mic and the One to give myself a close mic and a room mic...

[robroy]

thanks for all the great responses and please keep them coming!

so many good choices! I am leaning toward the Rode nt4 at this point because it seems like it handles both vocals and guitar well and appears well built. I am in Japan and found one for a pretty good price too.

on the other hand I like the minimalist idea of the Apogee Mic too. I tried one once before and it seemed a little "brittle" but maybe that was due more to my poor technique at the time..... it would sure be lightweight and simple.

btw, my travel will be flying and trains with one small suitcase, travel guitar and small backpack.

thanks again for your sharing!

[DesolationAngel]

This is a little track I made to check out a guitar I'd just bought... just the Apogee Mic...



And this is another with a wildly different guitar, recorded while sitting on the side of my bed. The 'drums' are just taps on the body of the guitar.

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by robroy

thanks for all the great responses and please keep them coming!

so many good choices! I am leaning toward the Rode nt4 at this point because it seems like it handles both vocals and guitar well and appears well built. I am in Japan and found one for a pretty good price too.

on the other hand I like the minimalist idea of the Apogee Mic too. I tried one once before and it seemed a little "brittle" but maybe that was due more to my poor technique at the time..... it would sure be lightweight and simple.

btw, my travel will be flying and trains with one small suitcase, travel guitar and small backpack.

thanks again for your sharing!

How do you plan to support the mic/recorder?

Fran

[robroy]

Fran, depending on my final choice, I've got some mini mic stands or I could bring a small camera tripod with some kind of adapter... do you have suggestions?

[Fran Guidry]

For really light weight and compact support I use the discontinued Tamrac Zipshot:

http://www.tamrac.com/products/zipshot/

It's discontinued but still available on Ebay. The 406 is the full size model, the 404 is a mini version, probably not useful for a mic stand.

Fran

[DesolationAngel]

I used this kind of get up the other night... it's not terribly heavy (but then, when I travel, I am always carrying a ton of weight) and the base unscrews from the upright, making it pretty compact when taken apart (buthen, when I travel, I am always carrying a ton of weight).



Of course, it's success is going to depend on how well you can acoustically decouple the micstand from the rest of the world around you while you're recording. I had mine on a heavy coffee table, on a rug, on a concrete floor...

(Just read the reviews on this particular one and it said that it didn't come with rubber feet. The one I bought from my local music store did have rubber feet and the base is heavy enough to support a small diaphragm condenser).

[moon]

[Andy Howell]

I have a brilliant, small, battery powered Sony Mic which uses a micro jack. A lovely little stereo mic which has a switchable area of coverage.

However, I also have Zoom H2 and Zoom H6 recorders which have very good mics. The H2 is pretty portable, had good mics and works very well with the little Sony.

[robroy]

thanks for all the great input! I've shifted gears a bit from my original thoughts and am downsizing to the MacBook Air and apogee mic. That will serve my purpose of preserving musical ideas while I'm on the road until I get back home to the good stuff. maybe even some you tubes!