Dwayne’s DIY Video Setup – Part 4 Audio

If you just want to jump ahead to my recommendations for your audio click here. Or if you want to understand why I use this setup continue reading…

In that past several years that I have been making videos, I have been using the Blue Yeti microphone as well as an assortment of USB headsets. The Blue Yeti has served me very well for the past 8 years but the USB connector at the base of the mic is starting to wear and occasionally the connection doesn’t work. The connectors are the most common place were audio equipment fails so this is not surprising. Rather than take the Blue Yeti in to be repaired I have decided to step up from USB to XLR which opens up a world of options for improving my audio. Due to a recurring sinus problem and a subsequent surgical procedure to correct the issue, my already rough and raspy voice has become even rougher and raspier so having the ability to control my audio is important. The drawback of moving to XLR based audio is that the options are virtually limitless and the costs rapidly climb. It has taken me a few months of investigation and experimentation to find the right balance between getting Mics, audio interfaces, and accessories that will do what I need, give me the options I need, while not breaking the bank. I also don’t want or need to become a sound engineer to be able to use this new audio equipment.

Since the microphone (mic) is perhaps the most important part of your audio set up this is where I will begin. After scouring dozens (if not hundreds) of blog posts, podcasts, and YouTube videos on setting up audio for podcasting and Youtube videos I learned that most blogs, podcasts, and Youtube videos repeat the information that a few key individuals share. I have managed to narrow down my sources to those few key YouTubers who are actual professionals rather than wannabes echoing or parroting the experts. I also have some experience working with audio when my boys were in a band a few years back so I have some practical experience to help me discern what is useful and what isn’t.

Whenever you are purchasing any type of audio equipment you really need to look at the environment in which you will be using the equipment and be very clear about what you plan to do. Since my office is in a corner of our living room there, unfortunately, can be background noises that need to be filtered out. This is a really important factor in deciding what type of mic you will need to get. The ideal mic for video or podcasting if you have the luxury of a very quiet space or a soundproofed studio is a cardioid condenser Mic which is much more sensitive and can give you a richer and full sound without having to rely on the proximity effect (getting real close to the mic). If you are in a noisier environment like mine, then you will want to get a dynamic mic which does a really good job of filtering out background noises but if you stray from mic’s sweet spot which is directly in front of the mic and as close as you can get you will have significant drop off in your audio volume and quality.

One last factor that you should take into account before you purchase a mic is to consider if you will be the only person you will be recording and you do not see the need to add an additional mic to your setting or workflow. If you will only be working on your own then you really don’t need to move up to the XLR and can simply rely on the USB mics and your computer’s audio interface. However, if you plan to add another voice or you want to start moving up to more professional caliber equipment then the following information will be helpful.

Both of my boys are working with social media in their professions and their businesses. My older son recently started a podcast and will be interviewing people face2face and online so having the ability to multipurpose or share audio equipment with my boys is important. This will also mean that the equipment that I will be using will need to be more robust and flexible to handle the portable nature of face2face interviews and the diversity of setting in which the equipment will be used. I also don’t want to duplicate all the equipment so finding a mic that will work with both USB and XLR was important.

I initially considered upgrading to the USB/XLR Blue Yeti because of the success I have had with my USB Blue Yeti but the cost of this mic put it into a category of some other really good equipment options. Rather than spend the $350 just on one mic, I found that I could get 2-3 other mics and an audio interface for my office for less than the cost of the USB/XLR Blue Yeti. I also needed to have more than one person connect at a time so purchasing two Blue Yeti Mics put the cost up much too high and while these are great Mics they aren’t the most portable. They are quite large, heavy, and I don’t think they are as robust as some other Mics.

My research revealed that one of the best dynamic mics was the Shure SM58 which is a mic that is used by many musicians, voice actors, and podcasters but this mic does not offer a USB connectivity so it did meet my initial criteria. I am still planning on getting a Shure SM58 but plan to purchase one used since these are almost indestructible mics and you can find them for sale used for significantly less than full retail on Craiglist.

Next to the Shure SM58 the Audio Technica 2100 and Samson Q2U have very positive reviews by the Youtube and podcasting community, offer both my USB and XLR connectivity, and are reasonably priced. Both these mics are almost identical and the Samson Q2U is more available outside the US and is also a bit cheaper. Both mics come with a USB and XLR cable, windscreen, and tabletop stand so you have almost everything you need to get started. Since you can’t connect the XLR mic directly to your computer you will need to an audio interface.

Zoom H5

I decided to go with the Zoom H5 mobile recorder because it not only gives you mobile mixing and recording it has the ability to function as an audio interface so you can also connect this device to your laptop in your office or studio setting. There is also the option of running the H5 as the preamp and connecting directly to a DSLR, so this audio device offers many options for both the studio and mobile setting. Zoom has a range of recording/audio interface options so narrowing the choice down to the Zoom H5 came down to considering my current and potential needs. I wanted the best quality sound so I knew from the research that the older and less expensive Zoom H4N Pro didn’t offer as cleans sound as the new and more expensive Zoom H5 or H6. The H5 has the same pre-amps as the H6 so the recording quality is a good as the H6 but since we don’t need to connect up to 6 mics in a mobile setting we saved $200 by going to the H5. We also found the device used on Craigslist so we saved even more. The Zoom H5 comes with 2 XLR inputs and we can easily purchase a the XLR extender if we need to add two more inputs. Finally, the device is designed for mobile use so it is quite small and takes up very little space on a desk.

While my original plan was to just use the Zoom H5 for both my office and mobile needs I stumbled across a deal on Craiglist that I couldn’t refuse. When I was looking for a used Shure SM58 Mic I came across a BM-P800 mic and the Behringer U-phoria UMC22 audio interface for just $40 for the set which is a 1/4 of the cost of both of these devices new. The BM-800 mic is a condenser mic which I wanted to experiment with that is relatively cheap but performs as good as mics that are considerably more expensive so this was a positive. The other positive is that the Behringer U-phoria UMC22 audio interface enables me to set up a more permanent audio connection in my office. I don’t need to use the Zoom H5 as an interface and can keep that as part of my mobile kit. If I didn’t have the need to do some mobile recording I would have purchased the Behringer U-phoria UMC22 audio interface because it gives me everything I need at a very low cost so this deal for both the mic and the audio interface was a blessing. I have also noticed that there are lots of people who have lost interesting in podcasting or are upgrading to better equipment so there are lots of deals on Craiglist. The only issues are having to wait for the right deal to come up. If you have the time this could be a way to save lots of dollars.

The final piece of my audio upgrade is the mic arm and stand. Because I have a tendency to talk with my hands will tap on my desk which is easily picked up by a condenser mic a shock mount is also required. I have been experimenting with a variety of mic arms and have narrowed things down to two different stands. Still not sure which one will work the best but lately I have been using my Kick Drum/Amp mic stand more than the Neewer NW-35 Metal Suspension Boom Scissor Arm Stand. The Kick Drum/Amp mic stand is intended for micing a kick drum or amp so that it doesn’t have that much height which works well in my office. I am using an Ikea Lack side table for my standing desk and since it isn’t secured to the main table top I am able to move it to one side when I want to use my Teleprompter. Since the Kick Drum/Amp stand isn’t secured to anything but has a small weighted based I can easily move it to the side. The scissor arm stand is convenient to use as well but it has to be secured to the Lack side table and I have found it can get in the way. Depending on your situation either option will work well.

Recommended equipment:
Samson Q2U or Audio Technica 2100
Behringer U-phoria UMC22 (only if you want to use XLR)
Zoom H5 mobile recorder (only if you need a mobile option)
Kick Drum/Amp mic stand
Neewer NW-35 Metal Suspension Boom Scissor Arm Stand (comes with a shock mount)
Knox Microphone Shock Mount for Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB