3 Top Microphones Under $1k for VO | (Earthworks Ethos, Shure KSM 32, Neumann TLM 102) 

which of these would you suggest for a bass voice type? and for a baritone maybe?

@@TsosmiLosGizmoXou They’re all kind of different, and honestly would work well with a lower register. It’s probably more a question of your preference and intended use than anything. The KSM 32 is neutral and even. The 102 is more ‘silky’ I’d say. And the Ethos is probably the darkest of them all. None better/worse, but different.

ty for the info .. im a bass/baritone voice type and i wanna record rap, im considering to buy the tlm102@@jaymyersvoiceover

@@TsosmiLosGizmoXou Gotcha! Yeah you really can’t go wrong with the 102, or any of those mics.

My pleasure! It's one of my favorites for sure. Love what you all do.

Wholesome moment🤗

Hi, I've read your comment and you've mentioned that you bought s used one ksm mic, I found some on second hand market but I don't know whether used mics are somehow worn down and worts than new ? Or it's worth to look at ?

I bought mine used as well. In fact almost all of my mics are second hand. Works great! Most folks are pretty upstanding when reselling, but I usually opt to buy used from a store over an individual to be on the safe side. Definitely worth

@@jaymyersvoiceover thankyou, thank you very much for your comment, it helped me to make my mind. I'm gonna go and buy one now, cheers

@chesskiller666 you bet!

Killer! Looking forward to hearing how you like it

I use my ETHOS whenever I get the chance!

Thanks!

Couldn’t agree more.

You bet!

couldn't agree more.

Thanks! Per the ETHOS, the self noise isn’t much of an issue in my use. Though I use it for long form narration/broadcast narration, not for commercial/animation/video games as those genres are better suited to some of the other mics in my studio.

Oh killer! And I couldn't agree more. I don't do much honestly. In post, I just cut some room resonance and give a little presence boost at ~8kHz. If I'm feeling spicy I'll do a noise reduction using room tone just to cut some of the self-noise of the mic, but not always. Otherwise, I trust the manufacturer on the ETHOS.

How about yourself?

@@jaymyersvoiceover nice! I try not to do much noise reduction unless I have to just because even the best software takes a little something from the voice. I typically apply the slightest of expander to control some of the breathing (just like 3db of reduction) or kids playing upstairs. EQ I’m constantly adjusting. I prefer less is more approach after my radio days wore off. Some slight mud reduction around 250, maybe 450 to 500 between 1-2 db of cut. HPF around 65, tho sometimes I feel like the Ethos loses a little something I like when I remove too much of the lows. But then a slight high shelf around 3.5 to 4.5 (unless I’m using without the foam). I love the Ethos but don’t feel like I’ve ever fully unlocked it for my particular voice.

Hi there! Thanks for the kind words. That's a great question, and I'll do my best to answer it. Ultimately, I believe it's a call for each individual on a personal level. For my experience, a degree and extensive performance training loaded me with tons of tools, skills, and experience that made me much more flexible as a performer. Actors and voice actors are tradespeople, a bit like carpenters or plumbers, and the training made it so I can be competitive for a wider range of jobs with skills that help me to complete the job 'successfully and efficiently' as you put so well. Training does not however grant you a silver bullet for success. While some networking does happen from any degree, it guarantees you nothing and the job is still a lot of work with a lot of rejection and uncertainty. There's also a fair measure of luck involved for better or worse. In my case, after I graduated with my MFA (granted it was during the pandemic's height) it was nearly 18 months of 40+ hour weeks recording and submitting auditions on my own with no returns before I started booking with any sort of regularity, and probably another year about until I was making a comfortable living. That's on top of another 12+ years as a professional actor. So, all to say if you're passionate about acting, VO, and performance and you want to go into the training to enrich and better yourself--it was worth it for me. Hope that helps, and happy to talk about it more if more questions pop up for you.

You got it! I'll perhaps do a separate video comparing them directly soon, but if you want some of my thoughts now I talk about them both in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jJ6wKauZlv4.html

Yes, the 102 does need a preamp, though I think your Motu would suit it just fine with 60dB of gain. :)

Dude…..I thought I said thank you for the response and seems I didn’t. Apologies and thank you. If I could indulge you a moment longer…. What do you think of the Black Lion Audio B173MK2 Microphone Preamp in case my MOTU M2 gets a little noisy with my TLM 102. Cheers….

@@deCLOCK_NJ Ah no worries! Thanks for circling back nonetheless, I appreciate it. Admittedly, I'm not too familiar with the Black Lion personally, though there are a couple of important things to be aware of with it. (Some you may know, but just in case.) Firstly, it needs to be plugged into power separately, and it doesn't connect directly to your computer. Effectively it'll power your mic but won't convert the signal to your computer directly like your Motu will. Beyond that it'll be emulating a vintage preamp, meaning it's going for a specific tone rather than transparency. That's neither good not bad, but something to consider. I'd probably hit up Sweetwater directly and ask them what they think would be the best way to go for you if you're really curious. They'll be able to offer you a wider range of options than I will. But for my money I think you'll be fine with the Motu and the TLM 102.

Thanks again….will take your advice and ask Sweetwater for options when my need arises to that level. Love the videos too Dude…..

I’ve been curious about the ksm 44 as well! How do you like it relative to the 32?

@@jaymyersvoiceover I'm still so new at this that you should take my opinion with a grain of salt 🙂. The two biggest differences I hear are: 1) the noise floor is basically non-existent on the 44. Not that the 32 is bad in that regard, but the 44 is just... EERILY quiet! (4 dB SPL-A). 2) the highs are a bit crisper without being harsh. This could be a good or a bad thing I suppose since the 32 is sooo smooth up there! Like the 32, the 44 has that nice girthy low-midrange that gives heft to my voice... I'd say it sounds a bit like a if the KSM32 and TLM102/3 had a baby 🙂. I saw the $200-off sale on Sweetwater and couldn't resist. And thank you for what you do; I've learned a lot from your channel and think you deserve more subs!