Review: Sennheiser Momentum OnEar Headphones

The Listening experience, Transformed

Several years ago, after having gone through a few sets of random headphones and getting less than desirable results, I finally discovered a pair that surpassed them all in terms of sound quality: The Sennheiser Momentum On Ear Headphones. Since then, they’ve gone everywhere with me and have totally transformed the listening experience.

So what’s all the buzz?

Not only do they appeal to a variety of music lovers, in particular audiophiles (like me), but their pristine stereo sound is hard to resist. Put them on and let these noise-cancelling gems take you on a journey. Where other brands excel and, perhaps, over compensate with the punch of extra bass, the Momentum’s accentuate the fullness of classic HiFi sound with just the right amount of EQ. And that balances everything out quite nicely.

I also found this to be the case when comparing them alongside my Beats Solo Wireless, also a great pair of headphones (for different reasons). For example, where the Beats succeed at amplifying sound across the board for say, hip hop or dubstep, the Momentum’s adjust to almost every genre flawlessly, particularly jazz, hip hop and even classical. Amidst everything, I can still hear sonic details without them getting drowned out by the booming bass.

It's like having one of your Dad's high-end living room tube pre-amps at your disposal wherever you go. With live recordings, it feels like you’re there front and center with the artist. Plenty of drive and...oh yeah, momentum.

In addition, the Sennheiser Momentum's come in handy when editing voice over on the road. While they don’t capture 16/24 bit mono audio as well as the Sony MDR 7506 (a stand-by for many voice over pros), they'll still suffice for smaller gigs with quicker turnarounds. Volume control is also available as is the ability to accept or reject calls during listening. Perhaps the only drawback is that, unlike Beats or newer Momentum models, they’re not wireless or collapsible and the dangling wire sometimes gets in the way when traveling. The leather case is protective enough but not as compact as I’d hoped.

Minor inconveniences aside, you don’t want to miss this kind of sound experience.

#SennheiserMomentumHeadphones #headphones #audio #HiFi

An Immersive Experience

Review: Sennheiser Ambeo Smart Headset

"Now you can capture and share the world just as you experience it."

A while ago, after watching a commercial for the GoPro Hero 4 video camera, I finally went out and bought one. This was going to be the defining moment for me to capture HD video of my daily NYC activities hassle-free. The only problem was that the advertisement and product description didn’t match my actual experience. To this day, I’ve only used the GoPro Hero 4 a few times and now it mostly sits in a case in my closet.

My purchase of the Sennheiser Ambeo Smart Headset, on the other hand, was the complete opposite experience. Finally, I can go out into the world and record video directly from my iPhone that not only looks good but sounds equally amazing. It's hassle-free, easy-to-use and delivers clean beautiful audio.

Watch the geeky train video below (preferably with headphones) and hear for yourself.

Headphone Specs:

• Lightning cable connection

• Built-in 3D mic

• App connection

• Transparent audio blending

• Active noise cancellation

• Additional telephone mic

• Signature Sennheiser sound

• Apogee’s proprietary Soft Limit and mic preamp plus precisely tuned A/D and D/A conversion

Buy it here and have a blast! (Worth the investment, I promise)

#sennheiser #apogee #ambeosmartheadset #Headphones #audio #binaural #sound #recording

Optimum Sound Arrives

Reviewing the custom vocal booth for solid voice over recording

I wouldn't exactly call myself a techie or an audio junkie but I do know quality when I hear it.  Optimum sound exists.  Several months ago I upgraded my home studio with a custom vocal booth from QC Acoustics, a company in California.  As I had been wanting to do this for a while, you can imagine the huge sigh of relief as we finished assembling this booth and setting up all the equipment.   Finally, after years of make-shift isolation booths, my very own whisper room had arrived.  That potentially meant the following:

No low rumble from city subways or trucks

No screaming children playing ball in the streets

No thundering jet engine during take-off or landing

Bye bye ice-cream truck!

The results?  

Absolute perfection and all of the above no longer an issue.  I can now audition and record without having to worry about any distracting outside noises that would break my concentration.  By the way, this is the dream of a NYC voice over artist.

What does that mean for you, the buyer?

Relief, confidence, and assurance, knowing that not only did you hire the right voice but that you will also be getting a professional sounding product as well.

Hear for yourself.

#audio #homestudio #review #vocalbooth #voiceover

Mobile Recording Adventures

My Studio on Wheels

Back in June, while visiting my native Connecticut for a doctor's appointment, I had the rare opportunity to audition from inside a very hot car.  This was my first mobile recording adventure on wheels - my initial experience recording inside a car, as I'm normally in the city and use the subway for transportation.  But after my appointment, a few projects arrived in my inbox with important deadlines.  I figured: why not test out my current set-up.  The video above showcases the recording rig, though not the actual recording in process.  I know - I'm such a tease!

While mobile recording for voice over is common in our industry, this particular set-up is different.  I normally record in a closet or somewhere extra cozy and confined.  However, the vehicle acoustics here, while not the greatest, did produce very acceptable results.

Unfortunately, I can't post the audition out of respect to my agents and the client.

Sitting comfortably in the driver's seat, I'm equipped with a microphone resting on top of a steering wheel.  Without my usual trusty pop filter, I am far enough away that I don't have to worry about and popped p's or hard consonants distorting the audio.

Thanks for watching! And if you have any questions, please let me know!

#recording #audio #auditioning #voiceover #mobile

Mobile Mouthings & Configurations

Thoughts on the voiceover travel studio set-up from The Everyman Voice

Yes, the time has come to talk about voiceover mobile studio setups (or what I like to call mobile mouthings and configurations).  Have no fear - I'm not about to jump into an in-depth, super knowledgeable post, detailing my years as an audio engineer!  Not at all.  I'm just a regular VO guy who's been able to produce quality audio from some very basic and simple setups.  I have no expert standing in the audio world, but have been somewhat of an audio enthusiast over the years, and believe that a sense of the creative can lead to excellent sound quality.  A fascination with recording gadgets as a child was inevitable, as I was more or less the next in a succession of "Stereophiles" - our family's musical history didn't focus on the dynamics of sound at great length, but it was always there. My experience with newer recording technology has been somewhat of a learning curve, nonetheless...

Mobile hotel room studio configuration. Tried and true Apogee USB Mic, 2nd Generation iPad, SE Electronics Pop Screen, Complimentary blankets and towels courtesy of the Hampton Inn and Suites of Buffalo, NY.

In the VO world, we flash our audio jewelry to the world any chance we get. We stop at nothing and go to great lengths to prove that we're serious about our business by over-spending on the latest and greatest gear - as if this is the key to getting potential clients to take us seriously. We brag about our peak limiters, new plug-ins and used Avalon pre.  We include our gear in newsletters and in our social media posts, hoping it will showcase how our new audio setup makes our recording quality top-notch.  What I love about mobile studio setups goes beyond gear and into the realm of conceptual creativity: A great and truly effective mobile studio is more about ingenuity, really...

The extent of my own interest in audio recording began with capturing sounds of passing trains and family dinner conversations on a micro-cassette recorder in my younger days  (Oh great, here we go with the trains again - this guy and his trains!).  Of course when I got home, the sound had clipped beyond recognition, but I thought it was SO COOL.  Still, I'm pretty far from being a devoted audiophile, nor am I the type of talent who goes on an island vacation and complains about having to break from the waves to record an ISDN session back at the hotel room.  That being said, I still care that my sound is more than merely acceptable to the people hiring me - the voice seekers, creative directors and producers.  I'm just not a die-hard techie wiz kid with a serious appetite for audio.  And there's nothing wrong with that.  I'm a voiceover artist, a creative type who loves the job I'm in.  Then again, I will admit that sometimes the audio and voiceover worlds collide in a mix of creative harmony - and this is definitely one of those times...

As a kid, mobility was the best thing ever!  I loved designing bedroom forts to hide in (didn't we all?!).  I'd imagine that, under all those blankets propped up by desk chairs and home trampolines,  I was doing something really special - conducting important business transactions, carrying supplies from visiting travelers, building campfires, delegating assignments to my stuffed animal compatriots.  It was a child's play land then. Who knew that many years later, I would be conducting real business, those same stuffed animals long since tucked away in an airtight bag under my bed.

So, here goes a simplified version of mobile VO and its quick points, without getting carried away with excessive technical jargon.  If you're a voice talent looking to embrace audio on the road for the first time or even more regularly, these cost-effective and already widely used setups might help ease the intimidation levels you're feeling from a brief online search.  Feel free to browse the pretty photos and get some of your own ideas as well.  If you already have the equipment and the setup, read with nicety or avoid altogether.

If you're voice over talent with a decent amount of experience and are simply overwhelmed by the amount of audio gear out there and mountain of opinions toward creating your own successful studio on-the-road; don't be.  You can do this cheaply. And maybe with any of the following:

Portable Booths

Porta-Booth: A tried-and-true product developed by voiceover guru, Harlan Hogan of Voiceover Essentials.  Other cheaper and just as reliable versions have entered the market place since then but don't discount the effectiveness of Harlan's products.  I've never used them but they do come highly recommended by other colleagues within the industry.  If you're not interested in ponying up the $300-plus for this setup and/or don't want to lug it through security, perhaps a DIY version like this or something similar will help.  In addition, a good ol' closet or room corner with ample audio treatment, including blankets, pillows and quilts will do the job just fine.  See above photo for reference - creativity works, people!

Kaotica Eye Ball : This neat invention is a bit on the over-priced side if you ask me and shouldn't replace a fully-functional mobile studio.  The Kaotica functions well as an augmentation to an existing portable studio and helps minimize any annoying room tone.  In my experience, I've noticed its audio quality somewhat diminished and a bit muffled.  For example: if you're a singer recording in a remote corner of a parking garage or gym, the EyeBall may help minimize unnecessary reverb, but to capture the richness and texture of the human voice alone, as in voiceover, the EyeBall still leaves much to be desired.

Microphones

Apogee One 96K Mic: You can't go wrong with Apogee products.  I still use my Apogee One Interface on the road, but once the 96K mic came out, I instantly fell in love.  It's worked very well with both my 2nd Gen iPad and my new Macbook.  Its quality is second to none,  very easy to use and hardly a hassle when it comes to travel time.

Audio Technica 2020 USB: My first VO mic.  When I first got started, I picked up this microphone on Amazon for about $150.  It's now going to for as low as $99.  At the risk coming off as a strong supporter of USB microphones (aka "All you need is a USB mic and laptop"), I do stand by the AT2020 because of it's reliability.  If you're just starting out in VO and on a limited budget, or you've been out of the loop for a few years and your 416 or U87 is broken for some reason, start here.  However, it is probably a good idea not to stay here.

sE Electronics Pop Filter:  Hard consonants and popping P's won't stand a chance with this one - a smaller, just as reliable option is also available at BSW for a bit more.

The technology is out there.  You decide.

#recording #travel #tech #voiceover #audio #microphone

Doppler Dreams

How the Amtrak locomotives of the past and their horns made me fall in love with trains.

The Doppler Effect from Wikipedia:

The Doppler effect (or Doppler shift) is the change in frequency of a wave (or other periodic event) for an observer moving relative to its source. It is named after the Austrian physicist Christian Doppler, who proposed it in 1842 in Prague.

K5LA Horn

* K5LA horns, designed by Nathan Manufacturing, LLC,  were commonly used with Amtrak and various freight lines over the past several decades. If you grew up around trains in the 1990's,  then you've definitely heard this horn.  Again from Wikipedia:

The K5LA five-chime assembly has five bells whose musical chord helps the horn to be heard and lessens complaints. The bells may be reversed[2] for trains that go backwards and help those working at the back of the train hear the horn on the front. The K5LA is the most popular horn in use today, with a B major 6th chord (D-sharp, F-sharp, G-sharp, B, D-sharp).[1] Though first used by Chessie System,[3] it was developed for Amtrak as a variation on the original K horn, and is the standard horn for Amtrak, CSX, Norfolk Southern,[4] and Illinois Central as well as commuter and passenger trains.[5]

Just Another Train Nerd

As many of you know, I am a train geek, nerd, junkie, or enthusiast, if you will.  I grew up around trains in the early 1990's and was spoiled by my parents every chance I got, to see as many trains as possible.  I also had the great fortune of being exposed to people, other train enthusiasts, who helped feed this fire throughout my life.

The sound of a passing train whistle in the dead of night, otherwise known as The Doppler Effect, was a vital part of my childhood.  No matter how you look at it, trains, the sight and sound of them, the passion for them, even the smell of them, have always played an integral role throughout my life.  In particular, it was the now vintage locomotives Amtrak used for well over two decades, the EMD F40PH, that became the face of the American passenger rail system from 1978 to about 2001. Over two decades.   You could see these engines everywhere. They were magnificent, powerful, unapologetic, dirty and bad-ass, flying through the sprawling countrysides or vast urban landscapes of our country's most populated cities.  And they had a particular hum to them as well.  If you were lucky enough to be around an Amtrak F40 in the 90s and witness one of these beauties up close, you'd probably understand why I get so giddy and excited.

Looking at the above photo is like experiencing that same feeling all over again. And it happens every time. Growing up, these engines had been the face of Amtrak for years and I truly miss them.  Amtrak will never be the same.   Sadly, in 2001 they were taken out of service and replaced with a sleeker, faster, more aerodynamic Genesis P42 which were a more fuel-efficient alternative in the long run.  These engines are incredible as well but nothing, in my opinion, comes close to the grandeur of an F40PH.

Mdamttc199. "The BEST Old School Amtrak K5LAs" Video. YouTube 9 Aug 2015. 21 Nov 2015

#dopplereffect #audio #amtrak #trains #K5LA