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    Sounds as Good as it looks

    Updated: Apr 10, 2020


    Review: Blue Raspberry Condenser Microphone


    "Designed to help you sound your best no matter where you are."


    Sounds as good as it looks - Christian Rosselli Voice Over

    I'm no stranger to Blue products. The early days of using a Snowflake for auditions and last minute pick-ups are hard to forget and a recently purchased Yeti Nano sits on my desk waiting to be used. The Blue Baby Bottle is a household name at this point and can be found at agency booths and casting offices around NYC.


    Recently, I've been experimenting with the Blue Raspberry Condenser Microphone from Blue Designs as part of my voice over travel rig. While I usually bring a more sophisticated set-up on the road, the Raspberry is compact, hassle-free and delivers impressive studio sound. Not surprising. For years, Blue has been developing cost-effective, high quality products designed specifically with voice talent in mind, however their inventory appeals to a wide range of performers including podcasters, gamers, singers and musicians. While it might be hard to tell from the photos, this little mic is capable of delivering the goods no matter the location. After all, what $200 USB/Lightning mic has an intricate built-in filter? And not just any filter but an IAD (Internal Acoustic Diffuser) that helps "minimize the sound of the room" when you're forced to record at the airport. Well, maybe not ALL the sound.


    Here's an audio sample:




    But what about room treatment? No sweat. While using it at my parents' house during Thanksgiving, a bed and two pillows sufficed and the IAD worked its magic. In addition, it works with most iOS/Android devices and went directly into my iPhone. Oh, Technology. Bottom line: small usb/lightning microphone, optimum sound and adaptable to many environments. Not to mention, a collapsible stand/mount and suede pouch, making traveling easy and that pretty much seals the deal. If you're on a budget and in the market for a low maintenance, professional digital condenser microphone, this may make your on-the-go recording life a little easier.


    Check out the specs below and Get it!




    Microphone Specs:


    • USB/Lightning Capabilities

    • Cardioid Polar Pattern

    • IAD - Internal Acoustic Diffuser

    • Up to 24 bit/48K

    • No Latency monitoring

    • Gain up to +40DB

    • Mic stand adapter

    • Collapsible Stand

    • Headphone jack


    #audiogear #microphone #blueraspberry #recording #voiceover #mobile



    • Voice Over
    • •
    • Product Reviews

    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 Mouthings and Configurations - Christian Rosselli Voice Over

    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.


    Mobile Mouthings and Configurations - Christian Rosselli Voice Over

    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




    Mobile Mouthings & Configurations - Christian Rosselli Voice Over

    • Voice Over
    • •
    • Tips & Tricks

    Mic for VO: Speaking With Ease

    Review: Roswell Pro Audio's RA-VO Mic Is A Hit for Voiceover People


    Finally, a mic built BY a voiceover artist FOR voiceover artists.

     

    What is a voiceover artist without his or her trusted companion - the condenser mic? Most of the time these microphones can make us sound pretty and, other times, our finicky ear gets the best of us and we just want something more. We crave a particular sound and eventually get high-brow about our audio needs. Our perfectionist selves get the best of us and we seek the greener grass beyond the neighbor's fence.


    Well, this is it. Speaking with ease during recording sessions is enhanced with a new mic experience, without having to worry about a bunch of crazy editing and processing in your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). Where would we be without these golden rods (mostly black or silver actually and, in some cases, bronze, brass, and red) to help amplify our grand storytelling instrument? Probably not too happy. Well, it just so happens that a few voiceover artists in small pockets of the country are rejoicing over the new arrival of a finely-crafted piece of audio equipment.


    I'm speaking of the new RA-VO Microphone from Roswell Pro Audio. Created by owner Matt McGlynn with additional design help and technical expertise of audio producer and fellow voice actor Jordan Reynolds, a majorly trusted source in the voiceover community and a great friend, this mic is truly amazing. A few months ago I had the pleasure of purchasing this bad gal, hooked it up in my studio and I haven't looked back. We've been going steady ever since (you can hear a sample above). The only downside of this whole purchase being that my Neumann TLM 102, a trusted partner in crime for well over three years, sits in despondent early retirement off in closeted isolation. But I hope to bring her on the road with me more often in the future (and no, she doesn't have a name yet).


    What makes this mic so unique?


    How about descriptions like these from the owner's manual to whet your audio appetite:


    "hard-wired low-frequency attenuation"


    "neutral frequency response with subtle EQ built in"


    "less pre-amp gain than in other microphones"


    "Sibilance notched out, low frequencies rolled off"


    Just the description sounds like something that dropped from the heavens, doesn't it?


    More from the owner's manual:

    The RA-VO was designed specifically for voice capture. Every aspect of the microphone's sound, specifications, and physical structure was chosen to deliver authentic, high-fidelity reproduction of the human voice. The sound or 'voicing' of the microphone was determined through months-long research with voice actor Jordan Reynolds. The final prototype has been heard by millions of people on dozens of successful national broadcast campaigns.

    DAY-UM! Well, there you have it folks - and you don't even have to take my word for it.


    These guys clearly know what they're doing, and I have witnessed the device's greatness. Take the plunge. You won't regret it.

    #audiogear #microphone #RAVO #roswellaudio #voiceover #technology



    Mic For VO: Speaking With Ease - Christian Rosselli Voice Over

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