Microphones post: what's good for foley, ADR voiceover and sound effects - Cover Story

Post, March, 2004 by David John Farinella

Buzzeo reports that Sennheiser is looking toward a digital future. "New Sennheiser digital designs will also set out to exploit new digital production techniques," he says. "One can anticipate enhanced digital versions of a few of our tried and true designs in the future."

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BLUE MICROPHONES

The Bottle microphone from Blue Microphones (www.bluemic.com) is being used on a number of scoring stages in Los Angeles and at London's Air Studios. In fact, Air purchased a trio of Bottles to replace their Neumann M50s for their orchestral scoring dates, says sales manager Eric Boyer. "Our Bottle mic with the B4 capsule using the Perspex sphere pressure omni capsule has a very similar sound quality to the M50, yet we feel it has a little more detail," he says. "Plus you have the advantage of the utmost reliability since you're dealing with a modern microphone that was made five years ago and not 45 years ago. It's one that you know is going to work every time you plug it in."

While Blue mics were designed to serve the music market, Boyer reports that the company's Mouse microphone is being used in a number of broadcast facilities. "I would think there are some people using it for dialogue and voiceover," he adds.

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Later this year Blue will be launching a set of small diaphragm condenser microphones for more detailed applications. "We've always been about designing microphones that sound musical, which is why the Bottle is the perfect use in orchestral scoring," Boyer says. "We will have small diaphragm condensers out on the market later this year and I would anticipate that you would see some of those ending up in the post rooms at some point. That's not something that we're going to bill as a post production tool, but we'd certainly be pleased if it ended up there."