EQ Magazine - August 2008 - (Page 53)

by David Royer MAKE IT LONGER The typical recommended USB cable length is 5 meters, which may not be enough if your computer is in a “machine room” and you need to feed it with a USB peripheral. Solution? USBthere, Startech’s line of USB extenders (www.startech.com). For example, their 2port, bus-powered extender (approx. $140) runs USB 1.1 up to about 165 feet over standard CAT-5 Ethernet cable. But for USB 2.0, a one-port extender will set you back $700 and a 4-port, $800. For an inexpensive USB 1.1 option, check out IOGear’s GUCE51 USB (shown in picture; around $80). It’s single-port, and extends to a claimed 198 feet using standard Ethernet cable. I’VE SEEN THE LIGHT Kensington’s USB Flylight (www.kensington.com) is a small light that plugs into your USB port— great for working with laptops under low lighting. It typically costs under $20, and the flexible neck lets you aim the light wherever needed. OUT OF SPACE, BUT NOT OUT OF MICS . . . Other popular USB mics include the Røde Podcaster ($349), a dynamic cardioid USB mic; we didn’t give it the full treatment here because Røde says it’s tailored for voice. However, while it’s great for podcasting, some musicians also swear by it for recording vocals. Nady’s USB-1C ($229.95) features a large, pressure-gradient condenser gold-sputtered diaphragm, cardioid polar pattern, and FET preamp. And there are others, but let’s wrap up. CONCLUSIONS USB mics started out as the Rodney Dangerfields of the mic world, getting no respect. But over time, that opinion has changed. Laptop jockeys and podcasters were the first to appreciate the simplification USB mics provide. Then songwriters got into the act, realizing that they could nail vocal ideas anywhere they had a laptop—and could often get up and running faster with a desktop system, as well. Now, even audio engineers recognize that when you run out of mics, pressing a USB mic into service can not only save a session, but often, produce results on a par with non-USB, upper-middle-class mics. Even if you have no interest in USB mics, at least get an inexpensive one. You’ll find uses you never considered, such as speech recognition for your computer, online telephony, and other applications that don’t necessarily involve music. Then one day, you’ll need to get down a song idea or do some narration, and you’ll be hooked. The Snowflake is a fine choice due to its convenience, low price, and decent all-around performance. The Snowball is a logical step up from that. If you’re a songwriter with a laptop, consider a USB mic with zero-latency monitoring and a headphone jack (make sure you check out the GTrack). That eliminates additional gear you’d otherwise need. If you have to use a particular non-USB mic because it flatters your voice, then the MicPort Pro is an excellent option if you need monitoring (it can also provide high-quality audio from your laptop—I take it on trips). For tighter budgets, the MXL Mic Mate is ideal. Or you can hedge your bets and get a solid, high-quality mic like the On the MA-100 “How does such a small mic make such a big sound? This Ross Hogarth (Grammy winning Producer/Engineer, Ziggy Marley, Jewel, Keb Mo, Black Crowes, REM) On the MA-200 “I've tracked great sounding vocals, drums, guitars and bass through these mics, and my clients are consistently blown away by the results. From the moment I first put a pair up, they have continued to impress me with a wide open and balanced Ryan Hewitt (Engineer/Mixer: Red Hot Chili Peppers, blink-182, Alkaline Trio) Visit mojaveaudio.com for studio photos and audio samples. www.eqmag.com AUGUST 2008 EQ 53 http://mojaveaudio.com http://www.startech.com http://www.kensington.com http://mojaveaudio.com http://mojaveaudio.com http://www.eqmag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of EQ Magazine - August 2008

EQ Magazine - August 2008 Contents Talk Box Sounding Board Lyrics Born, Fink, David Kahne on Working with Paul McCartney, What a Future with no Record Industry looks like Tool Box ?uestlove Guitar Trax Bass Management Key Issues Drum Heads Vocal Cords Mix Bus Cheat Sheet Cakewalk Sonar 7 Apple Logic Pro 8 USM Mic Round-Up USB Mics Chameleon Labs 7720 Sounds Room with a Vu

EQ Magazine - August 2008

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