Shure Versus 907

[clkou]

Hello, I've given the forum posts a cursory review and didn't quite find what I was looking for. I am a stand-up comic and use my mini-disc to record my shows. I am generally pretty happy with the quality but am always trying to improve it. I've read that the microphone makes a big difference. So, I went to Shure's web site to check out their products.

I wanted to ask which microphone(s) from their site would be the best in terms of portability and quality? I came across an EZB that is a boundary microphone. According to the description of this product, it is the "solution for desktops, stage floors, and lecterns" and "ideal for general speech and vocal sound reinforcement".

My next question is how much of an improvement in quality can I expect if I upgrade to that model or another model over my current microphone which is a 907?

Please advise.

Thanks,

Jason

[A440]

That boundary mic looks like it's supposed to be nailed to a lectern. I don't think it's for you.

Since you are recording just your voice, you don't need a full-frequency range mic. And since you don't have to worry about stealth, you can go for pro audio equipment, which opens up a lot of other possibilities.

Unfortunately, I'm usually on the other side of the footlights. But what mic do you usually use when you're performing? Have you tried running that into the MD (probably with an XLR-to-minijack cord)?

I remember a conversation I had with a recording engineer once, who swore by the Shure SM57 or SM58 as an affordable, good sounding vocal mic.

You might also go to a pro-audio store like the Guitar Center (national chain) or www.samash.com and ask them for recommendations. Or contact Shure itself. I once had a charming conversation with their customer service dept. about my E3 earphones--unlike Sony, they actually seemed to care about user experiences.

One more thought: those little lapel microphones they use on TV talk shows. A place like www.bhphoto.com carries them.

[clkou]

But what mic do you usually use when you're performing? Have you tried running that into the MD (probably with an XLR-to-minijack cord)?

As a comic, I travel to many different places and many different clubs, so interfacing with a venue's equipment isn't a viable solution. Right now, I just set my mini-disc and microphone in an inconspicuous place in the audience. I like to get the best quality I can of my voice and also the audience's laughter. I evaluate all of my sets, so being able to get a high quality sound and distinguish between the different levels of laughter response goes a long way. But, portability is also important because I want to have a quick and easy set-up and disassemble process.

I’m pretty happy with my current set-up, but I figured if I could get a microphone that would yield a noticeably better response, I’d upgrade. I just want to make sure I get the right one since they are expensive.

[A440]

Hey, sorry I misunderstood. I suspect that the next few hundreds of dollars are only going to slightly improve your sound. Because there's a lot of ambient noise in a live recording, you don't need super-low-noise studio microphones. Do make sure you're using Manual Volume, not AGC, so you get all the dynamics of the response.

By the way, Sound Professionals has a 30-day trial period. If you wanted to try their improved-specs version of the 907 to see if there was a serious improvement, all it would cost you would be shipping.