Guerilla recording

[desotoslo]

Hi sluzz

I am looking to do some guerilla recording. Toss my laptop, a Duet, and X microphone in my backpack and head to the woods.

Can someone recommend a good bastard of a microphone that can take a shake and bake? Something that will get knocked around in a bag (in a case of course), and still be of nice enough quality that it will sound good. Also, fair price. Something that if I broke, I wouldn't be as beat up as the mic. Of course, 57 comes to mind...

Recommendations?

THX.

David

[minus-sounds.com]

I have seen a photo, from maybe the 70s, from a guy in Africa carrying a small open reel recorder and he was walking between tribe members, having a ridiculously satisfying grin in his face and he had two Senn MD421 (the cream ones), one on each of his hands, spread one from the other about a meter or so. That's field recording.

Other than that a Zoom H2 or H4 is more practical.

[jeremynothman]

how about an M88.. not cheap for a dynamic (at $500), but a worthwhile investment - it can take a beating (i played a gig as a guitarist a year or so ago, and the soundy's girlfriend had thrown it at him in a fit rage - out the window of a second story apartment.

The mic worked on the kick that night!

It has extended high and low end response (30Hz-20KHz) and is pretty flat - great in the studio for kick and bass amp, as well as many vocalists.

Around the $200 price though maybe you'd consider buying a chinese condenser and just call it a throwaway?
Either way, i'd probably be making a bubble-wrap pouch for it if i were you.

[erosconpollo]

For rugged and cheap, I'd consider a pair of dynamic omnis, like the AT804. They're designed to take the abuse of news gathering and field use.

[ho-fi]

421
57
as dynamics
and try the rode nt5 as condensers. not very expensive, well built and good sounding.

[moon_unit]

This one's a no-brainer

Electrovoice 635A

Omidirectional. Resists wind noise. Holds up in extreme weather conditions, and could probably survive a nuclear blast.

[drbam]

The Rode NT4 is so sturdy and robust you could use it as a weapon if needed. Its a bit heavy though but sounds quite good. I've used one for field/nature recording on a few occasions. Another good stereo mic is the AT 825 - less money and less robust, a lot less weight than the NT4 but certainly not fragile. I personally prefer the AT for most field applications that are "backpack" oriented (primarily because of the lighter weight).

[rufus13]

Originally Posted by moon_unit

This one's a no-brainer

Electrovoice 635A

Omnidirectional. Resists wind noise. Holds up in extreme weather conditions, and could probably survive a nuclear blast.

EV RE-50, same as above but with less handling noise. Proof against inept location talent who point it at their bellybutton and talk. EV RE-85 lav in the same spirit.

Cheers.

[Corran]

+1 for the Rode. I've used it before in this application and was pleased with the results. Also comes with a pretty good windscreen. I have also used an SM-81 outdoors, but it got a lot of problems from the wind. If you don't have wind though I think it sounded wonderful.

On a higher-end scale, I used an Earthworks QTC-1 in the woods for a location film shoot. Sounded stellar.

[desotoslo]

Damn, tons of great suggestions. I'm grateful.

That electrovoice 635 looks like something a night security guard would crank into someone's skull!

Thanks, folks!

[NorseHorse]

The SM57 can take a beating, but it won't get you the sound you want in the field. Take a look at the MXL 993. You can get a pair cheaply, and they aren't delicate. Rode NT5s might be good too.

I'd stay away from any LDC that have grills that can get dented in your backpack.

[Jonathan Starr]

To record guerillas, I would recommend an AK-47. You will be able to provide covering fire when needed to keep them at a distance. If they are friendly guerillas, then a lavolier would suffice.

If it's gorillas you want to track, then a Sennheiser MKH-416 P48 would be the mic of choice. Directional, relatively impervious to moisture and other elements, and with a zepp or big windscreen and pistol grip suspension very handy & well protected. Avoid yellow, banana colored windscreens.

[Berolzheimer]

Wait, what are you recording? Someone playing music in the woods, or forest ambience, or wood gnomes skittering through the brush? If it's music are you close micing or getting a little ways out in front of teh ensemble? These things all lead to different mic choices.

[HiSPL]

I'm new here and I just stumbled across this thread. I'm a live sound guy, and I thought I would throw another vote for the EV 635a. I have one that lived outdoors as a football stadium "crowd mic" for about 30 years (as far as anyone can remember they weren't really sure, but all agreed it had been a long, long time)! It didn't sound right any more, so they bought another one and when we went up to replace it we found that it had some dirt dauber nests built on it. We replaced it anyway and I kept the old one. After a cleaning it sounds just fine! They really are that tough....

BTW, I usually use it as a talk back, or sometimes will hang it in front of a guitar cab too....

[Remoteness]

I don't believe they make the 635A anymore, but the 635B is available.

[Arkestry]

Originally Posted by Remoteness

I don't believe they make the 635A anymore, but the 635B is available.

It's kind of weird. On the EV site, they don't mention the 635A, but the picture they use for the 635A(B) shows a mic that is clearly labeled 635A.

Full Compass has the 635A on their site for $100. May be NOS, but I get the feeling it's still in production.

So, it appears that the three mics from the 635 family that are currently available are the 635A, the 635A(B), and the 635N/D-B.

As I understand it, the 635A & 635A(B) are the same mic, just different colors ("fawn beige" and "semi gloss camera black"). The 635N/D-B is black and has a neodymium magnet structure and thus a higher output.

I haven't tried the neodymium one, but I'm quite familiar with the other kind and like it a lot. As has been mentioned, it's damn near indestructible (been dubbed "the Buchannan Hammer" because of this trait). I've heard that sales reps, in rather extreme demonstrations, have literally driven nails with it without effecting the mic's sound or having it fall apart!

This is the first mic I thought of for the original poster's situation.

[Rick Sutton]

Originally Posted by Arkestry

EV635 As has been mentioned, it's damn near indestructible (been dubbed "the Buchannan Hammer" because of this trait). I've heard that sales reps, in rather extreme demonstrations, have literally driven nails with it without effecting the mic's sound or having it fall apart!

I'm pretty sure that the 635 is not the "hammer". The "hammer" I remember was the 664 and its related models. Now there was a mic you could really do some damage with! The 635 is way too small and lightweight to drive nails.

As far as I remember the 664 sounded so poor that the best use for it was as a carpenter's tool.

Very popular as a general duty mic in the public schools in the sixties. "Attention students, there will be an assembly today in the gym at 2pm."

[HiSPL]

Heh, yeah I've got one of those too. It sits on my bookshelf on it's official EV desk stand looking pretty. Thats about all it's good for. It is just "the hammer". The 635 is the "Buchanan hammer".


635A(B) - Electrovoice

[Rick Sutton]

Originally Posted by HiSPL

Heh, yeah I've got one of those too. It sits on my bookshelf on it's official EV desk stand looking pretty. Thats about all it's good for. It is just "the hammer". The 635 is the "Buchanan hammer".


635A(B) - Electrovoice

Funny stuff! Honestly I wonder if the copywriter at EV really has his story correct! EV should know, but when it comes to really driving 16p nails the 635 is worthless. At best I could only get my trusty old 635 to drive carpet tacks! Now the 664, there was a true framing hammer of a mic.
Now if we want to remember some really bizarre EV mics the 644 was really a POS that looked like some kind of obstetrics device. Although useless as a hammer, the 644 proved itself useful in poking insulation into tight spaces in walls.
Geez, I swear at one time or another I've owned some of the most worthless mics in the world!