Earthworks ICON PRO Premium Livestream, Broadcast, Podcast Microphone

[@danielkaranja7978]

"Buy once and cry once" I have never heard that phrase but it is easily understood.

[@curtisjudd]

😅👍

[@Mennenth]

Yeah. I hadnt heard that variation until this video. Imo its better than the variation I'm used to, which is "buy nice, or buy twice"

[@mimir5668]

I find it astounding how much work you put in providing all this valuable content. Please keep doing this.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Rolf!

[@JillLynnBeautyTherapy]

Again...THANK YOU for giving samples of women speaking! NO other channel does that, and I really appreciate it. Your content is truly in a class all of its own.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks so much Jill, I appreciate you calling that out. The women in my family here love doing this!

[@JillLynnBeautyTherapy]

@@curtisjudd Well thank them for me! ;)

[@tombuck]

You used the word “elegant” and I think that sums it up perfectly. Seems like a super cool mic, and as usual, your review is outstanding.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Tom!

[@mosszaphod]

@Tom - I am surprised we haven't seen this on your channel yet seeing you have a thing for mics or two :).

[@guterton]

Oh, that sounds so natural, but still not boring, which is a rather rare combination.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@alexanderwelsh]

when you are a master and emma testing microphones, I wish to buy them all. just wow!

[@curtisjudd]

Hahaha! I'm just here to provide some sample audio. 😉

[@RonaldStewart]

I know this is about the ICON but that sr314 is amazing. Really shocked me when it came on

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@mxcrec]

Sounds VERY natural to my ear - when compared to the other mics.

[@curtisjudd]

Agreed. For better or worse, that is what my voice sounds like. 😀

[@onocoffee]

I really like the way these Earthworks sound. Plus, that SR314 has got to be the handsomest mic to come out since the silver trimmed Sennheiser MD431 in the 80s!

[@curtisjudd]

I agree. I can say with confidence that the SR314 is the best match I've found for my voice.

[@barrycrowder]

Thanks again for a great review, Curtis! I started listening to this on earbuds and the Icon Pro was not flattering at all particularly with sibilance and mouth noises. Accurate, perhaps, but not flattering. I went back and listened to it again on good headphones and it sounded better. I would prefer that a broadcast microphone sound good on a variety of playback devices. I guess I take a different approach than does Earthworks does for the stated application. Having said that , I really like the SR314 and I agree with you that it would be better to save up for that, if forced between the two.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for the insights, Barry!

[@Raikas]

Man the SR314 sounds amazing

[@curtisjudd]

I agree - it is my go-to for livestreams.

[@Dracomies]

You sound amazing on this mic. You really sound good on it

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Dracomies!

[@sergioleoncamarillo609]

I've heard (without watching the vids) all the vids there are about the Icon Pro... it's PERFECT. Elegant, Smooth sound. Wow sound. Like a CLEANER more PERFECT/IDEAL SM7B.

[@curtisjudd]

I like it more than the SM7B for my voice, but you've got to have a pretty decent sounding room for it to sound clean. If you don't have any acoustic treatment in your room and you have fans or HVAC or other sources of ambient noise, the SM7B may be a better choice.

[@sergioleoncamarillo609]

@@curtisjudd Cool! thanks!

[@justyuriforever]

Good but by far not perfect.

[@ThisIsTechToday]

I really like that air on the SR314. How would you compare the ICON PRO and the SR314 to the MKH416?

[@curtisjudd]

On my voice, the 416 ends up taking the sibilance in my voice and making it rather unpleasant. The SR314 seem to produce "air" up a little higher in the frequency range. Sort of depends on the voice, but I prefer the SR314 over the ICON Pro or the 416 for livestreams or podcasts on my voice.

[@ThisIsTechToday]

@@curtisjudd gotcha. Thanks! Yeah, I love my 416 and think it kind of makes my voice. I can see how sibilance can be an issue. I’m curious about the SR314. I have an ICON pro being sent out to me soon so I’m stoked to try that out! Seems a bit more mellow but not in the Shure, dark and nasaly way.

[@curtisjudd]

@@ThisIsTechToday I'm looking forward to hearing it on your voice!

[@AjushiPhotography]

Great review as always 👍🏻 Recommend you correct your play index since it is From the 600d video.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks and corrected the index. 😉

[@donpullen.]

Merry Christmas to you Curtis and the entire Judd family, thank you very much for the exelent content. I wish you a prosperous 2021. Be blessed.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Don and Merry Christmas to you and yours! 🎄

[@arbitermatt]

This mic sounds great, it also highlights how overrated the SM7B is to me, and the power of good marketing from Shure.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@Leonidas909]

You know i'm really not sure (see what I did there) about Shure's marketing, It doesn't seem that aggresive at all. I think the SM7B phenomenon is just self hype by people that fall for the meme and recommend it as the best thing ever in a loop, they have nothing to do in terms of marketing, people do it for free (they even pay for the mic)

[@migueltorcuator2152]

I personally like the bass response of the sm7b. I wouldn’t say it’s overhyped, but that’s just my take.

[@najiahgriffiths4216]

the the sm7b sounds honky and muddied. just not that clear. i fell victim to the hype and bought one with a cloudlifter. regretted it for shure. i will say it sounds better on some voices than others. just not good on my voice

[@jgurtz]

Another great option for the mic locker, I think exceptionally well-suited to voices in the higher registers. I bet it would sound great on acoustic instruments too.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for the insights - good point on the fit for voices in higher registers.

[@simonswiss]

This looks fantastic! I almost pulled the trigger on it, but my only worry is background noise/room tone pickup. I did some treatment (moving blankets on walls, carpet), and am able to get a decent sound with shotgun (Videomic NTG) off frame, about 12 inches away. I feel like the room tone would be fine, but the worry is around the neighbours/kids/computer fan pickup. Any idea how that would compare against the VideoMic NTG in that regard? I use my VideoMic NTG with the 20db pad on most of the time. If I were to get this mic, I'd gladly have it on camera, around 6 inches away from me.

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Simon, this is really made to be use up close. I wouldn't recommend it for on-camera.

[@simonswiss]

@@curtisjudd I would definitely happily have it on camera 👍 Love the looks of this mic. I noticed (in other videos) it picks up ambient noise (keyboard, mouse, computer fan) - which makes sense since it's a condenser mic. Might need to get a new M1X Macbook pro before I get this mic, my current 2019 MBP sounds like a drone taking off 🤣

[@pianopotato]

I really enjoy your reviews Curtis! And love the humorous moments about this mic not being the kind that would give people the "jazz bordering on woofy sort of sound"! haha!

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Hoang!

[@CrivetiMihai]

Great review - took the plunge and upgraded from the SM7b. A great sounding microphone with surprisingly good background isolation for a condenser, and overall less background noise. Still not sure if I should upgrade to the SR314 though, for that flatter bass response and what seems to be better background isolation. Questions: what Impedance should you set in your pre-amp? Specs suggest this is a 60Ohm, so ~600 would be good, but there's no clear info - and the mic seems to have less overall noise at ~150 impedance in the Voice Channel, and a few dB more at 600+. Also, is that the A 85 WS windscreen? Seems to fit snugly.

[@curtisjudd]

I don’t have variable impedance preamps so I’d say go with what sounds best. Yes, that is an 85 WS as I recall. Happy recording!

[@CrivetiMihai]

​ @Curtis Judd Thanks, that would be ~380 Ohm. Undo-ing the low-cut (used TASCAM TA-1VP mic modelling) makes it sound a lot like the SR314 (or like a 'high definition' SM7b. Perhaps I should have just went for the SR314, you were right about buy once, cry once and be done with it :-). You've got great content, thanks for sharing!

[@CrivetiMihai]

​@@curtisjudd Does it take maybe 5-10 seconds for the Icon Pro to 'turn on', like a 'capacitor' charging before you get audio? Every other dynamic I've used was instant, wondering if that's by design or a fault with the unit.

[@curtisjudd]

@@CrivetiMihai Yes, this is a capacitor/condenser microphone and yes, it takes a bit for it to settle in.

[@CrivetiMihai]

@@curtisjudd Makes sense, explains the 'buffer' effect. Thanks again - to echo some of the comments below, it's amazing how much work and knowledge you put in the content and channel! One useful trick I found to reduce plosives when 'chewing' on the mic: internal windscreen (from a measurement mic).

[@rf340-s3p]

Great video! I think your chapters are copied (in error) from the 600d review though. They don't seem to line up with the video

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Ryan - right you are! Copy and past error now corrected.

[@tommyferraz3154]

I found your channel very recently, but I've watched many of your reviews in very short time. I love them, you do a great job! I'm looking for microphones for a (home) podcast studio. I use a MKH 416 for my voice-overs. For podcasting I was considering the Presonus PD-70. I like that it sounds "brighter" than the SM7B, which sounds too dark for my taste. But I have a problem... I just fell in love with the Icon Pro, because for your review hehe. Thanks for your videos, I will subscribe to your channel right after finishing this comment :)

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Tommy. Happy recording, whichever microphone you end up using for your podcasts!

[@avarmadillo]

Curtis, thanks for this video. These Earthworks mics are really natural sounding---excellent. I really think for podcasting they would be highly preferred to the ultra-bass sounding mics that make you sound like a radio broadcaster. I think I prefer the natural sound in the context of most podcasting. I have a question for you on another subject. I've got to record a Japanese drumming performance----about 5 percussionists. The performance will be outside in the open air. Right now i've got two possible microphones. An Audio Technica ribbon AT 4080 and a shot gun AT4053b. Of those two which do you think would be the better? If these are not adequate in your opinion can you suggest another I could rent? I'll be recording it into a Canon XF705---which I think has very good internal audio electronics, while using an XC15 as my B cam. Thanks for your great work on sound and lighting;, top notch and professional in every possible way. Your information has saved me $$$ (and my bacon) so many times. I hope you and your family have a terrific holiday season.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks so much William and happy holidays to you!

[@trondarinupp8480]

A very nice review, and the comparison with Earthworks SR314 along with that review was very useful. Anton Browne has also some nice reviews of SV33, SR314 and the Icon PRO. In the end i ordered the SR314 for home office use, a bit overkill, but then I recently spent more on GIK Acoustic panels for the same small and difficult room :-) Had it not been for the pandemic force one to work so much from home I doubt I had put so much money into it. On the other hand my very nice camera is getting used as a webcam (bought the Elgato Camlink 4K for this)

[@curtisjudd]

👍 nice setup!

[@trondarinupp8480]

@@curtisjudd The GIK Impression and Alpha series panels are nice looking, but my home office is small and anything thicker that 2 inches on the walls would take too much space, sadly. I've ordered some GIK 4A Alpha panels that are 4 inch thick that I'll install in the ceiling, and hoping that will help with the lower frequencies.

[@LearnLightAndSoundSessions]

@@trondarinupp8480 Every little bit helps.

[@carlover4239]

Good lord this is a BEAUTIFUL microphone. Do you think I could run this with an EVO 4 interface without a cloudlifter or similar?

[@curtisjudd]

Yes, should work great.

[@langgaspeaks]

We're deciding whether to get this vs SM7B. Not sure if that would be a good choice, we don't have a studio level kind of area, mainly a room with some acoustic panels and some stuff. We really like how this one looks and the clarity.

[@curtisjudd]

This seems like a good choice, if you mic up close to the person speaking. 3-5 inches.

[@langgaspeaks]

@@curtisjudd we appreciate the reply, this one is on the list then! HAHA! We only have you and Bandrew to trust! HAHAHA

[@BUCKSHOTSTV]

I got this mic in on Friday morning right after I had just finished doing a job with my Sm7B. The noise rejection was on par, if not better than the sm7b. The clarity on the icon pro was like night and day! No more hiss that I had to run a noise plug in twice to clean that up with the sm7b, so my vocals sound much more clear, full, and natural. The sm7b made me thousands of dollars in the 3 months I had it, but the icon pro is my new go to mic! It doesn’t pick up the room, but reminds me of the sound I got from the Neumann tlm 103 but without the sibilance and extreme sensitivity picking up everything around me. I’m running the icon pro into my Avalon 737 hardware then into the Apollo twin x. It feels great again to record with a condenser mic while the family is home.

[@curtisjudd]

@@BUCKSHOTSTV Thanks for sharing your experience, Buck!

[@langgaspeaks]

@@BUCKSHOTSTV thank you, this meant a lot for us to save for this on the long run! So excited!

[@callmeinfidel8370]

Thanks for your great work as always. I have a few questions for you, that possibly could be better answered in another video if you ever find yourself in a what youtube video should I post next situation... 1. Your workhorse top level dialogue mic for a long time has been the audio technica something or other $1800 mic, and you also have the sennheiser mkh 50 for dialogue. Hypothetically, if you had purchased the 314 before those mics, would you still buy them? Have you "replaced" either of those mics with the SR314 in your professional workflow? I'm guessing if you had to hold this on the end of a boom you would still choose the mkh 50 for it's lighter weight? I guess really, where does the 314 fit in your bag, and in a pinch, what pieces of your professional gear could it replace and still deliver results you are pleased with? 2. One of the philosophies you have noted in the past is there is no perfect microphone, as each has advantages and disadvantages. You have a variety of mics, and one of the reasons I think you've said you do that is because different people sound different based on the "coloring" of the mic. Do you think that is necessary with the sr314, since one of it's main strengths seems to be a flat natural response without the coloring of mics from yesteryear? Has this microphone fixed that particular requirement for multiple mics for different voices? 3. How well does this mic perform in small spaces untreated for sound. Would you stick this in your bag for a talking head corporate shoot in a typically small, untreated for sound office space? This last one is not a question. Earthworks makes a version of the 314 that is compatible with Shure's wireless kits, and at a price per channel significantly less than the A10 system you have (about $2400/channel if I remember right). Of course, that system can be used with all of your mics, including lavs where the Shure version won't. It would be interesting to know your thoughts on the Shure wireless vs. A10 system if Shure ever sends it to you for testing.

[@curtisjudd]

Hi callmeinfidel, good questions. 1) The SR314 is not well suited for use on a boom pole. I use it close miked for live streaming. It does not replace my DPA 4017b shotgun microphone for outdoor booming or my MKH8050 for indoor booming. 2) Every voice is different and also every microphone. The question often becomes, how much EQ are you willing to do. The SR314 is going to work nicely on most voices, but may still require some EQ depending on the qualities of one's voice. 3) For untreated spaces, I still generally recommend using a close dynamic microphone instead of a condenser microphone like the SR314. 4) Shure is arguably the leading wireless microphone company in the world. I have tested some of their systems with great results. The only limitation from a filmmaking perspective is that they do not have small, dual channel receivers that fit in sound bags or superslot systems. That's the main reason I didn't go with Shure for my wireless system. I cannot fit a rack mount receiver in my sound bag. 😀

[@callmeinfidel8370]

@@curtisjudd Thanks! I do hope one of these days @earthworks sends you their new USB mic, which looks promising considering a design made to run on the higher power delivery of USB C, and that Studio Vocal mic monster SV33, that you place more towards center of mass to capture breath and other tones of breathing. Is there a difference in quality? I would hope so ranging from $350 for the USB mic to I think $2200 for the SV33. What jobs do they excel at, and where can they be used. Anyway, I can research a lot of that stuff myself. Thanks again for your feedback!

[@curtisjudd]

@@callmeinfidel8370 Oh yes, there is a substantial difference even between the SR314 and the XLR version of the Icon Pro in terms of sound. The SR314 sounds substantially more open to my ears. I'd like to try the USB version to hear where it sits. I suspect also in about the same realm as the Icon Pro.

[@callmeinfidel8370]

@@curtisjudd If it does sound as good as the icon, it's pretty compelling because there are 32bit recorder apps for apple and android. I have not done extensive research into the apps, nor tried any of them personally, but I will say for $350 bucks, a usb c cable and the phone I already have makes a pretty inexpensive, capable and portable single channel audio solution. If I could find one with timecode.

[@Rashadmcka]

Great review. I think I am going to save up for the more expensive earthworks like you suggest. Usually, I’d prefers the accuracy, but for live stuff and talking with people, I rather do less, and just sound the way I want straight away for my own voice.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@BenJonesVideographer]

SR314 sounds excellent! Not sure about the Icon Pro. The SR314 sounds much cleaner and seems to have less noise, and is also very detailed!

[@curtisjudd]

It is one of my all-time favorite microphones, that SR314.

[@sonicacoustics9176]

Cool microphone. Great product review. :)

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks

[@StarWarsJay]

Hi Curtis. I have a question for you; what microphone would you recommend for an untreated room for narration/voiceover purposes? Which one is best at rejecting background noises in your view? Thank you :) By the way, listening via Beyerdynamic 990 pro’s, the SR314’s are the best, then the Shure, then the Icon Pro.

[@curtisjudd]

I'd probably suggest a dynamic microphone in that case. The Shure SM7B is quite popular, but even a Shure SM58 could do the job, though I'd recommend you add a foam cover for it.

[@StarWarsJay]

@@curtisjudd thanks Curtis. What about the Electro Voice RE20? Would that work better (call me shallow, but I really like the look of that microphone, especially the original colour…I know, that shouldn’t matter, but if one is going to spend a month’s rent on a mic, I think it should look good too).

[@curtisjudd]

@@StarWarsJay Sure. It is brighter sounding than the SM7B so not great for voices with a good bit of sibilance (like mine) but a great option as well.

[@StarWarsJay]

@@curtisjudd I have tons of sibilance, so the Shure it is. Thanks for the heads up!

[@EdoDijkgraaf]

I think there is one more aspect to that philosophy. High frequenties travel faster. That is what that small diaphram is for.

[@curtisjudd]

High frequencies oscillate faster so they are picked up better by smaller diaphragm microphones? That seems to make sense. Thanks for sharing!

[@EdoDijkgraaf]

@@curtisjudd while a small diaphram is eh... smaller (sorry for my English) it resonates sooner. This is one of these moments I wish I had paid more attention to my English teacher.

[@randomgeocacher]

Regarding over-spec'ed mics, if you ever have the opportunity to look at Sony C-100 or similar, it would be fun to hear your opinion on it. Such a weird gem, large and small diaphragm in same body. Never played around with it and suspect my ears couldn't distinguish it from a mic in USD$200 - $400 range. Also, as you mentioned in a video way back, Neumann "difference between large and small diaphragm microphones" also is clear that you should go for a small diaphragm is fast and accurate response is critical, which is basically what Earthworks done here and just perfected it. So if the goal is "uncolored" recording, never use a large diaphragm. Budget minded people who want this fast response goal probably should investigate if they like their voice recorded by small diaphragm, maybe a pencil microphone or similar. Even if it doesn't have a 30kHz response, they sure are better than large diaphragm mics used commonly with voices. To my ears the incredibly cheap Rode M5 MP sounds very well, and its frequency response is just slightly colored (+2db bump around 7-10kHz). But eh, I like to have "weird" mics in my collection, especially if they are front addressed microphones, just knowing a 30kHz microphone is reasonably priced starts building up that gear acquisition syndrome..

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for the tip on the C-100. I'll keep my eyes open for that!

[@randomgeocacher]

That audio interface looked big and fancy :) do you have it mounted to your desk? review of it upcoming?

[@curtisjudd]

Hi randomgeocacher, it is in a rack next to my desk. No plans for a review yet - I'm not quite familiar enough with it to do it justice. Need to set up a surround set of speakers first. 😀

[@randomgeocacher]

@@curtisjudd I’ve been thinking of getting those vintage stained rack mounts... for some reason. It looks so cool on some audio producers desks with awesome looking racks and those weird stuff in it. I just need a house if I was to buy any more gear... ^_^

[@curtisjudd]

@@randomgeocacher Hahaha! Good idea to hold off until you have the house. 😀

[@M.sm_channel]

Merry Christmas from Iran

[@curtisjudd]

And happy holidays to you!

[@poalotesta7743]

It's funny, I saw another review of this mic and in that one the Earthworks sounded warmer, fuller and to my ears more FM radio than the Shure. Actually I just thought it sounded better than the Shure.

[@curtisjudd]

Could be they we closer up on the mic, engaging it’s proximity effect more than we did here.

[@poalotesta7743]

@@curtisjudd The reviewer was A/B between the two, I mean they were side by side so it could have been proximity. It just sounded warmer and richer to my ear. The Shure sounded less interesting and the guy wasn't having to push out his voice to be heard when using the Earthworks, which I felt he was doing when using the Shure.

[@curtisjudd]

If it was Produce Like a Pro, yes, he was close mic’d so you’d hear more of that rich proximity effect.

[@crutchesordie]

Hey @curtisjudd your timestamps look like they are for you 600d video. Thanks for your hard work!

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Corey - you are right. Just fixed that copy and paste error.

[@AudioforContentCreators]

Interesting. It may sound "more lifelike" but it's not necessarily flattering. Of course, that may be because I'm so accustomed to hearing the time-smeared, colored sound. This particular mic is very crisp, borderline sharp, on your voice, Curtis. I wonder what it would do to my voice, which is a deep baritone. Great review, as always. ~Brian

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Brian.

[@randomgeocacher]

yeah, one big point is that people love large condenser microphones for their in-accurate softening of the voices. So one big question is "do you want to do your audio coloring in the microphone or in post?". If you want all the options for the producers/editors/... you would use microphones like this. If you want less post-production and know exactly the sound you want, you would want to choose the voice you like your voice best with. If we look through popular vocalist mics, many of them are very colored with very uneven frequency response curves. That probably tells us that historically many musicians have preferred very colored microphones. A Neumann N150 large diaphragm, tubes, super funky frequency response (funky bumps and heavy roll off) costs a frigging fortune. So very inaccurate audio recording is something many people value and are willing to sell their car to be able to afford.... This is a bit like should you shoot raw / log and let the editor grade the image in post with all the options? Or should you shoot with a great grade and let the editor deal with your awesome image? In audio / music, recording artists are considers *artist* and do a lot of the "audio grading" with their mic choices etc.

[@AudioforContentCreators]

@@randomgeocacher Great overview. There's a lot to be said for the efficiency of getting the sound you want at the source. Then we don't need to deal with "option paralysis" in post.

[@randomgeocacher]

@@AudioforContentCreators yes. And in particular if the vocalists is the artist and has a lot of opinions about the final output, then it makes sense to ensure they are happy on the spot. I think it is an interesting philosophical question with no correct answer; capture everything accurate / with the biggest latitude? Or capture what you want to publish? There's taste, artistry, resources, time-to-delivery etc that affect what is the best answer ^_^

[@curtisjudd]

@@randomgeocacher And in that light, I'll happily take an Earthworks SR314 for my voice any day. 😀🎙

[@xray111xxx]

Earthworks has amazing capabilities. Long known also in Lab instrumentation microphone applications. I folllowed them for years. Their precision is tough to match and their value in the right context is excellent.

[@curtisjudd]

Great way to put it, Vincent - value in the right context is excellent.

[@Leonidas909]

I'm surprised about the SR314, too bad it's so expensive but damn it sounds insanely clean. I want that slick looking icon pro tho (still very expensive)

[@curtisjudd]

The SR314 is probably my favorite microphone for my voice, and I have a lot of microphones.

[@Leonidas909]

@@curtisjudd I suspect a lot of people would say so as it's so clean and neutral. Being a measurement mic company, Earthworks know a thing or two about making things sound as they really are !

[@thedoodler882]

great vid as always! thanks.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks!

[@AlonAbraham1]

such a great brand, love there microphones very much.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@mosszaphod]

How would you compare the Icon Pro Vs the Sennheiser 416 for doing Voice Over work? It listening to some online videos they sound close, but sometimes in person it is a whole different ball game. Plus Icon Pro is 1/2 the price. Thanks for the good video.

[@curtisjudd]

Hmm, I'd say that the Earthworks SR314 sounds a little closer to a Sennheiser MKH416 to my ears.

[@mosszaphod]

@@curtisjudd - I asked Earthworks what they thought of the 314 vs the Icon Pro and here is what the guy said: "I would say the ICON Pro is more suited to voiceover. While the 314 may have an overall warmer sound, that's in large part because it was primarily designed for live vocals. The Pro, on the other hand, has a more balanced, natural frequency response." Would you agree? In the end I'm looking for a high end VO mic. I currently have a RE20 and Rode NT1 and looking for something different for VO and gaming. Your thoughts?

[@curtisjudd]

@@mosszaphod I would agree that the Icon Pro is a bit more neutral than the SR314. It all really depends on your voice and how it interacts with various microphones. Most VO artists choose a mic based on how it complements their voice. In a perfect world, you'd be able to go to a studio and try a bunch and choose from there. The more realistic approach for most people today is to listen to as many samples with different voices of a handful of microphones and make your best guess as to which one will work best with your voice. If possible, purchase from a retailer which accepts returns. It is really all trial and error. For example, the RODE NT1 works GREAT with many voices. But I get the sense that you're not happy with it on your voice?

[@mosszaphod]

@@curtisjudd - thanks for taking the time to help me. I am happy with the Rode NT-1, but was hoping a higher end mic would help take my voice to even the next level. I'd say my voice is Med to deeper.

[@curtisjudd]

@@mosszaphod another mic might help, but if the results are good with the NT-1, a little EQ and other processing might be all that’s needed.

[@parthbhardwaj4279]

Hi! I'm curious that what are your audio interface and recorder that you use on big production time.... Can you please tell me about by a video or by any other way....

[@orangepcb]

it's Sound devices 888

[@parthbhardwaj4279]

@@orangepcb but what about the Audio interface

[@orangepcb]

@@parthbhardwaj4279 As far as i know interfaces don't used on set's. Laptop+interface much more power hungry, then professional recorder and laptop have a chance to crash in the middle of the take. Interfaces usually used in studios in the post-production stage.

[@curtisjudd]

I use the Sound Devices 888 now, I used to use the 633. I do not use audio interfaces on set - I often do not have access to AC power for the small productions I work and I don't want the added risk of a laptop in my signal chain.

[@davidhasbrouck7948]

Do you not have an Ev RE 20 to compare it too? It seems like that would be the closest competition in terms of price and features, particularly the proximity effect reduction. That seems like the mic it's trying to usurp.

[@curtisjudd]

Good point, thanks David. I can say that the RE20 is a horrible fit for my voice - it emphasizes the sibilance to a degree that is simply grating so I generally shy away from it altogether. But you make a good point.

[@randomgeocacher]

They are very different too though , especially in regards to accuracy. RE20 is large diaphragm dynamic, and has a 8kHz bump and starts roll-off around early 10kHz. So RE20 would seem to lack the accuracy which seemed to be one of the headline features of the Icon Pro with its small condenser design and mostly flat frequency response up to 30kHz. So for some customers I imagine the difference in audio profile would help make the decision easy, since they are so different.

[@curtisjudd]

@@randomgeocacher Good point there, too.

[@davidhasbrouck7948]

@@randomgeocacher @randomgeocacher wow I completely missed that it was a condenser. It's performance makes sense now. I had just assumed it was a dynamic since it was being compared to the sm7b.

[@SteadyRolling]

I don't know what you'd call it -- "coloration" or "distortion", but at the end of the day, the SR314 works a lot better for you, and also the ladies in your examples. It doesn't have the sizzle of the Icon Pro, which may be more accurate or true according to the specs, etc., but is less pleasing to the audience, at least to my ears on my monitors.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for the input, Steady Rolling. My sibilance drives me crazy, too. It is interesting that some people prefer recordings with all that high frequency energy. I guess it has to do with the fact that we all hear differently.

[@peteralessandriaphotography]

You rock Curtis!

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks and right back atcha, Peter!

[@randomgeocacher]

Curtis I’m case you have time/interest, I am very curious if you could test sound effects at 192kHz and slowed down to 48kHz. Record both with a 30kHz and a normal one that rolls of around 15kHz or so. Compare how different they actually are slowed down. E.g. smash a glass bottle or something that should give a varied array of frequencies. I don’t know why but I am terribly interested in which benefits a highly accurate 30kHz mic adds to slow motion. (Not sure if a dog whistle will be possible to capture, Wikipedia says they range from 23kHz to far beyond 30kHz depending on make.) For some reason capture beyond human capabilities seems fun to me. (USA seems to have so much better stores than us poor Europe dwellers. Non I have found yet stocks or even sell the Icon Pro. For some reason the smaller/niche brands tends to be late in EU availability. Shopping must be so much better on your side of the pond)

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for the idea!

[@randomgeocacher]

@@curtisjudd found a store in Germany that has put the Pro in their assortment but not in stock, they claim I will have the mic in ~ 11 days :-)

[@curtisjudd]

@@randomgeocacher Good news!

[@parthbhardwaj4279]

Hi Curtis Why don't you make a video about UA Apollo x6

[@curtisjudd]

It is more expensive than most of the audience can afford and people tend to complain when I review expensive gear. 😞

[@HurstCarlos]

For an untreated room. For live-streaming. Would you recommend the Icon usb over the Shure MV7?.

[@curtisjudd]

For an untreated room, if you are going to work very close to the microphone, the Icon could be a fine choice. But if it is a really poor room in terms of acoustics, I'd usually opt for a dynamic mic like the MV7.

[@Leonidas909]

@@curtisjudd Could you explain why ? As the ambiant noise/room rejection is not a property of the mic tech but laws of physics and the inverse square law (and directivity in a minor way). People keep spreading the myth that dyns have more ambiant noise rejection which is incorrect, it's identical and pretty easy to experiment, people seem to misinterpret what they hear and project their user/measurements errors on the mic. Got a link to a lab experiment if you ever want it, not sure if I can post it here ! Great job on the review

[@curtisjudd]

@@Leonidas909 Yes, you are right - it isn't really that dynamics pick up less room noise if you were able to provide enough gain. However, in most cases, people work closer to dynamic microphones that they do to condenser microphones, therefore increasing the signal to noise ratio, and that is what seems to help when recording in reverberant or untreated rooms.

[@Leonidas909]

@@curtisjudd True ! But I think it would be better to make people understand that they can get closer to condensers and that the proximity usage of dyn is more of a consequence of the low sensitivity technology rather than an intended design (which is why the most sensitive dyns mics are still below -50dBu/Pa). The top adressed conds like the KMS, Icon pro are great examples with the integrated pop filters and general ergonomy, altho very expensive, but this works with all of them as well. Btw you have a spare SR314 lying around👀 ? god I really need that mic but it's such a hit to my wallet's feelings.

[@curtisjudd]

@@Leonidas909 I will endeavor to do so. Thanks.

[@insanejughead]

Oh hey, it's the Space Pen version of a microphone.

[@curtisjudd]

Hahaha!

[@AllenCavedo]

I use “She sells C cells by the sea shore” to modernize it a bit 😀. BTW, lotta headroom there don’t you think?

[@curtisjudd]

I needed some space to breath. 😉

[@trondarinupp8480]

Looking at the polar chart for the ICON PRO it seems that the microphone is becoming more or less omnidirectional at 8 kHz. Did you notice any reflected sibilance from the sides and behind the microphone? With lots of hard surfaces (table, monitor etc) one should think this could be an issue.

[@curtisjudd]

The polar pattern demo here illustrates this. My sibilance sits mainly around 6kHz.

[@hiyg]

I am torn between the Icon Pro and the SM7B. My room is untreated but I have a DBX 286s Any thoughts? I really need advice before I invest. Thank you.

[@curtisjudd]

You might consider buying both from a place which will take returns and keep the one which fits your voice best.

[@saurabhsrivastv]

curtis can you review blue snowball ice microphone

[@curtisjudd]

Hi saurabh, I probably cannot but I can say that my very first microphone was the original Blue Snowball (which I think became the Ice). It is a good place to start!

[@saurabhsrivastv]

@@curtisjudd thanks for your reply

[@DrTapeworm]

Whats the pop filter youre using there kind sir?

[@curtisjudd]

That's the Shure A85WS. I've put a link in the description of the video for details.

[@parthbhardwaj4279]

Hi I noticed that you didn't make a video about sound devices 888

[@curtisjudd]

No, but I made videos about the 888's two siblings: Scorpio - kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2a0YWx_p9RmacU 833 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXSXdH2jrL1-aMk

[@parthbhardwaj4279]

@@curtisjudd thanks Curtis..

[@kaniaes]

What device is on top of apollo in your rack?

[@curtisjudd]

The Rupert Neve Designs Shelford Channel.

[@KristianDowling]

The Icon Pro makes the SM7 sound like a $5 Amazon mic lol

[@curtisjudd]

Hahaha!

[@Yaban-racing]

Nice sound microphone but as sound professional do you really believe in the manufacturer blabla when all audio tools dont use anything over 20khz? Cd standard cant handle 20khz over...i always laugh when brands of speakers let you listen a CD and tell you "our speakers are amazing because the tweeter make 35khz frequencies!!!" . All tweeters do 30khz over but at what level? and what is the marketing point at the back of that when on a CD or any record is phisically only 20khz recorded ?

[@curtisjudd]

I only believe my ears and my ears tell me that the SR314 is a good fit for my voice.

[@Yaban-racing]

Yes for sure it sounds really good. It's just marketing points that I never really understand.

[@SaiChooMusic]

I need to make a KZbin channel with 162k subscribers so I can get free gear too 😂

[@curtisjudd]

Ok.

[@truce11]

Cmon ... be a real KZbinr and say, “Please Bring Pizza Pronto” 😏

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks to Bandrew Scott - Podcastage for that!

[@xray111xxx]

The one! Should be a Curtis Judd Special Edition.

[@curtisjudd]

Hahaha! 😂