Earthworks QTC50: Is it Worth the $1500 for Sound Design

If you're a sound designer, you know the importance of having high-quality equipment and sound effects for your projects. The Earthworks QTC50 is a precision microphone that's highly regarded in the sound design and music community. But is it worth the $1500 price tag?
Gear we're using in this video:
Earthworks QTC50 - geni.us/ftusqtc50
Sound Devices MixPre 6ii - geni.us/soundd...
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Thanks,
Libby and Marcel

[@FreeToUseSounds]

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[@EarthworksAudio]

Amazing work on this! Thank you SO much for showcasing our QTC50, we can't wait to see it in your future videos 😍

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you for watching!!! Oh yes we make definitely more videos about it!! :)

[@rhalfik]

If it works, it Earthworks.

[@aloneinthedev]

The good point about this kind of mic is to be able to slow down the sounds without losing quality. Basically you should be able to slowdown by at least 3 without feeling losing quality. It's especially interesting when recording impacts, or designing effects "bigger than life". However, for foley sound, when the Mic is too detailed, with a lot of transients, it can be distracting on a soundtrack.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

I will try that out and make a video about that too. :) Thank you for watching.

[@ABS_AD77]

Thanks for a great video. Love QTC50s. Used a matched pair when I was at school. Very encouraging to see your video. Thank you.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you for watching Bobby!!!

[@Contracrostics]

It's really cool you made a video about these mics; I bought a pair of these from a friend to try to use for piano recordings but wound up being a bit unhappy with the instrumental sound of them. However, I 'did' accidentally discover one day how amazing these sounded recording a thunderstorm and ever since I have been using them where they really shine, for nature and this type of foley. Now I rent them to an ASMR artist and it's a funny story of how they amazed me with their sound even though I didn't use them as I originally intended. Love your videos!

[@naolinear]

Congrats on your new mic! That one will capture every detail and, being an OMNI, especially the low end independently from the distance

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you Fernando!

[@kaori-3882]

Great microphone :) I'm looking forward to hear stereo nature ambience recordings with these.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Yeah that could be fun!

[@stephencshapiro]

I love Earthworks on Drums-especially with the newer clip-on mics-but these recordings are not blowing me away for sound design. Lots of other things I'd like to spend my money on. Thanks for giving them a review!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi Stephen! Thank you for watching! We make another video with more exterior sound effects.

[@artshawaii]

Just got a matched pair recently Calling it amazing is an understatement. I've never heard anything this clear before.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Can't agree more! Just recorded the craziest plumbing sound and the quality is insane! Also got a second one. We're heading to the US in two months and I pick it up there. Can't wait to use it. Question. Are you using it only indoors or do you have a wind protection for it?

[@artshawaii]

@@FreeToUseSounds indoors, outdoors, everything! I got the OMW2 windscreens for it. They don’t work like a dead cat, but it’s still really good. I would say all my videos from the last 2 months use them now.

[@gyur6]

Daaamn those details are unbelievable

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Pretty cool right? I'm recording some tram pass by's today.

[@SteveNilsen]

Very interesting video. Can you tell more about the software used, around 03:50 ? I´m new to field recording and I don´t recognise the software used. I want to try it out

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi Steven! Absolutely. This feature is part of Adobe Audition, which is included in the Adobe Cloud. However, if you're not using the other tools regularly, it might not be worth paying for every month. You could try a free or older version of Izotope RX to see the frequency response. We hope this helps :)

[@keinpodcast4053]

Great microphone! The good thing about field recording: You can record every apsect of your life, every sound your body makes - OK, maybe not every sound, but as long as we have play slime we can imitate some of the human body sounds 😁 Now that you have one of the best microphones in the world there's only one thing left to say: Rock on 👍 Viele Grüße - Til.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Rock On :))))

[@natureismyjam]

Very interesting microphone! Really enjoyed the video and like watching your journey into sound design. Thanks for sharing! - Darrin

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you! We have another video coming up about this mic! :)

[@Sol-In-Seoul]

Lol, this is my favorite new channel!

[@CamsCampbell]

Joe Gilder uses a pair of Earthworks mics for acoustic guitar. Not sure of the exact model but they look very similar. That biscuit wrapper rustling sounded incredible.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Yeah there is so much detail with this mic! I try to record some other sound effects soon! Thank you for watching!!

[@rendermanpro]

Hi, how is it? Do you recommend it?

[@Gael_AG]

razor sharp sounds , this mic is amazing

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you for watching!!

[@EduardoBarba6]

Very good mic, thanks for the video, it sounds really good.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you for watching:)))

[@Fjordjumper]

Can I ask what software you're using here to measure frequencies? Maybe one of the RX suites?

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi Erik, yes I do have RX but I in this video I used the spectrogram from Audition.

[@christiannikodemus]

I had no idea about the high frequency response with these! Also laughed so hard here 1:30 😂

[@FreeToUseSounds]

:))

[@AndrewCrazyhero]

Any recommendation on which mic is better for the Cooking ASMR videos? Where I change the distancing to subjects

[@AndrewCrazyhero]

At that moment I use Rode videomic NTG directly to the camera

[@zscarecrows]

Is it good for vocals?

[@navigatingmadness180]

How important is it to record sounds like these in a treated room?

[@davidd7892]

Wonder if the Rycote nano shield would be a good blimp for it while recording outdoors! 😊

[@FreeToUseSounds]

I think so!

[@Pissarrio]

what recording device are you using to capture the sounds being picked up by this microphone? also would you recommend this microphone for at home music recording and or studio recording?

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi Pissarrio. I'm using the Zoom F6 or Sound Devices Mix Pre 6ii which are all fantastic devices. The Earthworks microphone are specially made for recording instruments. This microphone is just amazing. Check out there website and reviews from other musicians. Also they have cheaper options available. We just bought this one because I like to use it for sound design also.

[@sargonassarg4356]

Please do a review of the Sanken CUW-180. I've read this is the best mic for foley effects.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Maybe one day!

[@polarmx7890]

What would it be that FQ between 20k and 25k??

[@murugananthamtamilarasan2095]

Thank you sir for a Good information...

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you for watching!!

[@gregwilsonnaturephotography]

Hey great video on the new mic. But... I must admit I am glad you are not eating ate my dinner table! Lol Greg

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Ha Ha Ha!! I wouldn't eat the same way :)

[@svetlinjelqzkov5922]

Isn't it better to use Cardioid Mic for Sound Design?

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi Svetlin, that really depends. The Sanken CO100K for example is also an omnidirectional microphone. You use get a lot of more detail from our surroundings. But we make a comparison video with the MKH 8040.

[@bekahjohnson1884]

I was about to ask the same thing. I’d love these as a stereo pair!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

@@bekahjohnson1884 Hi Bekah! I think it would sound amazing as an AB stereo pair.

[@zsteinkamp]

Cool that the record button on your hat is also the Japanese flag :)

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi Zack! Oh yes that's a coincidence :)

[@BorchOka]

in the city we live in such noisy environment, that we can't hear nothing( I've almost forgot what it's like to hear the sound of a food)

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Japan's apartment are quiet and we missed that too :) When living in Bangkok, KL and Surabaya it was very noisy. Even with the windows closed.

[@zaharovevgen6346]

Try Oktava

[@bobbritches846]

If you slip, that think might go right up your nose.