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Author Topic: Two Audio Technica Microphones Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 08-07-2003 08:11 PM                     AT3035 ($199) versus AT4040 ($299) Spec's are as follows... ELEMENT 3035 -- Externally-polarized (DC bias) condenser. 4040 -- Fixed-charge back plate permanently polarized condenser. POLAR PATTERN: Cardioid (both) FREQ. RESPONSE: 20Hz - 20kHz (both) LOW FREQ. ROLL-OFF: 80Hz, 12dB/Octave (both) OPEN CIRCUIT SENSITIVITY: -32dB (25.1mV) re 1V at 1 Pa (both) IMPEDENCE: 3035 -- 250 Ohms 4040 -- 100 Ohms MAX. INPUT SOUND LEVEL: 3035 -- 148dB SPL, 1kHz at 1% THD, 158dB SPL, with 10dB pad (nominal) 4040 -- 145dB SPL, 1kHz at 1% THD; 155dB SPL, with 10dB pad (nominal) NOISE: 12dB SPL (both) DYNAMIC RANGE (typical): 3035 -- 136dB, 1kHz at Max SPL 4040 -- 133dB, 1kHz at Max SPL SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO: 82dB, 1kHz at 1 Pa (both) PHANTOM POWER REQUIREMENTS: 3035 -- 11-52V DC, 3 mA typical 4040 -- 48V DC, 4.2mA typical SWITCHES: Flat, roll-off, 10dB pad (nominal) ... (both) OUTPUT CONNECTOR: Integral 3-pin XLRM-type (both) ------------------------------------------ Both are similar in size and appearance. Both include shock-mount. Specified Freq. Response is similar and generally flat on both microphones. The AT3035 actually has a flatter response graph. ------------------------------------------ Why is the AT4040 more expensive? Would the AT4040 really give a better sound? Care to explain some of the differences in the spec's of these two mic's? I am looking for a microphone for vocal recording.  |  IP: Logged Chris Markiewicz Expert Film Handler Posts: 209 From: Glenaviegh, County Tipperary, Ireland Registered: Aug 2002 posted 08-07-2003 09:03 PM                     What kind of vocal recording? Spoken word or singing? How critical will the recordings be? If at all possible try to audition both mics on a trial basis and see which sounds better to you.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 08-07-2003 09:19 PM                     Singing. At this stage, the recordings are for voice training and evaluation.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 08-08-2003 06:00 AM                        I'd also look at AKG's studio mics if you're shopping around. As for the difference between 3035 and the 4040... the 30 series contain built in transformers to handle the phantom power, so you 'might' get a 'very small' amount of low frequency distortion / noise on them. The 40 series don't have internal transformers so transformer noise isn't an issue, but a solid 48V phantom supply is a must. Of course, any decent studio grade board will have a nice clean 48V rail for phantom power.  |  IP: Logged Jeff Stricker Master Film Handler Posts: 481 From: Calumet, Mi USA Registered: Nov 1999 posted 08-08-2003 06:55 AM                     The 4040 has a permanently charged capacitor element according to the spec you quoted. I think that means it's an "electret". Electret mics are made out of a special material that holds electrical charge over a very long time (10 years +)thus they don't need an external bias voltage applied to them.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-08-2003 09:30 AM                     quote: Daryl C. W. O'Shea: I'd also look at AKG's studio mics if you're shopping around. I second the motion! I think you'll find AKGs aren't much more expensive and they are a much better mic. We have both AT and AKG mics where I work. The AKGs get used almost every day. The ATs spend most of their time in the closet unless we run out of the others. We use a pair of AKG C 480b mics suspended above the stage to do a lot of recording. They are a bit expensive but they are pretty nice. Also, don't forget to take a look at some Sure mics. SM-57 or SM-58 are some good "workhorse" mics.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 08-08-2003 10:04 AM                     Thanks! Looks like I will go with the 4040...I've got a Mackie board that has 48V phantom power, so I'm in good shape there. I knew there had to be a difference to justify the added cost and the higher model number but I couldn't negotiate my way through the spec's. AKG was the first brand I looked at but the prices scared me off. Maybe I will go take another look when I'm done here. I'm really looking for a large-diaphragm mic right now...I guess I should have said that this is for "studio" work...In other words, the mic will be near the singer and not mounted above a stage. I already have two uni- and two omni-directional mics by Shure, as well as a pair of their wireless lavaliers also. And then there's a Sennheiser shotgun kit that I bought (and don't use too often) for video recording.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-08-2003 12:27 PM                     Manny, What do you think of those Shure wireless? I've been put on a quest to spec-out some wireless for my venue. I've looked at a Sennheiser and a Telex. I'm going to need three of these. Each with a handheld and a body pak.  |  IP: Logged Jeff Stricker Master Film Handler Posts: 481 From: Calumet, Mi USA Registered: Nov 1999 posted 08-08-2003 12:54 PM                     I recently purchased a MXL 990 large diaphram condenser microphone. Very reasonable at $69 from Musician's Friend on the web. It comes with a shock mount and requires 48V phantom power. I must say for the price its a good sounding microphone.  |  IP: Logged Barry Floyd Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1079 From: Lebanon, Tennessee, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 08-08-2003 12:58 PM                        I used Shure wireless mics for years when I was working as a mobile disc jockey. I started off with a VHF system, then bought two UHF systems. The last two sets I bought had both a handheld transmitter with an SM-58 head, plus a body pack and lav... each set on it's own channel. I couldn't use both the handheld and the lav at the same time, but then I really never needed to. I've always had great luck with the Shure products. My church uses all Sennheiser wireless products, and they haven't been as reliable as the Shure's.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 08-08-2003 03:04 PM                     I once performed in a small playhouse (300 seats) wearing the VHF Shure wireless lav's and everything went well. We bought a pair of the UHF mics for the cooking show we do for the public-access channel and they are good, too. I would, however, like to get a compressor to compensate for varying speech patterns of people who aren't used to being recorded. At the cinema, we have a VHF lav and a UHF hand-held -- all of these are by Shure -- and we've been happy with those. They are mainly used for P.A. situations at special screenings. We shot our first movie with a Shure uni-directional BG 4.1 (I think) and I was very happy with the way the on-set recordings came out. We did not have to loop very much dialogue. I also did a lot of performing -- and recording (of other people) using SM-57's and 58's. I'm not wild about them...at least, not for recording. However, for training a singing voice for studio recording I really want a better mic than what I've got.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 08-09-2003 02:07 AM                        I don't have any complaints about my 2 Shure VHF lav's, 2 Shure VHF 58's or my 2 Shure LX series (UHF) lav's. They all work great. They're also 'field repairable' during the intermission of a live show, if you have to. Don't forget to kick whoever's ass it was that flung the lav off stage by the cord. Also, while we're on the topic of wireless mics... Rayovac Industrial or Enegizer Industrial batteries will not only cost you far less, but will give you SO MUCH less hassle when it comes to battery life (maintained higher voltages). Oh yeah, to expand on my AKG endorsement... they just sound better. They're clean and crisp... you'll love 'em!  |  IP: Logged Chris Markiewicz Expert Film Handler Posts: 209 From: Glenaviegh, County Tipperary, Ireland Registered: Aug 2002 posted 08-09-2003 06:23 PM                     I just put together a sound equipment order for our live theatre shows. My music rental house wants to replace some of their gear, so we're getting an Allen & Heath GL4000 FOH mixer, a 32 x 8 channel FOH mic snake, some EAW LA212 wedge monitors, a Denon dual rackmount CD player, some short mic stands, and some new Sennheiser EW312/365 frequency-agile UHF wireless mic systems with both handheld and lavalier mics. I have a pair of Nady C1000 large diaphragm condensor mics, switchable pattern. They were very cheap, and they're OK for the price.  |  IP: Logged

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