[chadbang]

I don't have a lot of experience with mics. Basically I want to by-pass the stereo mics on my Sony TRV900 mini-dv camera. The choice that seems to be looming up is the Audio Technica AT822 stereo mic. Has anyone used this mic? Any feelings about it or alternate suggestions? I basically want to plug and play, I don't think I want to go the xlr to beachtek route. Thanks.

 

[artmusic247]

chadbang,

The AT822 is a excellent stereo microphone. I have some experience using this microphone for my electronic music class. It has a great frequency response and a good stereo spread. It is also great for MD recording. For the price, you cannot go wrong with this microphone.

 

[chadbang]

Thanks, Artmusic. It seems like a good mid-level mic (although some would contend they are "cheap" given Neumanns, Sennheisers, etc. - but in my budget it's definetly "mid-fi"!). The specs on the frequency response (30-20,000) does look good. I think my best mic only ever when down to 40 hz. I wanted to step up from my usual $75-100 range mics for this purchase (I think MD deserves better!). I looked into some of the Sound Professional's "stealthing" mics, but they use the same condenser capsules as the AT822 and this way I'll get an all-in-one mount and suspension system buying the AT822 (I don't do much concert going, anyway). I was briefly considering buying Sennheisers, but I realised I'd be spending over a thousand dollar in no time, and that' s more than I have to play with. Thanks again for your opinion.

 

[MacDEF]

Chadbang, does that Mic have a battery box? On the MD list, a number of people who do lots of recording say that adding a battery box will improve your recordings more than upgrading your mic.

 

[chadbang]

Nope. It's an all in one unit. I wonder if that does improve sound? But then again, I was thinking of buying a Sennheiser ME-66 shotgun - a top mic - and that is more or less all one piece, even though the k6 powering module can be removed. I thought the battery box had something to do with raising the output of the mic so you can use a line-in instead of a mic-in and by-pass the MDs mic amp.Supposedly this AT822 has a high output. We'll see.

 

[artmusic247]

chadbang,

The AT822 is not a mid-fi microphone, it is definitely a high fidelity microphone! Maybe not a high end studio microphone but still a very good microphone. As far as the power supply, the AT822 uses a AA battery to power the microphone so I don't think it needs a separate power supply. It will sound good without one I know for a fact.

As far as shotgun microphones go, unless you want to pin point a source without much ambient sound, a shotgun microphone isn't the best all around microphone. You'd be better off with the AT822.