MXL 990 Mic pitting the Blue Icicle Versus Focusrite Scarlett 2i2

Do you need a high end DAC interface for your Large Diaphragm Condensor Microphones or can you get away with a less expensive one? Watch this video and you may find your answer. I put the inexpensive Blue Icicle interface against the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, the Scarlett is three times the price of the Icicile but does it preform three times better? Have a listen for yourself and make your own decision. Best to listen via headphones to avoid missing any subtle differences.I use the MXL 990 mic on both interfaces. I used Poser to create this lip synched talking head but seem to have buggered it up somewhere along the way alas.I used the Wingard Popgard Pop filter on the MXL 990 to try to avoid any plosives.

MXL 990 Mic Vs Audio Technica AT2020 Large Diaphragm Condensor Mic

This week we pit two more Large Diaphragm Condensor Mic's against each other, In this Corner the MXL 990 and in the opposite corner the Audio-Technica AT2020. I plugged each into the iRig Pre, then into a Rode SC3 adapter and straight into the Sony A7. I shot with the Sigma 60mm Art lens wide open at F2.8 and 1/50 shutter speed. I Believe it was at ASA 800 . Take a look and a listen and see which you prefer. Both these XLR mics seem to sell for the same $99 usually tho the MXL is often discounted and sometimes sold in a set with the MXL 991. I don't think you can go far astray for Voice Over work with either of these microphones but perhaps you will hear something to sway you one way or the other when deciding on a Voice Over mic.

Cree Q5 LED Flashlight

Today we take a quick look at the Cree Q5 LED Flashlight, these can be found all over for $4-$5 a piece , sometimes less if buying in lots. This Flashlight uses a single AA battery to power it's quite bright single LED. I understand they are about 7 Watts. I shot this in my home studio using the Sony A7 and used a Rode SmartLav+ Lavalier Microphone plugged directly into the A7 to capture the audio. It would be nice if these could accept CR-123A batteries at 3.7 volts , this already bright flashlight would be even brighter. It's become my everyday carry now, it's a nice size, focusable and not too heavy. the barre is a nice looking machined aluminum I believe. This video was lit with a single Neewer CN-160 LED panel with the Orange/Yellow Warming filter on it, lit from my right. The lens used is the Tokina 28-70mm F2.8 ATX lens on a Sony LA-EA4 adapter. The lens is set at 50mm, shot at 1/50th of a second and wide open at F2.8

Think you need expensive lights? Think again.

Think you need an elaborate lighting setup to shoot video? Think again, in this video I use 2 inexpensive LED lights run off batteries. The Neewer CN-160 is one of them, set 45 degrees off to my right, Cost $26 or so, I used one of the included color gels to warm the image. The other is applied head on, a BestLight Ring48 ring light on the end of the Sigma 60mm F2.8 Art Lens on a Sony A7, also with a warming color filter on it. No opther lights were on in the studio. I think it looks pretty good, hopefully you agree. Below is the 2 Lights in action.

2 desk lamps an iPad , Rode Smartlav+ and Garageband

Our latest video, using just 2 simple desk lamps for lighting and using iPad mini and a Rode SmartLav+ to record audio into Apple's Garageband and even "composing" a backing track in Garageband using the smart instruments.