Freesound Forums

My goal is to record indoor Foley sounds - foot steps,cloth rustling,water splashes,door slamming,objects falling etc.

I am on a tight budget and was thinking of getting either 'Rode NT5' or 'Rode NT1A' and 'Focusrite Scarlett Solo'

- which is better,the Rode NT5 or Rode NT1A? as i understand it,the NT5 has a flatter frequency response but NT1A has lower self-noise.

- Are Focusrite Scarlett Solo preamps satisfactory for above 2 mics or do i need something better?

Thanks in advance.

Nt1a is very quiet
Better than nt5

See specs on rode site

Thanks for the prompt reply.

what about frequency response,the nt5 looks 'flatter',is'nt that better?

thanks again.

Compare

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf4GIoci44Q

My technical opinion.

Post processing to reduce noise will always mangle the fidelity of a recording to some extent and leave some "artifacts". After all it can only give a "simulation of quietness" and the degree of noise reduction to artifacts will be a judgement of compromise between two evils.

Post processing to equalise the frequency response produces very minor, if any, bad side effects providing the EQ has gentle slopes and modest gain variations. The exception would be at the high and low frequency extremes where other factors are in control, say sampling rate (at HF), and physical limitations in the Mic capsule - mass inertia and mechanical resonance/damping. In a DAW it's simple to make and save a pre-set reciprocal EQ to correct the frequency response of a specific microphone that can be applied with a couple of clicks during post editing. Anyway I would say that most times a dB or so of error in frequency response in the recording chain is neither here nor there compared to the vast differences due to recording set up; things like microphone positioning and reflective/absorbent surfaces around the recording environment. If you point the mic 2cm to the left, or 2cm to the right it's likely to have a much bigger impact on how the recording sounds, due in part to the polar response of the mic reacting with the spacial distribution of different spectral components within the sound source.

I guess that states my case for recommending low noise over frequency response - all other things being equal.

Wibby

Thanks for the clarification.

Ill go for the NT1A.