Product Reviews

From Zero Downloads to 101 Podcast Episode Templates

/ Mike Adams / Leave a comment

It’s never a good day when your podcast hosting company says they anticipate zero downloads on your next podcast episode. It sucks really. But that’s what happened to me at a time when I was considering shutting down my podcast anyway. It was the final piece of the puzzle that convinced me to shut it down. So I did. The already struggling Audacity Bootcamp Podcast is no more. I think having that podcast was a good idea but the timing was off. I may bring it back in a little different format in 2023. We’ll see.

But within hours of deciding to retire that podcast, I heard from David Hooper about a newly-published book of his entitled, 101 Podcast Episode Templates. This was great timing because all of us feel it from time-to-time. That dreaded funk that results from podcast burnout (or in my case, bad news from my podcast hosting service). So I bought the book and in this video I want to give you a peek inside it because what it really is, is 101 great podcast ideas to keep you going and to keep your podcast (or your videos too) fresh. As I explain in this video, my reasons for retiring the Audacity Bootcamp Podcast were a little different but just like every other podcaster, I’ve experienced burnout too and have found myself in need of fresh topics. David’s book might be just what you need for that extra nudge to keep going when you feel that funk start to set in.

Here’s the links I mention in this video:

The microphone I used in this video (NOTE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases) 

Software I Used:

  • Audacity Version 3.1.3 (for both recording and post-production)
  • Camtasia 2022
  • Auphonic Desktop Leveler

Other places you’ll find me:

Rode NT USB Mini Microphone and RodeConnect Software Demo

/ Mike Adams / Leave a comment

Welcome to First Person Audio. In this video I take a look at the Rode NT-USB-Mini microphone and its associate recording software, RodeConnect. This little condenser mic has a cardioid pattern and is rugged with an all metal construction, making it a great choice for on-the-road travels and quick setup. While it’s a USB mic that can be used with any DAW, I coupled it with the RodeConnect software in this video for the purpose of demonstrating both the mic and the software that’s specifically designed for this mic. The first time you connect the Rode NT-USB-Mini mic to the Rode software, it prompts you to do a firmware upgrade on the mic. The reason it does this is to add an internal noise gate, compressor, exciter, and and low-pass filter to the mic itself, all of which can be controlled in the RodeConnect software. I paid for this mic out-of-pocket and I’m not associated with RRode in any way. Here’s some links for you:

Pixel Professional Lavalier Lapel Microphone for iPhone/iPad

/ Mike Adams / Leave a comment

Welcome to this inaugural video of the newly rebranded First Person Audio YouTube channel. This is the channel formerly known as The Audacity Bootcamp. In this video I do a short review of the Pixel Professional Lavalier Lapel Microphone for iPhone/iPad. I’m always on the lookout for a good lapel mic and when I come across one that was made for the iPhone and/or iPad, my interest was peaked.

This Pixel lavalier mic is a high quality mic with metal construction and a braided cord. I bought the one with the 9 foot cord. It actually says 9.8 feet. I demo this mic plugged into my iPhone 11. Something’s going on with my iPhone because I’m hearing a little bit of static every now and then. It isn’t coming from the mic because I can hear it on recordings with no mic attached. The quality of this mic will be very obvious once I unplug it and talk to you using the mic on my iPhone. Other than loudness leveling and cleaning up a few mouth sounds, I did no post production on the audio to give you a good sample of what it sounds like out of the box.

Here’s my affiliate link to this mic: https://amzn.to/2W0gG1e

-Mike

Rode NT1 and Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ Side-by-Side Comparison

/ Mike Adams / Leave a comment

In this video I do a short comparison of the Rode NT1 and the Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ condenser mics. Both of these mics are excellent and the differences in sound and quality are small. So I advise using headphones or earbuds to hear the difference. I refer to the shock mount I use on my AT2020USB+ and the pop filter as 2 different items I purchased but they’re part of the same package. See the link below.

Here’s what I discovered after doing this test. 1) The AT2020USB+ has more of an upper end presence and slightly more bass. This is reflected in the frequency response curve for the mic. 2) The Rode NT1 has a flatter frequency response curve and that resulted in slightly more clarity than the AT2020USB+ overall. But these differences are slight. If you’re looking for a good condenser mic for podcasting or voiceover/audiobook narration, either one of these mics is a good choice that will be easy on your pocketbook.

The shock mount I mention in this video will set you back about $12 and does fit the ElectroVoice RE20, among several other models. This is a great deal considering the massive shock mount offered by EV will set you back about $100. And this shock mount will hold any mic it’s designed for securely. Here are my links to the products mentioned in this video:

Rode NT1 Condenser Mic Kit https://amzn.to/2Vl4WGk

Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ Condenser Mic https://amzn.to/3lufqhg

AT2020 Shock Mount with Pop Filter https://amzn.to/3CgZSDB

This is another shock mount I own but didn’t mention in this video. If you’re looking for another good shock mount for an RE20 mic that doesn’t include the pop filter above, this may be what you’re looking for:

https://amzn.to/3yqx3lY

-Enjoy!

Rode NT1 Mic Kit Unbox and Demo

/ Mike Adams / Leave a comment

I took the plunge and bought a Rode NT1 condenser mic. I’ve had my eye on this for quite some time and I’ve been comparing the specs of both the NT1 and the NT1-A. I decided on the NT1 because of its flatter frequency response, which I’ve discovered over the years compliments my voice better. I’m also warming up to the idea of starting into audiobook narration via ACX, so I needed a good quality condenser mic. And I found it in the Rode NT1. The kit includes not only the mic but a shock mount that holds both the mic and the included pop filter.

Here’s my affiliate link to the Rode NT1 Kit: https://amzn.to/3CbcyvN

Product Review: Neewer ZC-10S Lighting Kit

/ Mike Adams / Leave a comment

When I started doing video lectures last February, one of the immediate challenges I faced (in addition to learning how to make videos in the first place and feeling comfortable in my own skin) was how to do lighting. I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer but I’ve figured out two important things when making a video: good audio and good lighting are essential. If I have good audio and decent lighting, people are more prone to watch even if the video I’ve created isn’t the best.

This video is about my lighting solution. I’ve been using the Andoer Softbox Lighting Kit from the beginning but though it’s a great product (the link is below) it was too big for my small room. So I started doing some research and came across the Neewer ZC-10S Lighting Kit. This small, dimmable LED kit is perfect for my recording environment and it didn’t break my budget.

If you’re doing videos from a small room and you’re on a budget, these Neewer LED lights might be for you. Here’s the links to what I talk about in this video. NOTE: These are affiliate links.

Thanks for watching!