Welcome to part two of our ultimate guide for the perfect voice actors travel kit. Not read part one yet? no problem, check it out! During part one, we discussed what not to take on your travels. This was done by weighing up the pros and cons of each piece of equipment. It was then summarised that this guide focuses on excellent quality with the highest level of convenience. Undoubtedly this task is a balancing act. The question of what we are taking on our travels will be answered. Simply, the answer is that excluding the laptop (which is a given), a travel kit only requires a microphone and a USB cable. Is that all I hear you cry? The potential is to take a pop filter and some headphones, too (If you want to).
The Voice Actors Travel Microphone
There are so many fantastic microphones on the market. Within this article, we are focusing on convenience as well as quality. So, this mission results in identifying the top-range USB microphones. The challenge is a lot of USB microphones are not necessarily built for traveling. With selecting the right USB microphone the voice actor needs to consider that there is no microphone stand on the journey. In turn, whichever microphone is selected, the self-standing functionality is essential. Further, it is critical not to forget each microphone is slightly different, and the voiceover artist must consider which microphone will complement their voice the best.
There is a balancing act to be had here, but there is a big enough collection of microphones to select from. The Shure MV51 has a movable leg at the back, allowing it to stand freely in any location. The Apogee Hype MiC also comes with a stand in a nice little compact case. The Hype MiC comes with a nice pop filter too. Both microphones are diaphragm condenser microphones and are fantastic microphones. These are just two of many microphones available that do not require an external stand. Now it is over to you to find your dream travel microphone.
Travel Kit Headphones
Headphones are bulky, so can you take small in-ear headphones for your setup? Well, you can, but I would not recommend it. The issue with in-ear headphones remains the same despite being on our travels, and that is the microphone can pick up audio bleed. Many over-ear headphones are now built to fold neatly to save space while delivering a fantastic audio experience. All the while, these headphones will do so without taking up to much space. Best of all, you will not have any audio bleed on your hand.
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x folds up neatly with a beautiful travel case. The Shure 840 not only folds up, but if any component breaks, you can order that specific part rather than having to fork out another $100 – $150. Similarly to the microphones, these are just two examples of phenomenal headphones you can grab to match exceptional quality with super convenience. Ultimately, what you buy will come down to your tastes but know you can achieve convenience and quality in one neat little package.
Travel Kit Finishing Touches
Pop filters deal with plosives and are available in stores and online. Some microphones won’t need a pop filter as they may have in-built technology that deals with plosives at the point of recording. Other microphones may come with small pop filters included, like the example above with Apogee. The key is not to get a massive bulky pop filter. The goal is to get a pop filter that will slip into a bag neatly without taking up loads of space. The final thing you need is a USB cable to connect your laptop to your microphone.
Note: The jack on your headphones will plug into either the microphone or laptop directly. A jack re-size accessory may be required. Do not worry; these are cheap enough to obtain. This accessory simply goes onto the end of the headphone jack.
Voice Actors Travel Kit Summary
So there you have it! You have a free-standing microphone, some neatly foldable headphones, a USB cable, and possibly a pop filter that take up very little space whilst delivering exceptional quality. Take your time selecting which product best fits your voice and purpose. If there’s any doubt, check product reviews or ask the manufacturer for a product trial.
Voice Actors Travel Kit – The Ultimate Guide by Alan Shires, Actor, Voiceover Artist, and Presenter at www.alanshires.co.uk.
