Microphones, anything and everything

[G the wildman]

Thank you DoD.

There is a road out back of my house and sometimes it is noisy. I am hoping this is not a problem. My SM58 does not hear it.

But I am am about to invest in a new recording desk, 24 or 36 inch touch screen and the mic. I am told the large diaphragm will be better for my voice. I just want to get as much right first time if possible.

Currently I use a TC Helicon R1which is subtle but seems to clean my voice.

I will check out what you suggest - sounds very sensitive.

Thanks again.

G

 

[G the wildman]

So , I have bought a RODE NT1 kit. Probably won’t get to open it for a few weeks as I am suddenly busy. But I got it in a Black Friday deal for £139.00 plus a tenner gift voucher. That is pretty good.

 

[JohnH]

hi @G the wildman
That's a really really good condenser mic! Super low noise, ckear and sensitive. It'll benefit from some attention to treating the recording space, and a few road blocks to keep traffic away!

 

[G the wildman]

Cheers John, the room is acoustically treated to a non Bouncing state.

Traffic - well I gotta work around that.

G

 

[GeeJay]

I picked up an AKG C 535 EB a few years ago. Outstanding microphone and IMHO worth keeping an eye out for one on eBay etc…

MIicrophone of the month July 2017 - AKG C 535 EB vintage condenser microphoneJuly 2017 - AKG C 535 EB vintage condenser microphone

 

[What?]

I used to have a more interesting lot. These days:

A few SM57's
A couple of Beta 58's
52A kick mic
EV 635A
A couple of Realistic something or other vocal mics that aren't horrible actually
A couple of V67G's (I call them the crunchy mics)
Apex 205 ribbon. I should have bought more of these before they got discontinued.
AT2035 (on the way)

I'm curious what everyone is using for guitar amps. I'm not a big fan of the SM57's for that. The Apex 205 ribbon is good alone with some tilt eq to lower the bottom and raise the top or used with another mic. The V67G's crunch up real fast, so not too versatile for guitar amps, but I do like what they do. Hopefully the AT2035 covers basic condenser on a loud amp duties. One of these days I'll get to set up a drum kit again, which is what the 57's, 52A, and V67G's were bought for, but it's electronic drums here for now.

 

[PelliX]

There is a road out back of my house and sometimes it is noisy. I am hoping this is not a problem. My SM58 does not hear it.

LOL, a 58 won't notice a heavy metal drummer standing 6 feet behind you... I often record my own vocals and don't even bother with headphones. The way that thing can ignore background noise is amazing.

So , I have bought a RODE NT1 kit. Probably won’t get to open it for a few weeks as I am suddenly busy. But I got it in a Black Friday deal for £139.00 plus a tenner gift voucher. That is pretty good.

I have the same mic, too - you got a good deal there. Do be aware that it will capture the sound of a fly taking a crap on the wall on the other side of your house. They're SUPER sensitive, but their self-noise is incredibly low. Also the stock shock absorber isn't very good - you'll want to pay attention to de-couple of the mic itself from anything that might resonate in sympathy (wooden floor, table-tops, etc).

For me it's mainly:

* NT-1 for delicate vocals (not my own, mostly).
* NT-1 and a 57 or 58 for acoustic instruments. NT-1 generally for the soundhole if applicable and the 57/58 pointed around the 12th fret on the guitar.
* SM58 for my own vocals.
* SM57 and an e906 on the cab for electrics (guitar, even bass). I tend to keep the 57 near the edge of a cone and the 906 more towards the dustcap but not quite centered.

 

[What?]

I have only gotten to briefly try a new to me AT2035 on guitar cab today, trying a few positions from darker to brighter. Initially I'm liking it a ton more than an sm57. It's sounds much truer to the amp/cab, where an sm57 adds so much upper grit that isn't actually coming out of the speaker that the amp sounds like the amount of gained has been tripled. I think I might sell my sm57's and beta 58's and find some other more generally useful options. I'm going with Albini here (RIP). The sm57 is kind of a shitty mic.

 

[Up The Steen]

Just fixed my headphones so I can now get down to some recording with my magic mic.

It's a Rode K2 that for some reason sounds like no other.

 

[PelliX]

It's sounds much truer to the amp/cab, where an sm57 adds so much upper grit that isn't actually coming out of the speaker that the amp sounds like the amount of gained has been tripled.

While I swear by the 57 for my own cab mic'ing, you're right; it does generally sound dirtier than in the room. Some kind of psychoacoustics with the 'nasal hump', I guess. Instead of getting rid of your 57/58's, maybe try a second mic at the grill, *too*. Record on both, pan them apart a little and blend as desired. I do a fair deal of that now. Just an idea.

 

[What?]

While I swear by the 57 for my own cab mic'ing, you're right; it does generally sound dirtier than in the room. Some kind of psychoacoustics with the 'nasal hump', I guess. Instead of getting rid of your 57/58's, maybe try a second mic at the grill, *too*. Record on both, pan them apart a little and blend as desired. I do a fair deal of that now. Just an idea.

Yea, I have tried an sm57 in combo with other mics. I'm generally just not a fan of it I think. I suspect that I would like a Sennheiser dynamic much better. If I sell those Shure's I might keep one just for reference of why I dislike them so much so that I don't buy more down the road. On the Beta 58's, the little bit of top air sounds artificial to me, like an sm58 with a 12k peak added, or something. And over time I dislike them not having on/off switches. To be honest, the only Shure dynamic mic I have really liked was an old 545sd, which I used on amp, acoustic guitar, and vocal. It was a decent mic, and they are said to be the same thing as an sm57 with an on/off switch and a different body. But I guess there is probably some truth to the differences between the old school and current production versions of sm57/545sd. I never owned an old one and current production one at the same time, so I can't say absolutely. But that old 545sd had good response up top without sounding grainy/fizzy (as if it's distorted up top), which is what I hear from the sm57 when placed in a brighter position. Even eq'ing that out, I'm not a fan of the rest of the response.

I think I would really like a Beyerdynamic M160, but geez on the $. My playing and gear isn't good enough to justify that price.

 

[Whizzercone]

These days I'm using an SM7b for almost everything I do at home except acoustic guitar. It's gotten so noisy over the years around where I live now, that it's nearly impossible to use condenser mics. In addition to great noise rejection, the 7b has a pretty reliable response in almost any situation.

I have done a lot of vox in front of loud ass monitors with thew SM7. Great mics, but they are a little dull and modern vocals are generally brighter.

 

[Whizzercone]

While I swear by the 57 for my own cab mic'ing, you're right; it does generally sound dirtier than in the room. Some kind of psychoacoustics with the 'nasal hump', I guess. Instead of getting rid of your 57/58's, maybe try a second mic at the grill, *too*. Record on both, pan them apart a little and blend as desired. I do a fair deal of that now. Just an idea.

I like to use the 57 with something else. Heil PR30, SM81, anything.

 

[PelliX]

the only sure dynamic mic I have really liked was an old 545sd

I believe those had a different cartridge, intended to be a little more like the old Unidyne thingies, but also produced elsewhere - Mexico, maybe? It's been a while.

and they are said to be the same thing as an sm57 with an on/off switch and a different body.

Hmm, a 57 cartridge with a different body and a switch would be the SM58S, which is literally just the classic 58 with a switch. I have one and it's my favorite vocal mic for "regular rock" stuff.

I think I would really like a Beyerdynamic M160, but geez on the $. My playing and gear isn't good enough to justify that price.

I hear you. Considered a Sennheiser e609 or better an e906? While the e906 takes a little getting used to coming from a 57 the two really compliment each other well, though of course any combination can be magic depending on how you set it up.

 

[Whizzercone]

I believe those had a different cartridge, intended to be a little more like the old Unidyne thingies, but also produced elsewhere - Mexico, maybe? It's been a while.



Hmm, a 57 cartridge with a different body and a switch would be the SM58S, which is literally just the classic 58 with a switch. I have one and it's my favorite vocal mic for "regular rock" stuff.



I hear you. Considered a Sennheiser e609 or better an e906? While the e906 takes a little getting used to coming from a 57 the two really compliment each other well, though of course any combination can be magic depending on how you set it up.

Basically, Shure's entire dynamic line is the same cartridge with different bodies and screens.

 

[What?]

I believe those had a different cartridge, intended to be a little more like the old Unidyne thingies, but also produced elsewhere - Mexico, maybe? It's been a while.



Hmm, a 57 cartridge with a different body and a switch would be the SM58S, which is literally just the classic 58 with a switch. I have one and it's my favorite vocal mic for "regular rock" stuff.



I hear you. Considered a Sennheiser e609 or better an e906? While the e906 takes a little getting used to coming from a 57 the two really compliment each other well, though of course any combination can be magic depending on how you set it up.

Yea, the 545sd was a Unidyne II or III. I forget. It sounded pretty good, and I could generally make it work for any home recording task without too much tweaking. I have no idea what I ever did with that mic. :?

545sd and sm57 have the same style grill, and that definitely does make a difference from the sm58, having compared an sm57 and sm58, both with the grill on and off for the sm58.

Yea, I think I might get on better with an e609 or e906.

 

[JPummil]

I've only just started tinkering with mics and recording. Went in at the ground floor with a Samson Tech Q2U mounted to a decent Gator Frameworks mic stand that allows me to easily adjust mic position across my 4x12 cab.

Still LOTS to learn, but having fun so far, and results are more impressive than I'd expected (for a beginner).

 

[Whizzercone]

I've only just started tinkering with mics and recording. Went in at the ground floor with a Samson Tech Q2U mounted to a decent Gator Frameworks mic stand that allows me to easily adjust mic position across my 4x12 cab.

Still LOTS to learn, but having fun so far, and results are more impressive than I'd expected (for a beginner).

People record great shit when they are green. It's only when they start thinking that they got it down when things go plaid. Nothing is SOP. Try everything.

 

[What?]

People record great shit when they are green. It's only when they start thinking that they got it down when things go plaid. Nothing is SOP. Try everything.

That's no joke. Print this and hang it on the wall in your playing space.

 

[PelliX]

Yea, I think I might get on better with an e609 or e906.

Different ears, different uses, but I'd say go straight for the 906. I found one used for just under what a new 609 would have cost me.

Also, I've been eyeing these for a long time now. People seem to love them:

CR-14 | Avantone Pro

Vintage Ribbon Microphone

avantonepro.com