Help, 603 bottoming out!!

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didgman

New member
I am attempting to use my MXL 603's for recording didgeridoo. it sounds superb as long as I stick to the drone, but when I hit the trumpet toots and yell and bark I'm convinced the mike is bottoming out from the SPL. I have tried the foam mic screens, positioning mics off axis/out of line, moving the mics way back, (4-5 ft, then the room comes into play too much), hard limiting compression, low recording levels, and still get the distortion, so I am truly convinced it's the mics.

When I use a shure sm57 by setting levels and some limiting, I can close mic and get a good recording but not as natural as with the 603's.

Are the 603's just too sensitive for this, or is there something else that may cure my woes?

Similar instruments would be loud horns. Has anyone used the 603 for horns and experienced the same problem?
 
The 603 is very easy to bottom out,as was discusses here seceral times.....

maybe try close micing with the sm57, and use the 603 4-5 feet back like you were, using some kind of makeshift soundproofing, like blankets draped over mic stands, to help with the room problem....record in the corner of the room if possible....also, dont point the mic directly at the player.....angle it in at him...this may even help you bring it in closer.......

i think the 603 is the best mic for doing what you are trying...its just gonna take experimenting with mic positions and room treatment.....
 
Sorry, maybe I should be more specific, I'll rephrase. Read the original post. I already have used the SM57. I am not too enthused with the presence and transparancy from the shure. What condenser mics would have similar clarity and transparancy to the 603s and be able to handle the SPL?
 
If the Diaphragm is bottoming out from the air blast maybe you could try using a pop filter (not a foam windscreen). The 603 has a pretty high output level, are you sure that it isn't the preamp which is distorting?
 
It's not air blast. It does it with the didj 4-5 feet away from the mic and mic angled off axis.

The preamp is set very low, nowhere near clipping

The digital recording level is low too way below clipping.
 
Sorry I should have read the original post more carefully :).
The sound of the didgeridoo is very bass heavy and spl heavy, that's why I used the D112 in the first place to get the ultra lows to the tape (HDD i my case) aswell. The D112 changed the sound somewhat, but since I was not planning on using it on it's own it was OK.
I think a large diaphragm condensor might do the trick in your case.


Keijo
 
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