darrin_h2000
Banned
I bought a presonus blue tube and was going to upgrade to a better large diaphram condenser mic, should I consider a tube mic or is that not going to be any better than a normal one.
If you have a tube preamp does a tube mic do anything to improve the sound ?
- Thread starter darrin_h2000
- Start date
Blue Bear Sound
New member
Say wha??????
Shailat
New member
As major tube fan..... I can clearly say that I think the tube fashion is starting to get a little out of hand.....
| have heard some terrible tube gear.
A pre and a mic are a marriage. Some live very well together
some dont. Although they are part of a chain they are defenitly linked together.
Take your pre to the shop and try it on several different mics.
| have heard some terrible tube gear.
A pre and a mic are a marriage. Some live very well together
some dont. Although they are part of a chain they are defenitly linked together.
Take your pre to the shop and try it on several different mics.
That would be an ugly baby!
Tom Hicks
Well-known member
Vacuum tubes aren't the sine non qua,just the flavor of the month.Their current proliferation in everything is so way overboard its not even funny.
Look at it this way.Tubes are not "clean",they alter the signal.Typically adding compression and sustain in a charactoristic way that some folks call "warmth".
But you can get too warm,right?Sure,an electric guitar sounds funny DI'd and could be improved by processing through tubes.But what about cymbals?Acoustic piano?You want a clean recording sometimes.
I'm just as much of a gear slut as anybody,but lets be smart about it!Each type product can best be used in its own way and just because it has a (typically unmatched 12AX7s)vacuum tube inside may or may not make it a good product.
As to tube mikes,their expense alone means QC etc. will typically be better than your average 57.
Tom
Look at it this way.Tubes are not "clean",they alter the signal.Typically adding compression and sustain in a charactoristic way that some folks call "warmth".
But you can get too warm,right?Sure,an electric guitar sounds funny DI'd and could be improved by processing through tubes.But what about cymbals?Acoustic piano?You want a clean recording sometimes.
I'm just as much of a gear slut as anybody,but lets be smart about it!Each type product can best be used in its own way and just because it has a (typically unmatched 12AX7s)vacuum tube inside may or may not make it a good product.
As to tube mikes,their expense alone means QC etc. will typically be better than your average 57.
Tom
Tubes can be very clean, givin the right design, depending on the configuration, etc. There is not tube sound. Alot of "tube"sounds come from the electronics/hardware around it and not the actual tubes.
"a tube anything is usally always better" ?????????????????????? Please enlighten us.
I find all this "tube warmth" hype to be really really out of hand.
"a tube anything is usally always better" ?????????????????????? Please enlighten us.
I find all this "tube warmth" hype to be really really out of hand.
MrZekeMan
New member
Good tube equipment adds a warmth to the signal chain.
This warmth is. in actuality, just the tubes "dirtying" up the signal a bit. Some prefer this dirt, or natural compression and distortion in the signal, some don't
The risk is that the tubes will become too dirty with extended use, so the tubes have to be cleaned periodically.
There are many different schools of thought on this as well. Some like to use Windex, but this can get the tubes Squeeky clean and then your pre will lack warmth. I like to use Ivory Snow. It's 99.97 per cent pure you know.
A word of caution. Never clean your tubes in the equipment. Take them out, and wait until they are cool.
I like to be helpful
Zeke
This warmth is. in actuality, just the tubes "dirtying" up the signal a bit. Some prefer this dirt, or natural compression and distortion in the signal, some don't
The risk is that the tubes will become too dirty with extended use, so the tubes have to be cleaned periodically.
There are many different schools of thought on this as well. Some like to use Windex, but this can get the tubes Squeeky clean and then your pre will lack warmth. I like to use Ivory Snow. It's 99.97 per cent pure you know.
A word of caution. Never clean your tubes in the equipment. Take them out, and wait until they are cool.
I like to be helpful
Zeke
Uhhhh 
My Soundelux U97 sounds much better through my Great River MP2 (non-tube) than through my Aphex 107 (sort of tube). $$$$ anything is usually better than cheap tube and quite possibly cheap non-tube is better than cheap tube, but is $$$$ tube better than $$$$ non-tube?? (Ouch, now my head hurts 
) . To quote Fletcher - "Your Mileage May Vary" (YMMV)
-Evan
My Soundelux U97 sounds much better through my Great River MP2 (non-tube) than through my Aphex 107 (sort of tube). $$$$ anything is usually better than cheap tube and quite possibly cheap non-tube is better than cheap tube, but is $$$$ tube better than $$$$ non-tube?? (Ouch, now my head hurts ) . To quote Fletcher - "Your Mileage May Vary" (YMMV)-Evan
frank_1 said:
tubedude
New member
Gordone- tell me about your U97....
Beleive it or not, I was experimenting one time, trying to get a different sound, and ran the out of a mic pre into the power section (six 6L6's) of a Mesa Guitar head. Sounded bigger and meatier. So, i tried running it into the input, putting it past 3 (i think) 12ax7's, six 6L6's, and 3 5U4G's. Interesting, and lotsa tonal options.
Paul
Beleive it or not, I was experimenting one time, trying to get a different sound, and ran the out of a mic pre into the power section (six 6L6's) of a Mesa Guitar head. Sounded bigger and meatier. So, i tried running it into the input, putting it past 3 (i think) 12ax7's, six 6L6's, and 3 5U4G's. Interesting, and lotsa tonal options.
Paul
darrin_h2000
Banned
C7sus
I am at the moment using a nady scm900 and the presonus has added alot of warmth but I think of getting something better all the time.
Im leaning towards the Octava319 , or The rode NT2 . I think you are right about too many tubes coloring the sound too much. Is the nady as bad as everyone says it is? I dont have any complaints but I feel that it would be better served as an instrument mic.
I am at the moment using a nady scm900 and the presonus has added alot of warmth but I think of getting something better all the time.
Im leaning towards the Octava319 , or The rode NT2 . I think you are right about too many tubes coloring the sound too much. Is the nady as bad as everyone says it is? I dont have any complaints but I feel that it would be better served as an instrument mic.
Soundelux U97
Read my initial review at https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=25302
Unfortunately the mic has been discontinued, but if you come across one - Go for it! Very versatile (4 patterns), especially for acoustic guitar, and it seems to match my voice well. I like it alot better than my AT4033 (which I don't think I've used since I got the U97) Any other specific ?s, let me know!
-Evan
Oh - you can hear a sample of my voice through the mic (and a Great River MP2!) at http://home.earthlink.net/~egordon99/mp3/
Read my initial review at https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=25302
Unfortunately the mic has been discontinued, but if you come across one - Go for it! Very versatile (4 patterns), especially for acoustic guitar, and it seems to match my voice well. I like it alot better than my AT4033 (which I don't think I've used since I got the U97) Any other specific ?s, let me know!
-Evan
Oh - you can hear a sample of my voice through the mic (and a Great River MP2!) at http://home.earthlink.net/~egordon99/mp3/
tubedude said: