Question about a tube mic

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I'm looking at a mxl v69m tube mic on ebay, usually sells for 250-300, they have it up for $98. So far I've been working with an SM58 which I don't think sounds all that great on my voice and a cheap Chinese bm 700 which actually sounds OK considering how cheap it was. I love the sound of tubes and I was excited about the mxl until I saw the polar pattern. It's not the upside down heart shape that rejects noise from the back, it actually looks more like an omni, like the rear extends out almost as far as the front.
** my question is, how big of a deal are polar patterns? Yes, it's a cardioid condenser but does the SHAPE the pattern matter very much? I ask because I don't have a very silent room, my computer fan and noise outside can be kinda annoying, I do have a gate tho, which helps.
***
Aside from that, any recommendations for a decent vocal mic that rejects sound from the back, and isn't super sensitive, I sing kinda loud.
 
read the sticky Harvey Gerst discuss's and many others post on Mic's, applications, etc.
I've skimmed it a few times and today and it can answer your questions.

Its such a huge thread I might suggest just skipping to Harveys posts only starting at the beginning.

The mics I grabbed from it is a few , the MXL you mention has a few brothers and changes since then like the V69 and the V67 is well received. The V69 your looking at seems to get good nods.

SM7, TLM103, MD421 too...

my 2 cents is there is something to the dual diaphragm capsules and proximity, for close vocals especially, so that might be something to consider a multi-pattern mic will have dual diaphragm. You can always pull the mic back etc...to resolve prox issues. Its kind of personal choice and habits, isnt it?

for screaming cant go wrong with a SM7.

V67i added the dual diaphragm.
 
I heard the mxl 9090 is basically the v67i in a cheaper housing, it's one of the ones I've been looking at...
 
I'm looking at a mxl v69m tube mic on ebay, usually sells for 250-300, they have it up for $98. So far I've been working with an SM58 which I don't think sounds all that great on my voice and a cheap Chinese bm 700 which actually sounds OK considering how cheap it was. I love the sound of tubes and I was excited about the mxl until I saw the polar pattern. It's not the upside down heart shape that rejects noise from the back, it actually looks more like an omni, like the rear extends out almost as far as the front.
** my question is, how big of a deal are polar patterns? Yes, it's a cardioid condenser but does the SHAPE the pattern matter very much? I ask because I don't have a very silent room, my computer fan and noise outside can be kinda annoying, I do have a gate tho, which helps.
***
Aside from that, any recommendations for a decent vocal mic that rejects sound from the back, and isn't super sensitive, I sing kinda loud.
MXL® Microphones - MXL V69M EDT MOGAMI® Edition Large Diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone
Interesting. It appears half way to an omni. Typically they'll use 1kHZ for a single freq plot.
It (the less directional pattern..) could mean less proximity effect, and yes less isolation.
Another note might be 'do we go for a +10 at 10k mic? (..as a 'second of two in the kit'? [Otherwise I have no experience or opinion with the mic to offer.
 
Is $98 the 'buy it now' price or an opening bid? And what is shipping? If it's a bid or if shipping tacks on a bunch, maybe look at some other mics as well.

I picked up a CAD Trion 8000 a few years ago on ebay for $149 that has been pretty decent for a tube mic and it's multi-patterned. No bump on the backside of the 'cardioid' :D
 
i like the tube concept of the smooth dist or roll off on the spike. havent had a tube mic either.
i wonder for a tube,ic, tube pre, tube comp just for a channel if it'd be noticeable...class A...

just to try it
 
Is $98 the 'buy it now' price or an opening bid? And what is shipping? If it's a bid or if shipping tacks on a bunch, maybe look at some other mics as well.

I picked up a CAD Trion 8000 a few years ago on ebay for $149 that has been pretty decent for a tube mic and it's multi-patterned. No bump on the backside of the 'cardioid' :D
It was a bid, last minute it shot up to like $200 which is more than I have. I've been looking up mics all day, I just want to pull the trigger already. Yeah, there's alot of mxl choices, I'm not married to the tube idea because I have a tube preamp. Just don't want that little bump in the pattern, rejecting noise from the back is important to me....
 
The Apex 460 was another budget one I had considered when I was looking at tube mics. These show up on ebay occasionally at decent prices. Make sure it comes with the power supply as sometimes there are listings that don't include it. There are mods for this mic as well if you're into that sort of thing.
Apex Electronics 460 | RecordingHacks.com
 
I heard the mxl 9090 is basically the v67i in a cheaper housing, it's one of the ones I've been looking at...

Yes---not cheaper, just not green-and-gold. Don't know if you can even find them now, especially for the $90-and-under new price they used to go for. Came with a plastic case. They were a steal.

. . . But not a tube mic.

Paj
8^)
 
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IMO, cheap tube mics are not a good deal. You will have to upgrade the capsule, which is a mod you either learn how to do or pay someone to do for you, and then put in a vintage/NOS tube to get optimal sound from it. Otherwise, you will get excessive high end. People associate tube mics with being warm/vintage, but that is not really true unless you mod them and use old tubes. Even then they can be bright.
 
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yeah thats how I see the tubes, like having one full channel of "old school" tube, then what we are really seeking is some classic recording tone of a tube mic into a tube eq and tube console with tube compressors....
mainly because transisitors and IC's hadnt been invented yet...lol
and the old gear used on those classic tones would cost about $2 million...haha..not including the room and musicians.

still by pure design, a tube is flowing the electrons through the air in the tube and that in itself is like a transformer where it will do a saturation instead of a hard IC clip.... but still the cost of doing a full tube channel would be cool.
Tube mic class A, tube preamp for starters...then add a tube compressor... the working mans version would be some mic/preamp into a LA2A maybe?
 
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