Seeking Vocal Mic Advice - Studio Pics Included

MoBettaBlues

New member
I realize this may be a ridiculous question and there are many factors that would contribute to the “right” answer….. but I wanted to see if it’s possible to recommend some vocal mics based on seeing pics and diagrams of my home studio, the pre-amp I’m using and the intended purpose?

I’m currently using an Audient iD14 interface and it’s preamps into my DAW via USB.
It’s a one room studio that I treated acoustically. The acoustic treatment design was provided by “Ready Acoustics”, which I followed to the T.

I’ve been using an SM57 & 58 with a Cloudlifter with good results but I would like to add something else to my arsenal. Something that might be capable of both male and female vocals.

Budget- As low as possible while still getting great results - Not over $300.

Likewise, any suggestions to help record vocals in this space are highly appreciated.


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What kind of music are you recording, and if you're only looking to use the mic for vocals, what style do you expect that to be?

I think I'd consider a large diaphragm condenser, just because it's a pretty common mic to have in any studio for a broad range of vocal types and also good for many acoustic instruments, if you ever do any of those. Something like wouldn't need that Cloudlifter (I'm surprised you have it for the 57/58, actually.)

The room looks good, but where's the oriental rug? ;)
 
Right now I have a Rockville RCM03 running to my Audient ID4. Same mic-pres I believe.
The same mic-pres used in they Pro Studio Consoles.

I have never recorded with this mic except just to test it and to find it;s levels and stuff.

It's not a $300 microphone, but I think it's going to turn out pretty good. So far this mic
has been beating my MXL V67g during blind listening test with my kids.

Just a thought. I am by no means trying to promote anything.
 
What kind of music are you recording, and if you're only looking to use the mic for vocals, what style do you expect that to be?

I think I'd consider a large diaphragm condenser, just because it's a pretty common mic to have in any studio for a broad range of vocal types and also good for many acoustic instruments, if you ever do any of those. Something like wouldn't need that Cloudlifter (I'm surprised you have it for the 57/58, actually.)

The room looks good, but where's the oriental rug? ;)

As far as style of music - Blues / Blues based rock & rock and maybe throw some Trower & Van Halen elements and Jazz into that mix. (Try to wrap your head around that!) LOL.

I would like to use it to record other things as needed. First comes to mind is my granddaughters flute & acoustic guitar.

I just got the Audient so maybe it will let me get rid of the Cloudlifter. I was using a Saffire Pro 24 DSP.

Gotta get me one of them rugs!
 
Well, you might keep the Cloudlifter in case you ever go for a Shure SM7b or something like that, which will need it.

Right at the $300 price I am still on my honemoon with my Miktek MK300. Never tried it on flute, but I think I'm going to aim it at a fiddle if the guy shows up this week like he said (musicians.....). (I haven't been happy with my SDCs on his fiddle, but I haven't ruled out my room yet either - I just know the mic can sound great on a violin in a good room, so still puzzling that out.)

For less money, I've read/heard good things about the AT2035, but TBH there are lots of good mics out there at very affordable prices. They each have their own qualities that may be great or only Ok for different uses, depending on the room and performer, so you just don't know until you try which will be "best" for your situation. IOW, this isn't going to be your last mic purchase :).
 
Lynn Fuston mentioned he was surprised when the "SE ELECTRONICS X1 S" (~$199) caught his ear during the Sweetwater 50 mic shootout. I think he mentioned he would have no problem recommending several others including Miktek I believe.

I guess one way of re-framing my question would be to ask if there are any LDC that I should stay away from with my studio setup?

I assume the real answer is going to be that I just have to try and see what works.
 
I'll also vouch for Miktek. I have a Miktek C1 and while haven't used it for much else other than vocals, pretty happy with what it does for my voice. I've read the MK300 has the 'Miktek' sound to it.
 
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There's a lot of $300 mics that will do the job. Unbelievably on Ebay right now is a used 3Zigma Chi body with a C12 cap and a suspension and a box for under 300. Not a mic to be taken lightly.
 
The Lewitt LCT 440 Pure has impressed me quite mightily. $260 USD. 1" large diaphragm condenser with linear low end and a top end lift. I think it's an unreal value for the money. It's just a stripped-down version of their more expensive mics...same capsule but none of the switches or bells/whistles. Definitely worth putting it into consideration as you shop around.
 
The Lewitt LCT 440 Pure has impressed me quite mightily. $260 USD. 1" large diaphragm condenser with linear low end and a top end lift. I think it's an unreal value for the money. It's just a stripped-down version of their more expensive mics...same capsule but none of the switches or bells/whistles. Definitely worth putting it into consideration as you shop around.

Have you been using this mic?
 
Nice clean studio dude...inspirational kick in the ass for me.

Mics are such a subjective thing and all the nuances the various pros discuss I am soooo far from that.

On the dynamic side I am a BIG SM57 fan and can get great ( subjective ) recordings on anything from them.

On the Condenser side of life holy crap there are a lot of options... The C1 previously mentioned is a VERY popular one...

More because of the personal touch and being baffeled by brilliance AND bullshit via Larry Villella and because he has to double L's in his last name I chose to support ADK in my condenser mic buying quest so I went with one of his studio projects older version similar to the ADK Vienna Mk8 but not as much pixie dust as the "NEW AND IMPROVED" version...My old and yesterdays news one does me just fine when I feel like getting into the precision recordings.

I don't know if you can get Larry on the phone anymore but 8 years ago he was the one picking it up...He told me he had the chance to distribute the C1 but passed and regretted it...This was from Larry's mouth... I posted this a long time ago and the owner of Miktek posted that Larry was full of shit, he never had the chance...Oh the drama.... Since I deal with Chinese manufacturers professionally I am going to side with Larry...It's a frickin free for all show me the money and I'm your buddy situation ....unless you are one big bad ass billion dollar corporation buying many millions of dollars worth of merchandise...exclusivity last about as long as it takes to get your shipment... I digress...

So a lot of mics to choose from, a lot of the components made from the same Chinese manufacturers rebranded , slightly tweaked. Some completely built in China , some completely "built" here ..but I am going to say most contain at least something that came from China...

I'd vote the C1..... it'll cover a lot of ground
 
I find it interesting to be said to be full of shit for a statement I never made.

Perhaps that’s why hearsay isn’t allowed in court.

I have zero association nor personal interest in the C-1. If someone thinks I did, they are mistaken in that memory.

I was the subject of some trash talk by someone who is well connected to the C-1 but it was just another example of cyber bullying. I say Forgive & Forget.

For nearly 40 years I have brought honesty and integrity to my clients as a Steinway dealer and as a Mic builder for the past 20 years. All of our designs are original and proprietary.

We’re not about marketing.

We are all about the music!

Cheers!

Larry Villella - ADK))) - 3 Zigma
 
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In theory....

For the vocals in a smaller HR room, im thinking vocal tracking when you dont have engineers on the other side of the glass setting the tones perspective here.

so usually a HR singer has closed back headphones on...but is also the engineer.
Right here with this closed back headphone thing we are getting a magnified bass boom to the ears so then with this perspective it makes sense NOT to do too much to the vocal right? Keep it Clean.
Then once in the mix stage when you are hearing the playback (without the boomy bass-plus closed back headphones on), and now using monitors instead, or your best monitoring system, the vocal track can be treated.
This makes sense to me , in theory.


IF not kept clean, the HR vocalist/engineer is eqing and compressing and fx all slapped on for tracking but is using the closedback boom bass headphones as the reference. This would leave a vocal track that can not be made clean again, right? So when the closed back headphones come off the playback might be pure trebly overcompressed thin crap because the bass was rolled out too much and the compression sounded great through the closed back headphones but maybe not so great through the "real monitors".

my interface the Line6UX8 offers a "dual" tracking option where it can track clean and processed on separate tracks at the same time. This is the best of both worlds. The PodFarm also allows real-time FX so it operates like the UAD Apollo stuff. This offers Tracking with comp and eq and fx for vibe but still leaves a virgin clean vocal track too, for the real mix down.

as for mics...I was just reading some folklore Kenny Kravitz uses SM57 and SM58 on everything a lot. I kind of doubt this and assume at his level of cash he has U67 too, and going to the trouble of buying and selling the Beatle Console had more mics than a SM57 and SM58....but no doubt a 57 / 58 could be enough probably.
however reading Al Schmidt, even more famous engineer, he moves mics and trys to avoid EQ at all, per some internet poster. I dont know...Al hasnt been to the house here forever, actually never, so this is all hearsay.


also...Mobetta....nice damn room! Im jealous...well done. :thumbs up::thumbs up:
 
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