mxl603s & mc012 guiatr sample mixmkr

[JMarcomb]

I put this together real quick so you can hear the difference between the two mics.

I just picked the 603s up on ebay for $35... it sounds ok, but i prefer the moodier mc012...( in stereo of course)

back to my mixing problems

mono tracks
http://www.jeffmarcomb.com/mictest.htm

[chessrock]

Turn your head, now baby just spit me out . . .

[taylorguitarman]

Nice samples. I think I need to get me an RNP.

[chessrock]

The 603 and mc012 are very complimentary mics. One's very bright and airy and detailed while the other is darker, mellower and fuller-bodied. And to think you can have both of those options for less than $300. It's a good time to alive.

[JMarcomb]

oh come on.. be honest and tell everyone the octava mic is more pleasing to us humans hehe

[mixmkr]

You're da man, Jeff... complete with color graphics!! I couldn't tell which channel of the preamp you were using though!!

the 603 is skinnier sounding on your samples, but certainly not bad either. As a solo... yeah, maybe bad, but in a mix might actually do better.

I am looking for use on my banjo. I thought my Beyer m160 would be the ticket..but it is too dark sounding, to me. Plus..that sucker needs the gain knob twisted too....which doesn't mean anything I suppose!!

The AKG451, (trying out both the omni and cardiod capsules) my next choice was too....well...too much, if that makes sense. The stereo pair was much better, but I'm not always looking for a stereo track. I didn't like the omni at all for this choice.


so.. we boil down to the cheapie 603's the MC012. and even the Berry B5. At their low cost, it seems you just need to buy them, try them out and decide....as they'll prove a use somewhere else down the line. However...I hate spending money on mics anymore as it seems I am actually using them less and less.

Again.. you da man!! thanks for the effort. MUCHO APPRECIATO

[mixmkr]

but ya know... (as a no-no!)... a little knob twisting sure made them sound pretty close alike too. If that aint the shits!!


Antares mic modeler....where are you?? all-e all-e outs in free!!

[JMarcomb]

taylorguitarman

Nice samples. I think I need to get me an RNP.

nahh.. think BIG

vintage akg 414 ---> Neve 1073 ----> UA LA2A

that will make your ears do multiple backflips!


mixmkr

no problem mix..

I also made the page for the blind... as you can tell

[Track Rat]

Hey Mix, have you ever tried a (gulp) 57 on banjo? The last few bluegrass bands I've done, that's what I used on banjer.

[mixmkr]

yeah yeah yeah... first mic I tried, of course. Actually, my playing doesn't even warrant fucking around will all these mic choices at this point. I DO have a nice banjo now, so I am half warranted!!

have you ever been "half warranted?"



and..the 57 actually is just fine for my abilities... gulp! Just trying to "justify" GAS.

[Flatpicker]

Originally posted by JMarcomb
oh come on.. be honest and tell everyone the octava mic is more pleasing to us humans hehe

Can’t tell if you’re serious or being facetious. If you’re serious, I agree. The MXL is a little more harsh. It’s funny too, because I noticed it more on the softer finger picking part then on the flatpicking part, which sounded closer to the same. I would have thought it’d been the other way around. (I’m assuming you went from flatpick to finger pick with bare fingers) Both mics seem to have some “air” around them and I can hear the natural tone of the guitar well.

Thanks for posting these. I did a comparison once with a 603s I used to have and one of my MK012s before I modified them, but it turned out way different than this. The 603 was noticeably darker. I recently bought another pair of 603s’, but I haven’t had time to record with them yet. I’ve got three MK012s and they were all over the place sound-wise.

BTW, where did you have them positioned relative to the guitar? I assume both mics were recorded in the same position?

[JMarcomb]

hey Tim

Well I was joking and serious at the same time

kidding aside... both mics are obviously useful for different things.. I just perfer the sound of the octavas on my takamine, my bias opinion could come from them being my first mics I bought. I did get a stereo set from soundroom... but a single mic from GC would sound the same or very close.
I did use a couple different basic techniques to showcase the frequencies of the mics..(single string attack, hard /soft strum/fingerpicking) in a real world situation I would have the mics closer for a finger picking style. simply because fingerpicking doesnt generate the levels as strumming does. but this was just a quick one take example
For this example ... both mics were in identical locations.. about 15" away. Farther than I normally have them because I did some hard strumming in conjuction with fingerpicking. The mics are pointed slightly downward to lessen breathing and angled at the neck joint just like this pic:




...but my room is a drywall box with carpet floor, so were definitly not in abby road.

sometimes i think all the jazz about really great gear and nice recording sounds silly from an artist point of view , but then when the left side of my brain comes to life it wants a nice recording.

The most important part is to have fun in the music and not get too caught up in the technicle rigors of it. music started out this way and it is where it sounds best

[oldboy]

Now that you mention your "drywall and carpet floor" room, anyone know which (603 or 012) would be better for a room that isn't acoustically treated (if there is a definitive answer to this at all)? Thanks.

[Flatpicker]

Originally posted by JMarcomb
...For this example ... both mics were in identical locations.. about 15" away. Farther than I normally have them because I did some hard strumming in conjuction with fingerpicking. The mics are pointed slightly downward to lessen breathing and angled at the neck joint just like this pic...

Thanks for the info. I know I've tried that position at one time or another, but I don't remember it sounding as good as yours. From what you say, I have the same type of room. Guess I need to try it again.

[JMarcomb]

oldboy

any mic will be picking up an acousticaly weak room regaurdless of the mic.

....it helps to keep the mic closer to the source so you dont pick up alot of the room acoustics.

also putting a plywood on the floor under your mic(s) will reflect high frequencies back into the mic.

Flatpicker

I think alot of people dont realise (not saying that you dont ) how much of a guitars sound/tone comes out of the player. The sound that I was getting had to do with sweet spots on the fretboard, how the string was attacked, finger articulation, mood.
It also took about 15 seconds to setup the mic and I didnt really move it around... I just hit a general area and recorded.
If you have any questions... let me know.. glad to help

[Flatpicker]

Originally posted by JMarcomb
...If you have any questions... let me know.. glad to help

Thanks. Did you have plywood under it? Maybe that's what I need to do. I was recording on carpet. Also, come to think of it, I was using the pres on my Aardvark Q10 and I doubt they're up to snuff with the RNP. (Dang! I need to quit messing with these mics for a while and get my preamp built!)

[JMarcomb]

no plywood on the sample... I just setup on the carpet really quick and recorded.
I have some songs on my website that have the plywood under the mics, you could check out. .. I doctored them up a bit w/ reverb though.. so at little deceiving.

goodluck on your preamp project!