Help for a newby

[Dadmanthos]

Hello people,
I have purchased a used Roland VS-2480, along with it I have a pair of microphones I would like to learn about. First is a Sure model 585SA, the second is a AKG690. Can someone please help me on what type microphones these are and what they are best for.

[Big Kenny]

The Shure will do the job of a 57 good live dynamic. Works for snare or guitar cabs. Check the # on the AKG, I'm not aware of any 690

[Richard Monroe]

I think that is AKG D690. It's a rather nice dynamic instrument mic similar to an SM57. If you do a google search on it, you'll find me, and Pearl Jam. As far as I know, we're the only ones who found how useful the little bugger is. D690 is a fair stage mic for vocals, brass, sax, snare, or cabs. Use it for whatever you would use an SM57 for, which is a lot of stuff. It was replaced by D770, which is a similar mic, which I believe uses the same capsule.-Richie

[Dadmanthos]

you all have been very helpful.

[notCardio]

Originally Posted by Richard Monroe

I think that is AKG D690. It's a rather nice dynamic instrument mic similar to an SM57. If you do a google search on it, you'll find me, and Pearl Jam. As far as I know, we're the only ones who found how useful the little bugger is. D690 is a fair stage mic for vocals, brass, sax, snare, or cabs. Use it for whatever you would use an SM57 for, which is a lot of stuff. It was replaced by D770, which is a similar mic, which I believe uses the same capsule.-Richie

How does it differ sonically, from a 57, that would make it worth having both?

[Richard Monroe]

Well, Cardioid, I'm not sure I have really useful answers. I'd say the AKG Neodymium sound is just a little tick more bumped in the 2K-3K range. It's like when you turn on the midrange boost on a shure SM7. What I do know is that if I sing through an SM57 on stage, it sucks (for me), and D690 or D770 works fine. I also prefer the D690 on clean cabs and snare. Is it worth having both? Not really. In my case, I'd rather just have a D690 and a D770. I hardly ever use the 57 for anything, but I keep one around for a reference mic. I actually prefer D770, which sounds similar, but produces more gain before feedback.-Richie

[notCardio]

so if it gets more gain before feedback, I assume that means it has better off-axis rejection? So it might be more useful where you want to minimize bleed?

[Richard Monroe]

Inescapable logic, Cardioid! As a matter of fact, I'm recording a 12 part science fiction radio play for a paying customer. This requires beaucoup live mics, up to 8 in some cases. This stretches the limits of my dynamic mic collection to the breaking point, not to mention cables, headphone distribution, and isolation. At one point, we had live mics in 5 rooms. We have used everything from a Shure 55C made in 1938 (perfect for simulating a radio broadcast on a car radio) to AKG D112 as a vocal mic! (better than any of us thought it would be, especially for a deep James Earl Jones type voice). Among the many mics we have used, AKG D770 has shone in the role of voiceover mic. It's always intelligible, and almost never nasty. There's nothing better than that in a radio mic. Yes, the SM-7 rocks for this. I have *one*, and it is, of course, the voice of "our hero".
Once the players have established the sound of their character, it's not good to switch mics and pres a lot. Anyway, the D770 also has wicked good off-axis rejection, as you say. Its proximity effect is very usable for a vocalist, and it rocks on hand percussion, Djembe, and brass, especially trombone (live, for recording, get a ribbon). I think AKG made so many models of confusing dynamic mics, it's hard to find the ones that are good for something. My favs are D690, D770, D320B (older),D12, D112, C2000B, C414 (any type, they're all good for *something*). I've never used C4000B, no real clue, C451 (great overhead).-Richie