Buying a new mic this weekend
- Thread starter Cwadroon
- Start date
Randy Yell
New member
If you want to spend less on a preamp but still get good results check out the M-Audio Audio Buddy,two channels for $80.
Gidge
Lapdance Test Dummy
i agree with Buck about the NTK, and NT1000...outta my league but damn fine mics.....
yes the Audio Buddy is a fine pream, but a DMP3 just takes it to the next level....you can just look at the 2 and see the DMP3 is worth $100 (ok, thats somewhat of an exaggeration, so no flames)......
and theres no substitue for walking into a nice pro audio section flashing a bit of cash and asking to audition mics and preamps.......hearing for yourself is 75% of the battle......
another trick picked up here is to find a project studio that has alot of the mics and pres you are looking at, rent about 1 hour, and sing thru as many combos as you can, noting the order...go home and listen without the list, decide on which you like in order, and pull out the list......
yes the Audio Buddy is a fine pream, but a DMP3 just takes it to the next level....you can just look at the 2 and see the DMP3 is worth $100 (ok, thats somewhat of an exaggeration, so no flames)......
and theres no substitue for walking into a nice pro audio section flashing a bit of cash and asking to audition mics and preamps.......hearing for yourself is 75% of the battle......
another trick picked up here is to find a project studio that has alot of the mics and pres you are looking at, rent about 1 hour, and sing thru as many combos as you can, noting the order...go home and listen without the list, decide on which you like in order, and pull out the list......
Man, I am getting so sick of everyone around here recommending that damn Marshall V67. Just because Harvey said it was good, and because it's cheap as hell.
Come on. Are we just a bunch of sheep? What if Harvey decided, just for shits and giggles, to tell us all that our condensers would sound much better if we were to dip them in water, and then cover them with a fine layer of sawdust ?!
I think we'd have a lot of wet condensers.
Cwadroon, dare to be different. There have been a gazillion mic shootouts and audio clips posted in the last couple of months, and there has been a very noticeable trend I've spotted: The ones recorded with the AT 4033 all sound really good. I mean really good.
Damnit, I want one.
Come on. Are we just a bunch of sheep? What if Harvey decided, just for shits and giggles, to tell us all that our condensers would sound much better if we were to dip them in water, and then cover them with a fine layer of sawdust ?!
I think we'd have a lot of wet condensers.
Cwadroon, dare to be different. There have been a gazillion mic shootouts and audio clips posted in the last couple of months, and there has been a very noticeable trend I've spotted: The ones recorded with the AT 4033 all sound really good. I mean really good.
Damnit, I want one.
Harvey Gerst
New member
Man, I am getting so sick of everyone around here recommending that damn Marshall V67. Just because Harvey said it was good, and because it's cheap as hell.
At the time (about a year ago), the Chinese mics were starting to flood the market and most had a harsh top end and poor quality control. The V67G stood quite apart from these other mics, sounded very good, and was very inexpensive. I found the same thing with the MXL-603S over the more expensive MXL-600.
I posted a review of what I found because people who trusted my Oktava findings asked me specifically to look at the Marshall line of microphones. I was asked for my opinions; I didn't volunteer them.
I guess some people who know me (or my 50 years of experience in the music business as a consultant, musician, songwriter, producer, designer, recording engineer, and manufacturer) found some value in my reviews, since I've seen them quoted all over the place, and the people who bought them based on my recommendation posted similar results.
Come on. Are we just a bunch of sheep? What if Harvey decided, just for shits and giggles, to tell us all that our condensers would sound much better if we were to dip them in water, and then cover them with a fine layer of sawdust ?!
I haven't talked to Scott Dorsey about it, but I'd be willing to bet that my review of the Marshall 2001 probably contributed slightly to his decision to come out with his mod kit. Stephen Paul is currently looking at some possible mods for some of the Marshalls mics and others, as a result of my discussions with him.
I don't do things for "shits and giggles" - I'm very aware that whatever I say will be seriously considered by a lot of people and I tend to go very slow before recommending anything.
The ECM8000 was an exception, but I felt pretty safe about recommending it before mine arrived. Even then, I think I posted enough warnings in my original post about possible dangers in buying the mic, based on my recommendations.
I think we'd have a lot of wet condensers.
Hey, if it sounded better, why not?
Cwadroon, dare to be different. There have been a gazillion mic shootouts and audio clips posted in the last couple of months, and there has been a very noticeable trend I've spotted: The ones recorded with the AT 4033 all sound really good. I mean really good.
Damnit, I want one.
Then get one, damnit. All I've ever said about the 4033 is that it has a little too much high end for my needs (like a lot of mics made these days), and that if you're a new recordist, you may not hear that at first because "louder" and "brighter" sounds better - at first.
And simply don't listen to anything I have to say about anything.
Write Alan Hyatt and tell him don't send me any more mics to look at, write Mark McQuillkin at FMR Audio and tell him not to send out the RNMP prototype to me, write Taylor Johnson at the Sound Room and tell him you don't want me looking at the T.H.E. line, and you might wanna tell Karl Winkler at Neumann to stop talking with me.
I'll go you one better, chessrock; I won't post any more reviews about anything here again - ever. And I promise not to return any calls from Aspen Pittman about the new GT mics, even though I've known him for about 30 years. I hate to cut off these old friendships, but well, if that's the price of maintaining my integrity here, so be it.
I'll just post stuff about mic technique, theory, and placement, and leave the review stuff to others more qualified to review products, like professional magazine reviewers. If anybody wants to see my thoughts on products, I'll just post them at rec.audio.pro, or alt.music.4-track. RE, your moderator here, can post them on this group if he wishes (as he's done in the past).
In fact, my original review on the Marshall mics WAS first printed here by Weston (RE), not me.
I'm sorry if this sounds really shitty, but two people I respected just died this week, Waylon Jennings (who I've always admired), and Dave Van Ronk (an old dear friend from the 60s). Both were my age (65), so I'm not feeling very good right now myself.
I've tried to give back some of the things that I've learned over the years, to pay back some of the people who helped me when I was getting started, but posts like yours make it damn hard for me to keep wanting to do that. Sorry if that's a shitty attitude, but as I said, as a heavy smoker still, at 65, I'm starting to feel a little closer to not being around much longer, so I really don't have time for this shit if it's not appreciated.
Harvey Gerst
New member
And I'm the one that just rated this thread.
Tom Hicks
Well-known member
Harvey
I respect your right to blow off the homerecording forum if that is your desire.Thank you for the time you have taken to help all the folks here.And I am especially grateful for the personal replies you have made to my questions,Harvey.Your reasoned wisdom will be sorely missed,by me at least.Still,I hope you sleep on it and have a change of heart!
regards
Tom
I respect your right to blow off the homerecording forum if that is your desire.Thank you for the time you have taken to help all the folks here.And I am especially grateful for the personal replies you have made to my questions,Harvey.Your reasoned wisdom will be sorely missed,by me at least.Still,I hope you sleep on it and have a change of heart!
regards
Tom
chessrock, WHAT THA FUCK?
you're baggin on one the best sources of info on this board. people like myself NEED guys like like harvey who are graciously willing to share their knowledge. if you don't need/appreciate that, then i can respect your opinion as a person, but...don't fuck it up for everyone.
harvey, thanks for ALL the info you have posted. i'll already learned alot from you and hope to learn more. this board will lose some thing great if you stop.
you're baggin on one the best sources of info on this board. people like myself NEED guys like like harvey who are graciously willing to share their knowledge. if you don't need/appreciate that, then i can respect your opinion as a person, but...don't fuck it up for everyone.
harvey, thanks for ALL the info you have posted. i'll already learned alot from you and hope to learn more. this board will lose some thing great if you stop.
Chris Shaeffer
Peavey ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow, Harvey-
When I lost a good friend at the age of 21 it hit me really hard. I haven't thought yet about how it would feel to lose friends that are my age when I'm older. Believe it or not, thanks for sharing your mood with us- now I'll know what's going on when that starts happening to me. I think of some of the great friends that I have now and I sometimes think "what a great bunch of people to grow old with. Someday we'll sit around a pot of coffee and tell story after story after story after..."
Well, I never thought about watching them pass on, too. I'm really sorry to hear about your loss.
Y'know, when my dad passed on last year I inherited a little bit of money. I needed to spend it on many things, but I set aside a little to buy recording stuff. Loosing my dad and my marriage in the same spring was really hard on me and I fell back on my music to get through it. Spending so much time on music and recording (and reading a lot of good things here) I learned pretty quickly.
Well, I recently decided to venture into the world of inexpensive mics because the Nady's I bought before frequenting this forum were getting old- there was only one way to get them to sound good. I bought 2 C1's when Alan gave us a deal on them (based on many good things I've heard about them and your good review), 2 MXL 603's (based entirely on your review), and even 2 ECM8000's (based entirely on your review)- even though I've been terrified of omni mics in my untreated rooms.
I've never been happier recording in my life. I'm just a guy doing it to keep his sanity, but I love it. Someone has taken a lot of time to share things with me: I know a lot more about how mics work then I did this time last year, I can make intelligent mic and placement choices to get the sounds I'm looking for, and I can now achieve sound quality that I never dreamed of, even with the cheaper mics that I have.
There is no other way that I learned to do all those things than by reading your posts, the posts of the many good people who responded, and trying them out for myself.
I would totally understand if you decided to spend your time on other, more satisfying pursuits than sharing your reviews with a lot of people. Its hard when your name and words get repeated by people all over the place who you don't know. All I can say is that I deeply appreciate what you have shared with this forum already. Thanks.
Chris
When I lost a good friend at the age of 21 it hit me really hard. I haven't thought yet about how it would feel to lose friends that are my age when I'm older. Believe it or not, thanks for sharing your mood with us- now I'll know what's going on when that starts happening to me. I think of some of the great friends that I have now and I sometimes think "what a great bunch of people to grow old with. Someday we'll sit around a pot of coffee and tell story after story after story after..."
Well, I never thought about watching them pass on, too. I'm really sorry to hear about your loss.
Y'know, when my dad passed on last year I inherited a little bit of money. I needed to spend it on many things, but I set aside a little to buy recording stuff. Loosing my dad and my marriage in the same spring was really hard on me and I fell back on my music to get through it. Spending so much time on music and recording (and reading a lot of good things here) I learned pretty quickly.
Well, I recently decided to venture into the world of inexpensive mics because the Nady's I bought before frequenting this forum were getting old- there was only one way to get them to sound good. I bought 2 C1's when Alan gave us a deal on them (based on many good things I've heard about them and your good review), 2 MXL 603's (based entirely on your review), and even 2 ECM8000's (based entirely on your review)- even though I've been terrified of omni mics in my untreated rooms.
I've never been happier recording in my life. I'm just a guy doing it to keep his sanity, but I love it. Someone has taken a lot of time to share things with me: I know a lot more about how mics work then I did this time last year, I can make intelligent mic and placement choices to get the sounds I'm looking for, and I can now achieve sound quality that I never dreamed of, even with the cheaper mics that I have.
There is no other way that I learned to do all those things than by reading your posts, the posts of the many good people who responded, and trying them out for myself.
I would totally understand if you decided to spend your time on other, more satisfying pursuits than sharing your reviews with a lot of people. Its hard when your name and words get repeated by people all over the place who you don't know. All I can say is that I deeply appreciate what you have shared with this forum already. Thanks.
Chris
cordura21
New member
I really appreciate having your opinions here
I'm sorry to hear about those bad things happening in your life right now.
My parents are divorcing these days and although I am a grown-up, I feel like shit and in my own-bad-private mood. It's like you have something for granted (a family, a friend), and soon it's gone. Then you ask youself 'why do I loose my time, why don't I stop doing things that cause me my health, my happiness, etc...?"
I have 30, and I have the bad luck of loosing a couple of friends when we were 22, one in an accident and one of cancer. So I don't have the age to know exactly what you feel, but if they were good friends like mine I can say that I somehow understand you.
But once you take your time please come back here. I really enjoy your threads, your reviews, your sense of humour, and the fact that you are one of the few people I know that shares their knowledge. You may not notice, there aren't many people who do that. Everybody seems to keep their little secrets hidden, maybe they think they are important for what they know rather for who they are.
I hope you get better soon, and I wish that you stop smoking if you can. I never started cause I saw so many intelligent people doing it, that I concluded that it must be a hard thing to quit.
Anyways, don't stop being you here.
Cheers, Andrés
I'm sorry to hear about those bad things happening in your life right now.
My parents are divorcing these days and although I am a grown-up, I feel like shit and in my own-bad-private mood. It's like you have something for granted (a family, a friend), and soon it's gone. Then you ask youself 'why do I loose my time, why don't I stop doing things that cause me my health, my happiness, etc...?"
I have 30, and I have the bad luck of loosing a couple of friends when we were 22, one in an accident and one of cancer. So I don't have the age to know exactly what you feel, but if they were good friends like mine I can say that I somehow understand you.
But once you take your time please come back here. I really enjoy your threads, your reviews, your sense of humour, and the fact that you are one of the few people I know that shares their knowledge. You may not notice, there aren't many people who do that. Everybody seems to keep their little secrets hidden, maybe they think they are important for what they know rather for who they are.
I hope you get better soon, and I wish that you stop smoking if you can. I never started cause I saw so many intelligent people doing it, that I concluded that it must be a hard thing to quit.
Anyways, don't stop being you here.
Cheers, Andrés
ChuckU
New member
Harvey, I'm very new to this board (which I prefer over Harmony Central for the most part because most of the posters here conduct themselves in a mature manner). I've only been recording for the past 4-5 years and I'm only now trying to educate myself on mics, pre's, mixers, acoustics, etc. I know I speak for a large majority when I say your opinions have been helpful and generous. Thanks for everything to this point and if you change your mind about giving recommendations, I'll be listening.
Buffalo Bob
New member
Mr. Gerst -
Sorry to hear about Dave Van Ronk. I got to hang out with him before a show once at the Main Point in Philly back in the 60's. I'll never forget it. I had a waitress friend get me into his dressing room to meet him. He was as sick as a dog, but kind enough to give a young singer/songwriter advice and encouragement.
Coughing and wheezing, head spinning, I didn't think he would go on. Wrong! He went out and did a fantastic two hour set! He was a fine gentleman, and will be missed by all us old Bohemians.
As for Chessrock, just swat him and carry on. Your reviews and opinions are appreciated by everyone on this board.
Bob
Sorry to hear about Dave Van Ronk. I got to hang out with him before a show once at the Main Point in Philly back in the 60's. I'll never forget it. I had a waitress friend get me into his dressing room to meet him. He was as sick as a dog, but kind enough to give a young singer/songwriter advice and encouragement.
Coughing and wheezing, head spinning, I didn't think he would go on. Wrong! He went out and did a fantastic two hour set! He was a fine gentleman, and will be missed by all us old Bohemians.
As for Chessrock, just swat him and carry on. Your reviews and opinions are appreciated by everyone on this board.
Bob
Harvey Gerst
New member
Tom, I have no desire to "blow off this forum", but I will try to confine my posts to recommendations about mic types, techniques, and placements, and I'll simply stop posting reviews and recommendations about specific models and brands.Tom Hicks said:
I promised Mr Zekeman I'd post my findings about the AKG C3000b he left with me, but I'll do that privately now.
And I'll continue to post reviews on Al Schmitt's forum, or George Massenburg's forum, on my own forum, and at rec.audio.pro and alt.music.4-track. I just won't review products on this forum - that'll be the only change in my postings.
If I find more stuff (like the $30 ECM8000, or the $50 Radio Shack drum mic), I'll just post it on the other forums instead. I'm sure somebody will eventually post it here - it just won't be me, and it won't be posted here first anymore.