Looking for good hip hop microphone.
- Thread starter cky4987
- Start date
i would say a NO on the preamp, going by experience the preamp does little in way of sounding BETTER, at least for hip hop vocals, the idea is that you want your track to be as clean as possible, all a pre will do is color the sound. You can get a solid state pre that will do little do color your sound but also will not do you any good if you are only using it for vocals, i also am into hip hop and that is how i roll. Oh, and this may depend on how good your pres are on your audio device, which ever it is that you are using. You'll want to concern yourself with the frequency response of the mic keeping in mind what frequencies lend to clarity and which ones lend to sibilance. The frequency response will be a factor in how clear your vocals come through. If you got a grand to spend you should be pretty satisfied in almost any mic you get, check this as prolly your highest end mic at that price.
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Neumann-TLM103-Microphone?sku=271399
NOTE: I aint no expert, but i hope i served some help
rockinrocker
Freedom Hater
It's true, you ain't.
Preamps do matter, and with that budget, you might want to consider something like the SM7 (I hear everyone's doing it) with a good pre, FMR RNP, P-Solo, Grace 101, etc.
countrylac
New member
Here's a suggestion.
I don't know what your signal chain is, but you may want to get a decent overall signal instead of a $1000 mic. For hip vocals I would suggest a Mojave Audio MA-201 FET ($700) or a Sterling Audio ST77 ($500), a FMR RNP ($400) or a M-Audio DMP3 ($180), and a FMR RNC (this is probably the best entry level compressor out there $180). This should give you a pretty clean signal chain for upfront vocals. Also your best bet will be to invest in how you treat your recording space for acoustics.
Hopefully someone else will chime in with suggestions. And I'm sure I'm going to get slammed for my recommendations.
I don't know what your signal chain is, but you may want to get a decent overall signal instead of a $1000 mic. For hip vocals I would suggest a Mojave Audio MA-201 FET ($700) or a Sterling Audio ST77 ($500), a FMR RNP ($400) or a M-Audio DMP3 ($180), and a FMR RNC (this is probably the best entry level compressor out there $180). This should give you a pretty clean signal chain for upfront vocals. Also your best bet will be to invest in how you treat your recording space for acoustics.
Hopefully someone else will chime in with suggestions. And I'm sure I'm going to get slammed for my recommendations.
Supercreep
Lizard People
Welcome to HR! You're in the right place.
Look, why don't you tell us what you've got and what you want to do?
Then we'll be able to offer specific advice. For instance, if you use a mic you need a preamp. Are you recording into a mixer, a firewire or usb interface, or a sound card? Really bad pres can be noisy, but if you can't bypass the existing pres then adding another is a waste of time.
Don't worry about "color" for the time being. If you're not stacking lots of tracks just ignore that concept for now. Let us know your current signal chain, and tell us what you want to record and at what level (just for your own enjoyment, recording freinds, some light session work, going full time as a business, etc.). It might also be helpful for us to hear some of what you're doing.
You may not need to spend 500 bucks.
Look, why don't you tell us what you've got and what you want to do?
Then we'll be able to offer specific advice. For instance, if you use a mic you need a preamp. Are you recording into a mixer, a firewire or usb interface, or a sound card? Really bad pres can be noisy, but if you can't bypass the existing pres then adding another is a waste of time.
Don't worry about "color" for the time being. If you're not stacking lots of tracks just ignore that concept for now. Let us know your current signal chain, and tell us what you want to record and at what level (just for your own enjoyment, recording freinds, some light session work, going full time as a business, etc.). It might also be helpful for us to hear some of what you're doing.
You may not need to spend 500 bucks.
you state that as fact, with no explanation as to why, you're not helping this guy by just saying, buy this, buy that, buy this, not every application requires the same thing, think about it, getting a SM7, because everyone's doing it is great advice, cuz afterall what he needs for his specific situation is popularity determined, i think you have no clue what you are saying
I wish everyone here would stop using the term "color" as though its a bad thing.
Define "color"?
What does an artist use to paint with?
The U47 has one of the most colored sounds in the world! So do Neve preamps! What beautiful color they impart too!
it's not a bad thing, i didn't use it as such, i was just saying that for his situation, Hip Hop vocals, he may want a more clean sound, it was something to consider, for instance if he did go with a preamp also, he may want one with a solid state/tube blend rather than a straight tube amp that may give him an undesirable sound for his vocals, if you go clean, you can always make adjustments later, but if you buy a pre and don't consider the different options you may stick yourself with something you really don't need or want,
AND yes, what is your signal chain, that would make most of this talk unnecessary
Supercreep
Lizard People
I have never once in my life listened to a record and said "wow!! listen to that preamp!!". Generally, I think instruments before room, room before mics, mics before pres, pres before converters. I am not a professional, but I like to record music.
BTW, Phil knows mics.
BTW, Phil knows mics.
chessparov
New member
FWIW I'd start out by getting a Shure SM57, then see how that sounds with your mic pre FIRST. (even a Mackie <gasp!> sounds quite good on my voice, for example)
Then the next step could be sending it off to www.mercenaryaudio.com to have it modded for around $100 IIRC.
After that, if you still want a potential enhancement, I'd either get a Studio Projects VTB-1
(which can be easily modded BTW), or get the Fmr. Audio RNP.
Another plus will be when you perform in live venues, the SM57/SM58 are what the live sound AE's are generally used to EQing.
Chris
Then the next step could be sending it off to www.mercenaryaudio.com to have it modded for around $100 IIRC.
After that, if you still want a potential enhancement, I'd either get a Studio Projects VTB-1
(which can be easily modded BTW), or get the Fmr. Audio RNP.
Another plus will be when you perform in live venues, the SM57/SM58 are what the live sound AE's are generally used to EQing.
Chris
noisedude
New member
You can't NOT have a mic preamp. It's not an option. You can't plug a microphone into a line input.
PhilGood
Juice box hero
Thank you! I was about to go there. Now I don't have to.
no shit huh, i'm going to bet that he's got an audio interface connected to his computer that has built in pres, even the very cheapest devices do now, which is agiain why i said he should be lincluding that info
thajeremy
registered abuser
why would you bet that? He didnt mention an interface....would you bet money that I have an interface with built in pres?
Creamyapples1
www.murphycabs.com
I'm NOT a complete noob and I JUST got my first interface with built in pres. It's not a stretch to think he may or may not have a preless interface. You offer no explanation as to why you think he has built in pres. Please explain.
For the record though, pres are like everything else. You need them, and eventually, whether you like it or not, you'll shell out the cash for them.
From the looks of things, you're not making very many friends around here. I'd run my attitude through a different preamp, perhaps one that colors it a little more on the friendly side.
KT
PhilGood
Juice box hero
What the hell are "tranits"?
Did you mean transients? If so, why are you recommending dynamic mics like the sm7 or RE20 if you're worried about transient response?