Studio Mics For Male Vocals...
Do yourself a big favor and spend an extra $500 and get yourself a Neumann
TLM-103 Condenser Mic. This mic is super quiet and has a great Frequency
Response Graph (see the Neumann homepage). It is perfectly linear (smooth)
from about 60Hz to 3KHz and then steps up between 5KHz -15KHz to a perfectly
linear pattern again for an even brighter response at the highest frequencies of the
sound spectrum for instruments or sounds in those ranges.
You can research on the Net the ranges of most male singing voices to see
what ranges they tend to fall into and then find a mike that has an excellent Freq. Response Graph for that particular range. Also try to use the shortest mic cables (make them if you have to) and you might also try Mogami mic cables or wire.
The vocals for the duet that Paul McCartney recorded with Tony Bennett which was released in 2006 were recorded using TLM-103's, so you can get an idea of the quality of this mic. It also has a S/N ratio of 87db.
Condenser mics are super sensitive and record vocals nicely w/o added coloration or "boomy" Proximity Effect due to design but will easily distort if you push them too much at close vocal distances.
The Neumann U-87, TLM-193, and the newer
TLM-67 are also excellent on vocals. You can't go wrong with the clarity of any of their mics (for most applications) which is WHY Neumann's are used in more recording studios in the world than any other studio mic.
Also a good Mic Preamp will help in getting the sound you really want. You might also invest in a Focusrite vocal processor.
Other Mics that aren't bad on Vocals at a more affordable price range are:
Shure SM57 and SM58
Shure KSM44 Condenser Mic (a poor man's Neumann U-87)
MXL 3000 (perfectly linear Freq. Response Graph across most spectrum)
MXL V69 Condenser (near linear Frequency Response Graph)
Behringer B-1, B-2
MXL 1006BP (Battery or Phantom 48v power, no longer made)
MCA SP2 Condenser (Battery, no longer made, has MXL-1006 Board inside)
Blue Mics (everyone I've ever talked to says these are fantastic)
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I think the only battery powered Condenser mic MXL makes now is the
V63MBP desk model. The 1006BP,1006, & MCA SP2 condenser mics are
no longer on their website. The last year to get an MCA SP2 was in the
early summer of 2005 from any USA sources. There may be some left in
England or Canada, or used models on Ebay.
These are just a few of the ones I use. If you use a Condenser Mic either turn down the volume on the input Fader or stand away from them at least 5-6 inches away because they can distort easily. Most good condensers will record your voice very accurately without any coloring or Proximity Effect but will distort if pushed too hard at a close distance. This is especially true of the Behringer B-1 model, but it has a -10db cut switch to help.
The SM57 is a cardioid (unidirectional) dymanic versatile instrument mic which will sound good on many applicatons such as trumpets, guitars cabs, strings, and especially drums but if used for vocals make sure to stand back off the mic to offset the sometimes annoyring Proximity Effect. The Frequency Graph for the SM57 tumbles down in triple steps at the highest frequency ranges -- the SM58 has a better FR Graph because it is a vocalist-stage mic and I think is harder to distort because of that.
It is important to get Mic distortion under control (for vocals) because it tends to sound exagerated when you are doing digital recording or transferring a finished track into a digital audio file (mp3, mp4(AAC), Wav, etc.).
Make sure to use a Pop windscreen on all these mics when recording vocals or
a fabric filter screen and try not to use a Condenser mic w/o a windscreen of some sort because the moisture from your breathe is not good for the Condenser element (it is basically a capacitor).
There are many other good vocal mics out there such as AKG, CAD, Electro-Voice, Audio Technica, and Rode but I can't comment on all of them.
I used to use an AKG D-160 Omni-directional mic for recording acoustic
guitar and it sounded great even though having sound rejection from the back
of the mic would have been better using a Unidirectional pattern. I just happened to buy a D-160 and it sounded great - excellent sound.
I had a new MXL 909 Condenser mic but didn't like the sound that much for
Vocals compared to my MCA SP2 (but the Freq. Response Graph is pretty good) but I'd like to try one again at different settings --so I gave it to a friend for his studio. The MCA SP2 has a warmer sound for my tastes in
terms of Vocals.
Some recording engineers say they can't tell the difference between a Shure
KSM44 and their U-87 Neumann's so that's a pretty good recommendation for
the Shure KSM44 Condenser mic at a much lower price. I eventually want to
buy one. We mustn't forget that you only get out of a vocal mic what you put in, too.
The instrument that I can never get to sound good is electric guitar if they are taken in direct w/o a mic at all.
AKG makes excellent mics so I want to add a few of those to the collection
in the future, too even if I can buy the Neumann's I want.
Go for a Neumann if you can, if you really want to get a truly professional
sound on your recordings for all instruments. They are worth it.
Many excellent recording engineers probably can suggest great additional vocal mics of various designs -
you might ask Klaus Heyne on his site what he suggests.
