Small or large diaphrams for Ohs and acoustic Guitars?

J

jonrusso99

New member
Well ive spent hours reading through archives and am now more confused than ever.
I need some good condenser mics for overheads and acoustic guitars. Do I want Large or small diaphram? It sounds like one of each is good on guitars but what about overheads?
I was thinking about a pair of C414s but are they worth the money for this or would a pair of MC012s or SM 81 or C3000s be just as good and much cheaper.
I am probably going to get a U195 for vox, and maybe guitar if that helps.
Thanks for the help, now I need t get away from this damned computer before i go blind!
 
jonrusso99 said:
I was thinking about a pair of C414s but are they worth the money for this ...
Click to expand...

It depends on how serious you are about your recordings. C-414's and the like are way too much for a hobbyist making demos, in my (non) humble opinion. They're more than worth it if it's for more of a serious and/or professional application.
 
Chess has a good point, though from the gear you're mentioning it sounds like you have some high ambitions.

A lot of people call the 414s the most versatile mics out there. If you got a pair, they would certainly see use later on down the line as drum overheads, room mics, stereo percussion mics, and guitar cab mics.

I have a pair of SM81s which I really, really like. They're just very accurate. They would also make great drum overheads and percussion mics, but they wouldn't be as versatile as the 414s...considering the difference in price they shouldn't be.

I just reread your post and saw that you actually mentioned overheads as well as acoustic guitar, so in that case I would say you can't go wrong with the SM81s, 414s, Neumann KM-184s, or maybe those Peluso Schoeps copies.
 
A pair of 414's is a very good choice. They are great overheads, very good on acoustic, toms, snare, strings, piano, brass, etc. IMHO, they are worth every penny.-Richie
 
The U195 is excellent on vox and acoustic guitar. I have one and it's a great addition to any mic cabinet. That's a great choice IMHO. A pair of Blue Dragonfly's should get some consideration for acoustic and overheads as well. The Dragonfly may work out as a vocal mic too depending on your type of vox. You may want to consider a matched pair of Crown CM700's for acoustic guitar and overheads. I use them a lot on acoustic guitar. Here's some info. Your best bet is to try the mic's out if possible and trust your ears. Not whatever anyone or some sales weasel tells you. If you can't try the mics first then make sure you can return them if they don't work out for you. Good luck.

http://www.crownaudio.com/pdf/mics/131031.pdf
 
All good advice! I use a matched pair of oktavas for acoustic and overheads and like the results. I don't think there is a wrong mic among the ones you are considering.
 
Thanks guys, thats reassuring. I would love to try them all out but I don't trust my ears entirely yet. I can certainly here differences (if they aren't very subtle) but can't always decide which is better or at least more appropriate so im always seeking the opinions of the more experienced.

If I end up going with the 414s ill have 4 LD mics (including the U195 and a Rhodes NTK). What about a small diaphram?
 
If I end up going with the 414s ill have 4 LD mics (including the U195 and a Rhodes NTK). What about a small diaphram?

Lots of great records have been made without a small condenser mic in sight.

Hi jon, what other gear do you have? What kind of system, mic pres, converters, monitors? How are the acoustics where you'll be recording? Are the instruments you're recording in good shape, tuned, evenly-pitched and ready to roll? How much experience do you have?

Even with just a pair of 414's and a U195 you're looking at dropping around $2500 for three mics alone. I'm not averse to people spending/investing in gear, but it takes a lot more than a few good mics to get good results. It also takes experience. Actually, very good results can be had with inexpensive gear. But it's important to have a balance and to know why you're choosing something.
 
Dot,

I have two Liquid channels as my main preamps with some other low end pres that will be replaced someday.
Im running Pro-tools 6.7 through a Digi002 Dual 2ghz G5. My monitors are HR624's.
Ive got a good size room which i treated and got rid of nasty reflections though it isn't the most alive sounding room anymore. My instruments are good but I will be recording others.

I made a few good investments so i have few extra bucks to spend (of course not enough to waste). I'd like to have a good foundation of equipment that way if something sounds wrong I know I can fix it. I know pro-tools very well. My recording and mixing experience isn't great. I recorded and mixed my bands album with minimal and low end equipment, time and knowledge (www.canobliss.com for some clips). But all things considered I think it turned out good for a first effort. I've spent countless hours since reading up on everything.
I'd really appreciate any advice.
 
Jon, go for it. It's my conclusion that you can learn by working with great tools just as well as cheap ones, if not better. And if you don't, good tools are easier to sell. You'll never regret spending the money on good mics.-Richie
 
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