what do you think of my choice of a first LDC?

T

the dairy giant

New member
OK, a few weeks ago I had no idea what an LDC was, I knew a few mic brands: Shure, Audio Technica, and I think some expensive brand called Newman? :p So anyway I found this site while looking for info on what I now realise is something like the holy grail - the good cheap mic.

I have an old AT dynamic mic, and actually got some nice comments about the sound I am getting on ac guitar and vox at the MP3 forum here, but I've been thinking of getting something a liitle better.

Firstly, I fell in love with the idea of an SP C1, had never heard of it before, but I stumbled across all those glowing reviews. Then I looked in our local music store and saw a M-Audio Luna which looked quite cool, and found about 3 pretty good reveiws for that...

And so with a week or 2 stumbling around in the dark, looking around here and there, it seems that I may have stumbled across the 2 flavours of the month when it comes to cheap mics that are maybe a cut above the rest, and these are the MXL V69 (mogami edition, if that makes much of a difference), and the ADK Vienna (or Hamburg). I only seem to hear good things about them pretty much.

I would use the mic to record acoustic guitar, maybe electric, and vocals. I have a fairly quiet mellow voice a bit below tenor I guess. My wife has a much better voice, quite breathy and intimate at low volumes but can become a bit strident when singing with some extra power.

I have no way of trying these mics in NZ, there are no dealers locally for these brands, but they both run around $299 US, and I could get them shipped from a US dealer (anyone recommend anyone, or the opposite?). I know the MXL is a valve mic, and the ADK isn't, but I'm thinking with what I've read either one would probably do me OK. I guess reliabilty is a factor too, If I'm shipping one from the US, I'd have to ship it back for any servicing under warranty.

I was also in the market for a better preamp than the one in my Be....ger mixer :o, and when looking at the SP C1, I saw their VTB-1, which I also found a pretty glowing review of. I think the only low cost preamps that get the nod from those in the know (that I've seen) are the RNP and the small Grace one, but they're pretty much outside my price range. Any opinions there? (minefield I know)

If anyone would like to hear a sample of my voice and guitar, heres the link to the song i posted on the MP3 forum. Just in case it helps anyone to advise what might be best.


thanks!
 
Look at the M Audio Dmp-3 for a preamp as well. Cheaper than the Grace and RNP (and probably not as good) but still excellent for the money.

Haven't used either of those mics.
 
hello dairy,

how's the weather there? ;)
i got a few friends in new zealand, very cool place...
saw that movie last year, the girl and the wales, very cool as well :D

i wonder if that place is actually like its portraied everytime i watch a movie about it...if it is, it must be pretty awesome...

anyway,

about the mics...

if u have a melow voice, that screams ADK Hamburg all over...if you wanna wait, Joe Meek mics are coming up with a new revised JM47 (not the one they're selling now - this new version will be out in a few months) thats supposed to be after the Hamburg sound, for 100 bucks, wich is a ridiculously low amount to pay for that sound. well worth the wait...(thats what im gonna do, and in the meantime im getting myself a Studio Projects B1, as an all purpose LDC for all the aplications you also mentioned)...

your description of your wife's voice seems to fit the Hamburg bill as well...Studio Projects is often recomended for brighter voices, as in pop music, etc. you can also go with the MXL V67, but if you can swing the money for an ADK Hamburg or a MXL V69, you should do it i guess....i was set on the hamburg, but i really cant afford it without having to cut corners all around with the other gear, so i decided to wait for the new meek mics and get a mic that ill still be able to use (to mic my fender hotrod deluxe and acoustic guitars) when i upgrade - the Studio Projects B1.

a dealer that will ship to you - these guys are the best around, at least for me: http://www.frontendaudio.com/index.html

preamps...if the RNP is out of your price range, the obvious alternative, wich in my opinion gives the RNP a run for its money, is the M-audio DMP3, like Kevin says. I own it, and Kevin owns it, so u can be safe there...ive used the RNP and dont really think its a step up from the DMP3, although it costs a lot more...if you really want a tube colour in your sound, consider the new Electro Harmonix all tube mic preamp, lots of info and threads about this brutally good pre that goes for 180 bucks or so. You should, i guess, stay away from starved plate designs such as the VTB1, or presonus tubepre, especially with this new electro harmonix pre around, and stuff like the Brick also avaliable.

good luck!
 
diogo said:
hello dairy,

how's the weather there? ;)
i got a few friends in new zealand, very cool place...
Click to expand...

its a very cool place where I live at the moment, middle of winter. Gets cold here... and I haven't seen Whale Rider yet :o shocking I know. And they only film the pretty bits in the movies!! Lisbon sounds pretty nice to me... warm... I'm thinking oranges... but then I don't really know what I'm talking about.

I was more looking at the vienna, one review I saw said you could get the sound of the hamburg with a little EQ, but not the other way around...

I read a good review of the DMP3, but it siad it wasn't a big step up from say a Amckie mixer, which I'm thinking can't be too much better than the mixer I have.
That 'best mic pre' thread also mentioned a rane ms 1b, and I also stumbled across the brick (hey a pun) tonight, but it didn't come across as much of a studio unit, more a live thing, so i wasn't too sure.

I haven't heard about the EH one, look out google I'm headed your way...

thanks for the responses.
 
hey, maybe we can switch, i hate my summers...they're supposed to be mild, but i cant take the friggin heat :rolleyes:

u must see the whale rider...very touching story....impressive really. i really really liked it.

the vienna..well, i guess..but how are u going to apply eq if you're not gonna use the mixer anymore ;) i guess u can do it with software...but, if you have a melow voice, and your wife too, i think you cant go wrong with the hamburg...plus its as good on vocals as it is on acoustics...im just repeating what was said to me when i was shopping around for it ;) i have not tried these mics.

the dmp3 is supposedly a big step up even from the Soundcraft M-series mixer's pres, so you can imagine what itll do with the mackie ones..

the rane gets mixed reviews...some ppl say its ok on acoustic and vocals, other ppl say u can do A Lot better...but i really dunno.

the electro harmonix pre is a serious case of quality at a very low price...they're the first affordable high voltage all tube pre, and itll give you that "album sound"..it has the depth and dimension that most pres in this price range lack...if you get two of them, you'll still end up with a lot less than what you would spend in a RNP...

the electro harmonix pre will excell in vocals and acoustics....but if you plan on micing a very loud sound source with it, it may clip, but its well worth it if you ask me....if you use an attenuator with your amp, the electro harmonix pre will match all your needs, and it has a sound that other pres in this price range cant match.

there are samples, members of this board are using it and are very excited about it..check out this thread:

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=164930

you cant go wrong with this pre...Walter is planning on getting 4!! after hearing the results on his first one.

im gonna get at least 2, when i can afford them..

i recomend the DMP3 and im pretty sure that it cant be beat in its price range, plus its very cheap...

but the electro harmonix pre is miles ahead of it, and of the RNP for that matter, for a lot less money, and only a little more than the dmp3.
 
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hey Dairy,

yeah i saw that review...but i would still go with the Hamburg if both of you have melow voices ;) plus, if you send a good track going in, you wont need any equalizing...but thats me, either way, i dont doubt for a second that you'll be happy with wichever you choose....if you're set on the vienna, go for it, it should be ok.

unless u wanna wait a bit like im doing, and get the new joe meek mic (its not out there yet but will be in a month or so) that is supposed to be the same (in terms of sound and quality) or even better than the Hamburg...if this ends up like really happening, its gonna be hard to keep paying that much money for the hamburg, when this joe meek mic will run for 100 bucks...im trying my best to be patient, thats why im getting the B1 instead, to keep me tracking for a while and not thinking about the mics that arent even out yet.

the electro harmonix preamp...i state on this other thread, kind of messing around with the guy that is giving neg reps to everyone, that this pre is the best thing that ever happened to homerecording...and it might just be...in the sense that, it gives you that album sound, that standard of dimension and depth to your sound that was virtually impossible to reach at lower prices...well, my hope is that, all the manufacturers actually take a moment to think and follow this lead, instead of producing more starved plate design pres that kind of use the tube as an effect...this preamp uses two tubes, and the circuit revolves around that, its a high voltage plate, so the sound comes heavily from the tubes...if this starts a stir, imagine what will happen soon you know...trully great gear avaliable to us, always broke fellas.

anyway, until then, i cant wait to lay my hands on mine, and i really think everyone looking for a preamp till the 500 dollar mark or a bit more, should give this a look...its 180 bucks for christs sake! lol its ridiculous. it kills what was decent so far (the dmp3 and rnp) and its cheaper than what the dmp3 is going for new, and you can get two channels of EH preamp and still end up with change if you were thinking of the RNP.

for me its a no brainer. but as usual, this is causing a lot of ppl here to be embarassed and confused (read: guys giving neg rep to everyone on the threads that talk about this preamp)..

anyway, the site you mention, that is owned by the great and very helpful Dot, will review this preamp soon as well, so keep your eyes opened...

until then, check out the harmony central reviews database on this particular pre..i dont think anyone can get past the fact that Joel Hamilton has two in his own studio and picks them up for vocals and acoustic guitars over much (MUCH) more expensive pres.
 
where do I read about the Joe Meek mic?

And I guess its nice to have tubes somewhere, if you have them in the pre, is it still worth having them in the mic? (in the other one I was keen on, the MXL v69).

Don't you guys have a major drought going on over there? I heard it on the news a week or so back, but maybe it was somewhere else...

bedtime here now, I'm determined not to stay up till 12.30 reading about mics and pre's today...
 
hey Dairy man,

sleep well ;)

major drought here yep, tanx for asking! ;) ..it happened in the last 8 years or so i guess, its bad...pretty much the whole country is on fire (comes with the drought), wich is pretty sad :/ but what can we do...most of these fires are criminal, wich is even worse.

staying up late reading about gear is a disease..i suffer from it too..last night it was till 4am, believe it or not..i cant wait to get my gear and start tracking, and finally get way from these frigging adictive and very helpful sites :rolleyes: ...i would be returning gear all over if it wasnt for this site and Tape Op. i shot a few blanks too (read crappy unusable fostex MR8 recorder, Shure SM57), but luckly i didnt spend that much money..

the joe meek mic...isnt out yet..u have to be careful, even when its finally out, to not buy the older version (wich is more or less the same mic as the MXL V67)..if you plan on waiting like me, this supposedly impressive mic will be out in a month or so...u cant read about it anywhere, these are news given to ppl by Alan Hyatt himself, wich is the owner of PMI audio (company that does Studio Projects, Joe Meek, Toft Audio, etc)..

you can got to their forum, wich is a very helpful place, and post on the joe meek section about this new revised JM47 you're hearing about ;) they're very helpful and great guys. Very comited to their work.

http://www.pmiaudio.com/ just click on message board or surf around if u want to explore, click on the joe meek sign, and search for the Joe Meek JM47 mic...the version on the site is still the old one but u can get a look at it and see for yourself.

or this will take u to the forums directly http://www.pmiaudio.com/forums/
 
A mic and mic pre thought....

Please check out my comments about the sE Electronics 2200-A and the Focusrite TrakMaster on the $300-$600 mic question in this section for another viewpoint.
Please also go to "Studio Stuff" page on my website if you a free moment or two.
BG
http://mysite.verizon.net/homestudioguy/
 
thanks H.S.G. I'll do check out the SE stuff.

Diogo, couldn't find any info at that forum there were only a few threads in th ewhole place, none that i could see abou new mics. No doubt I'll hear about it soonish anyway...

thanks
 
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