Mic Comparison

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rayc

rayc

retroreprobate
I finally got around to doing a mic comparison.
There are 7 mics in the run.
For the sake of consistency I ran them all through a Beringher MIC 100 preamp with the output all the way up & adjusted the input so that all mics registered approx the same level on a percussive sound. The pre does add noise.
ALL mics were set on the same goose neck and aimed just below the soundhole of a no name acoustic and all at approx 12 cm distance.
Against my personal preference I used a little, soft, flexible acoustic pick (I like a medium to heavy bass pick with fangs usually) as I figured it was more in keeping with the equipment others use.
I tried to play at an even level & speed - same chord sequence all through so I'm sorry if it bores you.
Each mic is announced on the file (funnily enough the tiny little PC mic - non usb - did a VERY good job of this considering I did the announcing later through a sound blaster mic in on my upstairs comp.)
There's a bit of computer noise & the wife started using the clothes drier in the laundry a hall away part way through but it shouldn't have much impact.
I'd be interested to know what stands up best. I haven't decided. I'll need time & distance before I can listen & compare for my own use.
The streaming link is below but if you want a better qaulity listen you'd be best to use the link in my signature & download the MP3.

http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=4278268&q=hi

The mics - not in order (remember they are announced) are aSony ECM 19B electret condensor, a Shure 57, a Primo DM-260 mini dynamic, a Le Grange DM 110(switched to lo then hi impedence), a Behringer XM8500 Dynamic & a tiny lipstick sized high impedeance dynamic no name.
I couldn't get enough signal from my crystal Hi-Mike DM201 to record and I couldn't find an adaptor for the Realistic Dual Pattern 33-919A Stereo mic.
 
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BUMP - I know that these are, generally, cheap mics but I'm sure someone else in the forum has a limited budget.
I really am interested in which has the better result for acoustic guitar.
 
rayc said:
I finally got around to doing a mic comparison.
There are 7 mics in the run.
For the sake of consistency I ran them all through a Beringher MIC 100 preamp .........................



End of discussion.
Go back to your reguarly scheduled life.
Click to expand...
 
Hi, RAYC!

I put your mp3 on soundforge and adjust the level of each mic.

I don´t choose a "better", but:

mics I like:

2)Behringer
3)DM110 (lo imp).
5)primo DM
6)SM 57

57 yet sounds more "fat" to me, altough behringer has a similar sound (a little less bass frequencies,but the less noisier of all). DM 110 has a litlle more noise,but sounds ok.Primo DM sounds good too but lacks on lows.

Don´t like these:

1)First mic is unuseable for the extra noise (*but, hey, has the best sound of all to me !Take some info, maybe you are with a damadged mic, I dont know).
4)Dm 110 on hi inpedance sounds bad (I only hear the mid frequencies)
7)Last mic (don´t remenber what? But sounds similar with DM 110 hi, with a lot of mids,and without lows or higs.Don´t like it too.vERY BAD MIC.


Ciro
 
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CIRO,
Thanks mate - that's exactly what I was after. I agree about the 1st mic - normally I run it through a different preamp - & it's quieter but that pre doesn't agree with anything else so I went for something that worked for the majority. I'll have to find a better way. Thanks.
recordingpro,
Thankyou. I appreciate your response. The 57 is the one that appeals least to my ears though I know it gives a flatter response.
MCI2424,
"End of discussion. Go back to your reguarly scheduled life."
Fortunately I have one to go to.
Thanks at least for reading that far into my post. I'm sure it was difficult & I am oblidged to your for your strength, compassion & understandng whilst under duress. Interesting comments given:
"...ALL mics have a use. It is up to you to find the use.
Any one who books a studio because of a name on a mic is a dope.
if a client is looking for brand names on equipment..................
Then they waste your time, have no experience and are genarally dissapointed in any recordings you do because.....................
They think brand names MAKE a recording PROFESSIONAL
Much maligned mic that is like any other mic.
It works magic when it works. Period"
 
rayc said:
The 57 is the one that appeals least to my ears though I know it gives a flatter response.
Click to expand...

Dude the 57 had the best tone - all you need to do is work on placemnet and tame the proximity a bit
 
recordingpro,
Yeah, I know & I do use it. The placement & proximity were prescribes by a need for unoformity in the comparison process. I've played about with it quite a bit. I does its job well I just like the colouration of the 19B electret (& the fact that small changes in angle alter tonality in usable ways).
I've already found the sweet spot for the 57 & that guitar.
Thanks for the follow up.
 
Nice one,
Some ONE has left me unsigned negative rep for my comments in this thread.
I wonder why, how?
It would appear that having an opinion &/or knowing how to research a little background.
Please remember, if you are prepared to neg me have the conviction to sign it. I won't be malicious and respond in kind. I can handle criticism it if it's justified.
It's amazing what can be found using the ignore list. I actually left pos rep for this person too.
 
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recording pro,
It's interesting that you can HEAR my comments. I thanked you for your comments, limited and perfunctory as they were, & gave you positive reputation points but, it would seem that because you can't accept that I have differring opinions & tastes or that whilst knowing how to set up a mic don't agree with your summations or conform to your appropriation of acceptable behaviour, you appoint negative reputation points against me but do it anonymously.
You may be, as you refer to yourself, a recording pro but you appear to be somewhat more than intolerant. You also lack the courage of your convictions. Please be more frank in future and put your name to your acts. If you had behaved so I would be able to accept your appraisal of me & mine as harsh but fair instead of now discounting it out of hand as purely mean spirited and pseudo elitist.
 
...You may be, as you refer to yourself, a recording pro but you appear to be somewhat more than intolerant. You also lack the courage of your convictions...
Click to expand...
the guy is a completely ignorant asswhore

posting under several usernames

if he were a "pro" he wouldn't be posting here

you can safely ignore anything he says

but enjoy the entertainment



here's some pos rep for ya
 
cannabis said:
the guy is a completely ignorant asswhore

posting under several usernames

if he were a "pro" he wouldn't be posting here

you can safely ignore anything he says

but enjoy the entertainment



here's some pos rep for ya
Click to expand...

I kinda take exception to the line: "if he were a "pro" he wouldn't be posting here".
 
Thx for doing that comparison. If your trying to figure out which one would work the best for Acoustic did you consider using a combination of mics? Thax again.
 
should have been "if he were a real pro, he would'nt be raggin on home recording folk". i don't get it. rayc is here trying to contribute something by doing a mic comparison and he's catching flack for that? recordingpro, what have you contributed to this board? anything?

rayc, it's good to see that you found some time for a mic comparison. i think the sony electret had the best sound but it's high noise would probably keep me from using it on anything other than a really loud source. i loaded your track in my recording software, added some markers so i could skip around, normalized each section, and took a couple of notes. i rated the mics sound wise from 1-7. i rated the sony as #1 but with the noise taken into consideration, i'd probably put it at 7.

1 - sony ecm 19b - nice sound overall, extremely noisy
2 - le grange dm110 low impedance - best sounding out of the dynamics but also the second noisiest overall
3 - shure sm57 - big lows, a little strange in the mids, maybe a bit phasy sounding
4 - behringer xm8500 - lows similar to sm57, scouped mids
5 - primo dm260 - phasy sounding, lacked lows
6 - lipstick dynamic - very limited response, sounds like a typical computer mic
7 - le grange dm110 high impedance - nasaly, less noise than low impedance
 
I thought the B'inger, Primo, Shure and "tiny lipstick" mic's all had useable sounds for ac rhythm guitar. The others sounded to me like they had problems with their high frequency characteristics - kind of ragged.

EDIT: I should add "with the B'inger preamp" to the above paragraph, since the mic-pre interaction is so much of a total package kind of thing.

Tim
 
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Harvey Gerst said:
I kinda take exception to the line: "if he were a "pro" he wouldn't be posting here".
Click to expand...
well, haven't seen much from you lately

or anybody else that left

because of the complete disrespect

shown by a very few

to anyone who knew what they were talking about



edit:

i have to take that back harvey

about you not posting much

i just did a search of your posts

and you have been around

my bad

carry on
 
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The first one is unbelievable noisy (sony?) unusable for anything....The second one has no detail.....sounds like a blanket is over the mic.....the 3rd mic sound a little better than the 2nd...The 4th has more body than the rest but really mid-rangy......5th sounds weird in general.......57 sounds the best so far, but not great...the last one was pretty crappy overall.......Maybe you should take the low/mid of the 57 and mix it with (only) the highs from the 3rd mic (with a high pass set at 10k).....thanks for the "shoot-out":
 
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