Recommendations to upgrade hip hop recording studio- Need better mic

J

joepro0000

New member
I currently have a 200.00 Stageworks condensor mic preamped to a tube mp, and a compressor.However, after a year or working with it, i'm looking to upgrade. Recording will be strickly for hiphop and some R&B. My price range for a mic is 600- 800, and preamp 300. Anyone recording for hiphop here, got any recommendations?

Also besides preamps, mics, compressors, reverb, anything else worth looking into to for recording.
 
If you're looking at investing $1100 right now for preamp and mic, I'd save up a bit more ($1000ish) and buy a Soundelux U195 ($1050 at www.mercenary.com ) and any of a variety of preamps like Pheonix DRS-1, Great River ME-1NV, John Hardy M-1 (personal), Sebatron 2 channel, A-Designs, etc. for about ($1000ish).
 
I don't record hip hop, but can sing "some" R&B and know a bit about what vocal microphones generally sound good for most
singers. They'll be better advice though if we know whether the
vocal mic is just for yourself, or different singers.

Assuming it's just for you, the "best" method is to personally
try each one out. And that can take a while to judge.
A second set of ears can help make things more objective too.

Probably a wise move to dump the ART Tube and add the extra $$ to your budget BTW. Also, what model compressor are you using?

As far as the reverb, be sure to check into the Kurweil Rumour.
It has reputedly killer A/D convertors as a bonus feature.

The sound quality, or lack thereof, of the recording room is an important factor.
Especially with (most) condenser microphones.

Chris
 
Joe, if you prefer separate components, the Fmr. Audio RNC will destroy the Behringer. They run under $200 new.

www.mercenary.com sells RNC's and they double the warranty to a total of two years.

Chris
 
you might want to get a high quality hand held for backup if you find you got someone in that is giving you mediocre tracks... give them a hand held, turn on same fake stage lights and let them pretend they are playing live.

with hip hop a great take is incredibly important.

anyway, hand held vocal mics i say you get:

beyer m88, m69

earthworks sr69

high end ev hand helds and sennheiser hand helds are probably pretty good too. never tried them myself though.
 
Joe, if you prefer separate components, the Fmr. Audio RNC will destroy the Behringer. They run under $200 new.

www.mercenary.com sells RNC's and they double the warranty to a total of two years.

Chris<<

thanks for the tip Chris, but i'm really happy with my compressor. I bought it because my friend got one, and he had amazing recordings with it.

I don't think handheld mics will do the job, I want a mic that will record you the closest to what you really sound like out loud.

I'm looking into the- Blue Dragonfly Mic-

thats what Cee-Lo and Outkast use.
 
Joe, the "closest to what you really sound like out loud" would be the kind of
microphones they use on opera singers, like a DPA or Schoeps.
For pop music, you normally want what's "flattering".

Chris
 
also, how you "sound like out loud" in hip hop terms is usually, either unamped, fucking around with friends or live thru an sm58 and a crappy PA.

standing still in front of a pop shielded mic, head straight up, arms relaxed is a very artifical environment for most hip hop artists. maybe not for outkast, but for the people you are gonna record.. yea, probably.
 
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