shure 57 and studio proj b1 usage

grn

grn

Well-known member
could i use 4 shure 57s to successfully mic drums... (don't have much $$$ to work with here)... also if i were to get a studio projects b1, would i use that for vocals/guitar or could i stick with the shure 57 (*note: i'll be using both electric amp'ed and acoustic guitars)

if i'm using a cabinet what would be the proper way to mic it?
 
Not really... but I guess it depends on what you call "successfully".

Here's a pretty good cheap budget mic package that can work well for recording drums...

Kick... ATM25
Snare... SM57
Overheads... MC-012 (two)

And IMO, I'd get a Marshall MXL V67G for vocals rather than the B1.
 
'57 for vocals? You "Shure" can! Although this is not what most people reach for first, some people really like 'em for vocals. Even some people who can afford much higher priced mics.

Take a listen to this and maybe it will help.

http://www.fxguidry.com/mictest1/

Despite all the cheap condensers and such that have flooded the market in the last couple of years, the sm57 is still a good mic value.

I've tried a lot of the new, cheap stuff, and been dissapointed at times by the erratic performance of some of them. The '57 is a known performer at a reasonable price.
 
There's a reason that people use and like certain mics and it comes down to a bit of personal taste and a bit of artistic vision. Both of the mics you mention are good solid work horse microphones that few people have anything bad to say about. Are they the most perfect mics to use for your needs? Only you can judge that one. The SM57 is an all round "meat and potatoes" dynamic mic that can be used as a speaker's mic, a vocal mic, an instrument mic, a snare drum mic and even on occassion a cab mic. It may not be "the best" choice for any of those, but it will perform well. The same goes for the B1. It gives a very flat uncolored response to a number of different applications and will always give you a good usable signal. Problem is, you MAY hate it! You may want a colored mic, or a mic that responds well only to certain frequencies. You should check out a whole bunch of mics, pre-amps,etc. before you deide what is best FOR YOU. The advice that DJL gave you on drum mics is solid and will most likely serve you well. As you are playing with mics and the whole signal chain more, you may decide that there is this other ---(thing) that just gives you what you want to hear.....and it's your's. You will have found your sound. That's the real fun of this crazy thing we are all playing with, finding out special stuff that works with our music.
 
Hey DJL,

Let me first say that I have never used a SP B-1. But every comment I read about it says it's a flat, uncolored mic. What's your take on it's sound?
 
omtayslick said:
Hey DJL,

Let me first say that I have never used a SP B-1. But every comment I read about it says it's a flat, uncolored mic. What's your take on it's sound?
Click to expand...
There is an incorrect rumor going around the internet forums about the Studio Projects B1 mic being a flat uncolored mic... however, the B1 is NOT a flat uncolored mic... but, it is a nice budget mic and well worth $80.
 
DJL said:
There is an incorrect rumor going around the internet forums about the Studio Projects B1 mic being a flat uncolored mic... however, the B1 is NOT a flat uncolored mic... but, it is a nice budget mic and well worth $80.
Click to expand...

IMO, I would say it is flat compared to a lot of lower end condensors around. For instance, (a mic I have used a lot) it has much less sylibance than the AKG C3000b. Similarly, it is not as dark as the Octava MK319 (another mic I have used a lot).

But then again, this is pointless arguing as it is these little discrepencies in detail that really annoy the hell out of me...... Why am I arguing this point then? Erm, I'll just post I think.

Neil
 
Neil Ogilvie said:
IMO, I would say it is flat compared to a lot of lower end condensors around. For instance, (a mic I have used a lot) it has much less sylibance than the AKG C3000b. Similarly, it is not as dark as the Octava MK319 (another mic I have used a lot).

But then again, this is pointless arguing as it is these little discrepencies in detail that really annoy the hell out of me...... Why am I arguing this point then? Erm, I'll just post I think.

Neil
Click to expand...
Fair enough... but the bottom line is the B1 is NOT a flat uncolored mic.
 
DJL said:
Fair enough... but the bottom line is the B1 is NOT a flat uncolored mic.
Click to expand...

And it comes off as a little thin to me as well. I have only tried it on different Vox though. I did find it quite useful last weekend on a female vox for background. I have been trying to duplicate a certain sound or at least get close to it. The B1 has been the easiest for me to attempt this with based on my mics. I think everyone agrees that it's a Good Mic. Actual,, when I think about it, would I be going too far by saying,,, " All mics are good for something" ?

Malcolm
 
malcolm123 said:
And it comes off as a little thin to me as well. I have only tried it on different Vox though. I did find it quite useful last weekend on a female vox for background. I have been trying to duplicate a certain sound or at least get close to it. The B1 has been the easiest for me to attempt this with based on my mics. I think everyone agrees that it's a Good Mic. Actual,, when I think about it, would I be going too far by saying,,, " All mics are good for something" ?

Malcolm
Click to expand...
I agree that the SP B1 is a good budget mic.
 
Give it a rest DJL...

Frankly, after reading DJL's earlier multipage posts, it's very obvious that he doesn't like SP B1s... and from what the other guys wrote in those posts, it has less to do with SP mics and more to do with a personality conflict with Alan.

With that said, I like and use SP B1s, and IMHO, they're much flatter than most other lower cost LDC mics available today. Is it perfectly flat? No. Are any other LDC's flat? No. Is it a good mic for the money, regardless of who sells it or where it is built? IMHO, Yes.

By the way DJL, what innovative products have you designed or made available for sale? Maybe your mics are flatter?
 
Bite me kid klash!!!

So then you agree with me that the SP B1 is NOT a flat uncolored mic. :D
 
Oh no! Not again!

Concerning LDC's:
I own a SP B1, 2 Oktava MK219 and an MXL V67. I like them all for different reasons. When I want a mic that doesn't have a specific character or color, I use the B1.I happen to like how it picks up my rack toms and the skin side of my solo djembe. When I want a darker mic that picks up and runs with the lower frequencies, I'll use the Oktavas(I usually use them to record my floor toms). When I'm recording my lady friend who has a powerful and rich trained alto voice, I use the V67 (I think it would also be good for floor toms, but the Oktavas are much darker). All of the above mics are in about the same price range. They are all good mics for different things. Of the above mentioned REALLY GOOD inexpensive LDC's, the B1 seems to have the flatest uncolored sound (that's not neccessarily a good thing for a vocal mic) and I have plenty of places to use it where I want that type of signal.

So that's what I meant when I said it was a flat and uncolored mic. It's not from rumor, but from personal experience. Does it actually measure that way? I haven't a clue. I just know what it gives me.

I'm a mic slut. I'll go with any mic that gives me what I want. I have no vested interest in any one company. I have found usable mics from just about every company....with a few exceptions.
I am also really new to all of this and my mic collection is ..okay..but certainly nothing special. Mostly things that I've picked up when I've had a few extra dollars and decided to put off paying a bill for another week (me bad). I also find that I can pick things up used from others that are upgrading their own collection.

Something that was once said to me by a very experienced professional that I've taken to heart is that if you can learn to get good sound from good,adequate budget equipment, then you will get great sound when you can afford better equipment. That's kind of what most of us are all about here I think. I don't see me having all Neumann mics and a Neve board anytime soon.
 
By virtue of their design and characteristics, most Large Diaphragm Condensers don't tend to fall in to the category of flat and/or uncolored. They're relative terms, so give it a rest, already. :D
 
Thanks, but no thanks!!!

QUOTE]Originally posted by DJL
Bite me kid klash!!! [/QUOTE]

No thanks - I'm straight. :D

DJL said:
So then you agree with me that the SP B1 is NOT a flat uncolored mic. :D
Click to expand...

No - I don't agree with what you're implying in your statement above. Can you name a flat, uncolored LDC mic? No? Can you name ANY production mic used for recording music, regardless of the size of the diaphragm or technology used to create it that is truely flat and uncolored? No? Do you actually WANT a completely flat, uncolored mic? No? So what's your point?

Rimshot is right on the money IMHO - between the low cost LDC mic's he mentioned (SP-B1, Oktava MK219 and MXL V67), I also have found that the B1 is the least colored, flattest-sounding mic to my ears.

And one more time - what innovative audio devices have you designed and marketed to the public? None? I didn't think so. So does your opinion (and sniping) matter? It doesn't? I didn't think so! Waaaah Waaaah :D
 
Like I said before and I'll say it again now... there is an incorrect rumor going around on the internet forums that the Studio Projects B1 is a flat uncolored mic... and that is not true. The B1 is NOT a flat uncolored mic, period.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top