Good Vocal mic

songsj

Member
Looking for advice on a good reasonably priced [ if there is such a thing] vocal mic. Mainly for a male average singer [me]. Country and ballads. I am using an AKG C3000B tracking into a Tascam 2488 then exporting 24 bit files into Reaper for mix with more Waves plugin's than an amateur should have. I have recorded a few good vocals with this mic but the last song I cut I am going to have to re-do because My ss's would rip your ears off. More than 2 different Waves deesser's could not remove. I know most of it is my singing but I also think the C3000B is a little cold or harsh. Looing for around 300.00 or less.
 
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I think that if you're having issues with a lot of sibilance, the NT1A isn't going to be the answer. It's a fine mic and all, but it has a pretty pronounced high end on it. Not harsh, but very airy.

If you have access to try Lewitt mics, give one a trial and see how you like it. They have at least 2 options in the $300 or less price range, and I was really impressed with their $200 model. I think it was the LCT-240. Nice, non-hyped high frequency response. A little on the quiet side, kinda low output. But worth trying.
 
This one might be worth a look also..... https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MK300d (This happens to be discounted demo. Sweetwater is a very reputable retailer that will stand behind what they sell)

I have a Miktek C1 that I also like very well on my voice and I've read on another board the MK300 is a pretty decent sounding mic.
 
Yes the last song I recorded had a ton of words beginning with s, I was ripping my ears off with them . Never been a problem with me before to this extent. I am experimenting with mic placement which seems like it may help however I also am more conscience of my s words now so that may be helping more than anything. Thanks for the tips, Mics { even the most expensive} have their own personality so I understand why it is hard for people to recommend them What one person loves another may hate. Problem is a guy can go broke buying mic as they are not easy to demo or return. I cannot tell a whole lot buy going into a store and testing one in a room full of people.
 
Wow the MK300 Sure has some great reviews. Every once and awhile when a manufacturer uses high quality parts and outsources the labor you can get a great value. Sounds like this may be one of those circumstances. I've run into this a couple of times with guitar builds where American parts were used and assembled overseas. Some quality instruments at 1/5 the cost.
 
The NT1A maybe a bit bright. It's worth considering the new black NT1. This re-invention of the original is a well-rounded and versatile mike.

Review of the RØDE NT1 Studio Condenser Microphone | Audio Times

"As with all of the other sources I recorded with the NT1, I found the warm low end to be a major plus point for this microphone. It has a very smooth mid to low end transition and it really shows when recording vocals. The mid to high end transition is also extremely smooth leading to a nice hi-mid/hi end sheen. Important to note that the slightly over bright tendency, which has sometimes made the NT-1A difficult to make work well with some female vocalists, is absent on the NT1."
 
Looked up the mic at RecordingHacks- does have a good bit of lift in the 6-12k range (and a dip at 2k, interesting) Sometimes these added brightness is cool for the most part, except when the 'zips kick in.
I suppose you've tried EQ, but can you loose some top -shelf, Low Pass or a bell specifically at the problem freq?
 
It sounds like frequency saturation without clipping. Probably was pushing way too much air into the s's. some may have even made it to the track. [ not pretty ] even when you calm the frequencies down my articulation was terrible. I was tired and just not thinking. I think I am going to have to re-sing it. That is why I'm playing with mike placement and my vocal technique. I counted 52 s's in this 3 minute song. And it is a medium tempo ballad so they don't all go by quickly. In fact many are on words that melodically carry for quite awhile so I need to get off of the consonant and on to the vowel quicker as well as taming the s's down. Things that a real singer does without thinking. I have about 6 or 8 that I just cant live with. As a singer I don't normally have this problem but I guess there is a first time for everything. I've read about all of the complicated ways used to deesse vocal tracks. I'm not that good of an engineer and frankly if 2 different waves deessers and reasonable eqing cant fix it, it probably deserves a new vocal track anyway.
 
There are lots of good vocal mics but which is best depends on your voice and also whether your taste is "warm and smooth" or "bright and detailed.

A mic I use on a lot of people is the sE2200A (the cardioid only version). Worth a listen if you get a chance to try it.
 
I use 2 as my 'main' mics. Rode NT1A - predominantly bought for recording acoustic guitar, but IMO I get some pretty good results with it vocally, and there's my Shure SM58 which I also get pretty good vocal results from. I also have a ApogeeMic which I use when knocking things up on Garageband and my iPad.
 
Narrowing it down I think to the Rode NT1 [ Not 1A] Miktek 300, Se 2200a II C, Looking for a warm tone, clean highs that don't accentuate sibilance. My research seems to be showing that sibilance is a common problem in the low end large diaphragm condenser mics.
 
Couple of thoughts...

The 3000B is a pretty hot mic (25mV/Pa) and I doubt the Tascam pres are THAT spiffing! Could you be getting some HF overload? Once the pres crack you are not likely to improve it.

I am also wondering why no one has suggested a dynamic? Even a ribbon?

Dave.
 
Couple of thoughts...

The 3000B is a pretty hot mic (25mV/Pa) and I doubt the Tascam pres are THAT spiffing! Could you be getting some HF overload? Once the pres crack you are not likely to improve it.

I am also wondering why no one has suggested a dynamic? Even a ribbon?

Dave.

Funny thing is I cut another vocal, different song, with exact same set up and the results were great. While the Tascam I'm sure is not packed with what would be considered "High End" pre's or converters they have gotten good reviews for what they are. Not sure they are any worse and maybe better than most of the low cost DAW interfaces that are being used and sold. And you maybe right about the high frequency overload. That is actually what it sounds like to me. And though I can tame the tone of the problem down so it is less offensive it is still there. I'm doing some more experimenting with mic placement, It's been suggested that I place it at eye level and don't tilt my head into the mic so I am actually singing a little below the mic. It is supposed to help keep some of the nasty air and sibilance out of the mic. Would be nice if that worked because other than this recent sibilance problem I'm not all that unhappy with the C3000B. I bought this one a dozen years ago and then rarely used it so it was just sitting in the box like new. Would I buy it again tomorrow? No, but 12 years ago there was less to pick from in this price range. It kind of seems like in the 300.00 range for large condenser mics you are picking your poison. Most of them get some rave reviews and some not so stellar reviews. I think there is a better mic for me, figuring out which one without buying and trying them all is the tough part. I also have a new SM57 and an AKG D330BT is I think the model ,The one the "Oak Ridge Boys" used to use live many years ago. Could try those.
 
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Another thing I just thought of{though it should not make any difference,} When I cut the song that turned out really great I was using an external phantom power supply for the C3000B, on this song I used the on board phantom power supplied by the Tascam. Thoughts.
 
Another thing I just thought of{though it should not make any difference,} When I cut the song that turned out really great I was using an external phantom power supply for the C3000B, on this song I used the on board phantom power supplied by the Tascam. Thoughts.

Fair idea but! That 3kb specc' shows it can cope with phantom power from 9 volts up*. Experiment with mic 'attack' mode could bear fruit. Millions of hours of film and video were captured with a boom mic over the performer's head. Also try singing ACROSS the diaphragm instead of at it, LDCs generally have quite a drop in HF response off axis.

*Worth checking the phantom voltage though. Easiest to check an adjacent XLR off, then on load. If THAT drops at all you can assume the spook juice supply is poorly regulated. Next, get the cover off an XLR back of mic and check it there.

Dave.
 
It keeps getting weirder. I decided to try my new Sennheiser HD280 pro headphones for sport and I find when I have them on I hear a rich deep bassy sound in the phones but what gets recorded is thin and tinny on playback. I go through my system completely which for tracking is my Tascam 2488 and cannot find anything set wrong. After a few hours of screwing around for sport I sing part of a song with one headphone earpiece on and the other off and the sound recorded is exactly as it should be. 61 years old and never seen this one before. Could this be some kind of phase cancellation or something.
 
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