Is there a good 'all-rounder' mic?

[matt301273]

Hello All,

I want to buy a microphone for recording acoustic guitar and vocals and maybe for miking up my electric guitar amp. I am limited money wise and I wonder if there is a mic that could do all three jobs with satisfactory results. It is more important that I get a nice, warm sounding acoustic guitar sound than anything else.

Best

Matt

 

[hairylarry]

dynamic omnis

Hello All,

I want to buy a microphone for recording acoustic guitar and vocals and maybe for miking up my electric guitar amp. I am limited money wise and I wonder if there is a mic that could do all three jobs with satisfactory results. It is more important that I get a nice, warm sounding acoustic guitar sound than anything else.

Best

Matt

Matt,

A dynamic omni like an EV 635a, Shure SM61, or a Realistic 1070b are most likely to work with any source in any scenario. This is why dynamic omnis are most often chosen for field recording. I recommend you buy a pair.

They also have the advantages of being relatively inexpensive and perpetually useful unlike some other cheap mics which you will outgrow.

For more info on inexpensive mics that can make quality recordings check out my fifty dollar mic thread.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

 

[leddy]

I think a pair of Oktava MC012's could record everything sufficiently. I've used them on drums (both OH and snare), piano, upright bass, guitar amps, room mics, vocals, and more with excellent results on all of it. I have many more expensive mics, but these are the most versatile by far.

 

[matt301273]

A pair of mikes?

hi Guys,

Thanks for the reply.

When you say a pair Larry, which two mics do you think I should get?

Best

Matt

 

[RRuskin]

Hello All,

I want to buy a microphone for recording acoustic guitar and vocals and maybe for miking up my electric guitar amp. I am limited money wise and I wonder if there is a mic that could do all three jobs with satisfactory results. It is more important that I get a nice, warm sounding acoustic guitar sound than anything else.

Best

Matt

The EV CS15E, an electret condenser that is out of production. This mic is so versatile that I have 4 of them. Best all around mic I've encountered in 30 years.

 

[hairylarry]

The EV CS15E, an electret condenser that is out of production. This mic is so versatile that I have 4 of them. Best all around mic I've encountered in 30 years.

RRuskin,

Thanks for this. Here's a link to the CS15 on coutant.org.

http://www.coutant.org/evcs15/index.html

It is a back electret condenser with a very flat response from 100-3K hz. You've perked my interest.

Do you know if the CS15E is different than the CS15?

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

 

[RRuskin]

RRuskin,

Thanks for this. Here's a link to the CS15 on coutant.org.

http://www.coutant.org/evcs15/index.html

It is a back electret condenser with a very flat response from 100-3K hz. You've perked my interest.

Do you know if the CS15E is different than the CS15?

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Same mic. Also labeled CS15P. BTW - I'm selling one of my extras. Contact me privately if interested. Ad is in the buy/sell section.

 

[tojo]

just get an sm 57 or an at2020... i prefer the at 2020 but :
-the 57 is actually pretty good on vocals
-a little dull on acoustic but still good
-great on guitar amps.

In my opinion my at 2020 condesner is great and can do all the things you would want to do!

 

[Weasel9992]

Hello All,

I want to buy a microphone for recording acoustic guitar and vocals and maybe for miking up my electric guitar amp. I am limited money wise and I wonder if there is a mic that could do all three jobs with satisfactory results. It is more important that I get a nice, warm sounding acoustic guitar sound than anything else.

Best

Matt

The SM57 or a Cascade Fat Head II would be great as long as you're using a decent preamp. An SM7b would be excellent, but again the preamp comes into play...need lots of clean gain (55dB+ I'd say) for any of those options.

Frank

 

[bkkornaker]

i recenetly got a hold of a CAD Trion 7000 Ribbon mic, and for a "so called "budget mic........it works really well!

great on my guitar cab, acoustic guitars......i yet to experiment with vocals though (im not a singer). I did do some spoken word on it just to test it, and it seems really flat/neutral and balanced....

its my 'go to' mic for a all around balanced mic. What you hear is what you get with this mic.

 

[nuemes]

Sm57

The Shure SM57 covers more sources decently than any other mic I use for under $100. A lot of indie rock CD's have used the SM57 on lead vocals, guitar cabs, snare, toms and bass cab and kick in a pinch.

If you don't have one already that's a very good starting place, check out Craigslist, they run from $60-$80 used.

 

[hairylarry]

Sm57

matt301273,

The SM57 is a good all around mic and you will always be able to use it. However it is never anyone's first choice for acoustic guitar. It is not a particularly good acoustic guitar mic.

The Naiant's are excellent at acoustic guitar and cost less for a pair than the SM57.

Many other mics have been mentioned in a wide price range. Do you have a budget or a target price? What will you be recording into?

I would say of all the mics mentioned so far the SM57 is probably at the bottom of the list for acoustic guitar. If acoustic guitar is most important to you I would buy the SM57 later.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

 

[mixsit]

Hello All,

I want to buy a microphone for recording acoustic guitar and vocals and maybe for miking up my electric guitar amp. I am limited money wise and I wonder if there is a mic that could do all three jobs with satisfactory results. It is more important that I get a nice, warm sounding acoustic guitar sound than anything else.

Best

Matt

With all these mics listed -being all over the map in tones and function- you could sort of see that about anything would do at least 'satisfactory.

 

[ElectricBlu]

603s and 4000s!

Well...
I would first again like to ask what your budget is...this makes a big difference!

I also recommend that you buy a pair... especially if you are micing an acoustic guitar. You want to have one near the bridge and another up top on the neck, so a pair is a must!

In my experience however, you don't NEED a matched pair...

If I were you, I would look at some MXL mics, they are cheap and do the job!
Right Now MusicansFriend is selling a MXL 4000 (A Great Large Diaphragm) and and "Free Gift" of a MXL 603s (An amazing Small Diaphragm) for $200!

Here: http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.co...tiPattern-FET-Studio-Condenser-Mic?sku=270624

We got two orders of these and I find myself turning to them all the time!

I have used them on an acoustic guitar many times and they are a great match! The 4000 is a Great Vocal Mic and I have miced a guitar amp with both, But a 57 to go along with one would be optimal... BUT you do have Logic (which is what we have) and you could always use one along with going in DI and using the guitar plug-in...

Actually I just remembered, I have a sample of micing a pair of 603s on an Acoustic Guitar and using the 4000 on the Voice on our website:
http://www.electricblustudio.com/St...ss_Comes_in_to_record_a_Progressive_Hit!.html

(the 603s were put through an ART tubefire8 and the 4000 (Vox) was put through a UA SOLO 610, and the buzz on the voice is there for a reason)

Hope this helps! I cannot help myself saying how much I like these two mics, and for $200, they're a steal!

Julien
15 Year-Old Recording Engineer @
The ElectricBluStudio
www.electricblustudio.com

 

[Ben P Music]

i've heard so much about these oktava mics, but i cant seem to find anywhere that sells them, i've searched, musicians friend, guitar center, eeverywhere, cant find the company website or anything, any help?

 

[mixsit]

i've heard so much about these oktava mics, but i cant seem to find anywhere that sells them, i've searched, musicians friend, guitar center, eeverywhere, cant find the company website or anything, any help?

http://www.frontendaudio.com/SearchResults.asp?mfg=Oktava
http://www.oktavausa.com/ProductsPages/MK-012Capsules.html

The directional caps are extremely wind/plosive sensitive with lots of low end handling/stand noise -might consider shocks- but sweet.

 

[mixsit]

matt301273,

..The Naiant's are excellent at acoustic guitar and cost less for a pair than the SM57..

Never used these, but if they're anything like flat' Earthworks--
I thought about mentioning- the idea of a great basic very neutral mic as an 'all round start point.
No directional, less 'room control, but 'no hype. (+/- the 'YMMV
Some of the earthiest (oh boy, here we go..) wood tones I've gotten is on the QTC1 -as in 'warm like a ribbon' -but w/o the humps'?
Anywho, basic 'real' works too.

 

[hairylarry]

Naiant mics

Never used these, but if they're anything like flat' Earthworks--
I thought about mentioning- the idea of a great basic very neutral mic as an 'all round start point.
No directional, less 'room control, but 'no hype. (+/- the 'YMMV
Some of the earthiest (oh boy, here we go..) wood tones I've gotten is on the QTC1 -as in 'warm like a ribbon' -but w/o the humps'?
Anywho, basic 'real' works too.

mixsit,

The Naiant's are very flat for the whole frequency range. They are omnis which could be translated as honest. Very clean and detailed. Great on acoustic instruments. I've done acoustic guitar and piano with excellent results. I also use them as room mics when making videos. I like them on my Jecklin disc. If I put them near the camera the stereo image tracks the action very well.

The advantage of dynamic omnis like the EV 635a or the Realistic 1070b is safety. The dynamics handle higher sound levels and the frequency response is truncated which is often a good thing. The dynamics are less susceptible to plosives and wind noise. This is why the dynamics are preferred for field recording where you don't get a retake.

Still you could have a pair of Naiants and a pair of 1070b mics for $100 total. If you preferred EV 635a mics probably closer to $200 total.

I recommend that someone new to audio recording start with a pair of dynamic omnis. They are low cost and versatile. When you start to feel the limitations then you will have some idea about what you need to buy next. Dynamic omnis are the definition of general purpose.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry