MXL V63M vs. MXL 4000

[Kerose]

what's the diff, they seem to be equal in most specs like sensitivity and S/N ratio, is this just a matter of preference, I have the V63M, it does pretty good, i would like something a little more clear, the highs can get a little muddled it seems, my friend has the 4000, haven't had a chance to use it but i may consider buying one if it turns out to be better, these things are cheap as hell, but i still don't see why they are so much more expensive, aside from the 3 patterns , oh and i use for strictly vocals only

V63M
Tube Type:
Pressure gradient 32mm capsule
Diaphragm:
6 micron gold-sputtered
Frequency Response:
30Hz - 20kHz
Polar pattern:
Cardioid
Output Impedance:
200 ohms
Sensitivity:
15mV/Pa
Equivalent noise:
20 dB (A-weighted IEC 268-4)
S/N Ratio:
74 dB (Ref. 1Pa A-weighted)
Max SPL for .5% THD:
130 dB
Power Requirements:
Phantom Power 48V (+- 4V)
Current Consumption:
<3.0mA
Size:
55mm x 190 mm/1.85 in. x 7.48 in
Weight:
470g/1 lb.
Metal Finish:
Black

4000
Tube Type:
Pressure gradient multi-pattern condenser mic
Diaphragm:
6 micron gold-sputtered
Frequency Response:
20 Hz - 20 kHz
Polar pattern:
Cardioid/Figure 8/Omni-directional switch-selectable
Sensitivity:
15mV/Pa
Output Impedance:
200 ohms
Pre-Attenuation Switch:
0 dB, -10 dB
High Pass Filter:
6dB/octave, 150 Hz
Equivalent noise:
20 dB (A-weighted IEC 268-4)
S/N Ratio:
74 dB (Ref. 1Pa A-weighted)
Max SPL for .5% THD:
130 dB
Power Requirements:
48V Phantom Power (+- 4V)
Size:
2.3 in x 9.4 in/59mm x 240mm
Weight:
1.60 lbs/725g
Metal Finish:
Blue/Nickel

 

[MichaelJoly]

Well if you use your V63 for vocals only you probably don't need the Omni and figure-eight patterns of the MXL 4000.

As an alternative to the 4000 you can get a more midrange-focused sound from the $99 MXL V67g which is a FET / transformer circuit. The 4000 needs quite a bit of work to eliminate the HF stray capacitance losses associated with the multi-pattern wiring. The V67g sounds good right out of the box and excellent once modified.

 

[Kerose]

Well if you use your V63 for vocals only you probably don't need the Omni and figure-eight patterns of the MXL 4000.

As an alternative to the 4000 you can get a more midrange-focused sound from the $99 MXL V67g which is a FET / transformer circuit. The 4000 needs quite a bit of work to eliminate the HF stray capacitance losses associated with the multi-pattern wiring. The V67g sounds good right out of the box and excellent once modified.

one main concern is that i am having a difficult time getting my mic levels high enough without introducing noise, it seems that the 4000 would do a better job of that, and yes, the omni and figure8 patterns are useless to me, looked at the V67g and it seems to have the same specs as the V63M, almost exactly, at least looking at MXL's website. They do mention the FET circuitry, the V67g says"• Transformer-balanced output for smooth sound"
while the V63M says"• Fully balanced transformerless output for exceptionally rich sound ", i mean do i want transformers or not???, one says smooth sound with FET, one says rich sound without. Which is really just hype. I record in a not so enclosed area, my computer noise is a big factor in my noise issue also, but I would still like something that will achieve a better S/N ratio, allowing me to record at higher levels with less noise. Will the transformer have any affect on this.

 

[MichaelJoly]

one main concern is that i am having a difficult time getting my mic levels high enough without introducing noise.l.

Congratulations, you've correctly discerned that most microphone marketing text is meaningless. If you have a problem getting enough level from your V63 without noise something is wrong with your environment, preamp, interface or software and switching to an MXL 4000 is not going to make one wit of difference. You say you have a "noise" problem - are you hearing environmental noise or excessive electronic (hiss) noise in your recordings?

You will make more progress toward making good, noise-free, correct-level recordings (and save some money) if you spend some time learning about recording environments, microphone usage, microphone gain requirements and gain staging for lowest noise rather than reading manufacturers marketing text hoping to solve a plethora of problems with a new, similarly spec'd mic.

 

[Kerose]

Congratulations, you've correctly discerned that most microphone marketing text is meaningless. If you have a problem getting enough level from your V63 without noise something is wrong with your environment, preamp, interface or software and switching to an MXL 4000 is not going to make one wit of difference. You say you have a "noise" problem - are you hearing environmental noise or excessive electronic (hiss) noise in your recordings?

You will make more progress toward making good, noise-free, correct-level recordings (and save some money) if you spend some time learning about recording environments, microphone usage, microphone gain requirements and gain staging for lowest noise rather than reading manufacturers marketing text hoping to solve a plethora of problems with a new, similarly spec'd mic.

well i for sure am picking up the noise from my computer, it's a laptop, so it's hard to isolate, i guess i'm just not dealing directly with my problem, also i get really excited "shopping" around for new gear!!, perhaps when i get my environmental situation in order I will look further into mics if i am still unsatisfied with my recordings..

having said that, would you recommend any three of these over the rest for clarity, I do hip-hop and the most important thing is clarity and response, i may not spit like Tech N9ne or Twista, but i stell need something that is gonna be very responsive to changing dynamics, and again have a lot of clarty , thanks

 

[MichaelJoly]

Ah yes, G.A.S. - gear aquisition syndrome, its called. A common afflication in these parts.

re: Choosing among V63, V67g and 4000 for rap and hip hop -

The V67g has a frequency response that is not as peaked up in the high frequencies. Its a better choice for spoken word / rap because it puts more focus on the body of the voice and not the sibilance. But keep your V63 for a while while and use it to work out your noise issues.

If you're using a laptop it would be pretty easy to build a small box out of 2" fiberglass insulation board (Owens Corning 703) wrapped with burlap. Such a box could be placed over the laptop just after you hit "record" to significantly reduce the noise from it that reaches the mic.