Buying a whole setup, what mics?

[JesseP]

Alright so ive learned a lot about how to do in home recordings over the last week. I think im gonna try and get a used Mackie Onyx 800R and hook it up to my mac using Logic Pro. Im looking to get 3 mics (guitar, vocals, and bass)

Im thinking a Shure SM57 to mic an electric guitar amp and also his acoustic if need be. It seems like a hell of a mic and also a money saver since im on a low budget.

For bass i hear good things about the Audix D6. It 200 dollars which is what i told myself i wouldnt spend any more then on a mic. Any other mics you guys like or is the D6 a solid bet?

I dont really have any ideas for vocal mics. Just looking around on cheap mics i thought the Sennheiser e935 looked like a good mic for the price. Anyone have any experience with this mic or can you guys recommend me a different mic for vocals under 200$? Id SHURE love to have an SM7 but its pretty pricey.

 

[mikeeb]

Note. This is only from my POV.

I feel like the ADK hamburg is a great deal if you buy it used. I got mine for 150 on ebay mint condition. If you are patient, you can find one for less than 200. They aregreat vocal mics, and I find them warmer than the Viennas on my vocals. For the guitar, I would not use an Sm57 on my acoustic. However, if you do have enough money in your total budget, why not buy a used KSM44 for around 420-500 and use it for vocals and acoustic guitar, then an sm57 on electric and bass. That would bring you if you got it all used to about 500-550. Its your call, but if you do have the luxury to save up and skip the mediocre mics, get a ksm44 or even just get an AT4050 and use it on everything! Both are true workhorse mics.

 

[mikeeb]

Also, this question is very subjective. If you are going to be doing one track at a time, you can just buy the SM7b and use it on everything. More mics is not always better. There is no need to have 3 seperate mics when one can do the job of all 3 much better. So I say, AT 4050 or SM7B. If your more into acoustic and vocals, then get the ADK Hamburg with the Sm57 or the KSM44 by itself.

 

[Shadow_7]

It also depends on usage. In studio, or on stage, or both? Individually, or simultaneously? Some mics favor one or the other application. For live and group sessions you want some isolation between mics. For individual in studio, one track at a time use, perhaps something else would be better.

 

[Supercreep]

I'm unimpressed with the SM57.

For now, I would go with a single quality multipattern LDC.

4050 is out of your budget. Maybe the Studio Projects B1 would be a good fit.

Overall, I think the urge to "cover all your bases" with $200 is unrealistic and should be supressed.

 

[darrin_h2000]

The ksm44 is a great mic...you wont score that for $200 but you might get one for $400 like I did...might be a decent idea to get a SM7 to round out for what you have to do...but that will be OK only if you record 1 or 2 things at a time.

 

[darrin_h2000]

I'm unimpressed with the SM57.

I use alot of SM57s...why?...because so many of the top engineers use them religiously...and where else can I get a pro level mic for $20 used.

 

[christiaan]

Personally I'd plug the bass directy into the mixer. Usually that'll give you a usable bass sound effortlessly. Unless you have an absolute killer bass amp, I wouldn't bother sticking a mic in front of it. I'm a bass player and it's my preferred way of recording myself (since I don't own an Ampeg SVT or something else in the that ballpark )

 

[Supercreep]

I use alot of SM57s...why?...because so many of the top engineers use them religiously...and where else can I get a pro level mic for $20 used.

I think they're just ok. I think they sound a little wooly.

If I could afford six MD-421s, I'd never use the 57 for toms (which is all I use them for).

That said, for someone unimpressed with SM57s, I sure own a lot of them.

 

[ez_willis]

Personally I'd plug the bass directy into the mixer. Usually that'll give you a usable bass sound effortlessly. Unless you have an absolute killer bass amp, I wouldn't bother sticking a mic in front of it. I'm a bass player and it's my preferred way of recording myself (since I don't own an Ampeg SVT or something else in the that ballpark )

Yep. There is no reason to record the bass any other way than direct. I run mine through a JoeMeek VCQ1 then straight into the mixer>computer.

 

[JesseP]

Personally I'd plug the bass directy into the mixer. Usually that'll give you a usable bass sound effortlessly. Unless you have an absolute killer bass amp, I wouldn't bother sticking a mic in front of it. I'm a bass player and it's my preferred way of recording myself (since I don't own an Ampeg SVT or something else in the that ballpark )

Not to brag but i have a very nice bass setup. Eden WT1205 amp (1000 watts at 8 ohms), Eden 410XLT, Eden 210XST, American Fender Jazz, 1988 Pre Gibson Tobias Classic 5. I plan on going DI and micing the 210XST and mixing them together to try to get some cool sounds.

 

[ez_willis]

Not to brag but i have a very nice bass setup. Eden WT1205 amp (1000 watts at 8 ohms), Eden 410XLT, Eden 210XST, American Fender Jazz, 1988 Pre Gibson Tobias Classic 5. I plan on going DI and micing the 210XST and mixing them together to try to get some cool sounds.

I had an Ampeg SVT II, 8x10, 1x15, and 1x18 cab. Andy Wallace recorded and mixed my album. He did the same thing but ended up using the DI. There's no reason to not try it but I wouldn't buy a mic specifically for that purpose, especially if dude is on a tight budget.

 

[JesseP]

It also depends on usage. In studio, or on stage, or both? Individually, or simultaneously? Some mics favor one or the other application. For live and group sessions you want some isolation between mics. For individual in studio, one track at a time use, perhaps something else would be better.

Sorry for not clarifying. i plan on using the mics mostly in the studio but for live applications on occasion. I want to be able to record them individually or simultaneously. I dont have a pro studio or anything but am just trying to get some versatile equipment.

 

[JesseP]

I had an Ampeg SVT II, 8x10, 1x15, and 1x18 cab. Andy Wallace recorded and mixed my album. He did the same thing but ended up using the DI. There's no reason to not try it but I wouldn't buy a mic specifically for that purpose, especially if dude is on a tight budget.

Good point and in any other situation you probably would have talked me out of buying a mic specifically for bass but they have a deal on musicians friend for the audix D6 and its only 100 bucks so il probably just grab one of those.

 

[darrin_h2000]

I think they're just ok. I think they sound a little wooly.

If I could afford six MD-421s, I'd never use the 57 for toms (which is all I use them for).

That said, for someone unimpressed with SM57s, I sure own a lot of them.

I own 7 myself...5 of which I bought for $20 each at a pawn shop ten years back...I can afford 6 MD-421s...with my bank account if I wanted I could use 2 u87s for overheads...but why should I break the bank while guys who can have anything like Eddie Kramer is using KSM32s for overheads...or Fagen and Becker using them for most all thier instruments.

 

[darrin_h2000]

Yep. There is no reason to record the bass any other way than direct. I run mine through a JoeMeek VCQ1 then straight into the mixer>computer.

Ive allways pictured direct as using something like a Tech21 Sans bass on the way in...then the dbx160

 

[Supercreep]

I own 7 myself...5 of which I bought for $20 each at a pawn shop ten years back...I can afford 6 MD-421s...with my bank account if I wanted I could use 2 u87s for overheads...but why should I break the bank while guys who can have anything like Eddie Kramer is using KSM32s for overheads...or Fagen and Becker using them for most all thier instruments.

Well, my birthday is in November, and since I already have one MD-421, I only need five more.

Thanks for thinking of me.

 

[ez_willis]

Ive allways pictured direct as using something like a Tech21 Sans bass on the way in...then the dbx160

I've always pictured direct as not mic'ing an amp, but I see your point.

When I used to record with the SVT II, it had a direct xlr output that I'd use.

 

[christiaan]

Ive allways pictured direct as using something like a Tech21 Sans bass on the way in...then the dbx160

I have a Sansamp bass driver DI but over time I have started to use it more and more as a straight DI, bypassing al the tonal options.
While it can beef up your sound, apparently I've grown to like a clean bass sound more.
Heck, I now just plug my bass into one of the Hi-Z inputs of my recording interface (M-Audio Profire 2626) and it sounds clean and tight, easy to mix.
I'm probably going to sell the Sansamp some day and put that money towards one killer pre that'll double as a DI.

 

[christiaan]

Not to brag but i have a very nice bass setup. Eden WT1205 amp (1000 watts at 8 ohms), Eden 410XLT, Eden 210XST, American Fender Jazz, 1988 Pre Gibson Tobias Classic 5.

That surely sounds like a nice setup.