Should I get an RE20 or a MD421U?

  • Thread starter Thread starter chewbacaface
  • Start date Start date
C

chewbacaface

New member
I am looking for a nice versatile mic that would be good on snares/guitars and maybe some other ins and outs (possibly some vocals).

Which mic is better for versatility and which is better for clarity/warmth.

Thanks.
 
Both are excellent mics and both are quite versatile, and both I would consider "gotta-gets" for any mic locker.

If you're looking for a lot of floor tom, guitar cab and brass/horn work, you might want to lean towards the 421. If you;re looking for something a bit more vocal, drum and acoustic instrument application, the RE-20 might have the advantage for you.

Also, keep in mind that the RE-20 usually prefers preamps with a bit higher clean gain range, so if you're only running something along the lines of an inexpensive Lexicon or mAudio interface for your preamp, you might expect lower record levels out of the RE-20, and maybe the 421 might wind up being a bit more versatile for you. If you have some halfway-decent preamps with plenty of clean gain, though, all bets are off in that regard, and the RE-20 might have the slight edge.

But either way, you should get plenty of happy use out of either one of them.

G.
 
I have a pretty decent variety of preamps. I am running them into a Presonus Fire Tube Studio. It has a decent AD coverter.

Preamps are...

Symetrix 528e
dbx 286a
Presonus Eureka
Presonus Bluetube
Aphex 107
ART MPA Gold
Behringer Tube Ultragain

I'm thinking about either getting a lower end Grace or a JoeMeek OneQ.

Hopefully I can get a good sound out of something that I have.

I ended up going with the RE20 because I found one in mint condition for 200$ and it seemed like a great deal at that price. I'll probably end up getting the MD421U in a couple months. It seems like that is sort of the gold standard for guitar cabs.

I am planning to use the RE20 mostly on snare drums and as a secondary vocal mic when I am trying to get a different sound than by Blue Baby Bottle.


Thanks for the info. It is much appreciated.
 
Great deal on the RE-20! Congrats :).

Yeah you got some preampage there that should do your EV just fine. And a nice little Grace 101 or similar would be a nice addition to the inventory.

G.
 
Or possibly the Joe Meek TwinQ as an other chose for a pre.
I let a RE - 20 slip through my hands a while back ,I won't let that happen again...as soon as I see an other for cheap and in good working condition ........... BANG


:cool:
 
RE20 is my go-to vocal mic. Samples all over my website.
 
chewbacaface said:
I am looking for a nice versatile mic that would be good on snares/guitars and maybe some other ins and outs (possibly some vocals).

Which mic is better for versatility and which is better for clarity/warmth.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I pretty much echo Glen. The MD421 is more of an all-around mic that does well on vocals. The RE20 is fantastic on most male vocals and pretty good on some other things. Both were actually designed for voice broadcast. Either into a Grace 101 can be great.
 
I'll let you guys in on my gear buying secret...

GuitarCenter.com will now ship stuff in their used inventory. So, you don't have to live near the store. I have bought so much stuff there in the last couple months because it is usually about 25% cheaper than you can get it on ebay.

For example, I get a mic kit of two AKG c1000 overhead mics and a c3000b all together for 300$. The c3000b alone is hard to find on ebay for less than 250$.

I also bought a stereo matched pair of Oktava MK012s for 275$. I got my Presonus Eureka for 200$. There are some insane deals if you look. Plus they have some high end Avalon Channel Strips on there for like 999-1099$. Some of the prices are downright insane. I have thought about buying stuff just to ebay it and supplement my own studio with the money I make.

Thanks for all of the info.

I really want one of those Grace 101s but they are pretty hard to find used and even harder to find at a good price.
 
Supercreep said:
Next to the NT1A, I hated using this mic.
Click to expand...

Really? I actually just got it and planned to sell it and keep the c1000s but I have been happy with it on my acoustic guitar when I run it through my dbx 286a. It has a nice full tone and really picks up a lot of detail. I could see how it would be overly harsh for a lot of applications though. It has a pretty high register.
 
chewbacaface said:
I'll let you guys in on my gear buying secret...

GuitarCenter.com will now ship stuff in their used inventory. So, you don't have to live near the store. I have bought so much stuff there in the last couple months because it is usually about 25% cheaper than you can get it on ebay.

For example, I get a mic kit of two AKG c1000 overhead mics and a c3000b all together for 300$. The c3000b alone is hard to find on ebay for less than 250$.

I also bought a stereo matched pair of Oktava MK012s for 275$. I got my Presonus Eureka for 200$. There are some insane deals if you look. Plus they have some high end Avalon Channel Strips on there for like 999-1099$. Some of the prices are downright insane. I have thought about buying stuff just to ebay it and supplement my own studio with the money I make.

Thanks for all of the info.

I really want one of those Grace 101s but they are pretty hard to find used and even harder to find at a good price.
Click to expand...

Yep, my RE20 was shipped from the used inventory of a GC as well.
 
The only downside of RE20 on snare is- it's a pretty big target for sticks. It is, however, a go-to kick drum mic for lots of folks. I would use the 421 on snare in a heartbeat.-Richie
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top