Re: Which Microphone? ...or how much difference does it reallymake?

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brassplyer

brassplyer

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Re: Which Microphone? ...or how much difference does it reallymake?

I commented some in the recent "Which Microphone?" thread and happened to stumble across this excellent mic shootout video on YouTube.

They demo a number of mics, some pricier than others, including an SM58. At the end, they show a mix with vocals performed with four of the mics. YouTube's audio has limitations but I think it's an interesting demnostration that there isn't necessarily a glaring difference between mics once they've been processed, eq'd and in a mix.

Mic Shootout Neumann U87 vs. AKG 414 vs. Oktava MK 319 vs. Oktava MK 219 vs. Shure SM58 vs. AKG 3000 - YouTube
 
That is a pretty good vid. I think the YouTube audio adds to what makes it interesting...simply because the video was made for YouTube - so by the time the recording ended up where they intended for it to end up all along, not only do all the clips sound fine, but the only one that even sounds different to me there at the end is the SM58 - and it could easily be EQ'd with a bit of high shelf boost to blend right in.

There's another really good one that involved some of the same mics I saw a while back that I think had some higher quality options available and was done in a huge room with an (also large) opera-type singer....can't seem to find it now, though.
 
brassplyer said:
I commented some in the recent "Which Microphone?" thread and happened to stumble across this excellent mic shootout video on YouTube.

They demo a number of mics, some pricier than others, including an SM58. At the end, they show a mix with vocals performed with four of the mics. YouTube's audio has limitations but I think it's an interesting demnostration that there isn't necessarily a glaring difference between mics once they've been processed, eq'd and in a mix.

Mic Shootout Neumann U87 vs. AKG 414 vs. Oktava MK 319 vs. Oktava MK 219 vs. Shure SM58 vs. AKG 3000 - YouTube
Click to expand...



All well and good but the weak link in all of those tracks was the Mackie preamps in the console.
 
TyphoidHippo said:
Found it -
Click to expand...
Interesting. Seems the SM58 does a great job compared to these other two more hifalutin' mics, an obvious difference is the room all but disappears when it's on.

They say they boosted the Cloud ribbon mic 7db at 13 khz, going by what I'm hearing I think they overdid it. Her voice seems piercing/peaky at times compared to the other two.
 
TyphoidHippo said:
I dunno, that looks about right, I guess. I found it interesting for what it is.
Click to expand...



Your right ..... am at my computer with computer speakers and I couldn't tell much of a difference between the <$100. SM58 and the >$2000. microphone.
 
My thoughts? If you can't tell the difference between an SM58 and a condenser mic, even in a moderately dense mix, one of the following is likely true:

  1. You're deaf above 12 kHz.
  2. You have serious problems elsewhere in your chain.
  3. Your mic placement is very wrong.

Just my $0.02.

My guess would be #2.
 
brassplyer said:
I commented some in the recent "Which Microphone?" thread and happened to stumble across this excellent mic shootout video on YouTube.

They demo a number of mics, some pricier than others, including an SM58. At the end, they show a mix with vocals performed with four of the mics. YouTube's audio has limitations but I think it's an interesting demnostration that there isn't necessarily a glaring difference between mics once they've been processed, eq'd and in a mix.

Mic Shootout Neumann U87 vs. AKG 414 vs. Oktava MK 319 vs. Oktava MK 219 vs. Shure SM58 vs. AKG 3000 - YouTube
Click to expand...

Love these types of shootouts. Of coarse, history proves them wrong. I have been recording for 35 years and have had tons of mics over this time. If any of these shootouts were true, I would own 2 - 3 mics and be done with it.

Mics make a huge difference BUT only if you know what you are looking for. The mix is where a mic shows its true character for the source. In this world of waaay too many cheap mics, it is an eye opener when one uses a really nice mic. You can't just slap a bunc of mics on a source, do a mix and really know if a mic is great or not. It does take some time working with each mic to find out if it is a great mic or a 1 trick pony.
 
On this source not much difference perhaps. On other sources big difference perhaps. Also Shure mics are no slouches perhaps. Everyone thinks there are "stage" mics and "recording" mics, but the application determines what you label it, not the label determines the application. .............Perhaps.
 
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