Blind test: Best Vocal Mic

[GuitarLegend]

should I try and step out of that room and record in the hall just to see there really is something going on with my room

Please do it anyway, I don't want to disregard something offhand... gotta try it and see what comes out

 

[highriser]

those were different rooms completely though

 

[GuitarLegend]

those were different rooms completely though

Same recording gear?

 

[GuitarLegend]

those were different rooms completely though

I don't want to bail out on this one but I am starting to drown, if no-one has any suggestions. Mixsit suggests that it is your voice, if I understand his posts. But Its not just the vocal to me, there is NOTHING above about 4KHz until you ... sibilize(?) and even then it only just registers. Play something on the guitar all the way up to the 12th on the high E just to satisfy my curiousity. Play scales from the low E to the hgh E just so we can verify that your audio path is ok. I mean an acoustic guitar with a mic if you can

 

[highriser]

Different gear. That was my apogee one when I had a Mac. Are you saying that recording too had nothing above 4khz?

I will give it a go

 

[GuitarLegend]

Different gear. That was my apogee one when I had a Mac. Are you saying that recording too had nothing above 4khz?

I will give it a go

The music in the recording of Alabama has plenty, right up around 14kHz but the vocal-only tapers off around the 4K mark. Other vocal pieces that I have checked out appear very rich in that area.

 

[highriser]

which other recordings?

here is my room

 

[mixsit]

I messed around a bit last night with some eq on a few of them -'Alabama #2 (which was my fave of those three), and one of the NTK's and was putting +5 -- 10 in at around 2-3khz!
Interesting you have some opines' over at 'Slutz saying some of the tones are ok.. And again they are not all completely out of whack, just in total an odd trend
I'm actually a bit lost at this point.
I was thinking the guitar nice moderately strong struming, out a few feet, the room would be in there too.
In that mode' and distance the 'flat cond and the SM7 in low cut + mid lift -ought to show up miles appart. Especially the SM7 I would expect would be light in body, plus plenty of mids and highs?

 

[highriser]

I messed around a bit last night with some eq on a few of them -'Alabama #2 (which was my fave of those three), and one of the NTK's and was putting +5 -- 10 in at around 2-3khz!
Interesting you have some opines' over at 'Slutz saying some of the tones are ok.. And again they are not all completely out of whack, just in total an odd trend
I'm actually a bit lost at this point.
I was thinking the guitar nice moderately strong struming, out a few feet, the room would be in there too.
In that mode' and distance the 'flat cond and the SM7 in low cut + mid lift -ought to show up miles appart. Especially the SM7 I would expect would be light in body, plus plenty of mids and highs?

I understand what you wrote up until you wrote 'I'm a bit lost at this point'. After that I don't really know what you said.

 

[highriser]

And guitar legend I meant in the clip where I sing pumped up kicks is there anything above 4 kHz

 

[mixsit]

I understand what you wrote up until you wrote 'I'm a bit lost at this point'. After that I don't really know what you said.

you were asking/talking about doing this 'mic test yes?

 

[highriser]

What was I asking? You were talking about guitar...

 

[highriser]

ok here is acoustic guitar in my room and a test vocal out in the hall

Hall test by Adam Mishan on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free
Acoustic test by Adam Mishan on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

 

[mixsit]

ok here is acoustic guitar in my room and a test vocal out in the hall..

They both sound pretty normal to me.
The voc seems 'warm, and fairly neutral in tone balance. (As in I don't see any big gap or lacks in the fidelity dept.

One heck of a quiet hall- with no trace of reflections or decay though.
Hmm

 

[GuitarLegend]

One heck of a quiet hall- with no trace of reflections or decay though.
Hmm

Isn't that just a little suspicious?

 

[GuitarLegend]

Now I am convinced there is something in your audio path that is attenuating the highs. This is an unsophisticated recording of an acoustic guitar in an ordinary room with a Shure SM58, no enhancements, no plugins, just straight recording. If you do an A/B test with this along with your acoustic guitar test, you will definitely hear what I am talking about

 

[Sudsy100]

Vocally . . .

3 - Best . . . smooth, a tad more clarity than the others
2 - Okay . . . could use a bit more definition but not bad
1 - Worst . . . too dull, not enough top

Juts MHO

 

[highriser]

Is there attenuation of the highs in the hall test?

 

[GuitarLegend]

Is there attenuation of the highs in the hall test?

Its everywhere that you have recorded anything at all, no matter what mic you use or what room you record it in. And just recently its in the guitar track as well. Trying to find the best mic in this instance is going to be hard while you have this other problem with the gear. I don't believe it is the room and it certainly isn't the mics. If the Focusrite Scarlett is working properly, then it is good enough for what you want. I can't think of a way to attenuate the highs with the DAW on input and if you are not applying any EQ on your exports, I am inclined to believe, if pushed for an answer, that something is up with your Focusrite. Again, I would trust the Focusrite for quality but things can go wrong with any product and just this particular one may be bad. Given the information, that is all I can come up with that makes any sense

 

[highriser]

Now would I have to try another interface entirely or would an external preamp be sufficient?