octoruss
New member
I've heard some scattered good things about this mic, and am considering this or the new SP TB-1 tube mic. Has anyone used the baby bottle? If so, what are your impressions?
muzeman
New member
I havn't heard the Baby Bottle,but have a Dragonfly.
Blue mics are definatly professional grade stuff.
Hand built and extremely rugged.
I love the Dragonfly,great clear sound on everything,but just not quite it for my voice.
(Mabey it's because my voice isn't quite first rate.)
The Dragonfly uses a combination of aluminum and gold in the diaphram,giving it a unique sound.
Great on acoustics,amps,and rock type vocals.
I don't know if the Bottle uses the same thing,you might want to check it out.
I'd definatly give it a try.
You can talk to Skipper Wise at Blue(the designer and builder),great guy and very helpful.
Their customer service is first rate.
Hope this helps.
Best to you,
Pete
Blue mics are definatly professional grade stuff.
Hand built and extremely rugged.
I love the Dragonfly,great clear sound on everything,but just not quite it for my voice.
(Mabey it's because my voice isn't quite first rate.)
The Dragonfly uses a combination of aluminum and gold in the diaphram,giving it a unique sound.
Great on acoustics,amps,and rock type vocals.
I don't know if the Bottle uses the same thing,you might want to check it out.
I'd definatly give it a try.
You can talk to Skipper Wise at Blue(the designer and builder),great guy and very helpful.
Their customer service is first rate.
Hope this helps.
Best to you,
Pete
C
chessrock
Banned
Very similar comments to those in the March issue of Recording Mag:
"The first thing I noticed about the mic is that it has a very high output level. I had to put a 20 db pad on it to keep it from clipping the inputs of my old Nagra. The second thing I noticed is that it is extremely quiet, especially for something with such a high output level."
"The mic is clearly designed for close-miking, but just for fun, I did try it for distant-miking a small acoustic combo." . . . "I noticed that the off-axis response abnormalities were quite exaggerated - off-mic objects sounded a lot more off-mic than they did with a small diaph reference mic."
" . . . I found a sound that was not at all bright, but still detailed and open, with a heavy presence peak." ". . . and I heard some serious bass roll-off. Immediate conclusion: If you're looking for an exaggerated high end, this is not the mic for it."
"The mic had just an amazingly good sound on kick drum." " . . . . one that I liked a whole lot."
Quotes are from Scott Dorsey, Recording, March 2002.
"The first thing I noticed about the mic is that it has a very high output level. I had to put a 20 db pad on it to keep it from clipping the inputs of my old Nagra. The second thing I noticed is that it is extremely quiet, especially for something with such a high output level."
"The mic is clearly designed for close-miking, but just for fun, I did try it for distant-miking a small acoustic combo." . . . "I noticed that the off-axis response abnormalities were quite exaggerated - off-mic objects sounded a lot more off-mic than they did with a small diaph reference mic."
" . . . I found a sound that was not at all bright, but still detailed and open, with a heavy presence peak." ". . . and I heard some serious bass roll-off. Immediate conclusion: If you're looking for an exaggerated high end, this is not the mic for it."
"The mic had just an amazingly good sound on kick drum." " . . . . one that I liked a whole lot."
Quotes are from Scott Dorsey, Recording, March 2002.
hixmix
Halibut, North Dakota
But when you run the output through an oscilloscope and plot "self-noise" against "presence peak" on an x/y graph, all claims about the "bottle" contradict themselves.
C
chessrock
Banned
Yea . . . what he said.
That happens every time I plot the self-noise thingy against the presence thingy on that there oscillawhatchamajigger, too.
That happens every time I plot the self-noise thingy against the presence thingy on that there oscillawhatchamajigger, too.
D
Dick Flansen
New member
I have one (a baby bottle), and unfortunately I honestly don't love it. Yet. This mic definitely has a "sound," I wouldn't characterize it as a "neutral" mic (kinda like how the Joe Meek gear has it's own "sound"). The problem with this mic, for me, is that I'm sure it will sound great when matched up to the right voice, but so far, I haven't found that voice... It's just not a versatile mic that sounds GREAT on most things, know what I mean?
My specific beefs with this mic are twofold - yes, the output is ridiculously hot. It's an issue. I have to pad the thing down like crazy, and even still, a loud transient has snuck through and ruined more than one take. It's like, ultra ridiculously hot. Secondly, the response curve just isn't pretty - the midrange is definitely fat, the bottom end is a little thin, and you won't find any of that high-end sheen like, say, a V67. And, again, that can all be a GOOD thing when matched up with the right voice, but... I'm being completely honest when I tell you that I have yet to get a vocal take with it that I absolutely loved, and I'm hard pressed to tell you exactly who I think it WOULD sound good on.
If we're talking about a professional studio, where you'll have a variety of clients coming in, then this would absolutely be a good addition to your arsenal. It's extremely well-built, and would be an excellent paint brush to add to your pallette... But if this is going to be your only mic in a home studio setup, I would think it absolutely essential to try it out first to see if it suits your voice. It will either be a sure-fire or a dead-miss. Again, kinda like how I think the joe Meek gear sounds.
I love to look at it, I'm happy I have it, but my ears usually don't like it. Your mileage, definitely, may vary. But I'll again say that you absolutely have to demo this mic to see if it works for you.
My specific beefs with this mic are twofold - yes, the output is ridiculously hot. It's an issue. I have to pad the thing down like crazy, and even still, a loud transient has snuck through and ruined more than one take. It's like, ultra ridiculously hot. Secondly, the response curve just isn't pretty - the midrange is definitely fat, the bottom end is a little thin, and you won't find any of that high-end sheen like, say, a V67. And, again, that can all be a GOOD thing when matched up with the right voice, but... I'm being completely honest when I tell you that I have yet to get a vocal take with it that I absolutely loved, and I'm hard pressed to tell you exactly who I think it WOULD sound good on.
If we're talking about a professional studio, where you'll have a variety of clients coming in, then this would absolutely be a good addition to your arsenal. It's extremely well-built, and would be an excellent paint brush to add to your pallette... But if this is going to be your only mic in a home studio setup, I would think it absolutely essential to try it out first to see if it suits your voice. It will either be a sure-fire or a dead-miss. Again, kinda like how I think the joe Meek gear sounds.
I love to look at it, I'm happy I have it, but my ears usually don't like it. Your mileage, definitely, may vary. But I'll again say that you absolutely have to demo this mic to see if it works for you.
R
Randy Yell
New member
Dick,excellent post, man.Welcome aboard!!
muzeman
New member
"I noticed that the off-axis response abnormalities were quite exaggerated - off-mic objects sounded a lot more off-mic than they did with a small diaph reference mic."
I found the same thing with the Dragonfly,if you change the position of the mic,the sound changes greatly.
Good and bad.
It gives you many options for mic placement but tough to sing harmonies to.
Best to you,
Pete
I found the same thing with the Dragonfly,if you change the position of the mic,the sound changes greatly.
Good and bad.
It gives you many options for mic placement but tough to sing harmonies to.
Best to you,
Pete
octoruss
New member
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you very much for your thoughtful and concise replies. You have just saved me about $500. I am looking for a mic that will be more of an "all purpose" mic, and since I don't record a lot of drums and/or percussion, it looks like this will not be the right choice for me.
Gotta love this place....
Thank you very much for your thoughtful and concise replies. You have just saved me about $500. I am looking for a mic that will be more of an "all purpose" mic, and since I don't record a lot of drums and/or percussion, it looks like this will not be the right choice for me.
Gotta love this place....
J
jeronimo
New member
Ohh yeah, I do love the stuff from B.l.u.e. BUT, I´m looking for a versatile mic... so, I´m not going for the BabyBottle, yet...
R
Richard Monroe
Well-known member
Octoruss- I auditioned the Baby Bottle extensively and I am unimpressed with it as a vocal mic, where I prefer a big tube mic. It is, however, an excellent choice for close mic'ing instruments without excessive transient db spikes such as violin, banjo, flute, mandolin, etc.- I consider it an instrument mic, not appropriate for vocals. Although I like it a lot for these applications, like you, I need more versatility. I opted for AKG Solid Tube and have been very pleased with its performance on a wide variety of sources. Whatever it won't do, the MC012's will-Richie
Speeddemon
New member
Hmm, from what my limited knowlegde tells me, your best bet would probably be the Røde NTK. I've heard some tracks with it, and man, it has it all. Clear and defined, yet pleasant and smoothing.octoruss said:Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you very much for your thoughtful and concise replies. You have just saved me about $500. I am looking for a mic that will be more of an "all purpose" mic, and since I don't record a lot of drums and/or percussion, it looks like this will not be the right choice for me.
Gotta love this place....
octoruss
New member
Thanks Speed--but I recently bought a Rode NT2 and was very underimpressed. Perhaps the NTK is more what I'm looking for, but it may take a bit to convince me on that, unless it's drastically different from the NT2.
Freudian Slip
New member
Hmm nt2
I recorded vocals on an nt2 (an older one) and was very happy with the results?
F.S.
I recorded vocals on an nt2 (an older one) and was very happy with the results?
F.S.
S
sessep_2002
New member
ntk
apparently according to several people ive spoken with and based on alot of articles in EM mag and recording mag I think I may go with the NTK...i've heard the beegees are using this mic now instead of their neumans...could be b.s. but heard alot of
good things....not bad for the money apparently.
sessep
apparently according to several people ive spoken with and based on alot of articles in EM mag and recording mag I think I may go with the NTK...i've heard the beegees are using this mic now instead of their neumans...could be b.s. but heard alot of
good things....not bad for the money apparently.
sessep