Anybody use SDCs for vox?

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Serendipity Records

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I've found the results to be quite satisfactory. Those I use are Shure SM81-LCs, they have an ok foam cap which is obviously vital for plosives/sibilance.
 
I've used a Rode NT5 with the foam cap on for narrations and it works fine. I want to try it on a vocal to see how it sounds.
 
I have a pair of matched Oktava MK-012 mics. I also have an omni capsule for one of them. IMO they are best used on string instruments and piano recording...but I have actually used them to record voice. They add a touch of "clean" warmth to voices that could use it.

Mick
 
No but I have been using them more for recording other things lately. At one time I know I tried using SDC's on vocals but I need to try again with different mic positions, etc.
 
Not yet. I've got an Avantone CK-1 w/multiple capsules on my list. Currently using a LDC.
 
Serendipity Records said:
I've found the results to be quite satisfactory. Those I use are Shure SM81-LCs, they have an ok foam cap which is obviously vital for plosives/sibilance.
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You can use whatever you want - if you like the results then it was a good choice - but to answer your inquiry directly - There have been loads of vocals recorded
with a SDC - much of which no one would notice - sometimes you can hear it in the narrowness of the vocal - but it's not often pronounced.
 
Omni capsule with a Pad would probably be best, otherwise you're going to pick up a lot of room, mic'd at a distance, or a lot of proximity (in cardioid).

I don't have any SDCs with omni capsules anymore, so for *my* voice, and especially my space, there's no reason to experiment because a dynamic is good enough (even "best" in some ways). And, I still have an LDC or two if I want more of a voice/singer's character without having to tinker much in the mix. (One singer I like to record has my old KMS 104 and uses that, which is perfect for her.)
 
Er, would an omni not capture ALL of the room. Omnis are for me, not a choice for vocals - ask they're generally great for distant things in a great space, but close in and in an ordinary room, they're not for me.
 
rob aylestone said:
Er, would an omni not capture ALL of the room. Omnis are for me, not a choice for vocals - ask they're generally great for distant things in a great space, but close in and in an ordinary room, they're not for me.
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Hmm, that's the situation I found them to be best in. I'm curious, how did you find them restrictive?
 
Because in a good sounding room, the pickup from where the vocals are not, so really maybe 300 degrees of the room will collect it pretty well. Close in with a windshield. It can be fine, after all, on stage, everyone wears omni mics, and so do tv presenters, and no proximity effect when distance changes. All these things can be controlled, so while you could use omni mode in the studio, it’s very uncommon. The trends are towards mics that don’t exhibit proximity effect, so SM7B, RE20 and others a more common now in studios, but a large diaphragm condenser still seems the most popular, with a popper stopper to prevent the singer entering the danger zone seems to still work best for me.
 
I used to use an SDC on vocals. They were OK. To be honest, I have found that any mic can be used on any instrument or voice.
Last week, I did use an SDC {an EM700} on a trumpet for the first time. I had to be careful because I wanted a bit more gain but found if I put it up, hiss was introduced. The day before, I'd used the same mic {with its matched pair} on drums as part of the underheads.
 
Just last week, I did a vocal track, and used both a Miktek 300 and a Rode M5 (since I already had the M5 set up from the acoustic guitar). Listening back, I really liked the M5 better. It's not that either was bad sounding, but the M5 just had an edge for me. That actually surprised me. The MK300 is a good sounding mic.
 
TalismanRich said:
Just last week, I did a vocal track, and used both a Miktek 300 and a Rode M5 (since I already had the M5 set up from the acoustic guitar). Listening back, I really liked the M5 better. It's not that either was bad sounding, but the M5 just had an edge for me. That actually surprised me. The MK300 is a good sounding mic.
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SDCs have awesome transient response, did you find that to be a noticeable factor?
 
Serendipity Records said:
SDCs have awesome transient response, did you find that to be a noticeable factor?
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I can't say that it was transient response. It was just the overall balance of the sound, more timbre than anything. I'm travelling right now, so I don't have access to the files, but maybe after I get home this weekend, I might post a snippet of each one and you can decide which you like better.
 
rob aylestone said:
Er, would an omni not capture ALL of the room. Omnis are for me, not a choice for vocals - ask they're generally great for distant things in a great space, but close in and in an ordinary room, they're not for me.
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That's my problem, I do not have a great sounding room so omni's don't sound good unless it's really close and at close distances I have other mic's that sound better.
 
Yep that’s my reasoning too. Omni mics just don’t really cut it in deader space for me. I do have to admit that when faced with an omni or nothing it actually did a pretty good job on a sax!
 
I just posted a bunch of songs here: SoundCloud/NigelSleaford/The Hollows Where We Wonder, with lead voice recorded with either AT4033a or ATM10, an old battery powered Omni condenser. I can’t tell them apart, and that’s probably because it’s the same untreated room, close miked and quiet singing. Recorded through Zoom Livetrak into Logic. BTW, I’m newly registered here, hello everyone.
 
Nigel Sleaford said:
I just posted a bunch of songs here: SoundCloud/NigelSleaford/The Hollows Where We Wonder, with lead voice recorded with either AT4033a or ATM10, an old battery powered Omni condenser. I can’t tell them apart, and that’s probably because it’s the same untreated room, close miked and quiet singing. Recorded through Zoom Livetrak into Logic. BTW, I’m newly registered here, hello everyone.
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Welcome! I'll check your songs out soon with a decent pair of cans on :) Looking forward to them!
 
I think that today, if I get a chance, I’m going to grab a pile of omni mics, dynamic and condenser, small and large and do some comparisons in the video studio. If I can get it sorted I’d like to try them on 12 string guitars, never done that. Come to think of it, no proximity effect and close miking might be interesting. I’ll give it a go if time between jobs permits.
 
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