anything with the opposite effect of the MXL 990?

  • Thread starter Thread starter warlock110
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warlock110

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i bought the XML 990 and turned out it was overly thin/bright for my voice, i wanted something a little warmer and thicker feel to it... any ideals? also under 100 would be nice as i'm going broke and i'm really not gonna make a grand production or anything, this is just for a fun home project.
 
See if you can find a Oktava MK319 on ebay for around $100.

Also the MXL V67G is not as bright sounding as the 990's
 
Honestly, an sm58 will get you closer to what you want than any cheap ocndensor mic. It may sound crazy but there has been several times I've had a vocalist go thru a 58 over much more expensive condensor mics. Also don't think that because you're recording that you NEED a condensor on vocals, you don't. It's all a matter of what fits and IMO a 58 definately isn't thin or bright.
 
The polar opposite would be a dynamic. A few steps in the opposite direction would be something like an Audio Technica 4040, and a few more steps yet would be a Blue Baby Bottle or an Oktava MK319.

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chessrock said:
The polar opposite would be a dynamic. A few steps in the opposite direction would be something like an Audio Technica 4040, and a few more steps yet would be a Blue Baby Bottle or an Oktava MK319.

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The Baby bottle is a spectacular mic for the price but will reveal a bad room in a heartbeat. If your room isn't treated then get a dynamic mic.
 
i have a shure PG58 that i purchase a long long time ago. and i'll be honest and say i like it alot better than my XML990

and also i see people with the SM57

what is the difference between the
SM57 >>>>>90 bucks
SM58 >>>>>>>90 bucks
PG58 >>>>>>>55 bucks

also there's a few alternative after i did some searching
Sennheiser e835 >>>>90 bucks
Sennheiser E835S>>>> 99 bucks
Shure Beta 57A >>>> 126 bucks
Shure Beta 58A >>>> 144 bucks
AKG D 3800m>>>>>> 90 bucks (i can't get any reviews on this one. but it suppose to be quite cheap at 90bucks)

i just might pick one up. the SM57 and SM58 are the same price everywhere... all the mic i listed are under 150... which is the better ones out of the group?
 
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I do a lot of vocals through my SM58. When I did screamo stuff I used an SM57 more, and occasionally I nab a Beta 58 from someone. So are we saying the MXL mic isn't a good idea? It was on my list to get.
 
The PG series are crap compared to the SM series, IMO.

Lately I've been tracking vocalists with the V67, but sometimes the Beta 58 is perfect.
 
The KEL HM-1 is pretty much the opposite of the 990, staying within the realm of low cost detailed condensers. It doesn't have the high frequency rise the 990 does. Much mellower but still detailed. I've used both.

Tim
 
zacanger said:
I do a lot of vocals through my SM58. When I did screamo stuff I used an SM57 more, and occasionally I nab a Beta 58 from someone. So are we saying the MXL mic isn't a good idea? It was on my list to get.
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maybe for someone with dark vocal. the mic is clear no doubt. but it's very very bright. i'll try to mess with the EQ and tone down on the high, but i don't think it's gonna help.
 
The Darkness

If you want a muffled-sounding dark shitty mic, the SM58 is the way to go.

I've had better luck in general with Audix and AKG mics of the same price range... WAY better luck.

However, if you already have a bright, thin mic you could double-mic your vox with that and the 58 and probably do OK.
 
You should seriously consider the Apex 205 ribbon mic.

If my Nady RSM-2 is any indication, with the stock Chinese transformer, it should be somewhat dark, yet relatively detailed (unlike the SM58, which IMHO sounds muddy and generally bland).
 
dgatwood said:
You should seriously consider the Apex 205 ribbon mic.

If my Nady RSM-2 is any indication, with the stock Chinese transformer, it should be somewhat dark, yet relatively detailed (unlike the SM58, which IMHO sounds muddy and generally bland).
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my PG58 is pretty muddy too. that's why i'm reluctant about the SM58... i know those 2 are different but how much different is the question. i'm reading up on these 2 mic but what i've found is that no one has compare them side by side. and the fact stand that they look the same. they are produce by the same company. one is a slightly under in value... knowing how these company works i'm pretty dam sure they got some identical parts in there too. i'm scare that the SM58 will sound some what like the muddy PG58

lol i seriously don't wanna be like last time. i went out n got the XML990 and didn't like it the 1st time i tried it. too lazy to return :)... now i'm comming back for more. but i don't wanna have another mic sitting in the closet all the time.

another thing is the room i use is my spare bedroom. it's not studio or anything like that. and i've found that it might be the reason why condenser will sound hollow because the room isn't design/treated. i think this time i'm gonna stick with a dynamic mic.

BTW. how do u double mic? i've never tried it before.
 
warlock110 said:
my PG58 is pretty muddy too. that's why i'm reluctant about the SM58... i know those 2 are different but how much different is the question. i'm reading up on these 2 mic but what i've found is that no one has compare them side by side. and the fact stand that they look the same. they are produce by the same company. one is a slightly under in value... knowing how these company works i'm pretty dam sure they got some identical parts in there too. i'm scare that the SM58 will sound some what like the muddy PG58

lol i seriously don't wanna be like last time. i went out n got the XML990 and didn't like it the 1st time i tried it. too lazy to return :)... now i'm comming back for more. but i don't wanna have another mic sitting in the closet all the time.

another thing is the room i use is my spare bedroom. it's not studio or anything like that. and i've found that it might be the reason why condenser will sound hollow because the room isn't design/treated. i think this time i'm gonna stick with a dynamic mic.

BTW. how do u double mic? i've never tried it before.
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The 2 58's are very different. Funny how that "dark, shitty" sound is probably used more on vocals than any other mic, albeit mostly live but still, if they were that shitty why would anyone use them at all?
 
jonnyc said:
The 2 58's are very different. Funny how that "dark, shitty" sound is probably used more on vocals than any other mic, albeit mostly live but still, if they were that shitty why would anyone use them at all?
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Why does anyone still use Windows? Momentum. :D
 
warlock110 said:
another thing is the room i use is my spare bedroom. it's not studio or anything like that. and i've found that it might be the reason why condenser will sound hollow because the room isn't design/treated. i think this time i'm gonna stick with a dynamic mic.
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Bad room treatment is another good reason to go with a ribbon, IMHO. They don't exhibit the whole "I can hear a pin drop" property that can make condensers so hard to work with, but at the same time, they have reasonably good frequency response. If you find LDCs too harsh for your voice and moving coil dynamic mics too dull, a ribbon is likely to be a good compromise.

With the stock transformer in my RSM-2 (very similar to the Apex), I ended up doing a slight shelving boost from... I think about 2.5kHz up, and that was about it. I like the sound on my voice (tenor). YMMV.

Some reading material

http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_ribbon_renaissance/
http://www.proaudioreview.com/august03/aea_r84mic.shtml
http://gearslutz.com/board/archive/index.php/t-6721.html
 
dgatwood said:
Why does anyone still use Windows? Momentum. :D
Click to expand...

HAHAHA yous a funny guy. :D Answer: Because EVE online isn't on the OSX platform.
 
jonnyc said:
The 2 58's are very different. Funny how that "dark, shitty" sound is probably used more on vocals than any other mic, albeit mostly live but still, if they were that shitty why would anyone use them at all?
Click to expand...
maybe that means it's good :confused:
 
my brother in law has achived quite frankly surprising results using the 990 on guitar amps. on vocals, it's been a completely different story--thin and nasty.

he's just doing the "fun home thing" as well (recording to one of those Fostex all in one units), and i recommended the same thing to him that i'll recommend to you......the MXL V67. they're downright cheap used (around $60) and it's the complete opposite of the 990.

if you were more serious about this and wanted to throw a lot more money at it there are plenty of other options......but for the "opposite of the 990" and for "decent sounding vocals on a budget, the V67 is hard to beat.


cheers,
wade
 
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