at4040

[thehook]

I am gonna record roots music and I think I am close to deciding what to do. Either I want a dmp3 and a vtb1...vtb1 for the vocals and dmp3 for guitar. Or I would like to get one mic and preamp and record like that. If I went the one mic for guitar and vocals at the same time should I go with the at4040, v67 or the v77? Which preamp should I use ( I am looking for a warm guitar sound and a vocal sound that is forgiving and flattering on the vocals)
thanks

 

[Jburn34]

Go with an AT4040 or a Shure KSM27 in that price range. I personally like the dmp3 but you could get a pretty big step up by going with a Groove Tubes Brick or an FMR RNP.

 

[Clit Torres]

I am gonna record roots music and I think I am close to deciding what to do. Either I want a dmp3 and a vtb1...vtb1 for the vocals and dmp3 for guitar. Or I would like to get one mic and preamp and record like that. If I went the one mic for guitar and vocals at the same time should I go with the at4040, v67 or the v77? Which preamp should I use ( I am looking for a warm guitar sound and a vocal sound that is forgiving and flattering on the vocals)
thanks

I'd say get one preamp and pickup both the AT4040 for your guitar and the V67 for your vocals. The 4040 is a great mic, but IMHO on vox it is brutally honest and won't do much in the way of flattering your voice like the V67 will.

 

[thehook]

are there any other quality mics that has a good warm clean response in the lower range think johnny cash or early blues material that is at least forgiving and maybe flattering that would also give the guitar a warmish sound? Or would any of the already mentioned take care of this? what about two v67s through the dmp3 recording guitar and vocals and then mixing to mono....any other ideas or suggestions?

 

[chessrock]

are there any other quality mics that has a good warm clean response in the lower range think johnny cash or early blues material that is at least forgiving and maybe flattering that would also give the guitar a warmish sound?

Audio Technica 4047 might come the closest to what you're describing in the low to mid price range.

 

[xfinsterx]

Audio Technica 4047 might come the closest to what you're describing in the low to mid price range.

Agreed, the 4047 sounds great for the price.
Nice and round, with a nifty color to it.

 

[thehook]

what do you guys think is a good preamp that would respond well to this and what I want out of it? Vtb1, Dmp3, others?
thanks

 

[thehook]

can you run a mic through two preamps? like source, vtb, into dmp3, into mixer into computer or something.... reason I ask is because I read the vtb1 is good and colored nice on vocals and the dmp3 is clean with lots of room and gain good for acoustics? about mixers are they used for effects like if you wanted a bunch of external hardware boxes on one source you would go source into mixer and effects into mixer? sorry these are real dumb questions.

 

[Jburn34]

You can definitely try anything, but I don't think that you would benefit much in that situation.

For one, the outputs of preamps are going to be line level, which will be hotter than another pre will want to accept, and the impedance will be different. Also, if you want the tone of one or the other, you would get better results by just using that preamp.

If you have money to buy both preamps, you might want to consider buying one pre that is a little better (RNP, Brick, Sebatron, etc).

 

[thehook]

clitman I liked your response....do people think I could achieve the same or better sound results (for what I am looking for or what you think I am looking for) with the at4047 and a little better preamp over the vtb 4040 dmp3 v67g combo? if so what preamp would you have in mind that would sort of combine the characteristics (sp?) of the two preamps for what I am looking for?
thanks hopefully this will be my last round of questions

 

[chessrock]

....do people think I could achieve the same or better sound results (for what I am looking for or what you think I am looking for) with the at4047 and a little better preamp over the vtb 4040 dmp3 v67g combo?

Possibly, but it's by no means a given. Your situation is going to be unique from everyone else's. I'd vote for the 4047 and a little better mic pre, but that's just me. The v67 and the vtb1 might be things you'd ditch eventually for better stuff anyway.

 

[thehook]

what makes my situation unique totally? can you guys suggest some little better preamps I would really just like to record vocals and guitar at the same time with one mic...be true to old time music

 

[up-fiddler]

what makes my situation unique totally? can you guys suggest some little better preamps I would really just like to record vocals and guitar at the same time with one mic...be true to old time music

Have you considered recording them separately and mixing back to one channel (mono) for that 'old-time' sound? I have done that with decent results. PRACTICE your timing though. Dave

 

[OneRoomStudios]

Would I be completely wrong in assuming that an at4040 trough a colored pre like a vtb1 would sound similar to an at4047 or v67 through a "clean" pre like a DMP-3? I know those two situations have different types of "color," but it's still a combination of color and transparent. Would they both have similar applications or am I way off base?

 

[Jburn34]

Would I be completely wrong in assuming that an at4040 trough a colored pre like a vtb1 would sound similar to an at4047 or v67 through a "clean" pre like a DMP-3? I know those two situations have different types of "color," but it's still a combination of color and transparent. Would they both have similar applications or am I way off base?

Not really the same thing. The 4047 has a really nice color to it, something that you can't just replicate with a VTB1. I think the optimal combination here would be an AT4047(colored) or AT4040(clean) and a RNP(cleaner) or GT Brick (more colored).

By the way, those clean/color designations are very general and relative.

 

[noisedude]

There's some really good posts here. I just wanted to say that AT make excellent mics. Preamps is a funny question cos there's a tonne to choose from that you'd be happy with. If I were you, I'd keep the pre clean right now because you keep your options open more somewhat. And don't exclude the Joe Meek ThreeQ from your thinking because the pre is deceptively good in that, and you have 'colouring' options available with the EQ and compressor. To my ears, it has the beating of the M-Audio Tampa, but the Tampa is nontheless one you should definitely consider.

Both of those are more 'channel strips' than just preamps, but if you go for one of them you get to play with compression (both of them) and EQ (JM only). The Tampa has some digital conversion facilities if that interests you.

 

[chessrock]

what makes my situation unique totally?

Well, the fact that you've got a different voice and different equipment, I'm assuming. Add in the fact that your recording environment is going to be different. Your playing style, personal taste, etc. etc. etc.

We're all ... different, hook.

 

[noisedude]

He means EVERYONE'S situation is unique.

 

[thehook]

playing and singing seperately would be real hard. I could give it a shot but would prefer getting one mic and preamp. I like the guy that gave me the optimal setup can anyone else do the same?

 

[battleminnow]

...and a vocal sound that is forgiving and flattering on the vocals)
thanks

My experience with the 4040 is that it is not this. It is more of a "here it is in all it's naked glory" kind of mic. I love it, but I wouldn't recommend it for this application.