Blue Mics ???

[dicknose]

Anyone used a " Blue Mic " /
I'm gonna bring home a " Baby bottle " tommorow to try out in my studio. Any one have or use one of these ? Whats the best distance from the pop screen for vocals ?
Dick.

 

[maskedman72]

the best distance from pop screen depends on what your goin for.
for a intimate sound you would want to be close to it but other wise a few inches back will do for starters.
as far as blue, i never used one.

 

[tdukex]

Use the search function, and you will find at least some useful information regarding BLUE mics.

 

[Richard Monroe]

That's B.L.U.E, and I've been auditioning these suckers for about 3 months. These are my impressions, based on a limited opportunity to evaluate them: Baby bottle- a lovely instrument mic, best thing short of a C414. Some people like them for vocals, I was not impressed. Too much high end, not enough proximity. I liked it on instruments and didn't like it on vocals for the same reasons as a C414. Dragonfly- A bitchin' vocal mic, I liked it better than TLM103, possibly the best vocal mic I've heard for my voice under $1500. I've heard it's good on acoustic guitar, but I've never tried that.
KIWI- wicked multipattern mic, excellent for vocals. I wish I could tell you more about other applications, but I've been auditioning them primarily looking for a vocal mic. This is my favorite vocal mic overall. On my voice, it trashed a U87.
mouse/blueberry, same capsule, different housings. I haven't used these, but ask Littledog about it. He had issues with his mouse and had it reworked by B.LU.E. tech support, and seems very happy with the results.
Bottle- Top of the line $4000 or so- too rich for my blood.
In conclusion, what I've learned is that B.L.U.E. baby bottle is a more affordable alternative to AKG C414, Dragonfly is one of the best mid-priced vocal mics in current production, and KIWI is a mic you should audition before you buy anybody else's $2000 or so vocal mic. I can tell you there's one in my very near future, it's just a question of whether it's Dragonfly or KIWI.-Richie

 

[Michael Jones]

I have a B.L.U.E. mouse, and I love it!

 

[chessrock]

I pretty much agree with Richard M's assesments . . . except that thing about the baby bottle (? ? ?) That doesn't sound at all like my experience with it or that of others I have talked to.

Are you sure it was the baby bottle you were trying out and not the bottle? The bb has about the least amount of high-end hype to it of any condenser on the market. Many refer to it as an extremely high-output ribbon. The blueberry, on the other hand, has quite a dose of high-end hype to it, and intentionally so from what I gather.

Everything else you mentioned was pretty much spot-on. I might add that most all of the BLUEs tend to be exceptional in front of a guitar amp, as well.

 

[Richard Monroe]

Well, who knows, Chess, as I said, my experience is limited, as I had to audition these mics under noisy conditions with a largely unfamilair monitor chain, which is why I qualified my statement. The good news- Merry Christmas to ME! Today I picked up my new KIWI, a C414 B-ULS, and ordered a Shure SM7-B. Just for jollies, I threw in a Studio Projects B-1! That ought to just about complete the cabinet. The down side is, now I have to retrack a whole bunch of stuff. I told my wife to give me a microphone shaped Christmas card, it's all I deserve.
I think Littledog was actually a little impressed with my DI acoustic tracks, but the need for a vocal mic upgrade was already apparent to both of us. I think reviewing the tracks on LD's better monitors made my point. He thinks I should get a U47, and I will, when I win the lottery.
First impressions of the KIWI on my own system in a good room- where have you been for the past 5 months when I needed you, baby? Tone is very subjective, and I lack the technical knowledge to give y'all a good review, but I can say this- 1. it runs hot, hotter than any mic I've used, including NTK. I had to turn the input gain on the twinQ down a lot. 2.-It has that "cuts through the mix calarity of a U87, without sounding "slick". I guess it's more intimate in some way. I guess a U87 makes me sound like I've been EQ'd by somebody that likes The New Kids on the Block, and the KIWI is "just the facts, ma'am. If I suck, the KIWI will make me sound like I suck. It accurately reproduces a lot of mids and highs that NTK seems to gloss over. I can't wait to get my grubby little hands on SM-7!-Richie

 

[verticalplunge]

Even though I really didn't need another large condenser, I purchased a Baby Bottle recently but I'm glad I did. It's clean but not cold.

Richard, what are your plans for the SM7? I have one and I use it for vocals.

 

[Michael Jones]

Richard, what are your plans for the SM7? I have one and I use it for vocals.

Just thought I'd chime in here. I have an SM-7 too. It doesn't suck on anything! But I use it for vocals.
It's a medium sized dynamic, with a beautiful clarity.
A good, high quality pre-amp will really make you appreciate this mic. I have heard that some people use it on kick, but I've been afraid to use mine that way because of the high SPL levels.

 

[dafduc]

Just did my first session with my new Baby Bottle this weekend. First impressions - very accurate and smooth, a little shrill if vocalist is out past 4", but VERY warm if in 1/2" - 4" range. Maybe too warm for the material - picture Karen Carpenter singing Sheryl Crowe.

Definitely the best mic in my closet, but also the most expensive. And my SP C1 is on back order...

 

[Richard Monroe]

Well, Vertical, I've got several uses for an SM-7. First, It's another flavor of vocal mic. Secondly, it's a high end mic I can fit in with my travel kit to jack into a KORG PXR-4 Pandora (no phantom power). Third, it may turn out to be an excellent stage mic for small gigs, where feedback is not a major problem. Fourth, it should be good on toms and possibly snare on a minimal jazz trap set, and on the skin of djembe and doumbek with an AKG D112 at the base. Last, I've been experimenting with a bizarre guitar system using a POD Pro jacked into a pair of near field reference monitors. I've been using an SM57 on woofer A, an Oktava MC012 on tweeter B, and a Studio Projects C-3 in omni in the near field of both speakers, about 3' away.
Now I'm going to do the same thing, but with SM7 on woofer A, AKG C414B-ULS on tweeter B, and the B.L.U.E KIWI as the omni mic. That should rock!-Richie

 

[mgraffeo]

Damn, RM, that's some cool thinkin'! Let us know how your experiment comes out

 

[geekgurl]

Hey Richie:

Since you've been to Littledog's studio, have you ever tried that Lawson L47 he has? If so, what's your opinion of that mic compared to the BLUEs you like for vox? Any sound similar?

 

[Richard Monroe]

Well, Geekgurl, no tracking was done (and right now I'm too sick to sing anyway) so I only got to see the golden boy in question. Looks like a C-3 in gold, to which he has attached the stylish (and wildly overpriced) pop filter from his B.L.U.E. Mouse. Somehow I was unable to choke down the pop filter, which lists for $150 as an accessory. I think the nice sales people would have cut me a deal and sold me the pop filter for about $95!! How shall I put this?...FUCK THAT!-Richie

 

[verticalplunge]

I recently picked up a Baby Bottle from 8th Street and they throw in the shockmount/pop screen combo for free, basically. And Richard, in my last splurge I picked up a B1 just for the hell of it too.

Also, funny that you mention re-micing things. I have a set of V-Drums and this is what I'm going to do on my next track as an experiment.

 

[Richard Monroe]

Well, I'm not re-mic'ing anything, I'm just refusing to use POD as a direct box because I prefer the sound of a mic'd cab. It's just that the best amp/cab combo I've found to bring out the best in a POD in a studio happens to be a pair of powered reference monitors!- Richie

 

[verticalplunge]

You are virtually re-micing with the Pod as it emulates a miced cabinet. This is what I was referring to. Anyhow, it's a neat concept. I've miced my synthesizer previously and it sounded pretty interesting, less smooth. Have to force myself not to be lazy tho.

 

[Richard Monroe]

Thanks, vert, I hadn't thought of it in quite that way. I suppose the digital model was created using mics, at least the cab model. I think the amp model wasn't, and was talen off a line. Therefore, when I disable the cab model and run it through a Marshall cab, I'm not re-mic'ing it, but when I use the cab model into the monitors, I am, huh. It's enough to give old analog guys a headache!-Richie