Bluebird Baby Bottle or Bluebird?

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etheridge

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I already have a modded MXL V67 that I only swapped better caps in. So if I am better of just using that for the below puposes, let me know.

I basically need a very natural sounding vocal and acoustic mic. Between the baby bottle and bluebird, I can't tell which one is better. I am recording a Martin D35 acoustic.

My gear is simple with the Focusrite Scarlett interface using stock preamps in which are very good. I use my MXL V67 with it and can tell a huge difference compared to my other Tascam.

On a large scale I use Presonus StudioLive board. The preamps in the Scarlett are little better.
 
i've not personally tried the MXL V67 but have heard a lot of clips and read a lot of reviews and i was very very tempted by it on my last gear buying spree. however, i have used both the blue mic's and i did like them, but i don't know how much better either of them would be in comparison to the MXL. i preferred the Baby Bottle to the bluebird as it seemed to have a more open sound to my ears.

as i said, when i was looking and tempted by the MXL i ended up with the Avantone CK7 as it sounded much more natural to my ears. i play a Taylor Big Baby and the CK7 captures a more realist representation of it that most mic's i've tried.

Also, it may be worth looking at a ribbon mic as i've found them to have a wonderfully rich, natural sound (although you do have to EQ to get that sound, but they take to EQ soooooo well that it's not a huge issue IMO). The Apex 205 sounds great, can easily be modded to sound even better, and cost's about.... well, in the UK i got one for £79. Also, the Cascade Fatheads sound gorgeous on acoustic guitars. the only real problem with ribbons is that they have a fig.8 polar pattern so if your room doesn't sound very good it will pick it up.
 
Justsomeguy said:
i've not personally tried the MXL V67 but have heard a lot of clips and read a lot of reviews and i was very very tempted by it on my last gear buying spree. however, i have used both the blue mic's and i did like them, but i don't know how much better either of them would be in comparison to the MXL. i preferred the Baby Bottle to the bluebird as it seemed to have a more open sound to my ears.

as i said, when i was looking and tempted by the MXL i ended up with the Avantone CK7 as it sounded much more natural to my ears. i play a Taylor Big Baby and the CK7 captures a more realist representation of it that most mic's i've tried.

Also, it may be worth looking at a ribbon mic as i've found them to have a wonderfully rich, natural sound (although you do have to EQ to get that sound, but they take to EQ soooooo well that it's not a huge issue IMO). The Apex 205 sounds great, can easily be modded to sound even better, and cost's about.... well, in the UK i got one for £79. Also, the Cascade Fatheads sound gorgeous on acoustic guitars. the only real problem with ribbons is that they have a fig.8 polar pattern so if your room doesn't sound very good it will pick it up.
Click to expand...

After replacing the caps with better quality ones, the MXL V67 came alive. I might come out with same results with Baby Bottle but I was going to see others results.

The Avantone seems interesting. I would like to know the comparison of that one and the MXL v67 in a video
 
i'd love to hear your modded V67. how easy/how much did it cost to mod?

is there anybody out there with these two mic's that can do a comparison clip/vid?
 
For acoustic guitar recording what most people find to work best is the combination of a LDC and a SDC to be the magic trick.
 
Justsomeguy said:
i'd love to hear your modded V67. how easy/how much did it cost to mod?

is there anybody out there with these two mic's that can do a comparison clip/vid?
Click to expand...

It cost me maybe $5 in capacitors. All high quality Panasonic caps. There is one particular cap that makes a huge difference but I can't remember. Regardless, it worth finding a MXL V67 and replacing all the caps. As long as you can solder well...should not be an issue. I wish I had made a video before I did the mods. Sorry.

I just don't want to dish on a Baby Bottle just to get the same results with slight difference. The V67 is a pretty flat response but even after the mods, the highs are still funky in which I believe is more because of the capsule being cheap. Idk really.
 
moresound said:
For acoustic guitar recording what most people find to work best is the combination of a LDC and a SDC to be the magic trick.
Click to expand...

I would not mind also investing in a LDC and a SDC. Which ones would you prefer?
 
etheridge said:
It cost me maybe $5 in capacitors. All high quality Panasonic caps. There is one particular cap that makes a huge difference but I can't remember. Regardless, it worth finding a MXL V67 and replacing all the caps. As long as you can solder well...should not be an issue. I wish I had made a video before I did the mods. Sorry.

I just don't want to dish on a Baby Bottle just to get the same results with slight difference. The V67 is a pretty flat response but even after the mods, the highs are still funky in which I believe is more because of the capsule being cheap. Idk really.
Click to expand...

If there is an inner wire mesh in the headbasket of your V67g - go ahead and take that out.
 
moresound said:
If there is an inner wire mesh in the headbasket of your V67g - go ahead and take that out.
Click to expand...

Yes, I ripped out the inner mesh. Added a little more highs and more open sounding. Not saying the highs are bad. Maybe because of my mic technique. The mic is still too warm sounding for my taste. Also, I keep in mind that I am new to the focusrite preamps.
 
etheridge said:
I just don't want to dish on a Baby Bottle just to get the same results with slight difference.
Click to expand...

Until you start spending hundreds or thousands of dolares, this is all you will ever get. Even if you get the $10,000 dollar mic and plug it into the gear you have you might still only hear a very slight difference.

And don't buy a mic if you have any inkling that you only want it because you like the way it looks. Your modded MXL is all you need right now, spend your time and money writing and recording songs and learning how to process and mix.
 
Try rental houses. Look for the mics you want to try, and rent them. You avoid putting out the larger outlay of cash only to find something wasn't what you wanted.

The baby bottle is midrange forward according to advertising and reviews. This may not suit you.
Blue Microphones | Baby Bottle - Ideal for Vocals, Room Mixing for Drums, Electric Guitar Amps, and Difficult Brass Instruments

The bluebird according to advertising and reviews seems to be more of an all rounder, and is probably easier to work with both instruments and vocals.
Blue Microphones | Bluebird - As Versatile As Possible
 
Jim Ladd should stop by - for I believe he has/had both of those Blues and could give a great A/B on them.
 
etheridge said:
After replacing the caps with better quality ones, the MXL V67 came alive. I might come out with same results with Baby Bottle but I was going to see others results.

The Avantone seems interesting. I would like to know the comparison of that one and the MXL v67 in a video
Click to expand...

do you have a link to the mod you did? or at least a schematic and list of caps that were changed. I'd love to do this to mine.
 
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