c1 or c3 or other

[aeolian20]

i am trying to get my home studio to a better level than it is now and wondering about a ld mic..right now i am tracking vocals through a shure ksm27 and using my aardvark q10's pres..i am getting a davisound tb-6 (after it gets built hehe) and am looking for a better ld mic..i have seen a lot of stuff about the c1 on here and think it looks pretty interesting but i am curious how it compares to the c3..i am only interested in getting a good vocal track out of this..or should i be looking for another mic
thanks

 

[ausrock]

Ideally, find a dealer that has a range of mics and a good return policy.

That way you can try mics out in you own environment, with your own gear and choose the mic that suits your voice.

The C1 is a good mic. The C3 is apparently a different animal and regarded by some as better than the C1, but maybe for your voice you need something else again............there is no definitive answer without trying them out.

 

[aeolian20]

maybe i should have added that the mic will be used in an deadened isolation booth if that makes a difference on mic selection...i am not sure but i think the c1 is uni directionaly and the c3 is multi directional..not positive though..also it will record male vocals and i would like something that would be able to cover radiohead/jeff buckley type of dynamics and ranges (not saying i can do that..but its a good sound)

 

[darrin_h2000]

It sounds like you are doing very well so far. A C3 would be a fine addition.

 

[Richard Monroe]

Well, some mics work for some people and some don't. That's why people won't tell you which one is better. I have a C-3, and it is a very nice vocal mic. While it isn't my first choice, it's a mic I would try when a couple of others aren't right.
Yes, the C-1 is cardioid only, the C-3 is cardioid, omni, or figure 8. The polar patterns don't matter much for vocals, as I would usually use cardioid for that anyway. The multiple patterns do make the mic good for a bunch of other stuff, however, such as close mic'ing (omni)and MS (mid-side) mic'ing, where a figure 8 is needed. Frankly, if I was looking for Cardioid only on a budget, I'd probably buy a Marshall MXL V67B for $100, give or take. For a more versatile mic, I'd pick the C-3. For bigger bucks (about $500), I'd choose Rode NTK, a tube mic. It's cardioid only with no cool switches, but is an excellent vocal mic. I'm a big fan of B.L.U.E. Dragonfly, about $800.
The bitch of it is, singers and mics are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. No matter how good the mic is, it'll sound like shit on some singers, and some songs. For me, if it was just for vocals, I'd get an NTK and never look back. However, for more general studio work, I'd choose a more transparent, multipolar FET mic, and the C-3 is a pretty good choice. Best of luck.-Richie