cheap tube vs large condenser

[Patrick3g]

Is it better to go with a cheap tube condenser ($300-$500) than an expensive large condenser when working with male hiphop and r&b vocals?

 

[slobbermonster]

$300-$500 is a cheap mic period whether it be a large or small DIAPHRAM tube or large or small DIAPHRAM condenser Do you know the difference between the two? If you do that might help you make that decision.

 

[Farview]

tube stuff tends not to work on hip hop. You need something clean and uncolored.

 

[Patrick3g]

My fault, I ment $300-$500 only for the tube not the large diaphragm condenser.
I know how large diaphragms work with the capsule capturing vibrations similar to a sealed cup with water,being vibrations, being sucked back and forth ,or up and down, through a straw.
I not sure how tubes work but a friend of mine keeps insiting that they are better than large condensers regardless.

 

[Farview]

Tube mics are condenser mics. They just use a tube in the circuit. There is no such thing as 'better' when it comes to mics. There is only the most appropriate.
Which is better, a hammer or a screwdriver? You could use either to put 2 pieces of wood together, but if all you have is a box of nails, the screwdriver won't make it.

 

[Farview]

BTW. Tube mics should generally be more expensive than a standard condenser, all things being equal. The tube mic comes with a power supply and cable. $300 to $500 is still in the 1/2 cheezy condenser range, much less for a tube condenser.

 

[Patrick3g]

My friends point was that tubes regardless of price produce a richer warmer, and more natrual delivery, with more presence and clarity than large diaphragm chinese neumann copycats .
Thus the Marshall mxlv69me is an overall better purchase for use with various artist when compard to something like the audio technica 4040 or the shure ksm27/sl which are all in the same price range for about $300. Although I do not personnally know which mic delivers the best overall, I was under the impression that something like the rode Nt1-A or nt1000 would be better towards hiphop & R&B vocals than a cheap tube.
But anyhow, I sorry for draging you into the middle of an argument, and thanks for your help.

 

[Farview]

Nope! There is no silver bullet. A really good LDC is going tu be warmer and clearer than a cheap tube LDC. The tube thing is a bunch of hype, your friend fell for it.
Really nice tube mics kick ass and so do really nice FET mics. Cheap mics are cheap mics. A badly implemented tube circuit can (and will) suck just as bad as a solid state one.

Anyway, tubes are not sought after for their presence and clarity, it is the coloration (distortion) that the tube brings to the table that everyone likes.

I am not trying to talk you out of a tube mic. I have a nice one and I like it. It doesn't work for everything, that is why I have a bunch of mics. If you are just recording yourself, audition some mics to find out what suits your voice. Don't worry about what it is, just worry about how well it works for you. You might find that you like an sm-7 on yourself and that is a dynamic.

 

[Farview]

The AT 4040 and the KSM 27 should wipe the floor with the marshall. But you are still in cheap LDC range.

 

[Patrick3g]

Alright, thanks again for all of your help

 

[krs]

Thus the Marshall mxlv69me is an overall better purchase for use with various artist when compard to something like the audio technica 4040 or the shure ksm27/sl which are all in the same price range for about $300.

To quote Dick Cheney - "there are so many inaccuracies here I don't really know where to begin". Not that he's worth quoting - I do like that one though.

KSM44 retails new for around $700, don't rememeber the 4040. Any friend who tells you a Marshall mic is better than either of those mics doens't know what the bejesus he's talking about.

 

[Dot]

Better to stay with clean, neutral mics for Hip-Hop. ADK TL, AKG 414, AT 4040, AT 4050, Red5 Audio RV8, Shure KSM.

 

[Patrick3g]

thanks, I'm just gonna have a mic shoot out at samash and see what happens.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

Any friend who tells you a Marshall mic is better than either of those mics doens't know what the bejesus he's talking about.

Are you saying there is no possibility that a Marshall (or any of the other inexpensive) mics will ever sound better on a particular voice than a KSM44 or AT 4040?

 

[chessrock]

I think he's saying that they just tend to be better quality mics, overall. As in better and more reliable build quality, durability, reliability, versatility, etc.

And it's probably a good bet that they'd sound better on more voices, from a purely statistical standpoint. I think that's what he's getting at -- though I could be wrong.

 

[Teacher]

cheap tube mic thats sounds good IMHO

Cad M9 400 new ~200 on ebay, switch the tube with a telefunken tube becomes alot fuller

 

[Patrick3g]

Thats a good idea how much does the telefunken tube cost ?

 

[Teacher]

Thats a good idea how much does the telefunken tube cost ?

if you were to buy it from a store i think its around 60 bucks, you can do the ebay thing but you have to watch out cuz some people advertise high quality tubes and send you some cheap garbage

 

[LemonTree]

Which is better, a hammer or a screwdriver? You could use either to put 2 pieces of wood together, but if all you have is a box of nails, the screwdriver won't make it.

you could always hammer the nails in with an SM57

 

[Patrick3g]

thanks for all your help, I going to do a shoot out and let every one know what I choose.