dynamic mic upgrade

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ad0lescnts

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I've been looking into the Senn MD421, Beyer M201, and the Shure SM7. I can really only afford one right now.

I would like to use it mainly on guitar amps, bass amps, and snare. Which one would you guys recommend? And where can you get Beyer mics other than ebay?? I've seen the M201 on ebay but one's from the 80's (i don't know if they've changed at all), and i don't know if i should trust used mics.

Tell me what you guys think, and sorry for the whole "waht should i buy" repetition

thanks!
T
 
snare = sm 57
if you don't have a sennheiser 421, get two
In His Name
Big Kenny
 
That's a REALLY rough call - The SM-7 would be my favorite for vocals, bass & some guitars, but not so wonderful on drums. The 421 is nice on toms & other guitars, but kinda sucks on most vocals. The 201 is a little strange... HyperC and all... Nice sound, but nothing spectacular...

Ever consider and EV RE-20 or 27?

John Scrip - www.massivemastering.com
 
If price is not a factor.......senn 441 or MM's suggestion re 20
Though the re 20 is a bassier tone, with some eq it can be a great vocal (ask bing)
In His Name
BK
 
How 'bout a Beyer M88 ?

Good for a lot of vocalists, good/great for drums, good for bass, and really good for guitar amp.

A lot of proximity effect with that one, though -- which could be good or bad depending on how it's used. If you can spring for an RE-20, that would be your mic.
 
Snare = Beyer M201

I own the SM57 for snare, and have recorded with the M201, which has a much higher and flatter response.

Ditto for the Audix D1.

The hypercardioid pattern allows less bleed from other components crowded around the snare, than does the SM57.

Full Compass sells the M201TG for $174... is it worth 2.4x the price of an SM57? Only you can answer.
 
I dig my re-20.

Never tried it on snare.

But love it on kick and vox.
It does kind of have a darker sound (as compared to a 57) so for amps I use it when I want a less up-front sound or a little less treble.

I have heard the SM7 in action on vocals and it does sound great also.

I am hoping to add a 421 to the cabinet soon though as many tout its versatility.

-mike
 
bgavin said:
Snare = Beyer M201

I own the SM57 for snare, and have recorded with the M201, which has a much higher and flatter response.

Ditto for the Audix D1.

The hypercardioid pattern allows less bleed from other components crowded around the snare, than does the SM57.

Full Compass sells the M201TG for $174... is it worth 2.4x the price of an SM57? Only you can answer.
Click to expand...

You also wouldn't be ashamed to use an M201 on acoustic instruments or as an overhead mic on a drum kit. Nor would you necessarily be short-changing yourself if you did.

Unlike if you used, say, an SM57 for these applications :D
 
chessrock said:
How 'bout a Beyer M88 ?

Good for a lot of vocalists, good/great for drums, good for bass, and really good for guitar amp.

A lot of proximity effect with that one, though -- which could be good or bad depending on how it's used. If you can spring for an RE-20, that would be your mic.
Click to expand...

Exellent! If I could afford only one dynamic mic, it would definitely be the M88.

Very versatile and one of the best sounding dynamics, great on kick too. I've never used it on snare, but I'm sure it'll sound great.

Very good mic for horns, a great mic for guitar amps and probably one of the very few vocal mics you can use when recording a band in one room.

With it's hyper cardioid pattern and very decent off axis respons, it's a true hi end dynamic mic.

Get one!
 
so you would recommend the M88 over a 421 or M201?

I've looked at some of those RE-20's and saw a 27 on ebay for about 300 bucks, but right now the darkness you mentioned doesn't seem to spark my interest.

thanks again,
T
 
ad0lescnts said:
I've looked at some of those RE-20's and saw a 27 on ebay for about 300 bucks, but right now the darkness you mentioned doesn't seem to spark my interest.
Click to expand...

It's not edgy or peaky like a bunch of the others . . . but it has 0 proximity effect so it might not sound as dark, either. :D

You've got your options basically narrowed down, now, though. No one's going to pop out and convincingly prove that "this mic is THE one" over an internet bulletin board. It's 6 of one or half-dozen of the other. Get whatever you can afford . . . or whatever good deal you see poppin' up on ebay. Then figure out how to work it and make it shine. They're all good.
 
ad0lescnts said:
so you would recommend the M88 over a 421 or M201?
Click to expand...

The 421 is a great and versatile mic, but the 88 is a better vocal mic, so if I had only one dynamic mic. I'd go for the 88, although an MD441 is very great as well, mmmmm..................

The 201 is a special mic, not as versatile as the 421 and the 88 IMHO. I like it very much on snare and horns, didn't get very good results on toms and guitar amps. It can shine on some kicks though.

It's a great pleasure to have many mics :D
 
I've heard RE's M201 up close and personal on the snare. Very tasty mic.... very low output, specifically for close micing high SPL sources.

The ones for sale on eBay bother me... the current model is the M201TG, and the others are something else. My experience with the M201 isn't wide, so my gut feeling is walk away. Especially when a new one is only a few $$ more.
 
awesome! thanks for all the informative replies. I think i'm going to save up my money and get an M201 and also a 421 or M88. thanks!

T
 
I have both the M201 TG and an M201 N. After getting the 3 pin DIN socket on the N replaced with an XLR by some bloke in Portland OR I tried them out on my acoustic: with both mics being mounted on a stereo bar and me just shifting position so that one or the other was pointing at either the 12th fret or towards the bridge. So far as I can glean from this extremely unscientific testing method both versions are the same vis-a-vis frequency response and the amount of amplification they need.
 
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