good mic for VF-160?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bugeye
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Bugeye

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Hi group. I'm just getting started with a VF-160 for recording guitar and vocals. The problem I'm having is that my Shure sm57 seems to require that I turn the gain way up to get a decently strong signal. Is there a better mic (but not way more expensive) for my purposes? Should I get a mixer or preamp or something?

I'd much appreciate any advice.
 
Possibilities abound. For vocals, some love the MXL V67G (at about $99.). I love my Studio Projects B1's (same price, including the shock mount). The SM57 needs more gain than many others, but it's considered one of the best all-around mics ever made.

The ones I mentioned are condensor mics, and so, unlike the SM57, you'll need to use the phantom power on the VF160. I don't think you'll have to boost the gain up as much. The B1's are VERY quiet, but like most condensors, they pick up EVERYTHING... your neighbors, your breathing, the hard-drive whirring, etc. You'll also need a pop-shield to tame the popping p's. Still, nice condensors sound great on vocals. You really should have at least one.

Although I've had good experience with the pre's on my VF80, you might consider an external pre. There are ones like the M-Audio DMP3 (2channel @ $199.). I have the Studio Projects VTB1 (1channel @ $129.). The DMP3 has a great reputation for nice clean sound. As for the VTB1, you can boost the gain up all the way WITHOUT adding any noise. It runs about -129db s/n. VERY QUIET, plus you can dial in a tube circuit for warmth (or distortion). On the 'SS' postion however, the tube circuit is entirely bypassed... With either of these externals, you may notice the most improvement on your SM57 because you'll be giving it all the boost it requires, without adding any preamp circuit noise.

Just remember, when you use the phantom power on an external preamp, don't use the one on the VF160...
 
It's funny how many of us have started out with the 57, then wanted to move up. Some day we'll all learn to buy condensers
first. They do make a huge difference. But if you're on a budget,
get the preamp first and try that with your 57, because if you get a condenser, you're bound to end up wanting that external pre anyway.

My limited experience tells me the "added warmth" Billisa describes from a tube drive on an external pre comes with a
price: noise. If you're recording hard rock and will have cymbals crashing and guitars roaring, maybe it doesn't matter. If it's you reading poetry or playing a lute in a church, it matters enormously. So be sure you need a tube drive pre before you buy one.

p.s. Hey bill, someday we'll all learn to start off with the VF160
too, n'est-ce pas?
 
robjh22 said:
My limited experience tells me the "added warmth" Billisa describes from a tube drive on an external pre comes with a
price: noise.
Click to expand...

Not so with the VTB1. Even with the tube dialed in, and the gain way up, this thing is almost dead quiet...
 
One of the "cheaper" mics I use is a MXL 57M.At $49.00 it's one of the cheapest condensor mics on the market,and is actually a decent mic......sounds good on vocals and acoustic guitar.....definetly not a high end mic but great for demos etc....I can get good volume levels out of it using the VF's pre=amp alone....thats not the usual route I go though.

An external pre-amp(as someone else in this thread mentioned) of some sort also needs to be on your "short" list" of things to buy.ART makes some decent ones pretty cheap.
 
Bugeye said:
Hey thanks y'all for the advice. I'm also wondering what folks know about this unit:

http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--BEHADA8000

I'm thinking that if the sound is as good as other preamps, then the ADA8000 allow alot more expandability for only a few more bucks than the M-Audio DMP3 or the Studio Projects VTB1. Has anyone used this piece?
Click to expand...

You do what you wanna do,but I have experienced Behringer's "invisble" pre-amps first hand on their mixing boards.I dont know what their defintion of invisble is,but it surely is not the same defintion that websters defines "invisble" as.:D
 
Bugeye said:
Hey thanks y'all for the advice. I'm also wondering what folks know about this unit:

http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--BEHADA8000

I'm thinking that if the sound is as good as other preamps, then the ADA8000 allow alot more expandability for only a few more bucks than the M-Audio DMP3 or the Studio Projects VTB1. Has anyone used this piece?
Click to expand...

I haven't used this piece. I did have a Behringer UltraGain 2200. It developed a bad hum. Do you need that many channels? If so, how is Behringer able to give them to you at a price only "a few bucks more" than the others? Magic?

I'd say better to get fewer channels and better sound than more channels and lesser quality. Unless you need more channels coming through one unit, you can't really go wrong with the DMP3 or the VTB1. At the price point, for those who seem to have used everything, they're far and away the best.

I'd suspect that the VF160 pre's are as good (if not better) than the Behringer ones... Stay with the 160 as opposed to going with the Behringer.
 
I'm currently using a DMT-8 for my recording and have found that a Rode Mic through a Mackie six channel mixer with mic preamp really brings the vocals out and is exquisite (did I REALLY use that word?) for recording acoustic guitar AND miking my Fender Princeton Chorus for any electric work. I've even double miked it with the Rode in front just slightly off center of the cone and an inexpensive CAD in the back of the cab. Nturally each mic goes into a separate channel on the Fostex, but I get oustanding clarity, separation and extra "hoo-wah" out of the whole set up.

my $.02

Jimmy
 
Thanks, you all. I'm planning to pick up the VTB1 based on the advice. I'll let you know how it goes after I get it and play a bit.
 
Condenser

I bought a condenser mic, after having used a Sure SM58 initialy when I got the vf160.

Yes, you need to turn on the vf160's phantom power. However I STILL find that the gain has to be turned way up in order to get a hot enough signal, say 75%. This is better than the sm58, whereby it would have to be turned up to 95% full in order to get a hot signal. So be warned.

The condenser is sweet though, well worth the investment.

If any one is interested I got mine here...
http://www.red5audio.com/acatalog/Condensor_Mics.html
(the RV10)
I liked the idea of a 14 day trial period.
 
At the risk of crticizing the Fostex preamps, I would definitely go with an external preamp. I added one after several months of dealing with the onboard preamps and it dramatically improved the quality of my tracks. I would look for a tube preamp to add warmth. You might also look for a preamp which includes EQ or compression. If you have issues with the gain on the Fostex preamps, you will eventually run into the limits of the unit's low EQ and possibly the quality of the compressor.

If you get an external preamp, look at the Fostex manual to determine the best way to link to the VF160. I beleive that you need to bypass the onboard preamps by using the inserts.
 
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