Industry standard/ workhorse gear

  • Thread starter Thread starter Skronk
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I have maybe 20 mics now, but I've been reasonably careful to buy mics that lend themselves to a range of uses.
As such, my collection is dynamic heavy....

Now, I went overboard and got 421s, re20, sm7b, d112, d12, but really they're different flavours that cover the same things.
Any one of those is a go-to kick/bass/guitar/vocal mic.
OK, maybe you'll not see the AKGs on vocal so much these days.
They were all VERY good deals, but I wouldn't cry about selling them all except a 421 or 7b. I'd get by fine with one of those.

I bought sm81s because they, and akg c451s are EVERYWHERE.
You'll see them in damn near any studio, live setups on TV, gigs, etc.
As with anything there'll be people who aren't a fan or have a different preference, but that doesn't take away from how common and respected these microphones are.

I bought mk219s because I couldn't afford c414s and multipattern wasn't a big deal to me. 214s weren't out at the time.
I think for the price, you cannot go wrong owning a pair of 219s.
I've used them mainly for vocals and for stereo micing acoustic instruments - Acoustic guitar, for example.

Hmm..what else....
I got a handful of electrovoice omni dynamics which are damn useful on amps, snares, harmonicas, scratch vocals etc.
Mostly I got them because they were damn good deals.
You're more likely to see a 57 in these places, I guess.

Everything I've listed here straddles that line of being considered a studio staple, but also being affordable, relatively speaking.
 
Steenamaroo said:
Lol. I guess the OP meant no flame wars, please...right?

Like, he doesn't care if you love or hate sm7b...Fact is it's ubiquitous and incredibly useful.
Kinda goes without saying that for every mic there'll be someone who doesn't like it.
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...and this is where your request for recommendations without opinions just can't work.

The SM7B is ubiquitous in this forum and in American radio studios. It's far less common in, for example, a British radio studio where the brightness of condensers is preferred. I've not seen an SM7B being used in a UK sound studio either (though I'm sure somebody will send me a picture to prove I'm wrong.

It's all subjective. It's all opinion...even at a professional level.

What mics would I have in my kit?

A few SM57s are workhorses everywhere.

AKG 451 EBs are incredibly useful but if you can't afford them an sE 1A is almost as good for a fraction the price. The 451s were heavily used in studios if "industry standard workhorse" is your criteria.

Finally, every studio needs at least one LDC and my current mic of choice is the sE2200A (of which I now have 4). I use them in preference to not just $600 mics but I have a couple of $2000 mics gathering dust because I prefer the sE offerings.

...but all that is opinion!
 
Bobbsy said:
...and this is where your request for recommendations without opinions just can't work.

The SM7B is ubiquitous in this forum and in American radio studios. It's far less common in, for example, a British radio studio where the brightness of condensers is preferred. I've not seen an SM7B being used in a UK sound studio either (though I'm sure somebody will send me a picture to prove I'm wrong.

It's all subjective. It's all opinion...even at a professional level.

What mics would I have in my kit?

A few SM57s are workhorses everywhere.

AKG 451 EBs are incredibly useful but if you can't afford them an sE 1A is almost as good for a fraction the price. The 451s were heavily used in studios if "industry standard workhorse" is your criteria.

Finally, every studio needs at least one LDC and my current mic of choice is the sE2200A (of which I now have 4). I use them in preference to not just $600 mics but I have a couple of $2000 mics gathering dust because I prefer the sE offerings.

...but all that is opinion!
Click to expand...

I guess it just depends on how you take the question.
I'm approaching it as "what am I likely to see popping up over and over if I took inventory of a buttload of studios"

Sm7b would probably pop up a lot whereas a samson c02 probably wouldn't.
 
Jeez guys, sometimes this place can get so out of hand unnecessarily. Some of you are so uptight. Is it that difficult to be a little empathetic, not semantic, and just read between the lines? The guy wants to know about industry standard recording gear. It's not that difficult. Sheesh.

Ok, so to supplement my initial mic list here are some further items you'll find everywhere good records are being made. Please note that industry standard usually equals expensive:

Preamps

  • API 312
  • Universal Audio 610
  • Neve 1073 / 1081
  • Focusrite ISA

The thing with preamps is that most records were made - before the widespread advent of the home studio - with the preamps that were in whatever console was installed in the studio at the time. One preamp type was used throughout and they didn't need four or five different types to make a great sounding record. Outboard preamps only started becoming popular once consoles starting going out the window and multitrack digital recording started gaining momentum (or people wanted to bypass the otherwise unpopular sound of the SSL preamps). That is why you've got all these boutique manufacturers now selling clones of the original designs found in these consoles. The Neve 1073 and 1081 are a good examples and probably the most cloned preamps out there. These days the rule of thumb is that a high end preamp in a 19" rack should cost about $1000 a channel. Of course, this is a lot of money to preamplify a kick drum. Truth of the matter is that even the preamps in your interface are likely to be good enough to make a good recording. Microphones have a WAY bigger impact on the sound than your preamps. A high end preamp will only add that last 5% or so of tonal aesthetic to the sound.

Compressors

  • dbx 160VU (Great on drums and bass)
  • ADR Compex (AMAZING on drums, When the Levee Breaks kinda drum smash)
  • Teletronix LA2A (Simple two knob tube opto compressor/limiter traditionally used on vocals and bass)
  • Urei 1176LN (Great on just about anything. Renowned for heavy compression while keeping the top end intact)
  • SSL G384 (Bus compressor. There are lots of clones of this, like the Smart C2)
  • Tube Tech CL1B (Great tube compressor, great on bass, vocals, or just about anything)
  • Fairchild 660/670 (Insanely expensive and rare compressor great for acoustic guitar, piano, bass, vocals or anything requiring warm, smooth compression)
  • Empirical Labs Distressor (Distortion and compression all at once, great on drums or to grit up anything)
  • Neve 33609 (Known for bus compression and for guitars, very smooth)
  • Neve 2254 (The famous silky top end Neve compressor for thickening things up)
  • API 2500 (Great on anything, bus, drums, vocals, etc)
  • API 525 (Great on some things but not very versatile)
  • Chandler TG1 (An Abbey Road EMI recreation)
  • UA LA3A (King of guitar compressors)
  • Manley Vari-Mu (Close to the Fairchilds, a slow gluey compressor good for bus or slow comp duties)

Gotta go but when I have time I'll list some EQs although they're a bit more difficult since, like preamps, most EQ was done on a console back in the day.

Cheers :)
 
Mo Facta said:
Jeez guys, sometimes this place can get so out of hand unnecessarily. Some of you are so uptight. Is it that difficult to be a little empathetic, not semantic, and just read between the lines? The guy wants to know about industry standard recording gear. It's not that difficult. Sheesh.
Click to expand...

I agree 100%. I'm watching this thread and shaking my head. The OP wasn't arrogant or insulting, and in fact, he was almost apologetic (though he had no reason to be). I see people eye rolling and face palming as if he came in here and said "what's the best mic to make me sound like a pro for under $25."

This definitely isn't a troll situation like we've had recently. I agree that his question isn't easy to naswer and might not even be a great way to ask a question, but he didn't kill anyone for christ's sakes.

I know that, of all people, some might wonder why I'm sticking up for a newbie when I've been pretty hard on others. The difference is that the OP isn't being an asshole, as opposed to some of "us" this time.
 
I think that it would be very hard to recommend a microphone due to its popularity beyond perhaps the SM57. If you were spending a lot then it would be easy to say "go to a pro recording session and the chances are that you'll see a U87 or C414 in use" but at this home recording level there are SO many mics to choose from. And you can only really make your choice based upon opinion or, preferably, by listening to demos. You'll see people recommending the Rode, Audio Technica, SE Electronics, Sennheiser, Oktava, Studio Projects, Nady, the list goes on. It's very difficult to recommend the ultimate home recording mic unless you include opinion (which usually means you own it and it works well for you).

Anyway, I currently own only four microphones. A stereo pair of Oktava MK-219s, an SM57 and an AKG D112. I find them to do the job very well and the Oktavas are particularly versatile, I use them on almost everything.

So, here's some stuff I've recorded with them: https://soundcloud.com/jrkimber/sets/the-seize-silly-games

It's a few years old now and my recording setup has improved since then (except the microphones) but it's the latest stuff that I've got online.
 
James K said:
I think that it would be very hard to recommend a microphone due to its popularity beyond perhaps the SM57. If you were spending a lot then it would be easy to say "go to a pro recording session and the chances are that you'll see a U87 or C414 in use" but at this home recording level there are SO many mics to choose from. And you can only really make your choice based upon opinion or, preferably, by listening to demos. You'll see people recommending the Rode, Audio Technica, SE Electronics, Sennheiser, Oktava, Studio Projects, Nady, the list goes on. It's very difficult to recommend the ultimate home recording mic unless you include opinion (which usually means you own it and it works well for you).
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That is what I said earlier....that you almost have to define "industry standard" as it will most likely mean one thing on a home-rec forum and another on a pro rec forum.

It's easy to just list a bunch of the more "common" gear that one might find in a variety of studios, but I don't see how listing it really gives the OP the answer he wants.

Also, it appears that he's not looking at the more high-end/expensive "industry standard" gear....since he kinda' objected to the $600 mic solution...so I get the feeling he wants more of the home rec "industry standard"....???

Otherwise, I bet if everyone here put up a list of mics, pres, comps, etc....that they use or feel are "industry standard"....it would just leave the OP in the same position he currently is in....not knowing which way to go.

This is why I still feel the best approach is first knowing what a person's goals are and what their budget is before any gear is mentioned.
 
miroslav said:
That is what I said earlier....that you almost have to define "industry standard" as it will most likely mean one thing on a home-rec forum and another on a pro rec forum.

It's easy to just list a bunch of the more "common" gear that one might find in a variety of studios, but I don't see how listing it really gives the OP the answer he wants.

Also, it appears that he's not looking at the more high-end/expensive "industry standard" gear....since he kinda' objected to the $600 mic solution...so I get the feeling he wants more of the home rec "industry standard"....???

Otherwise, I bet if everyone here put up a list of mics, pres, comps, etc....that they use or feel are "industry standard"....it would just leave the OP in the same position he currently is in....not knowing which way to go.

This is why I still feel the best approach is first knowing what a person's goals are and what their budget is before any gear is mentioned.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly. The only mic I can think of that's truly an "industry" standard is the very expensive U87 with, perhaps, the C414 creeping onto the list. The U87 is the one mic I've seen in use in virtually every recording studio. Well, that and the SM57 on some things. Beyond that, every producer and engineer has his/her own idea of what's good--and they also tend to want a full mic cupboard and customise the mic to the sound source.

The two problems are that the mic choice is, by definition, opinion--even at the top of industry. Second, the size of the cheque required to buy something "industry standard" is likely impractical in a home environment. Well, unless Warren Buffett takes up home recording.

So...I'm with Miroslav. A note of budget and what the OP wants to do is more likely to get useful responses--but the responses will still be opinions!
 
I've had a lot of luck with the Samson CO1 through CO3. They run anywhere from $70 to $100 new.
 
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