into Presonus tubepre, what can benefit more - SP C1 vs. MXL V67G tanx!

[diogo]

hi everyone,

im currently having trouble deciding on these two mics (and also considering the AT 3035 on this range but...i dont really know, my initial preference goes to these two)..

i will use it for vocals only (baritone that will reach extreme highs depending on the song) into a Presonus Tubepre (with a changed/better tube)...this mic will be used for my vocals and only for that, but also some guitar amp micing along with a 57. it will have to be a good use in sole acoustic environment but also heavy electric guitar distortion layers/full band (not live though - several overdubs) but still with acoustics always in front of the mix (think my bloody valentine and red house painters)

i dont like bright stuff, but mud scares me just as well...im interested in knowing wich mic will pair up better with this pre...

the C1 is supposed to be a tad brighter, so i guess some warmth may help with that, while hopefully retaining the clarity of the mic..

the V67G is by itself and according to the views i gathered here, a dark mic by itself. i cant make anything of the soundclips i find on the forum, despite the great help they are, cause i really cant tell the difference between any on these crappy pc speakers. im kind of scared that, into the tubepre, the V67 will end up getting muddy and too much bass buildup, prooving itslef unusable.

im not interested in versatility, i will only record myself and price is a big issue..ive narrowed down my search to these mics cause i really want to have something that can be maxed out in terms of potential according to what ill be using it with (presonus firebox and presonus tubepre).

for acoustic micing (never overheads) ill be going for MXL 603's, cause i really need to disguise and forgive my room. according to opinions, these mics can forgive lots in terms of room, at least in comparison with C4's that seem to be a bit more about fidelity. i really dont need to disguise performance or instuments, so thats not the issue.

but, still on the forgiving issue, about vocals, i still need to forgive the room, wich leads me to the V67G...but claims of it lacking dimension are abundant and that scares me...on the other hand, claims of C1's over brightness pop oriented sound isnt encouraging either...

i really like full, rich sounds, but not overly coloured..i want to max out the potential of the mic..especially going through this tubepre (wich for one has a real tube in it and has had good reviews)...and i cant try out either one of the mics.

any help would be immensily apreciated.

one more thing...although i am in europe, i get my gear at front end audio (not to spam or anything), but i thought War might wanna step in with some views here..i usually talk to Shane but i know how busy he is so...just a thought..

tanx a lot in advance!

 

[Hard2Hear]

hey diogo-

You made a pretty good synopsis yourself about the mics you are looking at. I wouldn't actually call the v67 a dark mic, it just isn't as bright as the c-1. Never be afraid to apply eq to get the sound you want in the end, though, anyways. My guess is that most things you record with the c-1 will either be ok as is or you will have to cut some of the highs for it to sit right. And most things you record with the v67 will sound right or you will have to add a little eq in the top end. The two mics just sound different from each other to me, though they are equally usable. I do like the really nice case and great shockmount you get with the c-1. I have been using it for a long time and have always been happy with the results it gives for the low price I paid for it. The v67 is a more no frills mic to me, but it costs less, too.

I personally am glad I had the c-1 first. The whole reason I got it in the first place is that it sounded very similar on my own voice to the Lawson L47 I was using at the time in someone elses studio. As with everything, it depends heavily on the source and type of music you're making. The v67 is a good, cheap, addition to that, and something very flat so I can use eq to shape and get whatever sound I want.

H2H

 

[mhelin]

Is that C1 shockmount really so great, for me it looks a little bit flimsy (though I haven't tried the shockmount yet as I just got my C1).

C1 doesn't have very much proximity effect which makes the upper bass little bit low in level, but on the other hand there's omni like presence which you can't get with other cardioids (and I don't mean just hyped upper mids).

With MXL603's if they are like the cheap pair of tbone sc100-II's I just got it is recommended to change the 1st stage 1000pf cap to polystyrene one. Did it with tbone and it's now another class mic.

Also the design of these cheap tube pre's is questionable because of the low plate voltages - they may have some limited uses but for warming (adding the second harmonic distortion) they have their limits (they limit the dynamic range heavily). Better use some high plate voltage designs, I think Electro-Harmonix is coming with a HV plate 12AY7 Tube Mic Pre which is supposed to be inexpensive.

 

[Hard2Hear]

Is that C1 shockmount really so great, for me it looks a little bit flimsy (though I haven't tried the shockmount yet as I just got my C1).

I hate those stupid clip things people pass as a mount. The one with my c1 gets alot of use cause it happens to fit some other mics I use too.

H2H

 

[darrin_h2000]

Fits all mine and hasnt failed yet.

 

[diogo]

guys,

many tanx for the replies...H2H tanx for answering my "call"

H2H...

i guess i will go with the V67 then (purely impulse), although i get this weird feeling that maybe the C1 is a more "professional" mic..will sit better in a mix, i dunno, its just the feeling i get...i admit i like a little colour and caracther to my recordings though, cause the sole acoustic stuff is rather stark and silence is just as important as sound there, in the sense i like to watch/listen the notes just leaving trails and see the whole air interacting with it (am i nuts?)... reverb plays a big part in it (maybe it shouldnt i dunno, but thats how i manage to do things and get more or less what i hear in my head) but i would be a mic that interacts with air in that way, adding a bit of caracther/colour would be just fine....thats what im really hoping to find in MXL (both the V67 and the 603's)...

what do u think? will i manage? lol
i hope so..

Mhelin,

that omnish presence on the C1 is really what makes me blow out statements like that one up there..."more professional mic" lol its just the vibe i get from this mic really...im pretty set on the V67 for the reasons stated above but...i could go with the C1 as well...

that brings me to the tube pre...
thing with this is..i know im not getting a killer pre or anything, but im really hoping to get a usable pre (replacing the tube seems to do wonders, every review on harmony central states something like that)...to add that caracther i mention up there...i may be totally off target here, but i would think this pre would do just that, and not breaking my bank at it...im trying to cut down costs to the max, thats why im making these decisions...my interface will be a Presonus Firebox and i was trying to keep everything at home, with the tubepre being at least up par with the stock ones on the unit, and hopefully providing that extra "warmth"...(obviously i know you're right on every flaw you point out to it and i apreciate your view immensily)..

i hear you about the EH pre though..since i saw Joel on Tape Op just going crazy after trying out a prototype that was sent to him or something...i praise Joel's views to no end, that man knows his craft and he wouldnt be nice to a company just cause they sent him gear...ill wait around for this, but if it goes way beyond 100 bucks, then its a no go :/ im really trying to cut down to the max...even considered joe meek 3Q but nope...

there's also this other thing..i have a dmp3...but i wont be able to keep it, ill have to sell that and my MR8 to be able to afford other stuff (i really am indeed sick to my stomach with the godamn fostex...frustrating to no end - bad sound, small card have to dump it every 6 minutes of playing cause every song of mine goes well beyond 6 minutes..absolute crap)..thats an issue but there's no going around it im afraid...i expect the pres in the Presonus unit and Tubepre to be at least a little better than the dmp3 ones...major disapointment if they're not :/

tanx everyone and please,
keel talking!

tanx!