Is the sennheiser MD421 a good mic for vocals?

  • Thread starter Thread starter JG96
  • Start date Start date

What mic?

  • MD421

    Votes: 1 25.0%

  • Something else (please specify)

    Votes: 3 75.0%

  • SM58

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    4
JG96

JG96

Active member
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MD421
I own one of these and my band is going to start putting together a real studio as our setup for the first album was difficult to say the least. Should i use this mic for vocals or just get something different for vocals. Would something basic like a SM 58 be any good in a studio situation? our music isn't too vocal centered but the singer has a good voice and we don't want it to sound bad.
 
No the 421 will work just fine for vocals you even have a 5 position bass roll off to help you.
But you may want to expand just a little with your mic locker.
What else do you have for mics?
And are you going to record track X track or as a live recording?



:cool:
 
JG96 said:
Should i use this mic for vocals or just get something different for vocals. Would something basic like a SM 58 be any good in a studio situation? our music isn't too vocal centered but the singer has a good voice and we don't want it to sound bad.
Click to expand...

What's the harm in trying it out? You already own one. You'll hear if it sounds bad. Different mics suit different singers. We can't tell you what'll sound good on your singer, only you can. Try different mics out.

Best advice ever given on this board: "Use your ears" - said by many, many wise men and women.
 
The recording are going to be live.
Other mics i own:
Shure Sm81 (X2)
Akg D707 (X2)
Akg D112
Neumann KM 84i
 
In a live recording you may not want a LDC for vocals. May be hard for seperation.
 
The 421 was used in radio stations for decades for - guess what - VOCALS.

Try it, you may find that it's very good...


ByTheWay: I'm a sax player and we use 421 on saxes all the time because: saxes have the same range as the human voice...
 
To me the 421 has a very hard sound. It's really clear. I used one on my first two albums in the 80's. You can really understand the words and hear detail, but the sound is, I would think, not what most people would be happy with long term.

My best advice is to buy a used Neumann U87 for $1600, use it for a month and then sell it on this forum for $1800. Rinse and repeat. You could probably do that forever. That would get you the sound I'm guessing you want.

But there's been lots of recordings done with 421's on vox, so in the end what matters is what the marriage between the particular singer and the mic result in. That's all that really matters, and if it fits the song.
 
philbagg said:
What makes it any different to a dynamic?

(Here we go again) :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Phil I think he means that a LDC will pick up more in a room that a dynamic would if separation was to be achieved using gobos and such. IMO



:cool:
 
It's a perfectly serviceable vocal mic. It wouldn't be my first choice on any vocalist, but out of the mics you listed, I would reach for it every time.

Plenty of great condensers out there for much less than $1600. Maybe a multipattern condenser would be a versatile addition to your locker.
 
Steenamaroo said:
not even entertaining it........
Click to expand...

Why not? Because it's bullshit? I think people should know.

moresound said:
Phil I think he means that a LDC will pick up more in a room that a dynamic would if separation was to be achieved using gobos and such. IMO
Click to expand...

A microphone does not pick up more or less room based on it being a dynamic, condenser (SDC or LDC), ribbon, electrite etc.

It picks up more or less room based on:

1. How close the source sound is to the mic
2. The amplitude of the source sound
3. The polar pattern
4. Various other room size/room treatment factors.

Read some of my posts in this thread, and this thread - from post #20

And if anyone still tries to tell me that, by nature and not by application, condensers pick up more room than dynamics, then you go into the same boat as Newcomputeruser as far as I'm concerned.
 
Buy buy buy!!!!

(just kidding)


JG96,

In your original post you asked if the SM58 would be good in a studio situation. Absolutely! People use it all the time. In fact, people who are famous use it all the time. It just depends on whether it fits your singer's voice. In fact, there are stories about it being chosen over the $1600 Neumann for some voices.

Also, the Sennheiser MD421 is a decent mic. And it will do a good job on many vocals.

I would say try what you have first, and if you feel that something sounds sub-standard, then look into purchases.

Many times I have spent money on gear, only to find out that I had what I needed all along.

I have even done vocals with an SM81, which most people here wouldn't recommend. Sounded fine.
 
Okay i will just experiment, I would like a LDC at some point. But yeah there is very little room treatment. I think all the guitars are going to be going direct in so we can keep our amps at low volumes.
 
philbagg said:
Why not? Because it's bullshit? I think people should know.



A microphone does not pick up more or less room based on it being a dynamic, condenser (SDC or LDC), ribbon, electrite etc.

It picks up more or less room based on:

1. How close the source sound is to the mic
2. The amplitude of the source sound
3. The polar pattern
4. Various other room size/room treatment factors.

Read some of my posts in this thread, and this thread - from post #20

And if anyone still tries to tell me that, by nature and not by application, condensers pick up more room than dynamics, then you go into the same boat as Newcomputeruser as far as I'm concerned.
Click to expand...

Phil I think he means that a LDC will pick up more in a room that a dynamic would if separation was to be achieved using gobos and such. IMO

I think the gobos and such was on his mind. He has spoke in the pass about separating his drums that way.
 
philbagg said:
A microphone does not pick up more or less room based on it being a dynamic, condenser (SDC or LDC), ribbon, electrite etc.

It picks up more or less room based on:

1. How close the source sound is to the mic
2. The amplitude of the source sound
3. The polar pattern
4. Various other room size/room treatment factors.
Click to expand...


What you said is exactly right.....but....

do we need a debate every time someone says a dynamic will pick up less room noise than a condenser????


"And if anyone still tries to tell me that, by nature and not by application"

i don't think anyone said about nature/application.


it's like,,,,when someone says a dynamic will pick up less room sound than a condenser,,,,you're right there to say,,,,that's true BUT I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT I UNDERSTAND WHY!!!!! LOL.
 
Steenamaroo said:
What you said is exactly right.....but....

do we need a debate every time someone says a dynamic will pick up less room noise than a condenser????


"And if anyone still tries to tell me that, by nature and not by application"

i don't think anyone said about nature/application.


it's like,,,,when someone says a dynamic will pick up less room sound than a condenser,,,,you're right there to say,,,,that's true BUT I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT I UNDERSTAND WHY!!!!! LOL.
Click to expand...

When somebody gives bad advice about anything, I am not the only person on this board who thinks it should be corrected.

Why should this topic be any different? Because it's recurrent?

And I don't "want everyone to know that I understand why." I want people to know that they are not limited to dynamic mics if they want less room sound (which I think is pretty important). And when I post the reasons, it's evidence to back up my statement. Whereas, anybody who says that dynamics pick up less room never has any evidence to prove so (other than "sensitivity" - bull)... I wonder why that is :rolleyes:
 
any time i ever say it, it's based on the idea that if i sing into a 58 live,,i'm likely to be right at the grille and have the gain reasonably low.

if i sing into a 414 live, i'm gona need to back off for plosives and whatever...



it's a safe assumption to say that most people would act the same,,,and therefore, most people will get more room noise from a condenser.

no?
 
Steenamaroo said:
any time i ever say it, it's based on the idea that if i sing into a 58 live,,i'm likely to be right at the grille and have the gain reasonably low.

if i sing into a 414 live, i'm gona need to back off for plosives and whatever...



it's a safe assumption to say that most people would act the same,,,and therefore, most people will get more room noise from a condenser.

no?
Click to expand...

That's perfectly reasonable! I know that's true. It's the same in a studio, even with a pop filter, hence "by nature and not by application." The way you're applying it brings up the room sound.

The problem I have is that people think that condensers pick up more room by their design, and not how they're used. One of the threads I linked to had a guy asking about micing an amp, and somebody said to use a dynamic because a condenser would pick up more room, despite the fact that the guy was recording metal and would have the mic probably half an inch from the speaker whether it was a dynamic or condenser. If people just said "if you're using a condenser with vocals, you'll get more room sound because you'll have to stand a little further back due to plosives."
 
from the start, i thought you were just being picky cos it's a pet hate of yours,,,,,,,,and i was right!


my pet hate is people being picky f**ers on forums just for the hell of it,which is what i thought you were doing,,,,but fair enough,,,i guess you have good reason....
 
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