Main Vocal Mic addition-Whaddy'all think?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Richard Monroe
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Richard Monroe

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Well, we're starting to plot out the next upgrade, the last for a while I bet. Most of the items are already set, but I'm torn on a main vocal mic addition. I'd like to keep it at or under $2000. I'm looking for versatility and a good complement to the existing cabinet. Yeah, I know any vocal mic in that price range will have other uses. It will be used by other people, not necessarily me, so I'm not looking for the silver bullet for my voice. I do use a lot of clean female voices, and I need another color for the pallette. The main vocal mics I currently use, are as follows: B.L.U.E. Kiwi, Rode NTK, Studio Projects B-1 and C-3, Shure SM-7B and SM-82, AKG C414B-ULS, C2000B, and D320B, Oktava MK319 and ML-52. Mostly they go into an Avalon AD2022, but for some things, a Joemeek twinQ.
The style is quite eclectic, but is a neopsychedelic folk jazz blues Celtic fusion. Clean vocals with harmony. A strident and passionate mezzo, a deep chaunteuse contralto, and a Broadway-ish alto. And me? I guess I sound like a cross between Jonathon Edwards and Neil Young. But you never know what or who we'll be recording. I think I've narrowed it down to these options:

Lawson L47MP MarkII (the silver one)
Soundelux ifet7 or U195 (a little more than I want to spend)
Neumann U87i or ai, used, or TLM 127

I'm leaning toward the Lawson to add a better tube mic to the mix, or the ifet7 for lots of versatility.

I will listen to these mics, but I am moderately hearing disabled, and it's not really intended for my voice, although if the mic likes me, it's a big bonus. The problem is, the Kiwi likes me, but not the girls. Because my ears are so-so, I've found it useful to seek opinions. Thanks in advance for any input, and if you have favorites I'm overlooking. I am buying other mics, so I really don't need a list of the piles of low and mid priced mics I could buy, or the $4000 models I can't afford.-Richie
 
I'm leaning towards the Lawson 47 myself...Wheres Little Dog he's got a Lawson 47..I've finished my preamps now..so Im looking also..They have some deal where you can get a 47 and you can also get a fet body with a 251 cap..or something to that effect..The Lawson caps are interchangeable...So the virsitility looks promising with the Lawson also..If you can,you should see about trying out a AEA R84{ribbon aprox.$1,000} which is a very nice mic..I used one on a female vocalist with some very nice results..Might pair up nicely with your Avalon..Just some more things to chew on ..Good luck..





Don
 
Personally i think the Neumann U87 is always a safe buy if you dont have one already. Doesnt always shine on voice but it is extremely versatile on voice. It also does a great job on other things in my opinion. Works great on my trombone.

I love Soundelux. The U95 has been my main vocal mic lately. But these are definately pricey.

I dont know much about the Lawsons so i cant add much here.

Danny
 
I've been itching to buy the Lawson. I think that's going to be my next purchase. I got to use the original Lawson 47 last year for some vocal overdubs I did for a project. To say it's like buttah is selling it short.

I really like the component aspect, so you can upgrade the mic locker bit by bit and wind up with 4 great mics for about what 1 would cost.

I vote for the Lawson
 
I'm right there too. I have all the "good" mics I need to record. Now I want an excellent mic. I am looking at those you mentioned as well as the brauner phantom and an aea r84.
Lawson makes sense for the reasons freshmattyp stated but I still vacillate like an old lesley
In HIs Name
BK
 
I haven't used any of those mics, but if I had to buy one, I'd go with the Lawson, because it looks so bitchin'.:)
 
You know, Second, it's embarassing, but when you get down to these kind of bucks, you actually look at the paint job. The Lawson L251? Nah, can't stand gold. Microtech Gefell? Nah, looks like an egg. RE84? Nah, too retro, like a giant tylenol capsule. Soundelux U99? Yeah- black and silver- cool.
In the end, there really is this psychological thing. If your home studio looks like a garage, some of the best session people you can bring in will play garage music. It's not just a commercial thing. People will bring to the table what the room brings out of them. What a main vocal mic looks like is more important than you think.-Richie
 
LOL..Tylenol capsule..Everyone loves the looks of the 84 who comes to me..They all ask to use the mic based on looks alone;)
I think the Lawsons{"mark 2" I belive} have a "silver" look now..but Im not sure..Can't go wrong with the Soundelux even if its pink..LOL

Vibe is very important all kidding aside




Don
 
Well, Henri- the L47MP Mark II is silver, and the L251 is gold. The Mark II is trying to be a U47 tube and the L251 is trying to be an Elam 251. By all accounts, they are both faithful acoustic re-issues of the mics they emulate, with interchangeable capsules and a much lower price point. After considerable research, I think it's down to L47MP Mark II vs. Soundelux U99. The one thing we can guarantee is that pretty much everybody who has familiarity with these 2 mics agree they are badass tube mics indeed.-Richie
 
i dont have any experience with the lawson or soundelux but i do use a u87, a u47, a u89 and a u57. i would go with a u87. but thats not to say a u87 would be better. ma, i hate making these types of desicions. the options are too good.
 
Changeing caps between the 47 and the 251 is prob. gonna be a nice way to get alot of flavors...Soundelux/Lawson..Ya can't go wrong with either way..Now you need a different pre for a change up.hummm Vipre..J/K Love spending money.better when its not mine..LOL




Don
 
Richie,

I don't know how quickly you will be needing this new mic, since you've just barely finished your first CD, but before you drop $2000 or more on anything it might be worth making a pest of yourself with Alan Hyatt and try to get a ballpark ETA on Stephen Paul's mic. Who knows, if it lives up to anything close to the pre-release hype it might be worth waiting another month or two for it.
 
Well LD, I'm looking at March or April, and we'll see if the Stephen Paul mic is on the market by then. I'm thinking it may be delayed seriously by probate issues to do with Stephen Paul's estate. Moreover, as much as I am one of Alan's satisfied customers, I still would have felt better if he had Stephen to ride his ass about quality control and component selection. Also, the secrecy surrounding the alledgedly revolutionary design of this mic leaves me uncertain whether it's a tube mic, a FET mic, both of the above, or neither one.
I'm keeping my eye on it, for sure, and if it lives up to the hype as you say, and is *really* available, I'll make the decision then.
What I really want to do in the meantime, is upgrade to a new twinQ. The current upgrade plan leaves the pres as they are, but switches out the old twinQ for the new one. I have no current problems with the Avalon. Hey- you were the one who suggested a U47 on my voice. The Lawson may turn out to be the ticket. But I definitely need a mic for the girls. You know their voices (and mine) better than anyone except me, so your input is particularly useful.-Richie
 
I may be completely wrong, but I never got even a hint that it was going to be a tube mic - all of Stephen's descriptions would seem to indicate solid state.
 
Un the other hand, he was very tight lipped about the design, and I can picture a phantom powered tube mic that would have 2 sets of circuitry using the same capsule, like an ifet7, but with an external power supply. We'll only know when it's built.-Richie
 
Richard Monroe said:
Un the other hand, he was very tight lipped about the design, and I can picture a phantom powered tube mic that would have 2 sets of circuitry using the same capsule, like an ifet7, but with an external power supply. We'll only know when it's built.-Richie
Click to expand...

Again, all I have is speculation, but I completely disagree on two counts:

1st: Stephen could not restrain himself on many occasions from gushing a bit about the mic and it's design. While he tried to limit himself to generalities for his own protection, he none the less proudly gave a laundry list of general areas in which the mic would be revolutionary in either production or design. I can't recall which forums and when these posts were made (obviously it probably wasn't here, given the climate). My point is, if someone is redesigning a mic from top to bottom and it was going to be a tube mic, then tube selection or production as well as power supply design and manufacture would be among the key elements that would have to be dealt with. Never was there any mention of tubes or power supplies to the best of my knowledge, even though he went into significant minutae on almost every other aspect of design and production. Hence, I think it's fairly safe to say that this is not a tube mic.

2nd: His stated goal going back to the very beginning was to make the very best mic possible at a reasonably affordable price. Or to be even more specific, a mic that would blow away every other mic at that price point. This is tough enough to do with a mic with a single design. To do something like the ifet, (two mics in one) would either have to significantly raise the price point or make some sort of compromise in the design. Logic and personal familiarity say Stephen would not be willing to do either. If you are going to stake your reputation on making the very best affordable hammer the world has ever seen, I don't think you want to worry about whether you can make it double as the best can opener.

Now, as I said, you could be completely right and I could be completely wrong. But if I had to bet my Lawson L47mp on one or the other, I think you can see which way I'm leaning...

Either way, it wouldn't hurt to e-mail Alan and get the latest whassup. Might save you some later regrets.
 
Actually, a review of some statements made on other forums supports your opinion, LD, I think you are probably right. All I'm saying is that until built, bought, used, and reviewed, it's a piece of vaporware. And if I do buy a higher end tube mic, there's no guarantee I won't buy Stephen's mic down the road. I find it hard to believe I'm likely to be seriously disappointed by the likes of Soundelux U99 or Lawson L47MP Mark II. I like mics like Joro loves his pie and Mustafa loves bombs.-Richie
 
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