Members average number of mics and a list...
- Thread starter tubedude
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Stefan Elmblad
New member
Just bought 2 x Shure SM81 which would put me in the "8-12" category. Very nice mics btw.
Michael Jones
New member
Very nice indeed!Stefan Elmblad said:
Richard Monroe
Well-known member
Just bought B.L.U.E. KIWI, Shure SM-7B, AKG C414B-ULS, Studi Projects B-1, and got my Shure SM-82 working. That makes 20!-Richie
Giganova
gimmi your mic!
I thought this is the HOME recording forum, so why do ya all have mic cabinets to record the Boston Symphonic Orchestra?? ;-) I guess you are not recording in your bedroom anymore, are you??
O.k., I admit that I just started recording a few months ago and have a very small list (all bought new):
1 Neumann KM184 ($500)
1 Sennheiser e604 (drum mic which I use for sax; $130)
1 Shure Beta 57A (yikes!; $99)
1 SDS Systems LMD94 (special saxophone mic; $300)
I am still looking for a great mic for tenor sax (which I need most). Any suggestions are welcome!
O.k., I admit that I just started recording a few months ago and have a very small list (all bought new):
1 Neumann KM184 ($500)
1 Sennheiser e604 (drum mic which I use for sax; $130)
1 Shure Beta 57A (yikes!; $99)
1 SDS Systems LMD94 (special saxophone mic; $300)
I am still looking for a great mic for tenor sax (which I need most). Any suggestions are welcome!
you're welcome. anyway, what is that LMD sax mic? Is it a clip on? small diaphragm condenser or dynamic? I'm unfamiliar with it.
getting back to mic cabinets, obviously none of us here use thirty or forty mics at any one time. But there are other reasons for having that many.
In my case, many of my mics that are used in the studio I wouldn't use on live sound gigs, and visa versa... and I need both types. But even just considering studio use, the best argument for a large mic cabinet is so you have choices. No two singers, sax players, etc. sound alike, as you well know. And the perfect mic for one might be perfectly awful for another. A lot depends on the type of music being recorded as well. Since you are a sax player, think of the difference between recording King Curtis vs. Ben Webster... Or Johnny Hodges vs. Dave Sanbourn... Surely it's likely that the best mic for one wouldn't necessarily be the best for the other. (Yeah, I know, I picked a lot of dead guys, but you get the point...)
Have you ever seen a session where the drummer brings three or four snare drums, and changes between songs? Or multiple cymbal options? It's really quite common, and drummers in my studio do it all the time. The reason is because what is right for one song may not be right for another.
It's the same thing with microphones. No one says you can't make a good CD using the same mics on every song, but it's just one of the ways that the big studios, with large mic inventories, get a better sound than the little guys.
getting back to mic cabinets, obviously none of us here use thirty or forty mics at any one time. But there are other reasons for having that many.
In my case, many of my mics that are used in the studio I wouldn't use on live sound gigs, and visa versa... and I need both types. But even just considering studio use, the best argument for a large mic cabinet is so you have choices. No two singers, sax players, etc. sound alike, as you well know. And the perfect mic for one might be perfectly awful for another. A lot depends on the type of music being recorded as well. Since you are a sax player, think of the difference between recording King Curtis vs. Ben Webster... Or Johnny Hodges vs. Dave Sanbourn... Surely it's likely that the best mic for one wouldn't necessarily be the best for the other. (Yeah, I know, I picked a lot of dead guys, but you get the point...)
Have you ever seen a session where the drummer brings three or four snare drums, and changes between songs? Or multiple cymbal options? It's really quite common, and drummers in my studio do it all the time. The reason is because what is right for one song may not be right for another.
It's the same thing with microphones. No one says you can't make a good CD using the same mics on every song, but it's just one of the ways that the big studios, with large mic inventories, get a better sound than the little guys.
Giganova
gimmi your mic!
I hear you, littledog. Thanks a lot for the advice/explanation!
I've tested a lot of mics for sax recordings and haven't found "the prefect" one yet. Tomorrow I am will get a Neumann KM184 and look forward to it. Hope that's gonna do the job. If not, I'll keep testing & hunting.
The "SD Systems" mics are special woodwind/brasswind mics. I use one of their dynamic mics (LMD94) which can handle the high sound pressure of the tenor sax well. It's a small clip-on, but I've put it on a shockmount and a stand to get rid of the key clicks. These little SD mics are known to be one of the finest mics for sax recording (and not cheap, either. Their cheapest is $250 and their top model, the STM 99 costs around $700-$750). Here's more info in case you are interested:
http://www.sdsystems.com/5Stm/STM99_1.htm
http://www.sdsystems.com/
I've tested a lot of mics for sax recordings and haven't found "the prefect" one yet. Tomorrow I am will get a Neumann KM184 and look forward to it. Hope that's gonna do the job. If not, I'll keep testing & hunting.
The "SD Systems" mics are special woodwind/brasswind mics. I use one of their dynamic mics (LMD94) which can handle the high sound pressure of the tenor sax well. It's a small clip-on, but I've put it on a shockmount and a stand to get rid of the key clicks. These little SD mics are known to be one of the finest mics for sax recording (and not cheap, either. Their cheapest is $250 and their top model, the STM 99 costs around $700-$750). Here's more info in case you are interested:
http://www.sdsystems.com/5Stm/STM99_1.htm
http://www.sdsystems.com/
Goodwin Audio
New member
My Mic Cabinet
MICOROPHONES:
1 Groove Tubes AM40 Tube Microphone ($249) new
1 Groove Tubes GT55 (free with a Focusrite Trakmaster deal!) new
2 Audio Technica AT4047 ($199 for the pair!) new
1 Rode NT1 ($99) new
1 Crown CM-700 ($35) used
1 Audio Technica AT4033a ($150) used
3 Shure SM57 ($40, $50, $60) like new used
1 Shure Beta52 ($100) used
1 AKG 3000 old black model ($100) used
1 AKG D80 ($25) used
1 Crown CM-200a ($30) used
1 CAD M39 ($89) used
1 Stedman N90 ($70) used
Does anyone have an actual mic cabinet? I am thinking about building one to place on my wall. But there are really no plans I can find on the web. Also, no one really makes one that I can find. I guess the variations are just too much. Anyway I would like to actually see pics of cabinets people have built, if anyone has.
Peace,
Daniel
www.meetgoodwin.com
MICOROPHONES:
1 Groove Tubes AM40 Tube Microphone ($249) new
1 Groove Tubes GT55 (free with a Focusrite Trakmaster deal!) new
2 Audio Technica AT4047 ($199 for the pair!) new
1 Rode NT1 ($99) new
1 Crown CM-700 ($35) used
1 Audio Technica AT4033a ($150) used
3 Shure SM57 ($40, $50, $60) like new used
1 Shure Beta52 ($100) used
1 AKG 3000 old black model ($100) used
1 AKG D80 ($25) used
1 Crown CM-200a ($30) used
1 CAD M39 ($89) used
1 Stedman N90 ($70) used
Does anyone have an actual mic cabinet? I am thinking about building one to place on my wall. But there are really no plans I can find on the web. Also, no one really makes one that I can find. I guess the variations are just too much. Anyway I would like to actually see pics of cabinets people have built, if anyone has.
Peace,
Daniel
www.meetgoodwin.com
Giganova:
I've found that clip-on mics are generally more useful for live playing than recording. That's because for recording, I prefer to mic the sax from about 30" away positioned to capture the sound of the whole horn.
As you well know, only part of the sound the sax makes comes out of the bell - the rest comes out of all the various holes under the open keys. If you mic just the bell (or primarily the bell), you don't get the true sound of the instrument. Although that may be okay for certain styles of music - your taste will dictate.
For some styles of soprano I'll sometimes use two mics - one for the whole sax, and one aimed at the bell. By blending in a little more of the bell mic, I can get a reedier tone, if so desired. But all the other saxes I just use one mic.
That being said, my usual favorite mics for recording saxes are large diaphragm condensers (not small like the 184). I'm not a huge fan of ribbon mics on saxes, although others may be. Doesn't give the high end detail i like to hear.
I've found that clip-on mics are generally more useful for live playing than recording. That's because for recording, I prefer to mic the sax from about 30" away positioned to capture the sound of the whole horn.
As you well know, only part of the sound the sax makes comes out of the bell - the rest comes out of all the various holes under the open keys. If you mic just the bell (or primarily the bell), you don't get the true sound of the instrument. Although that may be okay for certain styles of music - your taste will dictate.
For some styles of soprano I'll sometimes use two mics - one for the whole sax, and one aimed at the bell. By blending in a little more of the bell mic, I can get a reedier tone, if so desired. But all the other saxes I just use one mic.
That being said, my usual favorite mics for recording saxes are large diaphragm condensers (not small like the 184). I'm not a huge fan of ribbon mics on saxes, although others may be. Doesn't give the high end detail i like to hear.
blues-hacker
New member
egads - I'm truly in neo-amateur status, but .. oh well
2 - Beyerdynamic TX-58's
2 - SM-57's
1 - Rode NT1
Thank god for a sweet sounding old tascam M-320 board with 20 channels in, and line outs on the bass and keyboard gear, so I can do direct injection alot, and really only need mic's for vocals and micing the guitar amps and drums.
someday... tops of the wish list for now is a SP C-1.
b-h
2 - Beyerdynamic TX-58's
2 - SM-57's
1 - Rode NT1
Thank god for a sweet sounding old tascam M-320 board with 20 channels in, and line outs on the bass and keyboard gear, so I can do direct injection alot, and really only need mic's for vocals and micing the guitar amps and drums.
someday... tops of the wish list for now is a SP C-1.
b-h
WATYF
...happier than you.
Here's the contents of my tiny little mic locker...
1 - SP C-1 ($200)
1 - Oktava MC012 ($75)
1 - SM58 ($??? I dunno.. got it for Christmas.
)
I don't think I need to add them up.. anyone who got past first-grade addition can handle it by themselves...
Anybody wanna give me some of their extras..???
WATYF
1 - SP C-1 ($200)
1 - Oktava MC012 ($75)
1 - SM58 ($??? I dunno.. got it for Christmas.
)I don't think I need to add them up.. anyone who got past first-grade addition can handle it by themselves...
Anybody wanna give me some of their extras..???
WATYF
Henri Devill
New member
AT 4060..800.00..
AT4033..299.00
KSM44 X2..699.00 per
SM81..350.00
Beta 87..250.00 I think{my partner bought it}
Beta 58..same as above I think
Beta 52..no sure but I think it was 150.00
57's x3..75.00 apeice
Bering.B2 X2..One I got for a 100.00 the other was 200.00 I belive
MXL V67 X2 ..same as above
ECM 8000 x2..35.00 apeice
Cad E100..365.00...I got this when they came out
Blue Baby Bottle..499.00
Oktava ML 19{81' ribbon}..425.00 I belive
And some dynamic AT's that I can't remember the model #'s
I'm going to pair off the SM 81 next .. then Lawson 47 tube..
Don
Total is about $5600.00...its funny how it adds up..But its not bad considering how one recond. U47 goes for about $6000.00 I think
AT4033..299.00
KSM44 X2..699.00 per
SM81..350.00
Beta 87..250.00 I think{my partner bought it}
Beta 58..same as above I think
Beta 52..no sure but I think it was 150.00
57's x3..75.00 apeice
Bering.B2 X2..One I got for a 100.00 the other was 200.00 I belive
MXL V67 X2 ..same as above
ECM 8000 x2..35.00 apeice
Cad E100..365.00...I got this when they came out
Blue Baby Bottle..499.00
Oktava ML 19{81' ribbon}..425.00 I belive
And some dynamic AT's that I can't remember the model #'s
I'm going to pair off the SM 81 next .. then Lawson 47 tube..
Don
Total is about $5600.00...its funny how it adds up..But its not bad considering how one recond. U47 goes for about $6000.00 I think
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analogelectric
New member
Henri Devill said:
Depends on the U47 you look at. The fet U47 is significantly less than a tube long-body. Also if the tube U47 has the original tube you're looking at least $6000 just for the tube alone (I'm not kidding and if you can find one for less, snatch them up). I miss my tube U47 but I'm much happier with my RCA 44BX for about half the cost. You can get a tube U47 that's has a B.L.U.E. capsule and power supply for about $6000-$8000 and they do sound pretty damn good on just about anything but an original U47 is so much more in price but sounds close to a refirb (relatively).
Cripes, I totaled up my mics for someone just on the drums alone and I stopped after I hit $10,000. I have no idea where that money came from. No wonder I can't pay my bills on time. It’s funny how my tape machine cost more than my new truck. I think they should make a Transformers tape machine that morphs into something else. "Click click click...it's a tape machine...click click click...it's a motorcycle!"
--AdamLazlo
Henri Devill
New member
Hey Adam , Bingo ..yup B.L.U.E refurb...I was tracking drums and they took out the refurb..tube/long..Nice mic..They wouldn't let me take it home ...We drooled and stuck it back in the cabinet LOL..When it comes to drums and cost of mics...It does climb rather quickly..Two U87's or relitive for room mics and a couple of overheads throw in a hat mic and a 47 fet ont the outside kik and you can be at stupid money pretty quick!
Don
...We drooled and stuck it back in the cabinet LOL..When it comes to drums and cost of mics...It does climb rather quickly..Two U87's or relitive for room mics and a couple of overheads throw in a hat mic and a 47 fet ont the outside kik and you can be at stupid money pretty quick!Don
analogelectric
New member
Henri Devill said:Hey Adam , Bingo ..yup B.L.U.E refurb...I was tracking drums and they took out the refurb..tube/long..Nice mic..They wouldn't let me take it home
Don
The fet U47 is the best for kick drums in fact that's all I've ever seen it used for. I never tried it on anything else mostly becasue it wasn't mine and I liked it on the kick with a SM7 inside near the beater.
--AdamLazlo
chessparov said:
I'm pretty sure that was the Devil's mic, the 666, and not the 664...
Anyway, here's my stash, speaking of the Devil:
Ribbons:
RCA BK-11 (2)
RCA 44BX
RCA 77DX
RCA SK46
RCA BK5
Sank mod'ed M500
Sank Mod'ed B&O
B&O BM3 (2)
Beyer M500 (4)
Beyer M260 (2)
Coles 4038
Shure 300, 310, 330
Reslo (2)
Condensers:
Neumann U87
Neumann KM84 (2)
Microtech Gefell UM70 (2)
Gefell M300
AKG 414 B-ULS
AKG 451 (2)
AKG Blueline (2)
Shure KSM32
Josephson C600
Tube condensers:
Altec M10 (2)
RTT MKH-101 bottle mic
Telefunken U47a
Dynamics:
AKG D19C
Altec 689C
AKG D-12E
EV RE 20
EV RE 18
EV RE 15 (2)
EV RE 16 (4)
EV RE 55
EV 408
EV 666
Shure SM 57's, 58's (lots)
Beyer Soundstar (2)
Shure SM7
PZM:
Crown SASS stereo mic
2 Radio Shack PZMs plate-mounted
