Mic for sax and vocals (421, RE20, SM7)?

[jbroad572]

I finally got a little money to buy a decent mic and I'm looking for the best all around mic at the moment. I am considering the 421, re20, and SM7. I play soprano sax through tenor, also like to do spoken word (poetry... you know with the walking bass type thing), and would eventually like to record a few friends singing. Right now I have a MXL v67g and that's it. Along with this purchase I may go for a SM57 or SM58. I don't have any external preamps, just using a Delta 1010lt and Behringer Mixer (monitoring).
So, please offer any suggestions that could steer me in the right direction.

 

[martello]

I vote for md 421, one of the most used

 

[AGCurry]

I vote for md 421, one of the most used

+1 for the 421.

 

[giraffe]

any one of thoes mic's rock.

any one know how a 421 sounds on a sax? may sound fine, but you don't hear about people dooing it too much.

 

[Big Kenny]

one of the most used in live applications, not sure about studio

 

[TimOBrien]

I use a 421 and a large-diameter condenser on tenor, and just a large-diameter condenser on alto.

(The 421 has been used on a LOT of famous pro recordings down through the decades....)

 

[IronFlippy]

Large Diaphram Condenser

 

[Juggernaut]

Add one to the RE20 it sounded just wicked on a tenor sax I recorded a while back. Great warmth and presence. Can't comment on the SM7 too much but it should be fine as well as the MD421 which I do have, but do not use too much on sax.

 

[jbroad572]

wow, these replies don't make it any easier. How is the re20 and 421 on singing (both male and female) vocals? I'm leaning toward the 421 or re20. The 421 would be idal because of the pricing on ebay, bt if it was worth it I'd pay for the re20. Thanks for the suggestions so far.

 

[frankieballsss]

I have a 421 that i've used for vocals. It sounds very good for the price, almost as good as some AKG vocal mics that I have that are a couple hundred dollars more.

 

[AGCurry]

I'd give the RE20 a *slight* advantage for male vocals, the 421 a *slight* advantage for female vocals.

Really, you won't go wrong with either of these fine microphones.

 

[jbroad572]

Sorry to keep bugging, but would the re20 be suitable with warm jazz and r&b female vocals or would that be better achieved by the 421?
I ordered a DMP3 preamp go along with everything else. I also ordered 3 es57's (clones rather... will test them against a friends sm57 when they arrive), stillh ave the V67G, which I probably will keep. I might let it go depending on how these mic's sound.

I was about to make adeal on the re20, since it is favored from a few sax players on another forum I frequent, but wanted to see how it would fair with the above. Depending on the answers I will make my decision. I gotta stop spending money though, lol. I'm a couple hundred over what I originally planned to do.

 

[jbroad572]

Well, I just ordered an re20.... hope all is well and I won't be disappointed.
Thanks for the help and suggestions!
Now, I got to go keep busy and try not to think about how much money I have spent within the past 24 hours...

 

[EleKtriKaz]

Large Diaphram Condenser

Yes sir.

I'd say ribbon or dynamic for brass, but sax is a little different. Reed and all. LDCs sound great a foot and half to a few feet back from a sax in a nice room.

 

[giraffe]

if i could have one mic and one mic only
it would be a re-20