Mic Shoot-out - Clean Guitar Sound

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Blue Bear Sound

Blue Bear Sound

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Just for shits 'n giggles - and 'cos I wanted to document the differences I noticed, I've done a mic comparison of a 20 second guitar clip, recorded using a variety of mics.

I've made a ZIP file available (MP3s) at http://www.echoices.com/webFTP.nsf?opendatabase.
The only downside is that I am borrowing the webspace, so the clip will be there only for 2 days (Sunday and Monday). If interested, you better download now!

Details:
Hardly "scientific" methodology, but I did keep the test parameters the same. All the clips were recorded to peak between 0 VU and +2 VU on my console, regardless of the mic being used. So the levels are consistent from clip to clip. Each mic was located in the SAME position - 6 inches slightly off-axis of the celestion cone mounted in a Randall Isolation cabinet. The guitar amp's output was set to about rehearsal level (fairly strong output) and you will notice slight evidence of clipping as the SPL was a bit high for one of the mics!

The same guitar (stock American Deluxe Strat) was used for all the tests. Neck pickup - volume max'd, tone max'd - fresh strings. (I was about to start tracking when the need to compare mics overcame me!!!) ;)

SO..... let's have some fun with this... I'll name the mics (7 clips, 7 mics!), but not which mic goes with which clip, so you guys can pick and choose... I'll post the actual mics used for each clip later...

I must admit to finding a hidden gem in this test - a mic I normally wouldn't have reached for will now be something I will be using more often for certain sounds - you all can make your own determinations!

Also - this was using a clean guitar riff only - with dirty sounds, the results are likely to be different. (That particular shoot-out will be for another day - I need to get some tracks down today and I've run out of test play time!) :)

So - the mics tested (in no particular order) --
Shure SM57
Marshall MXL2001
Audio Technica AT4041
Shure SM58
Rode NT2
BeyerDynamic M160
Shure SM57Beta

Have fun!

Bruce
 
Last edited:
Oh yeah... forgot to mention the signal path...

mic --> PreSonus VXP (all extra circuits defeated) --> Masterlink

(the Mackie console only had a monitoring feed off the PreSonus)

Bruce
 
Oh crap, I was hoping for samples of acoustic guitar. Oh well - I'm downloading it anyway 'cuz I'm eager to learn. :D

Isaiah
 
Bruce,

If you like, I'll put it up on my site. I'll download it now, with your permission I'll put it up there.
 
Much appreciated OG - that would be great!

Thanks!

Bruce
 
The least I could do consider the knowledge I've sucked from you on the time I've been here. That and I stole your "huh?" idea from your studio equipment list and put it on mine.

In any event, it should now be available at http://www.oldgrover.org/bluebear/micShoot_MP3.zip

Let me know if there are any problems. Oh, and if there's anything else like this you want put up, let me know and I'll give you the space. I've got lots of space up there and not enough MP3s yet.
 
OldGrover said:
...and I stole your "huh?" idea from your studio equipment list and put it on mine.
Click to expand...
Bastard!!!! ;)

Thanks again Grover!

:D :D

Bruce
 
my personal faves are

cd track 5 and cd track 7

. The first track sounded closed.
the next 3 sounded a bit harsh.

5,6,and seven sounded like I would want it the guitar to sound, but 6 lost out to 5 and 7.

So, tell me tell me. What mics are 5 and 7?
 
I actually sorta like the 1st one - if I had to guess, I'd say it was a 58. I just sorta like that sound
 
Clip 5 was the most musical...very present low mids, slightly set back mid mids and present highs mids. I doubt it was any of the shures. Definitely not the 2001, not the NT2 so its either the beyer or the 4041...???


Im guessing the marshall was either 3 or 4.

the 57 on 6??

the NT2 on 7.



Did I win?
 
Here are my findings

Listening through Aiwa CD speakers :o

1. Track 4
2. Track 2
3. Track 3
4. Track 7
5. Track 6
6. Track 5
7. Track 1

Listening through (even worse) headphones :o

1. Track 2 (this one sounded REALLY good in my headphones)
2. Track 4
3. Track 7
4. Track 3
5. Track 6
6. Track 5
7. Track 1


-tkr
 
Hmmm..... interesting....

OK - here's my impressions after reviewing the clips... my 2 favorites were track 1 and track 7.
I worked all afternoon with track 1's mic and find it captured the sound very nicely, it's a bit warm sounding-compared to the others, but in repeated use, I found it very very pleasant - capturing all the nuances nicely.

Track 7 was the surprise - it wouldn't have been an obvious first reach for me, but now I'll have to consider it more - the sound had a nice clarity and presence without being harsh.

Track number 5 was my least favorite - immediately distinguishable as very honky...

SO........... the actual mics to tracks are.... (drum roll)

Track 1 - Beyer M160 ribbon dynamic
Track 2 - Shure SM57 dynamic
Track 3 - Shure Beta 57 dynamic
Track 4 - Shure SM58 dynamic
Track 5 - Marshall MXL2001 large dia condenser
Track 6 - Rode NT2 large dia condenser
Track 7 - Audio Technica AT4041 small dia condenser

Well there it is... hope this was informative for you guys!

Bruce

BTW, no one heard the mic they thought they were hearing, so I get to keep all the prize money!!!!
;)
 
Out of all those mics I chose the trusty SM57.......that settles it, I definitly gotta get one of those. :)

-tkr
 
Blue Bear Sound said:
SO........... the actual mics to tracks are.... (drum roll)

Track 1 - Beyer M160 ribbon dynamic
Track 2 - Shure SM57 dynamic
Track 3 - Shure Beta 57 dynamic
Track 4 - Shure SM58 dynamic
Track 5 - Marshall MXL2001 large dia condenser
Track 6 - Rode NT2 large dia condenser
Track 7 - Audio Technica AT4041 small dia condenser

Well there it is... hope this was informative for you guys!

Bruce

BTW, no one heard the mic they thought they were hearing, so I get to keep all the prize money!!!!
;)
Click to expand...

wow, I didn't dare to post my guess, but I was almost shure about the beyer and the sm 58/57, the latter because track 2 and 4 sounded almost identical.
Track 1 really sounds as if you would sit in front of your amp, maybe a bit boomey (but this could be my room, too). I've just bought a m500 on ebay, I hope it will sound as good as your m160!
more of this kind of stuff please, its an excelent training!!
Thank you
Harald
 
I thought track 5 was terrible. Actually I didn't particularly like the NT2 all that much either, but I'm sure it's a terrific vocal mic. What I'd like to hear is a room mic and have the two signals panned. I have my soundcard go into my Tascam 688, and just for kicks I panned the dry MP3 hard left and did a prefader AUX to my effects processor and ran the processed signal hard right. I can't stand mono guitar cabinet recordings by themselves! :P

Isaiah
 
Well yeah... after I listened back to the clips, I thought I should have added a bit of ambience for "perspective" but then I though better of it.

After all, when prepping a mix, you listen to the tracks as is, warts - dry - everything. So I didn't want to change the perception by introducing another dimension to the sound.

The Marshall mic was easily the worst - that honk is incredibly annoying. I did listen to the clips on a variety of soources and you wouldn't necessarily notice it all the time, but definitely in the control room, it's quite apparent.

And the NT2 wasn't all that inspiring either - although the tone was reasonable, it just seemed flat in comparison to the M160 or the small dia 4041.

That M160 proved itself to me though - as I said, as I was using it for a few hours after I did these tests, I grew increasingly aware of exactly how good sounding it was - capturing nuances and warmth at the same time - especially noticeable on headphones - there was a sense of space around the sound (even though the mic was in an enclosed cab!) It had "air"!

So..... next chance I get - I'll try the exact same type of test using acoustic guitar and also dirty guitar... depends how much time I get!!!

Bruce
 
Amazing. Track 1 is definitely boomy but one mans boominess is anothers resonance or depth or whatever. After fresh earing all the clips I still pick 5 as the most likely to sit in the mix and the LEAST honky ....2,3, and 4 being the honkiest. Im listening in an 8x11 control room which is slightly trapezoidaly shaped on PS5s which honk when there is honk. :D

7 is very solid other than a slight clipping in the first part of the progression.

Id be interested in hearing some blind condesnser tests with vocals if anybody has some extra time.
 
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