Middleman
Professional Amateur
Anyone use one of the mic shaping software apps that supposedly turn your SM57 into a Neuman? Just wondered what the experience was out there and if these are worth investing in.
T.J.Hooker
New member
I have never heard of it. Can you tell me more it sounds cool.
Middleman
Professional Amateur
This is software which reshapes the wave file recorded from your inexpensive mic and supposedly makes it sound like you were using an expensive mic.
These start around $200 from the posts I've seen. I have no experience with them and wondered how they work.
These start around $200 from the posts I've seen. I have no experience with them and wondered how they work.
camn
Active member
IVe heard the antares setup, and it sounded pretty good... but I didnt have a Neumann on hand to check the difference. BUT I do have a RODE NT 2 which is not a neumann and still sounded better than the emulator. There is no substitute for a 1" gold plated condensor. And there is NO WAY a crappy dynamic will sound as good.
And by the way... in case you'all never knew, in real life I'm all about vintage gear.. and no digital modeler even comes CLOSE to a blackface Tremolux on 8. NOT EVEN THE SAME BALLPARK!!! It's like plastic compared to metal.
but this is the '00s, the century of really well-recorded, high quality crap. (by that I mean whats the point in using 24-bit processing on fifty cent sounds...)
xoxoxox
camn
capital city guitars
And by the way... in case you'all never knew, in real life I'm all about vintage gear.. and no digital modeler even comes CLOSE to a blackface Tremolux on 8. NOT EVEN THE SAME BALLPARK!!! It's like plastic compared to metal.
but this is the '00s, the century of really well-recorded, high quality crap. (by that I mean whats the point in using 24-bit processing on fifty cent sounds...)
xoxoxox
camn
capital city guitars
T.J.Hooker
New member
Where did you hear about it, is there an ad I can look at or something ?
AlChuck
Well-known member
There are a couple of these, but the one I know by name is the Antares Microphone Modeler (the same people that make the widely-used AutoTune).
I think one or more of them Roland VS-whatever stand-alone boxes have some COSM-type variant on this process. Basically the software takes a signal and transforms it as if it had the special characteristics of some other device. Another example of a similar idea is the Line 6 amps and the POD, but these model beloved guitar amp characteristics rather than microphone behavior.
It's a brave new world!
-AlChuck
I think one or more of them Roland VS-whatever stand-alone boxes have some COSM-type variant on this process. Basically the software takes a signal and transforms it as if it had the special characteristics of some other device. Another example of a similar idea is the Line 6 amps and the POD, but these model beloved guitar amp characteristics rather than microphone behavior.
It's a brave new world!
-AlChuck
T.J.Hooker
New member
Yes, I have heard of the Line 6 and POD. But never tried them have you ? Do they sound close to the real McCoy ?
AlChuck
Well-known member
tj,
Actually Line 6 makes the POD too -- I meant to say the Line 6 combo amps and also their POD and Amp Farm (that's the ProTools software plugin that does the same processing).
And I have a POD... I think it sounds fantastic. I'm not a super-purist, and maybe my ratty old ears are losing sensitivity, but I think it sounds remarkably like the real thing. And so much more convenient than the real thing...
-AlChuck
Actually Line 6 makes the POD too -- I meant to say the Line 6 combo amps and also their POD and Amp Farm (that's the ProTools software plugin that does the same processing).
And I have a POD... I think it sounds fantastic. I'm not a super-purist, and maybe my ratty old ears are losing sensitivity, but I think it sounds remarkably like the real thing. And so much more convenient than the real thing...
-AlChuck
Middleman
Professional Amateur
Actually I was more interested in what these shapers do for vocals than guitars. I probably need to buy a good vocal mike but was hoping to squeeze some life out the old SM57.
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
Yea, a good condenser mic will get you a lot farther then the mic modelers will. I have Antereas mic modeler and while it's a VERY cool tool it won't make a SM-57 into a Neuman U-87a. It just adds a little color to the sound. It's a subtle kind of effect and it's not a one size fits all thing, like I said, it's a tool.
AlChuck
Well-known member
To look at it in an extreme way, if you plugged in one of those little $5 mikes you get with a Sound Blaster and ran the Antares Mic Modeler on the signal, would it sound like a Neumann? The software has to have a decent signal to start with. It cannot guess what was there in the space that a Neumann would have picked up and add it in... It's a bit like scanning a really grainy photo. You might be able to scan it at high resolution but how can you expect to know which light levels should go in between all the grains? The software can make some educated guesses but that's all.
You need a reasonably accurate mic to start with, with as little coloration as possible, to really get something out of a mic modeler. Then you can do neat stuff. But as they say in the computer world, "garbage in, garbage out."
-AlChuck
You need a reasonably accurate mic to start with, with as little coloration as possible, to really get something out of a mic modeler. Then you can do neat stuff. But as they say in the computer world, "garbage in, garbage out."
-AlChuck
Middleman
Professional Amateur
Thanks all. Think I'll hold off on the Antares for awhile based on the comments here. Looks like the best strategy is to pop for a good vocal mike.
Ok.. Any suggestions on an under $500 mic?
Ok.. Any suggestions on an under $500 mic?