MXL 603s/991 characteristics + and -

[XLR]

I've used the 603 a lot on guitars - steel and nylon string. Variety of placements, guitars, rooms. IME it has some distinct good characteristics and some distinct bad ones. I really like the mic. The fact that it's very low $ gives me a weird satisfaction when I use it, 'cause I've got a bunch of mics that are more high end. What's your take on the good and bad qualities of the mic?

Times I've liked its sound on nylon have all been where the playing's been soft and there's less high freq transient emphasis. With soft playing, the 603 can sometimes get a lush sound perfect for what I was going for. But get loud and aggressive and the mic gives the string attack a hard jagged edge - especially around 3 and 6 kH. It's not just the high freq bump in the mic's response curve, as I've compared them w/other bright mic's. High freq problems in the room get magnified also, but it's a wide cardioid so that's expected.

I posted an mp3 of a 603 pair on nylon string here:
http://www.homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?p=1450991#post1450991

On steel string acoustic the 603 hits me as being a little less touchy about transients and aggressive playing, but it's still a problem. And because the sustain of the steel strings' sound is brighter, some high freq room problems are magnified even more. In a well balanced or dark sounding room it's great.

The 603's off axis response (as happens in XY or ORTF configs) is pretty good to my ear. Its problem with stereo "room" use though is that the mic loses a lot of its clarity when moved back from the source beyond a couple of feet.

What situations has the 603 worked well for you without having that high freq hard edge?

Tim

 

[tdukex]

Tim, I have had similar experiences with steel string. Keep in mind that the guit, guit strings, and mic pre will also have an affect on the mic's performance. For example, I used to have a Larrivee D-05 cedar top that loved John Pearse phospher bronze strings. It really opened up with these strings and recorded quite well. Once I got my Webber 0M cedar top, I found the JP's really made the normally beautiful sounding Webber sound strident with a very annoying high-end when recorded. Once I switched to Elixer Nanos the sound improved greatly. The mic also started sounding a lot better when I switched from a Beh mixer to the DMP3, which I know you have. I haven't tried it with the Seb yet.

I pair the 603s with an MC012 in both XY and ORTF with the 603 aimed at the bout (it is a little bright on the neck).

I don't play aggressive/hard stuff on acou guit, but I reckon your assessment of the 603 is right on. I have noticed that it can sound fab all by itself (about 12" - 18" out) on a responsive guit played with a soft touch.

 

[XLR]

tdukex, thanks for the input. Know what you mean about gtrs recording better or worse with different strings. Did a string comparison recording test on one of my nylon gtrs to try to find trebles that my mic's liked. Changed several half-sets in a day and did a take of the same music with each. Man, what a difference. It’d be interesting to hear before/after clips of your Webber with the string change.

With pre's, I think the 603 sounds about 20% better on my GR pre's compared to my old Mackies. Still over sensitive to transients to my ear but it tightens up the low end, clearer highs.

Tim