MXL V57M Large-Diaphragm Condenser Mic

[Walter Tore]

It has come to my attention that these are going for $39.99 at Musicians Friend. I am a beginner to recording and have been doing solo and band sessions with a Sharp mini disc and core sound binarul mic. I then mix it to cool edit 2000 with a little compression and reverb. I make up the words and music as I go along, record it, and press it to cd. Because all I need is a 1 track recording set up, I am wondering if I buy a small Beringer(sp?) mixer and use the MXL for vocals and the core sounds for the rest of the instrument(s), will I get better sound than I have achieved so far? I love the MD for it's ease of use and transporting. You can hear samples with the core sounds mic at this site:
http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/discography.php?aid=3118

Here are the songs I think sound the best:

Live at the Alpine Hall album - Boogie in B, grease fire, summertime blues, you mad me cry

Metal on Metal album - In the funeral home, my dream

Singles session: I don't know much, she died in the midnight hour, I won't take up no more of your time

Walter Tore's Spontobeat - 1 million songs and growing everday

http://www.spontobeat.com/


Thanks in advance!

Walter

 

[Aren]

Haven't heared your samples (no time now), but I do own the 57, as well as a Minidisc and elecret mics, and I'm telling you, you won't be dissapointed. Especially for 40$.

Go for it.


Oren

 

[Walter Tore]

Aren: Thanks for the advice. I ordered the mic and the 4 channel mixer from MF. It should be here by mid week. I figure I will place the 57 in front of my mouth, the core sounds a few feet away, and work on a decent mix through trial and error. With the band, I will place the 57 in front of the PA speaker, and the core sounds mic in front of the band. I am the only one using the PA. I sing and blow harp, through the same mic. We play very quiet. Should I get a stereo 1/8" - mono 1/4" adapter for the core sound mic, or just go stereo to stereo? Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Walter

http://www.spontobeat.com/

 

[crazydoc]

Hey, I really like the sound you get now - more because of your music than engineering.
Definitely go stereo to stereo - then you can pan the mxl to a center position during mixing.
I hope you got a mixer with phantom power, as the mxl will need this to function.

 

[Aren]

Walter,

Here's the thing with the stereo mic. First, it will only work with a special plug-in power supply, like you have in your MD's stereo input. In order to connect it to regular mic preamps, you need a battery box in the middle. Then, you need a sereo to 2 mono 1/4" cable, to plug the mic into two seperate mic channels, as the stereo channels on amixer do not provide any microphone preamplification.
What kind of mixer did you get? how many preamps does it have?

The battery box can be purchased from www.soundprofessionals.com for about 50$, but if you're handy with a solder iron, it can be built pretty painlessly, and will only cost 10$ or so. Maybe even less. If you want the schematics, I'll send them to you by E-mail. I'd offer to build one for you, but the shipping cost would be 3 times as much as getting it from SP.

I listened to a few of your samples. Real nice music, that will benefit from the new mic.

Oren

 

[Aren]

Hmmm... I just looked up core sound, and I see htat the mic comes with a battery box, so I guess you don't need one.
Better yet!

Oren

 

[Walter Tore]

Aren & crazydoc: Aren, thanks for your kind offer on the battery box, and to both of you for listening to my music. I am glad my mic set up will work. I am trying to get the best possible sound, on a limited budget, with portable equipment. I have been waiting all my life for this technology! Once I get the mic and mixer, sometime this week, I will probably have a whole lot of questions. Thanks for all your help in getting me going on this new set up. Walter

http://www.spontobeat.com/


PS: FYI, I am doing all this to raise awareness of Mental Retardation and the Smiling With Hope Foundation. $6.00, all the profit, from each cd goes directly to the foundation. I am not trying to "make it". I have done that in the past. My goal is if I get a few people thinking in this direction, it was all worth it. You can access the foundation through the above link.

 

[Jakearabble]

i just ordered 2 v57s should be here by wednesday
-Jake