MXL v67g & AKG 414- A blind test

  • Thread starter Thread starter antispatula
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nuemes said:
However...

keep in mind that the V67 may sound like a turd once it's in a full band mix. This I've learned the hard way after choosing the V67 as vocal mic in solo context and then recording an EP worth of vocals based on the solo'd sound and not within the context of a mix. It took me a while to realize the value of the Blue Baby Bottle for example until I heard it in context of a mix and how it 'sat' smoothly and clearly defined.
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It was exactly the opposite for me. I always picked the Baby Bottle based on how it sounded by itself, then I'd get it in a full mix and hate the damned thing. The V67g hasn't let me down yet on any male singers. I've even had several comment on how much better they liked the way their vocals sounded over other mics I've used in the past. I was skeptical about the 67 at first, all that skepticism is gone now.
 
I had a suspicion that guitar mic #1 was the AKG because I rented one for a day and got pretty much the same sound you did. I didn't like it on vocals or acoustic guitar, but I figured part of it might have been an untreated room and part of it may have been recording into an Mbox and a Digi002. It's just a little too bright for my taste, bordering on harsh. I get a much better result on my Martin with an SM81 and on my voice with either an SM57 or an SM7b through my RNP.

bilco
 
is this right?

jonnyc said:
It was exactly the opposite for me. I always picked the Baby Bottle based on how it sounded by itself, then I'd get it in a full mix and hate the damned thing. The V67g hasn't let me down yet on any male singers. I've even had several comment on how much better they liked the way their vocals sounded over other mics I've used in the past. I was skeptical about the 67 at first, all that skepticism is gone now.
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I think how a mic sits in the mix is going to depend on several variables, like: the style of music, the signal chain, any inluence from the tracking room and the skill (ear) of the one doing the mix.
One thing I've learned from reading these threads here on HomeRecording .com is that this is all very subjective.
 
Mic 1 clearly sounded better to me on both sources. I don't know why anybody would choose 2, to be honest. In both cases I could hear the cheapness of the mic, especially in the sibilant parts on the vocal. Some aspects of that Chinese top end work for the acoustic guitar, but in the context of a mix I would definitely choose 1.
 
Whoopysnorp said:
Mic 1 clearly sounded better to me on both sources. I don't know why anybody would choose 2, to be honest. In both cases I could hear the cheapness of the mic, especially in the sibilant parts on the vocal.
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Weird...I had the exact opposite reaction, particularly on the sibilance. Mic 1 has harsher sibilance, period. That harsh sibilance may very well be more accurate, but it ain't pleasing to the ear.

Weird indeed.
 
ch2os7 said:
I think how a mic sits in the mix is going to depend on several variables, like: the style of music, the signal chain, any inluence from the tracking room and the skill (ear) of the one doing the mix.
One thing I've learned from reading these threads here on HomeRecording .com is that this is all very subjective.
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Not to pick on you but, this is pretty much a given in any recording situation. What exactly was your point in posting this?
 
jonnyc said:
What do you mean by fake and original? This wasn't a comparison of an original mic and a copy of that. It was a comparison between two different microphones. Neither of which are "fake", they both pass sound.
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Awe, you know what he meant, ya bloody drama queen - "fake" as in 'fake assumptions' that we should be spending $$$ on mics. I think he summed it up very nicely.
 
The 414 is meant to be a workhorse with a lot of flexibility. Does the model you are comparing it to have all the same polar patterns, pad and filter options as the 414?

What about noise?

What about bandwidth?
 
robin watson said:
Awe, you know what he meant, ya bloody drama queen - "fake" as in 'fake assumptions' that we should be spending $$$ on mics. I think he summed it up very nicely.
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Sorry I really didn't read it like that. I thought he was just taking a cheap swipe at chinese mics by calling them fake. Do you really need to resort to the "drama queen", really?
 
my point

jonnyc said:
Not to pick on you but, this is pretty much a given in any recording situation. What exactly was your point in posting this?
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hey, thanks for not picking on me! My point was that how a mic "sits" in a mix can depend on a lot of factors so the mic may not always be the problem. A mic that doesn't work for my style of music or in my room might do fine for someone else. Most of the tests comparing inexpensive mics against expensive mics have yielded mixed results at best.

In the title, I asked, "isn't this right?" I was actually asking a question. I'm trying to learn. Thanks for confirming my theory and answering my question.
 
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ch2os7 said:
hey, thanks for not picking on me! My point was that how a mic "sits" in a mix can depend on a lot of factors so the mic may not always be the problem. A mic that doesn't work for my style of music or in my room might do fine for someone else. Most of the tests comparing inexpensive mics against expensive mics have yielded mixed results at best.

In the title, I asked, "isn't this right?" I was actually asking a question. I'm trying to learn. Thanks for confirming my theory and answering my question.
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And I was pointing out that your statement was obvious. Of course it makes a difference in the context of the song, room and source said mic is recording. So yes you were correct in what you were saying and again the results are going to be "mixed at best" because everyone hears a little different.
 
obviously

jonnyc said:
And I was pointing out that your statement was obvious. Of course it makes a difference in the context of the song, room and source said mic is recording. So yes you were correct in what you were saying and again the results are going to be "mixed at best" because everyone hears a little different.
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Well, I guess you're right, I was stating the obvious. Or at least it seemed obvious to me and apparently to you but if it is so obvious... I am confused about these blanket statements that the Chinese mics won't sit well in a full mix. That may be true in some cases but not in every case. It has also been pointed out elsewhere in this thread that the same could also be true with a more expensive mic like the AKG 414.

If all things are equal, the 414 should outshine the v67 but for the average home recorder with a low end signal chain and an untreated or barely treated room, and not-so-professional skills, is the 414 gonna outshine the Chinese mic by $800 worth? A lot of people (myself included) don't hear the difference anyhow.

I am far from being an authority on any of this. Trust me, I am not trying to act like I know anything but it can be really disappointing to drop a thousand bucks on a mic expecting it to be the magic fix for your recordings when you end up wondering if it sounds any better than your $99 mxl.
 
I just love the way people always come out after the file sources have been revealed and say "It was clear to me which was the better one". :rolleyes:

For the record though, (these things get searched), I think it's important to note that even if everyone agreed that the V67 sounded as good or better than the 414 in this test, it wouldn't make the V67 as good or better than a 414; it would only make it as good or better in this very limited test.
 
Robert D said:
I just love the way people always come out after the file sources have been revealed and say "It was clear to me which was the better one". :rolleyes:
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I just love the way some people are always unable to hear the difference! :D
 
jonnyc said:
Sorry I really didn't read it like that. I thought he was just taking a cheap swipe at chinese mics by calling them fake. Do you really need to resort to the "drama queen", really?
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The "drama queen" thing was for emphasis, a kind of 6dB boost at 5kHz or so, just to make it stand out in the emotional mix.
 
I've had good success with a V67G as a vocal mic.

At least, it's better sounding on my voice than my other cheap Chinese condenser microphones.
 
Whoopysnorp said:
I just love the way some people are always unable to hear the difference! :D
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Touche! :D But you get no points for hearing the difference if you wait till it's revealed, not that the points are redeemable or anything. :)
 
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