No hype . Just reality

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CyanJaguar

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Whats the mic for me if I am looking for smooth and real?

I dont need hyped high end.
I dont need hyped low end
I dont need tube warmth.

I just want a mic that is Very smooth and clean .

suggestions please.

I need the mic to be as smooth or smoother than an AKG c414b

thanks

unfortunately, I am somehow realizing or maybe getting the idea that this sort of mic does comes at a cost. I wonder, is the mc012 a smooth mic?
 
I just listened to something tracked with a Sennheiser MD-421, and it struck me as being quite smooth, though I'm not sure it would be as "clean" as a condenser. As far as the MC012, if its smooth, then I would imagine an MXL-603s would be equally smooth. I have a 603 but nothing to speak of to compare it to.

Maybe the new Rode mics?
 
Uh, not the Rode NT1000 or NT-3. Have both and smooth is not what pops into my ear, especially the NT-3...But I do like the sparkle from the 1000 on some things.. The NTK is smoother, but my friend's Royer ribbon, now that's smoooooooooooth. Do you really want a flat, non-hyped top end? Or something more euphonic? What's the application? Voice? Instruments? Banjo? Have you tried an ADK A-51? The reviews seem to state it has a 'darker' sound than most low cost large diaphram FET mics. Or maybe some instrumentation mics, like the Audix TR-40 or Earthworks... Still the better ribbon mics to me have smooth down to a silky art.
Good Luck,
Jim
 
YES !

the royer r-121 is smooooooth. And rich as well. Its a bit dark for my tastes.
High end sparkle would be an advantage, but I dont want it to be to the detriment of reality. The mic would be mainly for vocals.

Thanks for the info on the nt1000. I sometimes like the NTK, sometimes I think I can hear some hash up there somewhere, or maybe its just lacking the body that I look for.What are your thoughts on that?

Getting the "best" vocal mic in the $300-700 range is amazingly difficult. Thats why I need real. At least it will work for the greatest number of singers and it also sounds incredibly pleasing if equalised well.

Ill have to check into the ADK. Thanks Mandomaniac.

Thanks Dolemite. Is the 421 a dynamic?
 
Earthworks omnis don't sound like any of those descriptions.
They don't sound like anything at all. If your source is smooth and clean, they will capture smooth and clean.

The cardioids (like SR71) are pretty similar, but seem a little brighter due to a little brighter off-axis response. They are allso a little thinner if you are not close enough to utilize proximity effect.

Peace,
Rick
 
check out the GT AM-11. Not too much hyped high end, the bottom is detailed and the mids are sweet. with the roll off on, it has a more colored sound, nice for my voice, with the roll off off, that bottom is like you're right there, but not really hyped, like I said, very detailed. I Picked one up recently for $230. Might suit your fancy. I just fell in love with it. My first adjective wouldn't be smooth (that'd be an RE-20) but it defintly sounds "real". You mentioned the TLM 103 in another thread, that'd be an excellent choice of course.

-jhe
 
You may also want to try out the Studio Projects C3 (multipattern) for
under $400 street price.

If you go the "dynamic" route, you may also want to check out the
Shure SM-7. Sometimes I use my Sennheiser 421 for vocals and it
seems to work better on ballads. Even though I have a powerful
voice, in more dense arrangements, the lead vocal isn't as
"present" as I like. Plus, it has a brighter sound than the RE20 or
SM-7.
 
real sound

I would recomend the ADK A-51s. Check those out on ebay they are always cheap, new of cours.e I use that mic all the time and I love the sound of it. It is a little dark, but I like it. Check out teh SM-7 too. That mic can make some great sounds for all sort of applications, plus you gets loads of foam to boot.

MIKE
 
studio projects c3?
adk 51?

arent these mics based on the infamous chinese capsule thats known for grit more than anything else?

they might be good for other things but I dont think they qualify as smooth . I've heard the c1 and I personally think its extremely dirty on the top. I prefer the v67 even though its not a shining example of smooth either.

I have to look into the sennheiser. It seems to be getting honorable mention.
 
Sennheiser 421

i have 2 of these mics and they are great for just about anything. They are dynamic, but they still have a defined high end (10K and up) that is lacking in alot of dynamic mics.
Some of the applications that i have used them on (both live and in the studio:
Voice
Snare
Toms
Kick
Electric Guitar
Bass guitar
Overheads (used once in a pinch, and they spounded great!)
Acoustic guitar

The only thing i didnt especially like was the solo 421 on acoustic. however, combined with a condenser (AKG C531) it really filled out . The one feature i really like on the 421 is a 5 position bass roll off switch that can really reduce the proximity effect. This is the one of the few mics that i always consider for every application. good luck!

Matt
 
Well, this is all subjective, but if you want smooth with a little more open-ness on top, check out the coles ribbon mic, and compare it to the Royer for your liking. Also, check out the Sennheiser 441. Its a dynamic and about $800. You might like that one more than the 421. I had a 441 in the palm of my hand for like $100 and screwed around and lost it. What an idiot.
 
Cyan, for "smooth and clean" I'll agree w/ those who say you should look into a ribbon mic. Check out the Coles and the Royers.
 
When I visited Recording Engineer last summer, he had a 797 Audio 998 that sounded VERY smooth! It is a tube mic, but don't hold that against it.....;)

I was using a ADK TC-51. Not too bad. A more detailed sound than the 414, but it is not the mic for every singer. The high end presence tends to get overbearing on some voices, although I don't think it is "grainy" or "thin", just a little too present.

I would check out that 797 Audio 998 if you want to stay below $1000. I was very impressed with it's sound on voice. It didn't sound as good though on acoustic guitar as a 4033 did.

Ed
 
The Axis wrote:
The cardioids (like SR71) are pretty similar, but seem a little brighter due to a little brighter off-axis response. They are allso a little thinner if you are not close enough to utilize proximity effect.

I was thinking of these as alternatives to the qtc1's as my primary drum overs; similar sound but more isolation. But if they are thinner in the free field, maybe not? (I don't close mic the toms, so I need to keep the 'body')

Hey, does it seem like when we say "smooth" that half of us mean 'mellow' and the other half mean flat responce/no peaks? (I'm in the second half.:)
 
mixsit: The SR71s are noticeably thinner if I mike from over about 24", but sound full when I am within about 18" of an acoustic guitar. I really don't know exactly what this means to drum overheads.

Since drums are pretty well spread out and loud, you could try an SRO, which is flat and omni, but has a slightly higher noise level. I am pretty sure you won't hear it when miking drums.

That is the one major caution when using the Earthworks designs. The Omnis are great, but don't give the cardioid rejection. The Cardioids are nice, but the bass falls off below about 400 Hz unless you can close-mike.

For a flat, low-noise cardioid, the new AT3035 looks like it might be worth considering, but I haven't heard them yet.

Peace,
Rick
 
More on Earthworks

---In fact, I habitually track my guitar with both the SR71s and QTC1s, and then listen to both afterward to pick out what I like best. But I invariably pick the QTC1s, because they are just slightly fuller and more faithful to the source. So i am going to sell my SR71s.
They are a pair of SR71s, not a matched pair. With original cases, windscreens. $500 for the pair. One is about a year old, the other is only 3 months old. Both have never been outside my home studio. e-mail me if interested.

thanks,
rick
 
without blowing a wad, after searching thru all the *current* condensor mics, I found I loved using an RE20 for the vocal mic with my favorite singer (female) I am currently working with.
 
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