Overhead Mic Showdown

  • Thread starter Thread starter CanopuS
  • Start date Start date
SM-81

The mics I use for overheads the most are Shure SM-81 SDCs. They're around $300 each, and continue to be very well regarded. Some people might even go as far as to say they're the industry standard for accurate SDCs.
 
the u87??

has anyone ever tried using a neuman u87 as an overhead??? I have used one for vocals at a studio once and loved it, but what do u all think??
 
AT around $4000 a pair, they're pretty cool. But I can think of a few more that I'd prefere.
 
I got my matched pair of GT33's from Digital Village (UK) for £239 (about $350)!

They will send to the US I believe?
 
I'm english too :D Unfortunately we're looking at £150 for me :x
 
I like my Gefell's with the M70 caps. The mix of: my sound room, drums, board, blah blah blah ... sounds good to me :-)


-Zach
 
CanopuS said:
Basically, what are the best Overhead mics, and what would you recommend? Sorry for posting yet another "Whats the best" thread, but this seems a very open subject, I haven't found anywhere that has a definitive or anywhere near certain opinion. Thanks a lot!
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The best OH mics are the ones that cost the most. The more $$$$ you throw at the problem, the more the problem goes away. If you spent even more $$$, you can get pro recordings on a 4-track cassete deck. Forget about all the talk on this BBS about better pre-amps, cables, recorders. blah-blah-blah. This talk is just covering up the fact that the most expensive mics is all you need. Just my $200,000 worth. Go by price and you will never go wrong.
 
Just a wealth of knowledge to be gleaned from this place. That is, if you don't fall prey to one of the traps laid by folks who want to discourage questions from newbies and the like. I guess some folks just feel the need to reply to every post. If they don't have something constructive to add, then they'll chose to be distructive or misleading instead. :(
 
CanopuS

Do you mean you got a pair of GT33's for £150? If so, where???
 
Re: Re: Overhead Mic Showdown

acorec said:
The best OH mics are the ones that cost the most. The more $$$$ you throw at the problem, the more the problem goes away. If you spent even more $$$, you can get pro recordings on a 4-track cassete deck. Forget about all the talk on this BBS about better pre-amps, cables, recorders. blah-blah-blah. This talk is just covering up the fact that the most expensive mics is all you need. Just my $200,000 worth. Go by price and you will never go wrong.
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ooo, so if i find a place that'll sell me a pair of tin cans for 32,000 dollars that's the best?


if you cant tell i was being sarcastic! and i knew you were too :-P
 
Re: Re: Overhead Mic Showdown

acorec said:
The best OH mics are the ones that cost the most. The more $$$$ you throw at the problem, the more the problem goes away. If you spent even more $$$, you can get pro recordings on a 4-track cassete deck. Forget about all the talk on this BBS about better pre-amps, cables, recorders. blah-blah-blah. This talk is just covering up the fact that the most expensive mics is all you need. Just my $200,000 worth. Go by price and you will never go wrong.
Click to expand...
Humm, well most of the I think we are in agreement... but, I'm not so sure this time. The whole audio chain is very important... and pinching a garden hose affects the water flow.
 
Re: Re: Overhead Mic Showdown

acorec said:
The best OH mics are the ones that cost the most. The more $$$$ you throw at the problem, the more the problem goes away. If you spent even more $$$, you can get pro recordings on a 4-track cassete deck. Forget about all the talk on this BBS about better pre-amps, cables, recorders. blah-blah-blah. This talk is just covering up the fact that the most expensive mics is all you need. Just my $200,000 worth. Go by price and you will never go wrong.
Click to expand...
Humm, well most of the I think we are in agreement... but, I'm not so sure this time. The whole audio chain is very important... and pinching a garden hose affects the water flow.
 
CanopuS said:
My drummer has his kit in quite a small room, but which is quite echo-y (not that this couldn't be solved with a few rugs and carpets around the place...). The heads are worn, but will be replaced soon. The sound I'm going for is a pretty normal drum sound, the kind you'd find in indie-rock music. Our style is similar to that of the Foo Fighters or Radiohead, slow-mid rock (so not bashing the hell outta them). I'm looking at the $300 and below price range.
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This is exactly my situation too... except for the Foo Fighters and Radiohead thing... and that I would also be using them for acoustic guitar.

What about Rode NT5's? What do you folks think of them? A local store sells a pair for $260. I haven't seen these talked about much here since I've started hanging around this board again. It seems like a couple years ago they, along with NT1's, were all the rage. Sort of like the Oktava stuff is now.

Also, does anyone know about EV 200's? I might be able to get my hands on a pair, but I have no idea whether or not I want to.
 
I would suggest the AKG c430s for overheads. zzounds has them for $200/pair!! I just picked up a pair of AT Pro 37s and they seem like some pretty damn good mics for $137 each!
 
PTron

The RE200 is a very strange beast! I have not tried it on many things yet, but I can tell you it has a very unusual character. I have about 12 different mics and it sounds nothing like any of them!

I cannot recommend the RE200 for any specific use, because I have not found what it is good for yet. However, I just know that I am so pleased I have one and that when I do find something it works with, nothing else in my mic collection will come close, as it really is so different!

I believe that they are intended as distant, room mics, for recording choirs etc. This may have resulted in the designers giving them an unusual refequency response, that works well when recording from a distance from the source, but oddly close up? I have only tried them close up on vocals, bongos and Doumbek.

I got mine (as new - never used) for about $68 off Ebay!!! If you want to play safe, then do not buy a pair of RE200's. If you don't mind simply owning a pair of querky mics, then please grab em and join me on the quest for their purpose!
 
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