Overheads, what would you buy?

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JonathanRay

JonathanRay

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I'm currently using 2 SM57s as my overhead drum mics. I've got $100 (I could probably push the bugest a little higher if it's worth it.) to spend on 2 overhead mics, but I dont know what to choose.

I record all genres, rock, jazz, pop, you name it.

What would you buy?
 
Samson CO2 seem to be right up your alley. I've read nice things about them on ZZounds/musiciansfriend but i've never used them personally. I may end up buying a set, they're only $100 for a matched pair (im sure you could do better on ebay or the like) so if they even record sound crappily i think it's still worth the 2 extra mic's for $100. They have alot of features, too, i think.
Otherwise you may have to buy one mic @ a time
 
I would just man up and get some octava mk012's. I got my for $70 used. They sound just awesome, I couldn't be happier with them.
 
donger said:
I would just man up and get some octava mk012's. I got my for $70 used. They sound just awesome, I couldn't be happier with them.
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wherdyu get yours?
 
I personally would be picking up a pair of MXL 603s for $199USD,
depending on whether or not you can stretch your budget by that much.
Your best bet might be to get something used or off ebay.

Or maybe the Behringer ECM8000s ($50each), i dont know what they are
like compared to the Samson C02s thou, also theres the CAD GXL1200s ($60 each)

(Prices used from Music123.com)
 
bcains said:
Or maybe the Behringer ECM8000s ($50each)
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Aren't those omni? Potentially workable, but the stereo mic techniques are different with omni. Man, if you could score a mannequin head and make a binaural mic with the Behris, that would be pretty sweet :D
 
I've used the Behri's as overheads. You have to used them as a spaced pair- X/Y doesn't do anything, of course. Your room has to sound good, though, because the room WILL get into the mics. Not as wide an image as 603's in the same place, but they do work. Very natural, accurate sound- which may or may not be a good thing.
 
mshilarious said:
Aren't those omni? Potentially workable, but the stereo mic techniques are different with omni. Man, if you could score a mannequin head and make a binaural mic with the Behris, that would be pretty sweet :D
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Yeah, electret condenser/omni-directional, its a knockoff of the Josephson C550 model.

You might be interested in this, or maybe not?
In TapeOp Sep/Oct 2005 #49
"Harvey, I know you like the Behringer ECM8000's as drum overheads. Is that a spaced pair?
H: Yeah. I usually put one over about halfway between the hi-hat and the crash.
The other one usually sits almost directly over the back end of the ride or else right at the bell.
I try to keep them to where they're still about the same distance from the snare.

Being omni patterns, are they pointing straight down?
H: Yeah. Omnis aren't completely omni. They do have a little bit of directionality to them with respect to high frequencies.
Since with overheads we're talking about mostly cymbals, they're all high frequencies.
It does give them a beautiful spread. The cymbal sounds we get I absolutely love, especially with the Behringers.
On hi-hat for example, I'd probably go to the Stephen Sank mod'ed Beyer M260. Alex loves the [Shure] SM7.
He'll mic the hi-hat from underneath and get a great sound"
 
I've had good luck with a pair of Nady CM-90s. As with all Nady hardware, your mileage may vary... possibly between one mic and the other. :D
 
I have the ECM's and Oktava MK012's...both work great, but the Oktava's outshine by miles!

603s' are similar to the 012's as far as what I've been told...

Think about the SP B1's as options too...

jacob
 
If you're good with a soldering iron, Check this out from tape op...

http://prosoundweb.com/recording/tapeop/buildmic/buildmic_16_1.shtml

I just built a pair and can't believe mics I built sound this good. I will say, not a lot of high end hype, but for some genre's "real" is better. BTW the Panasonic capsules mentioned in the article are not in production but there is a good substitute made by Panasonic with a similar model number. type the original part number in digikey and the sub will come up as an alternative.

Also, for the archive, these are incredibly good on tenor sax.

The best part is I think I spent $30-45 for the pair.

Otherwise, the Oktava's have been a staple of mine for years.
good luck
 
I would suggest Octava MC012. You can get them brand new at GC for $69.00. You better hurry, they're going quick. Good solid overheads!
 
jeff5xo said:
I would suggest Octava MC012. You can get them brand new at GC for $69.00. You better hurry, they're going quick. Good solid overheads!
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at that price...they cant be the real russian ones...at least I wouldnt think so..
 
Choices...

Thanks for all of your suggestions! There are so many choices,

Studio Projects B1 (pair) - $200
Oktava MK012 (pair) - $350?
Behringer ECM8000 (pair) - $100
MXL 603 (pair) - $200
Samson C02 (pair) - $100
CAD GXL1200 (pair) - $200?

Are those prices correct? Which would you choose? (This would make for a good poll.)
 
Ya know ... I hate to say this ... and I apologize to my Christian friends for using such harsh language ... but fuck the Behringer ECM crap. Quality control from that comany is just shitty. The ECM-8000 is a noisy freakin' mic with basically ZERO headroom and SPL capability. Put that thing anywhere near a snare or tom being played by a real drummer, and it's just going to sound U-G-L-Y real quick. And I don't know if you've every heard a microphone when it's maximum SPL handling has been exceeded ... but it's a lot like digital clipping.

Just LOVELY, to say the least.

Get a real mic, like the Oktava MC/MK - 012. And be happy. The Oktavas sond really nice and meaty on the toms. And they don't usually sound all harsh on the cymbals, either. Meaty toms ... not harsh on cymbals. Those are two important things for overhead mics, and the Oktava does both, and for not much money. There's a reason the Oktava SDC's are one of the best bang-for-buck mics ever made in the history of recording as we know it. They don't suck. And they're fucking cheap.
 
chessrock said:
And I don't know if you've every heard a microphone when it's maximum SPL handling has been exceeded ... but it's a lot like digital clipping.
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yea...I had an MXL 990 on an old fender tube amp and had it cranked pretty good...sounded like the diapram twisted in half several times....was pretty nasty...
 
Those MXL 603's have some good reviews, yet so does the SPB1. And as for the Oktava MK012s, I can't even find where to buy them. :confused:
 
I own the B1 and the mk012's and I used to have a 990 wich uses the same guts as the 603...If i had to narrow it down...go for the b1 and the mk012. If you could only choose one of those..I would say the B1 only because I think it is more Diverse. I think the B1 could handle the jobs of the 012 but the 012 couldnt do all the jobs of the B1.
 
If a pair of Studio Project B1's will serve well over my drumset (especially after previously using a pair of SM57s), for $200, its pretty much a done deal. I'd like to do some more research and get some more suggestions though, before I break the bank. :p
 
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