ribbon mics...noise floor

[paresh]

Hi - I'm using a pr of 30 yr old Beyer ribbon mics for vocals. Nice sound, low output...I still haven't found the proper distance fr the mic I that like for close vs ambient sound, or if I should try to get the sound digitally after recording? Any ideas or sources of info on ribbon mics?

Secondly, I'm also aware of the noise floor on vocals since there is space between phrases. What is the best way to work w this? Compression??
Thanks!!

 

[eeldip]

a quiet preamp is key here.

beyer ribbons are pretty low noise, but since they are very low gain, you often here a lot of preamp noise if you have a noisy preamp.

if you are just concerned about the noise between phrases, remove that later digitally. (strip silence, or automate some fades and mutes)

as for the proper working distance... first make sure you have a pop filter. then try to get decently close (to increase the signal strength), but not so close as to get that crazy proximity effect that these ribbons have (i assume you have a 160 or 260 or 500 right? -- not as much of a problem with the 500) maybe a foot is a good place to start.



oh and compression will hurt the noise factor.. if you want to use a dynamic processor it would be a gate or an expander.

gate: quite parts quieter
expander: quite parts quiter, loud parts louder.
compression: quite parts louder, loud parts quiter
limiting: loud parts quieter.

 

[paresh]

Thanks!! I copied that formula you listed at the end. I have a Beyer 500...the pres are in the Mackie mixer - decent but I have to crank them to get a level.

 

[eeldip]

i think you can get pretty close with the 500 and not worry so much about a pop filter.

never used one, but they are supposed to be a great mic...

certainly worth a lot these days on ebay....

 

[willovercome]

i usually throw a transparent gate on the vocals. i think that would work for you . . . it will preserve the volume and the quality of the loud enough parts, while making the parts when you're not singing silent.