Sennheiser e609 Black vs. Silver

T

Toker41

Better Than You
I sold off my Sennheiser e609 a couple years ago. Decided to replace it, and now find out they have changed it. What is the difference between the black and silver version?

Any suggestions of another mic for a Boogie Dual rec? I'm using an SM57, and am looking for something to compliment it.
 
If you want something to compliment a close 57, use a ribbon further back. If you want to use an e609 instead of an SM57, go ahead. What differences are there between the e609 black and silver? To my ears the silver has a mid hump. And, since you can believe everything you read on the Internet ;), here is a quote from Mix Magazine, May, 2004.

Years ago, I had the pleasure of recording guitar genius Ronnie Montrose. In anticipation of his arrival—and to save time—I set up about six different mics: condensers, tubes and dynamics. When Montrose showed up, he said that he had a favorite mic and asked if we could try that, as well. He pulled out a Sennheiser MD 409 dynamic with a flat-bar mount that slid into a slot cut into his amp, putting the mic about an inch in front of the grille and toward the edge of the speaker cone.
We tried them all, and sure enough, his mic won out over everything else! I became an instant convert to the mystic 409 cult and was greatly saddened when Sennheiser (what were they thinking?) discontinued the 409 a few years later. Later, Sennheiser came out with the Evolution 609, which resembled the original but wasn't the same.
Fortunately, with the debut of the new E609 Silver, the magic is back. Like the original, it's a side-address design so it can be simply hung over an amp, suspended by the cable (with three inches of duct tape to secure it) and be exactly in the sweet spot. With its high-SPL handling and supercardioid pattern to eliminate any bleed, this one's ready for anything.
On a variety of amps—Marshall, Fender, Ampeg, Yamaha and even funky Danelectro—the E609 Silver was spot-on, particularly when combined with a distant tube mic. The Sennheiser provided the punch, fury, growl and edge, with the room mic adding a smooth hugeness. Yeah! - George Peterson.

Take it with a pound of salt. Oh, and that bit about a distant tube mic adding 'a smooth hugeness'? Truer words were never spoken. I wish I had known about this years ago.
 
I have heard many 'theories' on how far back the distant mic should be. Typically I hear 6 feet, 10 feet, or even the opposite corner of the room. In a really big room that would be silly, of course. I experiment until I hear no phasing issues. But here's another interesting recording technique I stole from Steve Cropper (keep in mind his tone is pretty clean). He claimed putting his combo amplifier in a corner of the room, angling a piece of plywood behind the amplifier against the two walls, and placing the 'close' microphone in a sweet spot between the open back of the amplifier and the plywood, was his tone recipe. I haven't tried it, but I suppose it makes sense. What I do know is that I kept two e609 Silver mics, and they seem consistent. They also seem to have that mid hump. But then the 'new' Mexican SM57's also have that mid hump. In my collection of USA and Unidyne III 57's, they all seem smoother and have a flatter response. Now if you take out the transformer, that's even a different sound. So that's the can of worms as I see it from here.
 
I second the idea of a second mic further back although I've had really good results with a shorter distance...I'll usually go with the Ribbon back about 4 feet or so. I listen with headphones to make sure no phasing issues or oddities but that's my set up.
 
4 feet is a great starting point, depending on the sound you want, more is different. So many variables are present here, the room, the mics, the amp, the player, the enginner, the mixer, on and on and on.... Definitely use two mics, you can always mix to taste later
 
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