Shiny Box 46 ribbon mic

[Jillchaw]

I bought a shiny box 46 ribbon mic and it arrived today. I havent gotten home to test its sound yet, but when i do i will post. I will say that the guy sends the mics out as fast as shit even if you get the slowest delivery option. It was very well packaged. It is a heavy, expensive looking mic. The case is also heavy duty and seemingly well made, and it comes with a lock and keys. You would actually use the case, its not just a prop. There is also a smaller case that fits inside the hard case to further protect the mic. So far definitely worth the money to me. Tonight ill check it out function wise and get back to you on its sound (for anyone who cares, or anyone who was wondering about shiny box).

 

[punkin]

Which transformer option did you go with?

 

[drummerdude666]

I'm thinking of buying one of them..

Any chance of some clips?

Some A/Bing vs a mic we will all know the sound of?

 

[gbondo9]

Which transformer option did you go with?

The optimus prime I would hope. Megatron might look cool with that big gun, but when you get right down to it...he's really very bad.

 

[punkin]

Good points and well taken. I'm still working on modding one using a Klystron tube http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery...dekey=Klystron.jpg&gwp=8&sbid=lc04b&linktext=.

I'm struggling the the smallest detail right now...finding a suitable ribbon.

 

[zimmo]

Good points and well taken. I'm still working on modding one using a Klystron tube http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery...dekey=Klystron.jpg&gwp=8&sbid=lc04b&linktext=.

I'm struggling the the smallest detail right now...finding a suitable ribbon.

I had to laugh, even before checking the photo on your link, punkin! I was an Aircraft control and warning Radar repairman, about 25 years ago...
We used Klystrons, Magnetrons, Thyratrons, and TWT's in our 5 to 15 megawatt radar transmitters! But I never used one of these on a mic pre! You never know who you'll meet on here.

 

[punkin]

Yea...just wait until you see my 4CX10000 tube mic pre!

Ground radio tech and over-the horizon/back scatter radio myself

 

[Jillchaw]

well

Its my first ribbon mic so ill say what i know and thats all i can do. It sounds pretty smooth. The areas that i personally hear a large difference over condensers and dynamics are the highest and lowest ends of frequencies. It didnt sound GREAT on my voice (but definitely useable), but i think its because of my voice type. If someone had a thin voice this mic would probably really help them. Mine needs to be thinner actually, so i have to use some subtractive eq and move back a bit. One thing it made me notice is how shitty my room sounds (figure 8). My glockenspiel sounds best through it. It sounds fat and smooth, not like an ice pick in the ear as usual.

Acoustic guitar sounded nice and resonant. Folkier than my condensers. The string buzz you occasionally hear was more pleasant. Like tiny occasional ear orgasms rather than ugly flawed fretting. My farfisa duo sounded smoothed over. Sometimes they can be a bit sharp on the ear, but the mic made it sound pleasantly different in the mix, not just cutting tonally. I put the mic near the bridge of the sitar and it was the best my sitar has ever sounded. It tamed some of the annoyingly bright buzzes like with the acoustic guitar. Sounded like you were "there" more. Smoothed electric guitar (strat style PUs/fender amp) as well.

This one i have does not have the transformer upgrades the guy offers. I am all for better transformers and i would probably have done it, but i personally would not know the difference never having had worked with ribbon mics of any kind before. So to double the price would be a waste for me. I need to concentrate more on practice, songwriting, maximizing what equipment i already own, getting a more accurate monitoring system, and fixing some of the hideousness of my room's sound.

Sorry but i dont have the ability to put up samples. I know thats the good stuff people want to hear, but try to imagine how many variables there would be between my room/preamps/reel all the way through to your comps speakers. You may dislike the sound for reasons other than the mics sound itself.

I am glad i got it and it works well for me. Definitely worth a few measly bucks.

 

[punkin]

Good for you...I'm suprised at hearing you mention discovering how crappy your room sounds after getting a ribbon. These things usually take quite a bit more oomph from the mic pre to get a good signal in. An LDC would really make things pop out.

What other mics do you have that you're comparing it to? What do you have for a mic pre?

As for the voice...you're spot on...try moving closer and/or further back. Got pop filter? Strongly suggest you get it before you move in closer. You're right about acoustics...a little jangly-er isn't it. Sweet to listen to though. A little southren bayou sounding.

If you ever get a chance to post a few sound bytes...that would be cool.

Might check with Soundclick or somthing like that https://www.soundclick.com/communit...=logoutdone&email=&ErrorMessage=Please log in

 

[Jillchaw]

Well i was using

Well i was using a gt55 condenser for awhile but i sold it because i was always hating the sound. Always to sharp on my ears. So i sold it and started using all dynamics like sm58s and 545s. Ive borrowed some other mics from friends and messed around with them. To be honest i dont really like recording that much. Its alot of work just to make it sound tolerable. And money always seems like the answer, but i like music not spending money on music equipment.

Its a double bitch for me because i use all analog/acoustic instruments. You know, a real piano, a real organ, a real reel to reel. And theres just so many variables in that that its hard to know where to draw the line at what is "good enough". For me to lay down a piano track i can listen to without being sick i have to get at it and tune it up. Same for the farfisa. I wish some dude would just fix all my shit and make sure its always running well and in tune. Then all id have to do is play.

I think i am getting lower midrange trouble from my room. Because on most things its starts sounding more like the source after cutting the low mids.

You know i should say, i dont dislike recording, i just have guilt trying to make it sound its best when a thousand factors are ruining it for me that i did not cause. I LOVE the creative process of layering sounds, i just hate all the bs sometimes. I didnt get into listening to music and eventually playing music to spend all my time "tuning my room".

Oh well nothing you can do...

 

[kid klash]

You've made some very perceptive statements Jillchaw... I'm impressed.

Most people get caught up in the technical side of music and forget that the talent in front of the mic dictates the results more than the mic and everything else connected to it. That, and great ears and years of recording experience.

Listen to the early, primitive mono recordings of the Motown artists as a good example. Lots of those songs were recorded with one mic in a garage with plywood covering the dirt floor.