Specific use microphones- recommendations?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bambi Busboom
  • Start date Start date
B

Bambi Busboom

New member
Mates,

For several years I've been recording home practice, some broadcast voice tracks, and rehearsal sessions thus:

Kawai KG5 (6'8" grand) /sometimes with viola da gamba, cello, or clavichord or, harpsichord > 2-Oktava MC012 cardioid> Peavey VMP-2 all tube mic pre > Audiowerk 2 > Pentium 750 40GB dedicated HD > CD-R

- and this has worked quite well. The Oktavas reminded me a bit of the darker, softer KM84s a recording engineer friend lent me. After selecting from 14 at Guitar Center, the sound was quite pleasant. Some voice tracks I've used a U89 and EV RE20 from the station and these worked nicely on my thin, dry voice. Actually, for my voice, the RE20 gives the smoothest, most balanced sound of any mic I've ever used.

The Peavey VMP-2 is a real sweety too- after fussing with the tube selection***. The all-tube design is excllent compared to "tube warmth" designs, and the tube EQ a bonus. I recommend this one highly, though it was unfortunately discontinued some time ago.

***2-Sylvania 12AX7WAs, 2-Sylvania 3-mica 5751s (low gain 12AX7), 2-GE JAN 5751s, 2-Siemens 3-mica E81CC (12AT7sub)

The Audiowerk 2 has given a good sound but is now far surpassed by 24/96 cards.

I was pleased to see that some prices for recording gear has actually gone down- the Oktavas I paid $160 for are now $100 and the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 has gone to $99 (*Sweetwater" with free shipping no less). I couldn't pass on the Audiophile for so little. As you can see from my speciallised use, the number of imputs is not a limitation for me.

In respect of the new soundcard, I thought I'd buy new microphones and this time buy them specifically for this use and a quality that will suit me for a long while. My recording friend has asserted that I should go ahead and buy a pair of Shoeps CMC6/MK4s, and these are wonderful, but these are just wildly expensive for this use. As a Schoeps, Neumann, and classic U87 user, he is just not tuned into the crop of "value" mics.

I've been impressed- though daunted by the variety- by the Chinese and Russian mics such as Studio Projects, Marshall MXL, and the large diaphragm Oktava MC319. Being a tubeophile, a Studio Projects that intrigues me is the T3 tube with it's multiple patterns- I thought it would be fun to experiment with Figure 8, plus Blumlein, ORTF, Decca tree and etc. The MXL V77s is a single pattern tube mic, but also intriging and less than the SPs. If they'r really a lifetime, great purchase, I might consider Neumann KM184s or AKG C-414 B-ULSs, but I'm not afraid to spend less if the results are appropriate. I've been told that for my use, large diaphragm mics might be more difficult to place than small.

There actually seem to be better values on microphones than when I last shopped- but also many more possible choices!

Any thoughts?

Cheers,

Bambi B

PS: I've done a lot of tube experiments with the Peavey and my 9 other pieces of audio tube gear if anyone would like to chat about NOS tubes, let me know. Also,- come and visit us tube nuts at Tubes Asylum: http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/tubes/bbs.html
 
Bambi,

I understand your desire of going with "darker" microphones, as 6.8' Kawai can be quite bright, with some lack of LF, so typical for smaller grands.
You don't say what kind of music you record, but I'd assume it looks like baroque. First suggestion would be.... never ever buy a mic before you tried it, and it works for your application.
If you are looking at LDC tube mics, T3 would be an excellent choice to try, and although it costs more, it would be much more versitile than V77, with different patterns, and has a better capsule, IMO.
Don't dismiss ribbons.
On piano recordings I often use MS, or Jecklin disk, with pair of omnies. But of course, it very much depends on situation--room, piano, acoustics, type of music, performer, etc.

Oh yeah, I never liked 414s on piano.... or anything else, but I probably never got into situation when they would be useful for my purposes.
 
Bambi Busboom said:
Mates,
I might consider Neumann KM184s or AKG C-414 B-ULSs, but I'm not afraid to spend less if the results are appropriate.
Click to expand...

Have you considered a ribbon mic? A name that keeps coming up, that I haven't tried yet, is Royer. I've heard they're excellent on acoustic sources. The only caveat, is that they need a stout pre to push the gain. I have the 184s. People complain that the high end is too bright sounding. This might (probably) be true, but it's usually not in an unpleasant way. The 414s strength is it's versatility. I would recommend the TL variety if you get one...little more expensive, but well worth added cost.

Raaen
 
I haven't tried them, but I keep hearing people are really liking the MXL mics. Their almost free. It might be worth checking out.
 
Well Bambi . . . I enjoyed your post. It sounds like you've currently got a very good and functional setup.

It still seems a little vague, though, just what it is you're looking for. The title of your thread is "Specific use" microphones. Yet when I read your post, I'm still pretty much in the dark as to just what these specific uses are. :D What specific use(s) are you refering to?

What are you recording? Yourself? Your band? One instrument? Two? Three? None?
 
Tubes and Ribbons

Chessrock et al,

Thanks for your reply. I suppose I think of my use as being specific or very limited in the sense that I record only acoustic instruments in two channels though there is some variety, about 95% will be me and the Kawai 6'8, then sometimes the harpsichord, clavichord or MIDI- which I also record acoustically. Sometimes a friend will bring her Gamba or cello. I've gotten good results with the piano and cello with the mics set up in a kind of audience position about 8' away. Finally, I do rarely make radio voice tracks at home, but it's much easier to go the production room at the studio. I will optimize really for the Kawai grand and the other uses will have to make do a bit- that's the "specific" use I meant.

And, though I do appreciate the ease of manipulating digital, I'm a pretty much analogue person and my tendency has been to run everything digital through tubes- my regular audio system is an Oracle III/SMEV, Audio Research SP10/ D115- notice there is no CDP- and this extends to an interest in good value tube mics like the T3 and V77S. BTW, I've heard almost universally negative revieews of the fairly expensive AKG Solidtube which is now an ex-contender.

Marik, Recording Chick, and Raaen all mention ribbons and these are intriguing, though things such as Royers are tyically quite expensive. I haven't used ribbons but my technically vague imagination makes them a kind of converse electrostatic speaker and these are always pleasing. Do you know the Oktava ML52- a $320 ribbon? Anyone with further comments on the lower end of the ribbon mic world?- Thanks !

Cheers,

Bambi B
 
Yea, Bambi. If you're interested in fairly low-priced yet high-quality ribbons, you'll want to look at the Beyers. Sepcifically the M-160, M-260 and the like.

I don't really have much opinion on the whole "tube mic" versus "non-tube mic" thing. A lot of that stuff is a bunch of smoke & mirrors. I just get good stuff that sounds good, and let everyone else worry about all the other crap. :D In my not-so-humble opinion, that is.

Given your situation, I think you're on the right track. If I were in your shoes and was faced with your tracking limitations, I'd just pick up a matched pair of the best mics I could afford. If you can afford the Schoeps, as your friend recommended, then great. If not, then I'd look at the next best I could afford and go down the line. If you're recording mostly accoustic instruments, then I'd be looking at something along the lines of a small or perhaps medium-diaphragm condensers. Something mostly neutral and accurate in sound, so as to be more versatile.

Actually, if you're really dead set on tube mics, you might want to investigate a pair of Groove Tubes GT-44's. They're mostly small/mid sized diaphragm condensers . . . mostly neutral and accurate; extremely versatile and great for accoustic instruments. And they're tube. :D But they're also somewhat pricier than some of the others you've been discussing.
 
You didn't mention a budget, but Audix SX25s are reportedly the cat's stockings on piano in stereo pairs (I haven't recorded piano with them, myself).
 
You may also want to pick up a pair of omni capsules for the MC-012. That should open things up a bit for cheap. (maybe a spaced pair of omnis for stereo recording). You may want to check the Sound Room (http://sound-room.com) may be the ticket.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top