Still Struggling With Mic Choices...

[drbluezz]

...for my home studio. I currently have a Royer R-122 ribbon mic, Sennheiser e906 dynamic mic, and two Shure SM-57s. I'd like to add a really good condenser for vocals and as a mic to complement the Royer for guitar amp. I'm looking for something in the $300.-$800. price range and would consider spending a little more for a "holy grail" mic that would do both male vocals (me) and guitar amp exceedingly well.
Another variable is I have a Universal Audio LA 610 tube mic preamp that I run the Royer R-122 through, while I run the Sennheiser e906 directly into a Digi 002R line input. So I can only run one mic at a time through the LA 610. Since I usually run the Royer through the LA 610 I need a condenser mic that will sound really good going direct to the 002R when I want to record separate guitar tracks simultaneously, which is the way I usually record my guitar and amp.
All that said, an option I thought of was to choose a really great sounding condenser mic in the $300.-$400. range (AT4040, M-Audio Solaris, etc.) and purchase another top notch tube preamp in the $800. range, such as the Universal Audio Solo 610. Another option is to simply purchase a great condenser mic such as the AT4047 or AT4060 and be done with it? These are tough decisions when you just don't have the disposable income of a commercial studio and every purchase you make has to be carefully thought out. And that's one of the purposes of this forum. Anyway, wha'da'ya' think?


Tom

 

[amra]

About the only advice I can give you, is don't hung up using xx mic with your xxxx preamp every time, just because that's how you always do it, or even because they sounded good once before.

Experiment with different mic/preamp combinations on different sources. Sometimes you'll hit paydirt by using something other than your "usual" combination, and it will just instantly sound like money. But most importantly get to know the tonal qualities of certain mic/pre combinations and how they affect the source. Say one combo puts a "sheen" or a "sparkle" (for back of a better word) on a vocal track. It might work great on a male voice, or soulful female voice but might be too much with a higher pitched or nasally voice. A dark sounding preamp might not work with an already dark or smoky sounding voice, etc. Knowing your mic and pres and how they work together - that is a very important pillar of getting a good sound...

Now having said all that, I have an AKG-C414 that I really dig. It sounds way smoother than your average chinese condenser and might be in your price range, used. I hear good things about the Shure KSM44. I really want one. Also, the Shure KSM37 is hard to go wrong with.

 

[Shadow_7]

It would help if you gave a bit more detail as well. male or female vocalist? live performance or studio recording? colored or transparent? good at boosting ones ego, or just sounds good? or all of the above?

 

[soundchaser59]

Some 414's work for vocals, be careful which model you look at.

KSM44 is a top pick.

Mojave mics are said to be competitive with the high end mics.

If you are going to spend that much, make sure you get multi-pattern, it will be much more useful down the road.

 

[drbluezz]

Great info guys. I'm very much in the learning stages regarding recording but I've played jazz and blues guitar professionally and semi-professionally for 47 years. I have a sharp ear and usually know a decent mix from a not so decent one, although I know that can sometimes be subjective. I've just started getting back into recording and upgrading my home studio, so all my recording pretty much just involves me, my guitar and amp, Fender P-Bass, a Roland GR-33 guitar synth for keyboard and horns, along with Sample Tank 2 (horns and keyboards also), and BFD 1 and 2 virtual drums. The only live micing I do is my amp and voice. Everything is recorded to a Digi 002R and into a dual Power Mac G-5 running Protools 7.4. I currently only have one mic tube preamp...a Universal Audio LA 610. But may be adding another soon...perhaps a Universal Audio Solo 610, I'm not sure. Perhaps all the info above will be helpful as far as knowing what to suggest. Thank you again for your help.


Tom

 

[pohaku]

In that price range, you might want to see if you can track down a used Gefell M71 or MT71s. The older ones (M71) have transformers and the newer ones (MT71s) are transformerless. They are cardioid and not multipattern, but likelihood is that you will use them in cardioid 95% of the time anyway. The M70 0r UM70 or UMT70 (as variously denominated) are multipattern, but may run just outside of your price range unless you get lucky.

Gefell (now Microtech Gefell) was the part of the Neumann company that ended up in East Germany after the war, but continued to produce microphones. Very high quality mics and generally less expensive than their West German sibling. Wonderful general purpose LD mics. Do a little reading on GS for discussions of the variations in model numbers and sound.