Upgrade from a StudioProj B1???

[CoolCat]

Any good recommendations for <$600 upgrade from a SPB-1?

male vox, singing not screaming. probably avg/standard male freq range,
some boomy upper-low's at times.

Mic> into JoeMeek VC1Q> Tascam 2488 SIAB.

SPB1 has shown improvements, but still a little "too much bright and thin"...
with my setup.

Rip Rowen had an article on the SP C1 with the Joe Meek VC1Q, closest i came for reading info.
The 2003 "HR CHOICES" was read.

Any ideas will help....this is tuff as i can't try-out and return $$ mics!sx.

 

[noisedude]

A couple of thoughts ... if your current is too 'bright and thin' it may not be the mic's fault. The B1 has been called many things but 'bright' is not one ... perhaps the preamp isn't up to much?

If it is definitely the mic that makes the sound you dislike then a more sensible option may be to go for a good dynamic. A Shure 545 certainly isn't bright or thin, nor is a Sennheiser MD421 or a Beyer M400 (these are just the ones I have used). There's the Shure SM7 and EV RE20 you should be looking at if you want a really serious spend.

I suspect it's a combination of your mic and pre, and I don't think dropping $600 on a mic will show good value. I would see what you can swing financially and drop it on both a mic and a preamp. You could have a JoeMeek threeQ (the new ones) and an ADK Vienna or Hamburg easily for that money, and would be a big step up from what you have for most vocals. Or an M-Audio Tampa and an MD421? Plenty of options around this region.

 

[mrface2112]

While I love the B1 on a number of things, vocals has *never* been one of them. i've always considered it a pretty "accurate" sounding mic, and if your voice is "thin" in the first place, the B1 won't do a lot to "fatten it up". i've recorded a couple dozen vocalists and the B1 has been "the mic" for exactly ONE of them.....and his voice was of the tone that i was doing my best to get out of the way (and not screw it up) rather than "making it sound good". it was a nice treat.

anyway, in the ~$600 range there's a LOT of mics that literally run the gamut of sounds and "fit". i'd suggest you do EVERYTHING you can to get over to a Sam Ash and/or GC and audition a few of them out and see which one sounds best on your voice. barring that, you're gonna have a lot of disappointment and wasted money, i think. if you absolutely can not, then i'd start with some of the standards: namely the SM7 and RE20.

i too would maybe look at investing some of that $$ into another channel strip--the Tampa is talked highly about around here.....prolly gonna pick one up in another couple months myself.


cheers,
wade

 

[Gidge]

A couple of thoughts ... if your current is too 'bright and thin' it may not be the mic's fault. The B1 has been called many things but 'bright' is not one ... perhaps the preamp isn't up to much?

If it is definitely the mic that makes the sound you dislike then a more sensible option may be to go for a good dynamic. A Shure 545 certainly isn't bright or thin, nor is a Sennheiser MD421 or a Beyer M400 (these are just the ones I have used). There's the Shure SM7 and EV RE20 you should be looking at if you want a really serious spend.

I suspect it's a combination of your mic and pre, and I don't think dropping $600 on a mic will show good value. I would see what you can swing financially and drop it on both a mic and a preamp. You could have a JoeMeek threeQ (the new ones) and an ADK Vienna or Hamburg easily for that money, and would be a big step up from what you have for most vocals. Or an M-Audio Tampa and an MD421? Plenty of options around this region.

you want him to go from a vc1q to a 3Q?

 

[noisedude]

Well all the reviews would suggest that this would be a decent improvement, as the newer JMs have the same preamps as some very much more expensive pieces. I would say that either the threeQ, the Tampa, the Trakmaster II or the DMP-3 would should an improvement over what he has. Is that a problem?

 

[noisedude]

To make it very clear what I am saying - if I was doing this right now with that amount of money I'd be getting two things - a channel strip and a mic. And I think I would go and audition a Vienna/Hamburg vs decent dynamic, and a threeQ vs a Tampa. The mic is all about the singer's voice, and the channel strip is all about how you find it to sound and which features you want.

 

[Gidge]

Well all the reviews would suggest that this would be a decent improvement, as the newer JMs have the same preamps as some very much more expensive pieces. I would say that either the threeQ, the Tampa, the Trakmaster II or the DMP-3 would should an improvement over what he has. Is that a problem?

no problem....i do disagree.....id take a vc1q over a 3Q any day......

 

[noisedude]

Which one are we talking about? The 3Q or the threeQ?

EDIT - Obviously it's fine if we disagree ... so hard to judge people's tones of voice on the net

 

[Gidge]

Which one are we talking about? The 3Q or the threeQ?

EDIT - Obviously it's fine if we disagree ... so hard to judge people's tones of voice on the net

threeQ.....

 

[noisedude]

Fair enough! Talk to me about it, then, because I'm yet to pick one up and haven't really heard anything negative about it yet.

 

[CoolCat]

SP B-1 and Vox upgrade

thanks. i'm all ears.

I have several days to return the used VC1Q channel strip.$430 GC.
However, with my little side by side test, votes were it sounded
better with the VC1Q than without.or my 2488SIAB unit only.

The SP B1 was a huge improvement to what I had before, I didn't
mean to say it was bad at all..... just noticed some "flabby's" upper lows and
some bright..T's... especially noticed at higher volumes...was the reason/curiousity to possibly upgrade.
I would recommend the SP B1 anyday for the price/group it's in.

just wondering what mic might add a little more "sparkle" to the
Vox recording.

but again I'm open and uncomitted at the moment.

 

[tdukex]

I would not trade in my VC1q for a new Three-Q, I don't care what the current buzz is. The VC1q is a proven studio workhorse that has found its way onto many professionally recorded tracks. Try it with an SM57, and learn to use the comp and eq. Also, try plugging an AT 4047, a SP T-3, or a Marshall V69 into it.

On the other hand, for not a whole lot more you could pick up a Speck 5.0 or a Sebatron vmp-1000.

Or maybe you'd like the Brick.

 

[DJL]

While I love the B1 on a number of things, vocals has *never* been one of them.

I agree with wade, except the only thing I liked the SPB1 on was a guitar amp... infact, the SPB1 sucks eggs on vocals IMO... checkout the CAD M179... or better yet, wait until you have a little more money and audition some better mics.

 

[CoolCat]

and the beat goes on...ladidadida..

dang, i didn't think the SPB1 was that bad?
I'm open for that kind of input..never knowingly
owned a more expensive LD.

TRY ONE OUT!! thats the biggest problem, I can't try out the nice mics...no refund-o!!!! GC said "oh no...can't have you spittalling on our hi$$ mic's..
NO RETURN-O!!!"
They said I can sing in the store, but it ain't my bag of tea leaves....
and i did that sht with monitors and it was a waste of time...
real try outs have to be at the crib.

i have been reading the Official 2003 HR thread on this forum.
highly likely the upper-low flab-freq is my proximity effect...hmmm?

today:
I got kinda stuck on the MXL v69,67 vs SP C1... a lot of threads on that.

went round.n.round on the AT,SP,MXL,AKG,Shure.... all of em.

I'm looking for a One-Trick pony...this Microphone will not have to do anything else but my vocals.
So do I need Figure8's and OMini etc??pads? hi pass filters??

and for ergo reasons would like to keep it to a +48V, i know its stupid but i got a small room and don't like too much stuff in my way.. like Pro mic powerbricks laying around..

 

[Grunk]

Try a At 4033 thru your VC1Q! very nice, very nice in deed!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CoolCat]

mixed up on mic's

I would not trade in my VC1q for a new Three-Q, I don't care what the current buzz is. The VC1q is a proven studio workhorse that has found its way onto many professionally recorded tracks. Try it with an SM57, and learn to use the comp and eq. Also, try plugging an AT 4047, a SP T-3, or a Marshall V69 into it.
QUOTE]

your list is interesting...V69 hmmm, never had a Tube mic..sounds fun.
been reading the pad and roll-off sounds useful.
my worst concern is the room "idle noise" (sound coming into the room)...
Marshall V69 "HR Pick" $300 Tube Shockmount+case+cable+windscreen+power supply
No PAd and Roll-off

AT 4033 "HR Pick@$300?? Now selling $400? Non-Tube
Shock mount+ case+ PAD+ roll Off+(Free Headphones $70!+ PopFilter $30!)

SP TB1 $279 Tube
Clip+case+power supply
No Pad Roll Off

SP C1 $200
(ssshhh...it's the U87!!! really, really! its just like the U87 really, it is, U87...did I say U87...C1=U87......how much can I pay you to say the C1=U87??.... daaamnnnn a U87 for $200!!!
WHY ITS JUST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!!!!!
<Leech Marketing: Definition:>
One uses/abuses a well known standard name to "leech" off their hard earned success and good reputation to benefit ones own cheaper made product quickly to avoid hard work and earning success on their own merrit.

**new CAD M9 looks interesting too...$300 TUBE with Pad and Roll-Off

I think I'll go play with my proximity-effect for awhile and chill...with my
SP B1, hey!! does this mean I already have a U47 sound??? wow cool!!!!
my search is over!!!! hoooorrrraaayyyyy!!!!

 

[noisedude]

Mic placement and using proximity effect wisely is some of the most important work you will do. I think there's a chance I was getting confused as to which JoeMeek you had, but if you're all about mics now then I can't stress enough - you will not know which mic sounds best with your voice by reading reviews. You really do have to hear them somehow, or just take a punt and take your chances. Sorry.

 

[CoolCat]

mics,

yeah, but i've had some good luck taking the advice around here.
and read alot...

then it's time to "roll the dice"... or punt....or cross your fingers...

i wonder if i went to GC and started singing really Loud and using Cuss words if they'd change their mind and let me try the mic out at home?

 

[noisedude]

I think if you went down with your wallet out, promising them that they'd make a sale if you could try the goods first, you would find yourself treated with a little more respect!

 

[acorec]

Any good recommendations for <$600 upgrade from a SPB-1?

male vox, singing not screaming. probably avg/standard male freq range,
some boomy upper-low's at times.

Mic> into JoeMeek VC1Q> Tascam 2488 SIAB.

SPB1 has shown improvements, but still a little "too much bright and thin"...
with my setup.

Rip Rowen had an article on the SP C1 with the Joe Meek VC1Q, closest i came for reading info.
The 2003 "HR CHOICES" was read.

Any ideas will help....this is tuff as i can't try-out and return $$ mics!sx.

I have read that it is not possible to upgrade from this mic unless you spend like over $3000 on the "German mics"

$600 will not upgrade you at all according to some ad I saw somewhere.