Vocal mic comparison! VOTE NOW AND DISCUSS

[rockguru87]

So after almost 2 months of researching everything on microphones, preamps, and just about every type of gear used in a recording studio, I'm officially ready to poll the experts.

I'm looking at buying a new condenser microphone used predominately on male vocals (would be nice for acoustic guitar thought not necessary). I currently have a rode nt1-a which while an excellent mic for the price range, just doesn't seem to hold a candle to some of the more expensive options I've tested. I have found that having a mic with a lot of color does not seem to blend well with me if that helps the decision making process. Aside from the super expensive mics (Blue Bottle, u87), all other options are game. Ive comprised a list of mics that I've found through my research and would like to poll you guys on what you like the best and why. Any others not on the list please discuss.

My current rig is a presonus firestudio tube firewire interface to the pc. Monitors are yamaha hs50's The interface has decently quiet pres from what I can tell. It has been great for recording through the 2 "super pres" which are powered by a standard 12AX7 tube. At the moment im not looking to buy an external preamp, but any recommendations for the future are of course appreciated.

Just to clarify I already own a shure sm57, SM58 and SM7B so please do not mention dynamic microphones in the discussion. While they are good for a lot of the loud vocal stuff I do, Im looking for a mic at this point with more detail and a condenser microphone seems to be the way to go.

I really hope that this thread will receive a lot attention, I will try to review this every day and will hopefully respond to comments posted in a timely fashion. Im looking forward to all of your inputs!

 

[Shadow_7]

I'm assuming in studio vocals and not on stage / on tour vocals. For the same (or less) money than an upgrade (assuming the sale of your current mic isn't funding it, if only in part) you could do a lot of OTHER things to your environment and backend to improve your current gear. Room treatments, better preamps + converters and such.

In either case you have recording gear, you need to identify WHAT you DON'T like about your current gear before you FUND new gear. Baring the price of education anyway. So what DON'T you like about your current gear?

? too high a noise floor?
? not enough low end? (too much?)
? not enough high end? (too much?)
? inconsistent results depending on weather, day of week , time of year?
? too easy to overload at less than max settings on the source?
? signal strength is too low or high for you current ADC chain?
? sounds great in studio, horrid on iPod?
? doesn't look like a good mic?
? not big enough to impress the client?
? only comes in one color, the wrong color?

???

 

[rockguru87]

Clarifications to my original posting

This is to add on to my original posting as i did not fully address some of variables present in my recordings.

To start off this is a home studio environment. No client impressing is relevant and cosmetic appeal of a particular microphone is pointless as I am only interested in quality. I am my own critic and will be for the near future until I get better at mixing. I currently observe that my rode nt1-a mic is too harsh and unclear in the upper range (as with most cheapo condensers) and does not present a smooth bottom end that I am hoping to get in my recordings. I currently am recording vocals in a large (5' by 3' by 10') closet with excellent isolation due to the odd angles of the walls and ceiling as well as clothing racks that provide plenty of insulation and noise reduction. The flooring is concrete and there is almost no reverberation coming from the room even when i scream as loud as i can at differently pitches (yes, I did test this). I can only presume at this point that by getting a higher quality vocal mic, I will see dramatic improvement in the areas I am addressing. I have tested a few of the mics listed in the poll and have found this to be the case.

There is no question of whether i am going to upgrade or not as I am already in the process of selling my rode microphone, it is simply a matter of to what.

Another note, I am currently working with plugin compressors, eq's, etc. that come with pro tools. So as far as upgrading other hardware components, it is not only unnecessary given my current level of expertise with recording audio, but not in my budget at this time. The only other thing i might do is to get an external preamp (was looking at some solid state ones a few weeks ago) but at the moment I believe that my weakest link is the microphone itself. I hope this clarify's my situation and provides a better discussion. Thanks again for your input!

 

[snow lizard]

Which mics do your voice sound good on?

 

[moresound]

Are you totally ruling out tube and ribbon microphones?

 

[snow lizard]

Are you totally ruling out tube and ribbon microphones?

The 4060 is a tube mic. At its price point there are a few other interesting things on the market including some pretty serious ribbons.

 

[moresound]

The 4060 is a tube mic. At its price point there are a few other interesting things on the market including some pretty serious ribbons.

Ah ..... missed the 4060 there. but wait isn't this not a true tube mic ~ that has a remote power supply and can change to 9 selectable polar patterns, it's just a fixed cardioid.

 

[rockguru87]

I saw a recent listing for a at4060 on ebay that was priced very well and Id be curious to know how it compares to a an at4050 or at4047 as far as tube sound vs the two solid states mics.

 

[rockguru87]

Are you totally ruling out tube and ribbon microphones?

No i am not ruling out any mics at this point. I am interested in both tube and solid state. My interface preamps have sudo tube quality to it so getting a tube mic might not be my first choice. I wasn't aware of any ribbon mics used, please let me know of your recommendations! thanks

 

[bford]

I would look at the Mojave Audio MA-201 or the AT4060.... you can get 4060's used around 600 bucks from what I have seen on ebay.... personally I'm going to be picking up an ma-201 very soon.

 

[moresound]

No i am not ruling out any mics at this point. I am interested in both tube and solid state. My interface preamps have sudo tube quality to it so getting a tube mic might not be my first choice. I wasn't aware of any ribbon mics used, please let me know of your recommendations! thanks

There are 2 used ribbon mic in the free add forum now! Take a look.

 

[kidvybes]

...IMHO, a well modded mic will offer something both in value and character...JJ Audio's modded V67G put's you in the U87 "ballpark" at a fraction of the price...smooth, well balanced and excellent on vocals...I like it better than any of the mics on your list that I have used/heard...expand your options...

JJ Audio MXL V67G Modified Microphone at FrontEndAudio.com

BTW...I also have the Mojave MA-200 tube mic (which originated as a mod project by David Royer), and I must say the JJ modded V67G is somewhat similar sounding, but with a slightly less bright top-end...both mics are wonderful...now the JJ Audio mod can be improved by also upgrading the transformer or capsule, or both at additional cost, but with very audible results...I am currently testing a number of modded microphones from different sources and I believe these mics offer better value than similarly priced off-the-shelf products, such as you've listed...hearing is believing!

 

[Steenamaroo]

why condensers only? do you ever use dynamics on vox?

 

[drumslinger]

good to know, thanks kidvybes.

 

[chessparov]

rockguru, (with all due respect) even with "odd angles", etc., you'd probably be much better off recording else-if possible. Most likely, there's significant bass build-up around 400Hz="boomy/boxy" room tone.

If you go to RealTraps - Home they have some great articles, for your review, regarding this issue.

Probably NOT what you want to hear, but the truth is the truth...

Chris

 

[moresound]

rockguru, (with all due respect) even with "odd angles", etc., you'd probably be much better off recording else-if possible. Most likely, there's significant bass build-up around 400Hz="boomy/boxy" room tone.

If you go to RealTraps - Home they have some great articles, for your review, regarding this issue.

Probably NOT what you want to hear, but the truth is the truth...

Chris

This to is true! A closet 3 x 5 x 10 I don't know you'd be better off in the middle of a room. with treatment that Chris has suggested ...... With a good microphone naturally.

 

[stevieb]

Notice not one post saying why one mic is preferred over another, or such- really, I don't see any value to this poll. (sorry, dude.) I daresay there is not one person here who has enough experience with ALL those mics to be able to say, with any authority, which is best. Couple that with the reality that the statistical power of this poll is nearly nil, and you have a pointless poll. Experimental design is very poor.

Good try, but no cigar. Nothing to see here, I am afraid. Again, sorry,rockguru87. Not ragging on you, I really hoped to garner some good info from your post and poll, but there's just nothing here.

 

[ido1957]

Rode NTK - see songs in my Sig all recorded with it for vocals. Through Alesis preamps in a Studio 24.

 

[rockguru87]

Notice not one post saying why one mic is preferred over another, or such- really, I don't see any value to this poll. (sorry, dude.) I daresay there is not one person here who has enough experience with ALL those mics to be able to say, with any authority, which is best. Couple that with the reality that the statistical power of this poll is nearly nil, and you have a pointless poll. Experimental design is very poor.

Good try, but no cigar. Nothing to see here, I am afraid. Again, sorry,rockguru87. Not ragging on you, I really hoped to garner some good info from your post and poll, but there's just nothing here.

..and making a comment like that will not really help the poll either now will it.... :/

My hope with this pole was to learn about the qualities of some of the more usable studio mics. I hope to eventually see enough concrete detail in this thread as to the voting choices but so far (and mind you this poll is literally 2 days old) there have been none. Your absolutely right, a mere poll will not provide anyone with any knowledge, which is why the second part of my forum title says "DISCUSS". If you were one of the ones that voted, I would like to hear which mic you picked and why. If not, then it begs the question why you even clicked on this link in the first place...

 

[rockguru87]

rockguru, (with all due respect) even with "odd angles", etc., you'd probably be much better off recording else-if possible. Most likely, there's significant bass build-up around 400Hz="boomy/boxy" room tone.

If you go to RealTraps - Home they have some great articles, for your review, regarding this issue.

Probably NOT what you want to hear, but the truth is the truth...

Chris

Thanks for the site! I honestly had been using that larger closet because I noticed that the smaller carpeted closet I have creates a very dull and muffled sound. Of the two closets the hard floor one seemed to sound better. After reading up on those articles and listening more carefully to some recorded scratch vocals I didn't seem to notice any heavy bass buildup through my spectrum analysis plugin or my monitors themselves but I will test the same vocal sessions in a legit studio next week with the same mics. Hopefully my ear will be trained through the studio session and I will hear the "boomy/boxy" tone you are referring to when I listen to the "closet" tracks again.