What are the pros and cons of a Tube Mic?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Phoenix5891
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Farview said:
There are many other factors that determine what the mic sounds like. (capsule size, preamp loading, the quality of the circuitin the mic, etc)
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And don't forget about how big of a roll the housing plays in the sound. ;)
 
DJL said:
I believe this is also ture with their diaphragms and etc also... and "I think" that is one of the reasons why the cheap budget mics are so cheap... because they don't do this.
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A couple of years back there was an article about Neumann and if I remember well they use one out of five capsules, the other four get trashed.

Neumann has 75 years of mic experience.

A cheapo Chinese tube mic like the MXL V77 sounds very Neumann like though, or I must be very lucky to have one of the best V77's ever made. :D
 
Flight 16 said:
Yeah ..I know what you mean..

I have used a AKG 1000S and my vocals sounded fine with it..no EQ needed
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The C1000 isn't a great vocal mic, a LDC will do better, a tube LDC like the MXL V69 Mogami or V77 will surprise you.

the 2 main things I would want to use them on would be Drum over heads and Vocals....I could use them on an Acoustic guitar...but its not vital as again the 1000S sounds great for that too...

Do you think a Valve Mic would add a more analog feel to the Drums and so on..??
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I really hate to disappoint you , but a SDC like MXL 603, SPC4 or similar will do a lot better on drums OH and acoustic guitar.

A valve will not sound more analog than well designed Solid State, valves (the Americans say tubes or firebottles) have a kind of special sound. Even harmonics and a more friendly sounding distortion when you push them hard.

The special sound of a Hammond/Leslie is caused by the tubes, most guitarists prefer tube amps, my best sounding bass amp is full of tubes.

Learn more about tubes here: http://www.svetlana.com/docs/tubeworks.html
or here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_tube
 
Han said:
A couple of years back there was an article about Neumann and if I remember well they use one out of five capsules, the other four get trashed.
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Or "I think" they may sell some as factory seconds... the reason why I think this is because I remember Stephen Paul once posting that he had some Sennheiser factory second capsules.

PS... keep the links comming.

Thanks,
Don
 
ok thank for the adivce

The C1000 was all I had..and i guess its just an "okish" all rounder...i never really mixed it with any other well reocrded stuff so that why it sounded ok i guess..


I will defently check out those other Mics...

people also been going on about the new SE ones...

i basicly need a nice warm vocal Mic, and a couple over heads that will give me a nice clear drum sound...think Zeplin :)

cheers
 
Flight 16 said:
i basicly need a nice warm vocal Mic, and a couple over heads that will give me a nice clear drum sound...think Zeplin :)
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Think Zeplin... you may want to try putting a U87 out in the hall. ;)
 
well buy the look of that smile i think i will defently give it a try :)
 
Yeah, you should try it... that is what Page did.

PS... I like this :D smile the best... lol.
 
just seen the price though !! :(

Would the Rode NTK do the job?
 
:eek: that ones pretty cool too! thats what i want my drum sound to make people do......in a good way though :)
 
Flight 16 said:
i basicly need a nice warm vocal Mic, and a couple over heads that will give me a nice clear drum sound...think Zeplin :)

cheers
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Think John Bonham, think ribbon mics.
 
The drummer will have a lot to do with that sound. Think Bonham
 
Big Kenny said:
The drummer will have a lot to do with that sound. Think Bonham
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Amen.................. and because he was such a powerful drummer Page found that he got great results placing the mic down the hall.
 
Flight 16 said:
:eek: that ones pretty cool too! thats what i want my drum sound to make people do......in a good way though :)
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The :eek: smiley does look more like a "Wow" smiley than a "eek" smiley doesn't it... lol. :cool:
 
DJL said:
Amen.................. and because he was such a powerful drummer Page found that he got great results placing the mic down the hall.
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It was also because the drums were embarassingly ringy. Which Bonham sound are you talking about. None of the albums sound the same. And most of them were not recorded in a studio.
 
I think it was later, but I don’t remember for sure... I can’t find the article… it was in a magazine and was one of those interview type articles with Jimmy Page and he was talking about the recordings. Anyway, if you have a nice room and etc give it a try... a nice room mic can be nice... and it doesn’t take that much more time to setup/add another distant/room mic.
 
DJL said:
The :eek: smiley does look more like a "Wow" smiley than a "eek" smiley doesn't it... lol. :cool:
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yes it looks like a WOW through an overdrive peddal :)
 
Han said:
Think John Bonham, think ribbon mics.
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what cool ribbon mics are there? ....i am thinking either 2 over heads £150 each

and a voc mic £300..(that can also be a ribbon mic)
 
Flight 16 said:
...think Zeplin :)
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Personally, I prefer thinking of Stuart Copeland.

Honest to God, every time I hear old Police records (Hey, it's been about 20 years now, I guess they can be called old. :D) . . . I'm always amazed at how good the drums sound. Talk about some records and production value that is still very relevent to this day . . .

Sorry for the tangent. Carry on.
 
Flight 16 said:
what cool ribbon mics are there?
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Check out some of the Beyers. M-160 and 260 seem to be some favorites for overheads.
 
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