What mic am I lacking?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Myriad_Rocker
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Myriad_Rocker

Myriad_Rocker

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I've been selling things here and there so that I can buy other things and generally increase the quality of my stuff. As it turns out, I think I'm going to have about $320 extra.

90% of what I record is rock/hard rock/metal.

Here's my current mic closet:

Rode NTK
Audio Technica AT4033
Rode NT5 Stereo Pair
Naiant MSH-1 x2
Cascade FatHead II
Shure SM7b
Shure SM57
Sennheiser e609s
Sony Unknown Dynamic x2 (I use one for a talkback)
Audix i5
Audix D2 x2
Audix D4
Audix D6
AKG D112
 
maybe a multipattern large diaphragm condenser like an at 4050, or cad m179 or a cardioid ldc with some transformer flavor such as an at 4047 or oktavamodded mk-219/319 pe.
maybe a multipattern tube mic-- the apex 460/nady tcm1050/1150/group buy mics with some money left over for a tube upgrade and/or some other tweaks (capsule/transformer/capacitors)
maybe another dynamic like an ev re-20 or a heil sound pr-40
or maybe you could move anything else that is redundant and get a more kind of upscale featured vocal mic (though i bet either an oktavamodded mic or an at4047 would work well too).
 
Been thinking about an MD421...but then I thought about getting a better vocal mic....I don't know. I'm lost. :D
 
well, i'd probably figure out what you're least satisfied with in the recordings you're making and/or what the majority of your clients want. if you're doing mostly metal and hard rock, then the sm7b might be the best thing for it-- especially if there's a lot of screaming going on. i've heard the md421 (or 441) mentioned as good vocal mics for some vocalists (in addition to being good on amps, toms and kick drums).
if you're competing with other studios in your area and dealing with potential customers who peruse studio website gear lists to decide what studio they want to go to, it might not hurt to have something like a neumann tlm 103 (which i've seen go for $500-600 used at times) around. it sucks to think that way, but sometimes those kinds of things can make a difference.
 
kojdogg said:
if you're competing with other studios in your area and dealing with potential customers who peruse studio website gear lists to decide what studio they want to go to, it might not hurt to have something like a neumann tlm 103 (which i've seen go for $500-600 used at times) around. it sucks to think that way, but sometimes those kinds of things can make a difference.
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Tell me about it. My own bass player was asking me why I have had Chandler, API, and Great River stuff but not Avalon. Don't get me wrong, the M5 (AD2022) is decent, but it's not on the level of the other things. Not to mention that Avalon gear is over-priced for what you get IMO.
 
Myriad_Rocker said:
Tell me about it. My own bass player was asking me why I have had Chandler, API, and Great River stuff but not Avalon. Don't get me wrong, the M5 (AD2022) is decent, but it's not on the level of the other things. Not to mention that Avalon gear is over-priced for what you get IMO.
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yeah-- people look at what's most expensive in the musicians friend catalog and see it as the standard. a lot of stuff that's at least as good (or often significantly/objectively better) at the same price points like chandler, api and great river aren't carried by mf, gc, etc. sweetwater has them, but mf seems to have a walmart-like market share and to be what/where most folks reference this stuff thanks to the monthly, colorful & a.d.d.-friendly catalogs of various sizes that they send out.
incidentally the blue blueberry is another nice (and well-known) mic that i've often seen going for around $500-600. i understand the singer dude from dream theater used it on their last album (iirc-- file under "things i read on the internet").
 
Nothing.

You've got an SM7 which is a prerequisite, basically.

You've got like two pair of SDC's for overheads, some good drum mics, some LDC's ...

What else is left? Are you trying to mic the freakin' London Symphony, or are you doing metal bands? :D
 
yeah that's true-- you seem to have everything you need, but if you want something else or feel like you can improve something, why not? this is not the communist u.s.s.r.-- you can have an extra roll of the extra soft charmin if you want and have the means.
 
dont know how much you would use it if all you get is screamers.... but a LDC tube mic would be nice... like a mojave ma200 (david royer designed and built) is a way cool mic for @$1k... seen them on ebay for around 600...
 
Myriad_Rocker said:
Been thinking about an MD421...but then I thought about getting a better vocal mic....I don't know. I'm lost. :D
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we have similar mics... I did sell my NT5 and got some Peluso CEMC6 (mostly for acoustic guitars) I also have Oktava 012s and don't have a SM7b (yet :D ). I have a 421 and a 441. They pretty much replaced my 57s. For guitar cabs the 421 is my main mic and the 441 on snare. Both those mics have a 5 position roll off and the 441 a top boost. I like the 441 a lot but I kinda think a 421 is a must have if your doing Rock / Metal IMO and it's a little less expensive.

Also if your using the NT5 for OH... I found them to be a little harsh compared to the Oktava 012. Cymbals just sound better, smoother, er something.

It sounds like you know you'd like another choice for vocals but don't really need it, having a NTK and SM7b. If I were you... 421s are so common that you should be able to borrow one for a few days to check out. If your not that excited about it, at least you'll know it. Or you'll know you Need one :D Then go from there.

Good Luck,
B.
 
Does it have to be spent on a microphone? Looks like you have enough to do the job.

What about guitar fx, a plugin, drum samples, acoustic treatment, etc?
 
PhiloBeddoe said:
Does it have to be spent on a microphone? Looks like you have enough to do the job.

What about guitar fx, a plugin, drum samples, acoustic treatment, etc?
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I'm not much of an effects junkie and I have all the plug-in's I care to have. As for drum samples, I own BFD, and plenty of other sample packs. As for acoustic treatment, I have OC 703 around my room in various points (bass traps in corners, cloud, first reflection points, wall behind monitors, wall opposite the mixing station). I want to test further how my mixes translate before I invest more into acoustic treatment.
 
guess i was just projecting personal issues... i want one of those mojaves real bad...
 
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