What mic used on Norah Jones?

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alfalfa

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I was reading the extremely positive review of Earthworks' Sigma 6.2 monitor speaker on Stereophile which can be found here:

http://www.stereophile.com/fullarchives.cgi?859

The author (and editor) John Atkinson made this interesting comment in the review:

"But even the Earthworks couldn't conceal the lispy treble and coarse midrange quality of Norah Jones' voice on Come Away With Me (Blue Note 5 32088 2), which sounded as if it had been recorded with one of those ElectroVoice dynamic cardioids so beloved by radio talk-show hosts."

Is he right in guessing that her vocals were recorded with an EV dynamic (I am assuming the RE20)?

Is the "lispy treble and coarse midrange quality" an accurate description of the type of vocal sound you may get with an EV RE20?
 
The author (and editor) John Atkinson is a fucking moron who couldn't tell a microphone from an anal probe without a spec sheet and a manual... the "HiFi reviewers" are great at the 'Monday morning quarterback' role... I wonder how'd they do if they ever had to get on the field and play the game?
 
Its just another wacky design. I used to work for a home theater audio company in the engineering dept. There is some testing that can be reguarded as "scientific", but the bottom line was that the cabinet design and speaker location had to have some "gig" to be different from the competitor. We sat around trying this and that. Every year, the "new" design would be in the magazines. They would talk about how forward thinking we were and pick apart the design ideas. They always gave a great review. If only they knew how these designs were really done.
That is why I really don't trust magazines at all. Speakers have been done to death. There is nothing new. .
 
Fletcher said:
The author (and editor) John Atkinson is a fucking moron who couldn't tell a microphone from an anal probe without a spec sheet and a manual... the "HiFi reviewers" are great at the 'Monday morning quarterback' role... I wonder how'd they do if they ever had to get on the field and play the game?
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I take it you dont think too much of his previous recording efforts. He describes how he performed one of them in the following link (half way down). Perhaps you could critique his choice of techniques and equipment for us and, if you have heard the CD, what you thought of the recording quality:
http://www.stereophile.com/fullarchives.cgi?714

Back to the original question, does anyone know if Norah Jones used an EV RE20 on her album (or what mic she did use)?
 
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Originally posted by Fletcher
The author (and editor) John Atkinson is a fucking moron who couldn't tell a microphone from an anal probe without a spec sheet and a manual... the "HiFi reviewers" are great at the 'Monday morning quarterback' role... I wonder how'd they do if they ever had to get on the field and play the game?
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On the other hand, If I was being anally probed, Id choose and earthworks reference mic over an EV re20 any day of the week.

I would guess that nora jones vocal to have been done with a telefunken 251 through a pultec pre.
 
I agree with acorec about the speaker thing, just another speaker that uses off the shelf drivers that you or I could buy, infact the tweeter that they use is the middle of the road version...still that doesn't mean they don't sound nice.
 
Fletcher said:
The author (and editor) John Atkinson is a fucking moron who couldn't tell a microphone from an anal probe without a spec sheet and a manual... the "HiFi reviewers" are great at the 'Monday morning quarterback' role... I wonder how'd they do if they ever had to get on the field and play the game?
Click to expand...

Now that was funny... I love it. LOL :D
 
darrin_h2000 said:
quote:
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Originally posted by Fletcher
The author (and editor) John Atkinson is a fucking moron who couldn't tell a microphone from an anal probe without a spec sheet and a manual... the "HiFi reviewers" are great at the 'Monday morning quarterback' role... I wonder how'd they do if they ever had to get on the field and play the game?
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On the other hand, If I was being anally probed, Id choose and earthworks reference mic over an EV re20 any day of the week.

I would guess that nora jones vocal to have been done with a telefunken 251 through a pultec pre.
Click to expand...


I would take a D112.... sideways.
 
alfalfa said:
I was reading the extremely positive review of Earthworks' Sigma 6.2 monitor speaker on Stereophile which can be found here:

http://www.stereophile.com/fullarchives.cgi?859

The author (and editor) John Atkinson made this interesting comment in the review:

"But even the Earthworks couldn't conceal the lispy treble and coarse midrange quality of Norah Jones' voice on Come Away With Me (Blue Note 5 32088 2), which sounded as if it had been recorded with one of those ElectroVoice dynamic cardioids so beloved by radio talk-show hosts."

Is he right in guessing that her vocals were recorded with an EV dynamic (I am assuming the RE20)?

Is the "lispy treble and coarse midrange quality" an accurate description of the type of vocal sound you may get with an EV RE20?
Click to expand...


First search on Google for "norah jones recording microphone" yeilded: http://www.sorcerersound.com/norah2.htm

Now back to the question at hand: Neumann M49 for vocals
 
So THAT microphone was what caused her to sound flat!

Chris
 
If you sound flat with a neuman tube microphone either it is in the EQ and mix or you need to be looking for a new career.
 
i'll never be able to look at my d-112 the same way ever again.
 
Originally posted by chessparov So THAT microphone was what caused her to sound flat!

Chris
Click to expand...

Perhaps flat to your ears, but certain far from flat broke!:D

I really like her album ... I'm a great fan of simplicity and I think she (and her producers) nailed it.
 
I know you guys are talking about the recording, but I thought you'd be interested to know this. I saw Norah Jones live in Cary, North Carolina last night, and I'm pretty sure she was using this Neumann:

http://www.neumann.com/infopool/mics/produkte.php?ProdID=kms105

And DAMN, she sounds unbelievable live! Her band is pretty amazing too! And she's a lot cuter in person ;) hehe

I was checking out their setup, but it was hard to see, even from where I was in like the 5th row. But I did manage to identify an old, beat-up Fender amp that was close-mic'd. It was one of the two-speaker designs, covered in tweed. Kinda looked like the shape of the Acoustasonic Junior or the Twin Reverb, but it was definitley old. They were getting some really great sounds out of lots of different close-mic'd amps actually. It was awesome!
 
It's what you put in front of the microphone that matters.

A Neumann M49 is a great mic, if I'm not mistaken, Robby Williams was using it for recording most of his vocals on the "Swing when you're winning" CD.

Having that said, listen to the song "It was a very good year", where Frank Sinatra takes over after the second verse/chorus.
I guess it's the same mic, but what a difference!

Fletcher, as always, hits the nail on the head! Magazines are run by morons these days. There are a few good ones, but my gawd, what a bunch of assholes.

For example, I have the may issue of Future music here, somebody gave it to me yesterday. Someone is explaining how to record an acoustic guitar and I quote:

" Unless you're a real purist, there's no benefit from recording acoustic guitar to analogue: it's cumbersome, dull and noisy".

And:

" Digital, especially at high sampling rates and bit depths, was made for recording acoustic guitar. It's clean, quiet and true (though some may say dull in a different way).

Now what a bunch of nonsense is that? I've heard wonderful sounding guitar recordings, digital and analogue.

Morons!
 
Actually I am not sure if Fletcher's specific comments have any validity at all. He slammed another audio engineer's abilities and knowledge (John Atkinson) and has yet back up his criticisms.

Again here is the link to one example of a recording John Atkinson has done. The article outlines how the recording was made and edited.

http://www.stereophile.com/fullarchives.cgi?714

I am sure if JA is a "fucking moron who couldn't tell a microphone from an anal probe without a spec sheet and a manual" as he so eloquently put it, then I am sure Fletcher will be able to point all all the flaws in the choices of equipment and techniques used in the above recording.

I have never heard any albums John Atkinson has recorded (so I have no idea if he is any good or a total moron) but I assume Fletcher has, given his strong, negative views on the man's abilities.
 
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alfalfa said:
Actually I am not sure if Fletcher's specific comments have any validity at all. He slammed another audio engineer's abilities and knowledge (John Atkinson) and has yet back up his criticisms.
Click to expand...

It appears from the link that John Atkinson did indeed record something... which is a wonderful thing.

I owe a sincere and humble apology as my statement was based not only on ignorance of his work, but on the racist conclusion that 'stereo reviewers' are a pack of 'Monday morning quarterbacks'.

I haven't heard the brothers work, so I have less than no basis for comment. I apologize not only to John Atkinson, but to this forum as well for my ill placed, baseless, and frankly, racist comment.

Seeing as the man has at least stepped on the field... he is absolutely more than due, at very least, the benefit of the doubt.
 
Fletcher said:
It appears from the link that John Atkinson did indeed record something... which is a wonderful thing.

I owe a sincere and humble apology as my statement was based not only on ignorance of his work, but on the racist conclusion that 'stereo reviewers' are a pack of 'Monday morning quarterbacks'.

I haven't heard the brothers work, so I have less than no basis for comment. I apologize not only to John Atkinson, but to this forum as well for my ill placed, baseless, and frankly, racist comment.

Seeing as the man has at least stepped on the field... he is absolutely more than due, at very least, the benefit of the doubt.
Click to expand...

Who are you and what have you done with Fletcher?
 
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