What should my next microphone(s) be?

Eric V

Eric V

Inquiring mind wants to know
My friend and I have between us, a Miktek MK300 condenser, an SM57, and an SM58. We record acoustic guitars as well as mic electric guitar amps. I'm wondering what might be a good buy going forward. We mainly use the Miktek MK300 for lead vocals, and acoustic guitar, mandolin, etc. Any ideas are appreciated and welcomed!
 
What do you record that your exisiting mics don't do justice? The Miktek - never heard one, is it bright or mellow sounding? If it's mellow, the maybe a brighter more sparkly mic, but if you like it because it's bright, then maybe something mellower? The trouble is, it's personal. If you really like the Shure's that's their job covered - so what do you struggle with. We probably all have a go to mic we trust and know well. Mine's an AKG 414. It rarely does a bad job, but it's not good for some things so I have alternatives.
 
I mainly would like a nice setup for recording acoustic guitar. And sometimes the result we get is less than stellar sounds for an acoustic, though we used the Miktek and the SM57 and got pretty good results. So Im looking to see if there is some other combination that could improve the sound. Maybe what I need to do is just experiment more with the position of the mics to make improvements. The Miktek is bright overall in my opinion, but it really does a good job with vocals. I believe TallismanRich has one, if I remember correctly.
 
Recording acoustic guitar can depends good deal on the space you're recording in. I've used that Miktek mic on acoustic with good results, though these days I stick with small condensers because the outside noise has increased as more highways and people have moved around here, and there's a small airport with a lot of traffic, too.

Mic position and the [recording] space, as well as the equipment and player, all figure in pretty significantly to acoustic guitar recording. Honestly, there are lots of ways to skin that cat and the results can be pretty good with any mic (IMO).

I have an early MK300, so don't know if they've changed at all, but I don't find it especially bright, if it was, it wasn't anything a little EQ would tame, though I don't recall ever having any problems with it. Here's a video (YouTube link - sorry, my singing is involved :)) where my friend is playing his Taylor into the Miktek. There is some bleed, needless to say, but the guitars are primarily in their own mics. My guitar is going into an AKG C214 - I prefer the Miktek over that, honestly.
 
I snagged the MK300 a while back on sale and I'm impressed so far. For LDC, I've got an NT1, the MK300, a WA47jr, a pair of Studio Projects B3s and a V67G. I can get good recordings from them all. I've use the NT1 on vocals mostly. The MK300 has a bit more top end than the NT1, and had a really nice "open" sound. I wouldn't really say it's bright though. I prefer it to the 47Jr.

For acoustic guitars, I have Lauten LA120s, AKG P120s and Rode M5s. The M5s match up with my Taylor nicely if I'm fingerpicking, which tends to be dark. The M5s are a little lean, so they don't boom as much as the Lauten and AKGs. If I'm using a pick or my Dean acoustic, the Lautens and AKGs work better.

If I was to go up another step, it would probably be something like the UT Twin87. From what I've read, it's a very good mic, but it's double the price of the others. It's just that I don't have an easy way of checking one out and I really don't know that I need more than I have. I'm not spending $600 just to satisfy my curiosity for something that might just give an minuscule improvement.

The other mic I was considering was the Sennheiser MK4. It might be a lateral move from the MK300, maybe just a different flavor.

Lewitt mics get some props, and I've looked at the Advanced Audio mics, but, again, I can't see spending big bucks for a very small change, but not necessarily an improvement. I keep looking, but I'm just not buying.
 
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Eric V said:
Thanks to you both, Rob and Keith!

@keith.rogers That was a great rendition of 16 Tons!
Click to expand...
Thanks Eric. Now, I realize I didn't actually answer your question about next mic, but I'd say a good small condenser, or a pair, is not a bad thing to have if you're recording acoustic instruments, especially if the space is not something you really want to be capturing. The Acoustic Guitar Forum's Recording subform has a pinned list of mics that folks are using, and other equipment, and you can scan that list for ideas - all kinds of price ranges are covered. I used a couple of nice Audio-Technica mics that I picked up used, one ATM450 that is a side-address kind of oddball, but I used that and an AT4051a (superseded by the "b") - these were both good mics and the 4051a was great for violin.

The other kind of mic that I've never used but I do see folks working with is a ribbon, and they can be used with the SM57 on amp cabinets for good results. Personally, the fragility of the ribbon and preamp need, or active-ribbon choice just added a complexity I don't like, but they are a unique sound compared to the condenser and dynamics you have.
 
keith.rogers said:
Thanks Eric. Now, I realize I didn't actually answer your question about next mic, but I'd say a good small condenser, or a pair, is not a bad thing to have if you're recording acoustic instruments, especially if the space is not something you really want to be capturing. The Acoustic Guitar Forum's Recording subform has a pinned list of mics that folks are using, and other equipment, and you can scan that list for ideas - all kinds of price ranges are covered. I used a couple of nice Audio-Technica mics that I picked up used, one ATM450 that is a side-address kind of oddball, but I used that and an AT4051a (superseded by the "b") - these were both good mics and the 4051a was great for violin.

The other kind of mic that I've never used but I do see folks working with is a ribbon, and they can be used with the SM57 on amp cabinets for good results. Personally, the fragility of the ribbon and preamp need, or active-ribbon choice just added a complexity I don't like, but they are a unique sound compared to the condenser and dynamics you have.
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Thanks again Keith. That is very helpful.
 
Hi Eric,

Recommendations would (of course) partly depend on budget. More expensive recommendation is the Shure SM81. You could try pairing one with the SM57 (haven't tried that pairing), or even better getting 2 of the SM81s to record in a spaced pair. A lower priced good option for acoustic is the Rode NT1 condenser. I think you can also get a good sound from 2 SM57s in a spaced pair, so getting another one could also be considered.

If you would like to see our full list of recommended microphones for recording acoustic guitar:

bestmicrophones.net

The Best Microphones for Recording Acoustic Guitar

Want to improve your acoustic guitar sound in your home studio? Get the info you need from our ranking of the best mics for recording acoustic guitar.
bestmicrophones.net bestmicrophones.net

I do think the placement of microphones does play a big role in the acoustic guitar sound you get so that is definitely worth experimenting with as well. I really like the videos that Neumann made for their Neumann Home Studio Academy series. If interested, here are their 3 instructional videos on how to mic acoustic guitars (these ones are on how to use one mic):

1)

2)

3)

Hope that helps!
 
the above SM81 is something you dont have.

i actually posted some comparisons years ago as I tried the 81's in comparisonitis mode....usa vs new ones and was most surprised with the
discontinued Shure PG81, where I got a pair for $70 or something crazy, and they sounded really close to the SM81's too....and better yet the PG81 fit a normal mic clip, as I recall. My wallet never went much higher than Shure's , but comparing to Neumanns...for 1qty U87ai $2500 used (without a $400 shock)....I can buy numerous KSM44, 32's, and 57, 81's...

anyway SDC's might be worth checking out.
 
Agree with @CoolCat and would add that SDCs are a bit forgotten IMO -- they're currently the only type of studio mic I own and they perform in as versatile a way as the LDCs I don't own but have used. Any source will be as well-captured by a medium-range SDC as by an LDC of same price.

BTW mine are Shure SM81-LCs in case you might want to check them out.
 
I looked up an SM 81 on Amazon and it was listed for $399 USD, thats kind of steep for me. But I will consider an SDC as an option. Thanks SR!
 
when you start collecting mics, you buy them to fill holes. Things that you do in your studio that you feel you could do a bit better. If you keep recording brass and your mics just dont flatter them, then buy a mic like a Sennheiser 421. You then have a great mic for brass, but then somebody needs you to record something else. Most people cannot keep buying mics, and if you do, like me, its stupid, because i still go back to just a handful of favourites. Some expensive mics i have never get used. I work in two places, five minutes apart. In the last year, i have got in the car to get a mic from the other place just once. I need four bars of sax, but the mics handy are good enough.

Ive got a big job coming up where we’ve got a Steinway hired because thats what the pianist wants, and steeldeck rather than the noisy timber risers the venue has. I have to choose mics, and i bet i end up with the old faithfuls I've used for years.

Buy mics you know you’ll use again. I record in stereo a lot, and pairs of mics for me are by far the most useful.
 
Rob mentions "filling holes" what I started doing after years of just having random enjoyment trying random gear out.
I had a microphone book talking tech nerd stuff but never read it really. Eventually my dim light bulb went off, in specs and engineers designing for different applications!
The Marketing guys confuse things sometimes say all mics do everything great!! but the sensitivity is kind of linear logic to ears, 28mv/pa picks up everything and a 1.2mv/pa seems like its broken to many. Patterns and all that is ok too, but we dont live in a anechoic perfect room chamber so specs and things are a basic graph to help but not the whole picture.

im just rffing, but going into sensitive mics then the room starts showing its ugliness, a lot of Neumann 87ai are sold used because its not a good bad-room mic as the youtube said. The old 87 were almost half the sensitivity, one guy thought it was broken...less output.
Ive found mics around 14mv/pa is a good spec/middle sensitivity for a interface preamp and for my home average normal room/house.
It still amazes me a 28mv/pa mic can pickup things outside!!, the attic fan motor!! and the computer fan!! that is not heard with my ears when the mic/headphones are off. faf....

My KSM44 are set to 15db pad, not 28mv/pa with the low freq cut. Dynamics work well here, but to get some crispy polish clarity sparkle LDC, sensitivity goes upward.
I still find it all interesting still but in hindsight I never gave enough effort in the room. Getting a decent room, cleaned up, to some decent level is worth it...all goes hand in hand to the mics and patterns, and then again, a lot of stuff is close mic'd.

SM81 6mv/pa....KSM184 15mv/pa....sm57 1.5mv/pa...AKG451 9mv/pa...MXL 603 10mv/pa ..PG81 (not PGA) is 4mv/pa

ok time for another cup of coffee.... :)
 
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