What's your favorite vocal mic?

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Han

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And please explain why you like it so much.

As many of you know I have a Neumann and I haven't found a mic yet that sounds as good, but for less money.

I would like to have another (second) Neumann LDC, but simply can't afford it.

I hope to find a mic that sounds as good, but for less money.

What do you guys say, Groove tubes? Audio Technica? Blue?

I have said in another thread that the MXL V77 comes close to the German sound, but still the M149 sounds significantly better.

What about it? Do any of you guys have experience with Sanken mics?
 
My fav is an Octava MC-319 that I bought from Taylor Johnson at The Sound Room. I like it because it never sounds hyped. To my ear, it just sounds meaty, round, full. A bit dark but still has top end. I may pick up a LOMO head for my 012's to see how that compares.
 
If you have one that you like what are you lacking that motivates you to look for another?
 
Track Rat said:
My fav is an Octava MC-319 that I bought from Taylor Johnson at The Sound Room. I like it because it never sounds hyped. To my ear, it just sounds meaty, round, full. A bit dark but still has top end. I may pick up a LOMO head for my 012's to see how that compares.
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If you pick up a LOMO head for your 012, please post a review of it if its not too much trouble. I'm considering buying one as one of my next purchases (I think it would be a step up from the v67) but the only review I could fine is Harvey saying that he likes it, and thats about it.
 
Han said:
And please explain why you like it so much.

As many of you know I have a Neumann and I haven't found a mic yet that sounds as good, but for less money.

I would like to have another (second) Neumann LDC, but simply can't afford it.

I hope to find a mic that sounds as good, but for less money.

What do you guys say, Groove tubes? Audio Technica? Blue?

I have said in another thread that the MXL V77 comes close to the German sound, but still the M149 sounds significantly better.

What about it? Do any of you guys have experience with Sanken mics?
Click to expand...
I know you hate them, but one of my favorites is the Shure SM57 because IMO it sounds good on most voices and it's built like a tank. :)
 
Well for me its the Studio Projects B1. You either love it or hate it, and I love it because quite frankly, it makes my voice sound... like my voice. I don't feel I need much colouring to my voice, so it's pretty good for me. However, there's almost no reason for me to post this as you're looking for a mic that you don't have thats as good as a Neumann, and that it isn't.
 
wheelema said:
If you have one that you like what are you lacking that motivates you to look for another?
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I record more than one vocals at once quite often and when I record a jazz band I need the Neumann for acoustic bass or woodwinds.

I wish I could afford five or more Neumanns!

Al Schmitt is a great engineer, but besides that he has a great mic collection and that really helps him to get the sound he's making.
 
Re: Re: What's your favorite vocal mic?

DJL said:
I know you hate them, but one of my favorites is the Shure SM57 because IMO it sounds good on most voices and it's built like a tank. :)
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DJL, I'm rolling over the floor from laughing about you!:D

No brother, the 57 doesn't sound good on most voices, actually on most voices it sounds like a boxy piece of shit.

And you should know because you own an MD421 which sound a lot better on most voices.

But I bet you've never had the chance to work with a big tube Neumann like U47, U67, M49 or M50.

It will spoil you for the rest of your life because these mics sound so incredibly better than a 57 , 421 or whatever you name.

I think I'm gonna buy a second M149, have a chat with the bank manager.:D
 
CanopuS said:
Well for me its the Studio Projects B1. You either love it or hate it, and I love it because quite frankly, it makes my voice sound... like my voice. I don't feel I need much colouring to my voice, so it's pretty good for me. However, there's almost no reason for me to post this as you're looking for a mic that you don't have thats as good as a Neumann, and that it isn't.
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Canopus, I have two B1's and I really like them for a number of applications, but vocals are the most important in any recording. If the vocals sound bad, the recording sounds bad.

The B1 can sound brilliant on some voices, I recorded a 82 year old singer some time ago and his voice sounds great on the B1.

But if you compare the B1 to an MXL V69 or V77 there's much difference, these mics sound more detailed and more airy.

But none of them can compete with the expensive German mics, which sound great on most voices.

I hope to find a mic under $1000 which sounds 95% as good as a Neumann.
 
Han, ask Bob Ohlsson sometime what he thinks of the Shure Unidyne III series such as the SM57's and 545's.

In his experience (with over 80 top ten hits!),
many times the Shure's have kept the Neumann's and Tele's inside the studio mic cabinet on lead vocals. He's using mic pre's like a Great River though-not an ART toob.

The Shure's get a bum rap due to pre's that
load poorly with them (like a Mackie), and the fact you usually need to pound them into submission with judicious EQing during mixing, along with placing them well when initially tracking. This will "open" them up,
and they can sound amazing then.

Perhaps then you may be less surprised that
the Shure 546 at home is right up there with
the top condensers tried for my voice.
In some keys, the SM57 is also comparable.
Am including the U87ai, Telefunken USA's,
and a Manley here BTW.

Have you also considered something like a AEA
ribbon?

Chris
 
Track Rat said:
My fav is an Octava MC-319 that I bought from Taylor Johnson at The Sound Room. I like it because it never sounds hyped. To my ear, it just sounds meaty, round, full. A bit dark but still has top end. I may pick up a LOMO head for my 012's to see how that compares.
Click to expand...

Originally posted by tjohnston
NTK
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I have both of these, which should be in a totally seperate class from each other, and in some respects are. The NTK is certainly more Neumanesque then the 319, and has a much better build quality. It is, in a word (or two), a great mic with a solid reputation, and I tend to reach for it first quite often, before my Sony, Shures, Oktavas, EVs, etc.
On the Song I'm tracking right now, I did 3 lead vocal tracks with the NTK, messed with them a bunch, never got happy, put up the Oktava, listened back to the track and immediatly went "WOW!" I sat there A/Bing the two mics and was floored at how big and present the 319 sounded over the NTK. I suspect the same would have happened against a TLM-103, on that song.
My points are that, even though I'm a fan of the 319, it still supprises me how good it can sound, and that the best next LDC for you may not be one that sounds almost like your Neuman.
Cheers, RD
 
Chris, I have recorded quite some vocals with a 57, most rock an grunt metal vocals, because that was the sound they wanted and I know the older 57 can sound a lot better than the newer.

On a really nice voice though, like Sarah Brightman for example, you'll need a very different mic. The 57 will never cut a voice like that like a big Neumann does.

Bob Ohlsson mentioned the Beyer M88 several times as well and I have an M88, which is also very different sounding from the 57.

Thanks for responding everybody!
 
Han, before you buy any more mics, you should invest in this. It's an incredible source for reviewing high-end mics.

And, when you get it, be sure and compare the SM57 to the Manley Gold Reference. You will be amazed, to say the least. That one really stumped me! I even ask Fletcher of Mercenary Audio if the ’57 was really that good with a high-end pre or if I just didn't know what to listen for and he said it was really that good.
 
Flatpicker, that sounds like a very good idea, actually I must have a cd somewhere which is something like the cd you mentioned. It was sent to me a couple of years ago by a pro audio magazine.

I will find it tomorrow.

Thanks!
 
Han, that's an excellent point on the SM57.

The newer ones have a less consistant capsule vs. the ones made
before in the USA. In fact, the one referred to in my last post has
"Unidyne III" on its body, and "made in USA" on it.

This is reputedly due to Shure not replacing the old mylar stampers that were sent to Mexico later on to make the new ones.

There are exceptions, however, the '57 I sold "grahamware" a while back had unusually good high end extension and it was a
newer one.

I loved the M88 (that got sold), but for pop stuff by the time you add compression and reverb (particulary "plate") some sibilance
became apparent from the close miking.

An easy reference for you to hear how good the SM57 and 545
can sound is to listen to "Pet Sounds".
All of Brian's lead vocals were recorded with a 545.
(and many others with the Beach Boys and other artists)

As Harvey cleared up the mystery for me, these microphones can meet or beat the big names IF the singer's voice fits into its
specific frequency response really well.

My first "a-ha" experience with the SM57 was hooking it through an Avalon 737. Tony Visconti is working on an album where they're using a SM58 for the singer, coincidently also chained to the same model Avalon. And he has access to 251's, Manley's, et al. He also thinks VERY highly of the Toft ATC-2, and his review is in the latest Tape Op magazine.

The Manley I tried at NAMM was the Gold Reference going through
a Langevin mic pre. Chocolately smoooth! :)

Chris
 
Just remembered...

Be sure to turn a SM57 or 545 sideways towards the singer's mouth if you want to smooth it out the presence peak.
The Shure website has more info on how to soften it.

Chis
 
And what about the Led Zep stuff and that Bad Co. that was done using an SM57?
 
Chris, I was a FOH engineer for more that ten years and I've worked with a ton of 57's.

A fine example is the Woodstock concert where you can see they only used Shure mics. (don't know the type)

Some singers like to have the mic in their hands when recording and that's quite difficult with a big Neumann,:D so I grab for the M88 first then.

BTW, in the Netherlands you'll find many FOH engineers who dig the C1000S, which most studio engineers spit upon.

I'm still waiting for someone with the message: the XX mic, type YY sounds better than a Neumann and costs only $ ZZ

Utopia?
 
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