You didn't ask for it, but here's the last shootout for a while!

[Blue Bear Sound]

Vocals

I was curious as to the C1, 4033, and NT2 as far as vocal use, so here it is...

The Context
--------------------------------------------

1 - Yes, that's me singing (and no, I don't plan on making a career as a vocalist!)

2 - Yes, all three mics captured the fact that I have a head cold perfectly! (ie, the nasal tone in certain sections has NOTHING to do with any mic characteristic!)

3 - No, I don't have perfect pitch (and I don't care - and neither should you - that's not the point of this!)

4 - Yes, that's a karaoke backing track of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" (what, you think I have time to put together an arrangement with session players specifically for this???)

5 - Here's how I worked the tracks to make them sound reasonable in the mix and still allow some sort of useful comparisons -

• - I tried to sing each track as similarly as possible for each take, and all the tracks were done after a good "warm-up period"... there are minor differences in delivery but no one should have any problems differentiating delivery from mic characteristic (if you can't, then which mic is which won't matter to you anyways!)
  
  - I tracked each mic with the exact same signal chain - adjusting only for level consistency.
  
  - I determined the appropriate effect/processing chain for the vocal track, then routed each mic thru it - each take had EXACTLY the same processing applied (except for the odd mute of certain delays, which I was doing at mixdown - it won't affect anything).
  
  - listening to the character of delays also gives clues to the character of the mic - I noticed difference track to track and the only difference was the mic track being used.... which changed how the delay came across in the mix.

6 - I originally did do a clip with the Marshall MPX2001 as well, but my voice gave out by then and it wasn't flying, so it was omitted.... no loss -- it didn't sound very good anyways, IMO!

7 - Yes - these shoot-out comparisons are highly subjective, if you don't like the context I did it in, then don't download the clips, or do your own f*cking shoot-out!

8 - Commenting on how subjective and useless these shoot-outs are will just piss me off (since I did mention the context right up front!), and really helps no one ('cos people will still download the clips and make their own conclusions anyways!)


Now have at it............

Bruce

http://207.176.147.104/bbs.nsf/c558...5885256b5b002d33d5/$FILE/MicShootout3_MP3.ZIP

 

[chessrock]

Alright, Bruce. I now feel much better about life. I have come to the startling realization that, although you may be able to kick my ass in a mastering competition . . . I could sing circles around you in a "who can do the best Floyd cover?" competition.

So let me have my own personal moment of glory (long pause). Alright. Thanks for putting these samples up. I can most certainly appreciate the effort it takes to put together something like this in order to educate others on the sonic differences of some good microphones.

Double thanks for actually putting the samples in the context of a mix! That's really the only way I can judge a mic's characteristics accurately and with confidence.

I own an NT2, and I used to own a C1, so I'm very familiar with these mics. Something I find surprizing, actually, is how different they sound from one another in your examples (I used to think they were similar). I actually like you as Roger Waters through the C1, and I like you as David Gilmour through the NT2. The C1 gives your voice a certain aggressiveness in the lower tones, and also sounds more "focused." The NT2, however, just sounds full of air (in a good way). Perfect for the mellower croonings during the Gilmour part ("There is no pain, you are receding . . . etc.)

If I were Bob Ezrin, I would combine the C1 take (Roger) with the NT2 take (Gilmour) accordingly.

Even more interesting: From other samples I've heard, I have liked the 4033 a good deal. But those samples didn't have music behind them. Unfortunately, I don't think the 4033 occupies it's space as well within the mix. It sounds beautiful and rich by itself, but I am surprized at how well the C1 and NT2 cut through at varying points where the 4033 just kinda' blends in.

It could just be your particular voice though, so I don't really know. They're all very good mics, though.

Thanks again. Great job, by the way!

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

Alright, Bruce. I now feel much better about life. I have come to the startling realization that, although you may be able to kick my ass in a mastering competition . . . I could sing circles around you in a "who can do the best Floyd cover?" competition.

Hah! Ok... I didn't tell you that phase 2 of this exercise is a mastering competition on those clips!!!

I actually like you as Roger Waters through the C1, and I like you as David Gilmour through the NT2. The C1 gives your voice a certain aggressiveness in the lower tones, and also sounds more "focused." The NT2, however, just sounds full of air (in a good way). Perfect for the mellower croonings during the Gilmour part ("There is no pain, you are receding . . . etc.)

If I were Bob Ezrin, I would combine the C1 take (Roger) with the NT2 take (Gilmour) accordingly.

Funny... I came to exactly the same conclusion...

It could just be your particular voice though, so I don't really know.

Yes......... I should have re-iterated that in my "context" -- the results will almost certainly vary for someone else's voice!


Bruce

 

[ChuckU]

Damn. I have yet to prefer any $200 range or below mic in any of these shootouts!

I never really paid attention to mics before- hey, I'm a newbie! But I think I'm getting better at this (yeah, I know it's opinion, but I never cease to be amazed at what the ears can process).

I agreed with Chessrock (the NT2 better on Gilmour) prior to reading his comments.

Nice cop on the guitar lead

 

[mixmkr]

well...I just think theeeze shoutouts are meaniless...dribbel..l....!!




I liked the NT2

thanks, Bruce for the time and effort...you been hangin' around karaoke bars now ??

so...what does it sound like if you swing the C1, Roger Daltry style, trying to stay on axis, and not clobbering your studio ceiling......

 

[CyanJaguar]

I always prefferred the nt2 to the 4033, but I did not dig it in this context. It sounded funny(not studio enough in the low end). I liked the 4033 the best by far . Even though it was not bright enough, it had the studio sound. The c1 was quite good but I eliminated it because it was too sibilant. I listened without knowing what I was listening to , to eliminate previous judgements.

what wasfunny was in the blind listening, I thought the c1 was the nt2 cos of the sibilance and I thought the nt2 was the c1 . I knew the 4033 though.

 

[wes480]

not posting on the mics yet - but i kinda dig the vocals. the whole track/vocal...it sounds nice. hehe. what a great song <sigh>

 

[wes480]

this was a really good shootout...thanks for putting stuff in the mix etc. I really liked the C1...thought it was much better than the 4033. Much fuller...I thought the NT2 was probably a notch up. I think that pretty much goes with what I was thinking...I'm going to go ahead and get a C1...and then this summer get an NTK...and next christmas maybe a T3

 

[JFogarty]

I liked the NT2 one the best. The C1 I thought sounded very good too. They were all good sounding though, to me. I don't have the best ear though.

 

[VOXVENDOR]

I don't know about anyone else, but these mics are all very close in sound... I was almost straining to hear a difference....

The C1 is more sybillant.... the NT2 and 4033 were very good, and very close to identical....

Thanks Bruce.. Good shoot out... we need more of these....