your first condenser, how did it feel?

[Altruist]

I hate my first condensor and I am such a stooge that I hate my second one too. I went back to dynamics. They just work better with what I have currently. Maybe someday down the line I will venture back into the condensors again.

 

[MadAudio]

My first condensor was a CAD Equitek E-300. Well, it wasn't mine at first. The bass player in my band at the time bought it. We were recording our band's CD, and we needed a really good mic for our lead singer. This woman had a serious set of pipes on her, and my bass player had the sense to get the guy at the music store to let him audition mics with her. When I first set it up for tracking at my home studio and heard our singer's voice - WOW! I was in love. With a mic. We ended up mixing the stuff at a pro studio, and the engineer (a Grammy-nominated seasoned vet and all around cool guy) complimented the vocal recording. Eventually, the band broke up and I ended up buying the mic. I've used it ever since, and that was 4 years ago. It's the only multi-pattern mic in my closet right now. And that's where the addiction began...

 

[junplugged]

I guess this thread tends to be popular, I guess I should chime in.

First condensor - Berry ECM8000. I was like, what the? For the first time I heard my room. I heard it really amazingly detailed, and that was without A SIGNAL. I mean, just listening thru the cans! to nothing, or actually, everything. But it was so high end, and it's got that hiss to it, but that's before I learned how to use my preamp and before I learned to hear - longer story I posted in mixing called 'learning eq' or something - so I'm ready now to try it again.

Then I got a MXL v67 and I'm pleased w/ that. I can't sing into my sm57 anymore. V67 alsol has the room sound at a distance, and that's cool. Tho I have to say that it is subtlety and detail that depends on the mix and style of music if it will actually show up in the end.

 

[Taylor_214]

OK...someone would like to analyze quality of sound of my latest song using SM57.

This is recorded with my SM57 while i wait for my 603's to arrive. I tried to minimize effects on the tracks aside from little ambient reverb, flanger, etc. However, it' the same guitar recorded in the basement, one SM57 into a Trakmaster pre, to 2496 card. I have no experience with condensers so would be interesting to see how it would sound "better" or "different" to my SM57.

Choose the high bit rate to listen. 192k mp3 quality.

Thanks as this is a very interesting thread and i think is helpful for everyone never had a condensor. Song is "A time long gone".

http://www.funender.com/music/bands/2278/info_8355.php

 

[Enchilada]

I just got mine

I just go a Marshall MXL V67g mic and I couldn't believe the difference. I used to use a horrid karaoke no-name mic and it was terribly noisy. I knew that It'd be an improvement but I didn't expect the warmth and clarity that I get out of it.
I run it into a Behringer MIC200 and then into my Korg D16.
ZERO noise!! I mean even with the gain turned up high and everything as loud as it can be before clipping. When I play it back I can turn my 30W speakers up all the way with nothing but silence.
I recommend the MXL V67g to anybody for their first condensor. Suprisingly it even sounds tops on my accoustic. A bit dry without eq but that was easily solved.

 

[raddo]

My first condenser mic was...

So my first condenser mic was a Rode NT1a. Completely different than the SM57 or Beta 58a I had used before. The condenser mic picks up just about every noise that's present. I was amazed at how much more "life" there seemed to be now.

When I'm trying to record my acoustic I must be careful to not pick up myself breathing!

Now that I have my own house, and have converted the upstairs attic to a recording space (complete with acoustic treatment), the NT1a is right at home. I'm able to capture some good vocals with it. I'm running it through a tube pre so that can't hurt either.

I just ordered a Marshall MXL V67g and should get it in a couple days. I've heard favorable things about that one. Of the other Marshal mics out there, I'd like to check out their tube mics. The MXL 2003 is also supposed to be pretty good.

In the future I'd like to get a couple tube mics. Maybe the AT3060, the Rode K2 or Classic 2. Of course there's always the Neumann at the top of the wishlist. A couple Blue mics would be nice too.

Of course, later on down the road, a nice ribbon mic would be great as well.

But all those mics will have to wait till I get some serious cash.

 

[noisedude]

My first condenser was a C1000S. My second was an SE2200. Sigh.

 

[wilkee]

My first condensers were a pair of Sennheiser electret omni's that I used to record a Fairground Organ in a large warehouse in Nottingham. I wish some one had warned me about using omni's in reverberent spaces!!!!

 

[Mark7]

Don't use omnis in large reverberant spaces


There. Happy?

 

[wilkee]

Don't use omnis in large reverberant spaces


There. Happy?

Cheers matey but it will take a lot more than that to make me happy!

 

[Harvey Gerst]

My first condensers were a pair of Sennheiser electret omni's that I used to record a Fairground Organ in a large warehouse in Nottingham. I wish some one had warned me about using omni's in reverberent spaces!!!!

Actually, omnis would probably be my first choice for that job. The trick is to control (by mic placement) the ratio between direct and reverberent sound.

 

[wilkee]

Actually, omnis would probably be my first choice for that job. The trick is to control (by mic placement) the ratio between direct and reverberent sound.

I used the omni's with about a 2m spacing (the organ was about 3m wide) but I had them too far away again about 2m, the room reverb was nearly as loud as the direct sound.
I have always used directional mics (up to 4 on the large organs*) on the ones since with an omni placed to give some atmosphere when I do the final mix/eq.

Tony

* no comments from the ladies please

 

[Alexi]

well my first condenser akg c12, sounded too good so i sold it right away.

jokin,

my first nice mike was a lovely at 4033a, i still use it on cabinets and for some voices and it sounds amazing.

 

[Sloan]

It was like stepping out of a volkswagen into an open field where I could hear again.

Peace,
Dennis

haha.

I agree.
When I first hooked up a condenser, I was blown away.
I don't think I've recorded with a dynamic since.

 

[Vladimir]

I just got my first condensers today. (Actually that's a lie, I had an ECM8000 but I'd only used it for room calibration and somehow overlooked the idea of listening to it.) They're CAD GXL-1200's. I intend to use them for overhead miking and recording ambient/nature sounds. I plugged it in and pushed the fader up, my first thought was "What's that horrible hum????" -- after I listened a few seconds and the hum stuttered, I realized that I was listening to the compressor in the refrigerator in the kitchen. And the clock in the dining room. And someone walking upstairs. And my breathing. WOW! I knew they'd be sensitive but I didn't expect that. I plugged in a sm58-imitation to compare. I could still make out the clock, amung the fuzz from cranking the pre so high.

The difference I noticed is comparable to cleaning mud off a camera lens. So glad I got these!

 

[Warhead]

My first condensor felt cold, until I held it for a few minutes. Then it was warm.

War

 

[CoolCat]

whats phantom power?

First one...oh,yeah, found out the attic ac fan bearings needed oiling!
damn...my bedroom sounded like..hmmm? drywall HELL!!!
I tried the CAD-E300,AT4030,SM81....they all sucked.
Went back and forth from then on, SM58,SM57, Senni 421,
god knows what else...the GC sales rep probably has a list.

then i found out what a pre-amp was
(and to pull the 3630, Behringer crap, DOD EQ out of the chain.)

blind trial and error is a slow fhkng painful stupid process.

in short: your LD and/or condensor will probably shine a light on your next weakest link.

 

[Dracon]

What were your discoveries and feelings when you got your first condenser ?
cheers, Andrés

Hola Andres:
Well, I'm not sure if to respond in English or Spanish but for the benefit of everyone in the forum (not that they care about my opinion) I'll do it in English.

I just got my first condenser mic (MXL V67G). It's not the top end mic, hell it's just about in the bottom end of the price scale. I have a bass to baritone voice and I just got to test it. I have to say (and I love my Sennheiser) that I absolutetly love the coloration that this condenser gives my voice. The nice bass capture along with the capability of having the clarity on the top end it's great. I can't wait to record my wife on it, to see what it does for her voice.

Was this mic the end all, should you get a MXL V67G. No! If you have more than $99 then get something nicer. One guy around here swears by the ADKs, I'd like to try one. Unfortunately the guys at GC around here don't know how to spell ADK. Anyway, I'm looking at buying other equipment that I need, and I'll hold off on any further mic purchases.

My suggestion is that you try out some nice condenser.

 

[bh4554]

just about to get my first condenser - but am torn between the gt 33 £100)and gt 44 (£220) - just don't know what to do- fet or tube - the battle in my head goes on!

 

[Dracon]

just about to get my first condenser - but am torn between the gt 33 £100)and gt 44 (£220) - just don't know what to do- fet or tube - the battle in my head goes on!

Stupid question, but did you test them? That should narrow down your field some.