thetourist
Newbie
Joined: 05 Apr 2007
Posts: 3
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| vocal mic advice |
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hi - i want to buy a quality vocal mic for our studio which i will use almost exclusively for the vocals of two people - one male and one female. i dont have a lot of time to spend trying out many different mics and i was wondering if there are any mics out there which are bankers and what people's opinions are on these - i mean the type of mic that a studio would buy which could almost ALWAYS be guaranteed to give a quailty sound with any vocal - i am aware that the mic should be chosen to match the vocalist and the song but i will only be able to afford ONE good mic ( i have several other good budget mics that i have not paid a lot for including a beheringer c1 , a beyer condenser who's name escapes me, a 58 beta, an octava etc.) --- i was thinking of buying an akg c414 or a neumann u87 - or maybe there are alternatives that i should consider. i have a budget of a grand or two and i like the idea of buying a well looked after used model.
bottom line i need a bulletproof mic that will work well on male, female, closemic, distant, etc loud and soft !!! or would i be better off buying a selection of cheaper mics to give me more options
thanks for any comments |
Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:36 pm |
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wailingalleycat
Forum Manager
Joined: 07 Oct 2003
Posts: 694
Location: Jersey C.I (UK) |
| Vocal Mic Choice |
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Hi and welcome to the forum.
The c414 is a safe bet for an instrument mic, but it can tend to be somewhat harsh on some vocals.
The U87 has become a bit of an industry standard vocal mic, and you wouldnt be disappointed with it, its a quality mic and you pay for the quality. However i personally think its a little overrated, ive had better sounds for with other cheaper mics, but its all about choosing the right mic for the right vocalist.
You may get better results from buying two cheaper mics instead of going for the U87, but like i say the U87 is a sure bet. If it was me i would probably plump for the C414 and a Beyer Dynamic MC834 or an Audix SCX25.
Take a look at those and come back with thoughts. Is there a particular genre or stye you are working in? that would also help to narrow down a choice, perhaps suggest some songs that you like the vocal sound on.
-Paul
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If In Doubt...Hit It With a Hammer, If Still In Doubt... Find a Bigger Hammer. |
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Fri Apr 06, 2007 12:31 am |
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thetourist
Newbie
Joined: 05 Apr 2007
Posts: 3
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thanks - mostly rock i suppose - love the sound on the grace album by jeff buckley |
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Sat Apr 07, 2007 2:40 am |
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JCarlo
Newbie
Joined: 09 Apr 2007
Posts: 2
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| vocal mic advice |
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"the type of mic that a studio would buy which could almost ALWAYS be guaranteed to give a quailty sound with any vocal"
Most will go for the U87, but at about $3k, I would look for alternatives. Check out - Lawson Microphones, Neumann ( TLM 49, M 147 ), Soundelux U195, Studio Projects C1, Mojave Audio MA200.
As wailingalleycat wrote the 414 can sound harsh on vocals, but is a great all around studio workhorse. If you do go for it, be sure to buy the transformerless one. It does sound warmer. |
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Mon Apr 09, 2007 3:38 am |
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JCarlo
Newbie
Joined: 09 Apr 2007
Posts: 2
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| vocal mic advice |
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Also be aware that older U87s do not sound like the new ones. To my ears the old 87s sound more natural and stable while the new ones ( U87 Ai as oppose to U87 ) sound hyped and upfront. |
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Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:15 am |
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thetourist
Newbie
Joined: 05 Apr 2007
Posts: 3
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i notice the mojave is a tube mic - i was also considering the akg solidtube but i am a bit nervous about buying a tube mic because i fear that it may give such a distinctive sound which i may not want on a particular track ( i mean considering that i'll only have one dedicated mic ) - is it a bad idea to get a valve mic for your primary vocal mic - what if you dont want that "valve" sound on a particular song what do you do - or is it a really subtle difference from a solid state ??? any thoughts |
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Mon Apr 09, 2007 10:43 am |
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ben m
Joined: 15 Sep 2002
Posts: 337
Location: UK |
Don't overlook Audio Technica mics also - the AT4060 is a nice sounding tube mic and the AT4050 is a great all round, workhorse mic with selectable polar patterns. The AT4047 (FET) has a slightly darker sound, more like a Neumann U47 arguably.
There was a special offer on Brauner Phantoms recently with the AE suffix.
Also look at Gefells.
I'd probably steer clear buying a tube mic if it is likely to be your main mic for the foreseeable future as they are more often than not exaggerated in the lower mid frequencies.
What mic preamp(s) do you own? |
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Wed Apr 11, 2007 1:36 pm |
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wailingalleycat
Forum Manager
Joined: 07 Oct 2003
Posts: 694
Location: Jersey C.I (UK) |
| Buckley, Brauner and Beyer |
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The Brauner phantom is a very transparent microphone, i havent used it extensively but do have one in the mic cupboard.
and yes a tube mic does give a very definate sound, and adds character which is pleasing to the ear BUT is unremovable once there. i would say go for a non-tube mic and then pick up an old tube pre-amp or compressor to add those tasty valve harmonics later, if required.
Very warm deep vocal sound on the Grace album. My ears are a little tired but listening to the song Grace, the vocals say Dynamic mic. not alot of transient response going on, however on hallelujah definately a capacitor mic. was recorded in 93 aswell, so older generation of mics.
ive achieved vocal sounds like Buckley's with two mics, firstly the Beyer MC834, very warm mic (around £450) and the Sony C800 Valve mic (Re-mortgage the house).
P.s. get your arse down to a local recording studio, have a listen, get to know the engineer and they may even let you borrow a couple of mics to try. Im always borrowing and lending mics around other engineers.
_________________
If In Doubt...Hit It With a Hammer, If Still In Doubt... Find a Bigger Hammer. |
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Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:38 pm |
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michael_joly
Joined: 22 Sep 2007
Posts: 1
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I'm biased of course. but please listen to the audio samples at www.OktavaModshop.com and www.OktavaMod.com and read some user reviews.
OktavaMod holds its own in Neumann shoot outs. best, Michael |
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Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:15 am |
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