Brauners, TFunk, U87, Mojave, Lauten - help me decide!

[StringMike]

Hi slutz!

I need a new LDC, mainly for vocals - mostly male, but also some female - and acoustic guitar. I have 6 different mics on loan, in the 1000-2000$ price range. Let me know if you want to know what the mics are, but I'd like to keep your opinions as neutral as possible. Each track contains a short clip with a female vocalist, a male vocalist and a western guitar. I will be recording these vocalists and that particular guitar a lot, so I would like the mic to suit them.
The tracks are recorded in 48khz/24bit. The recording chain was:
Microphone - RMS Tubule - API A2D conversion - Pro Tools
I did small adjustments to the preamp settings to match the microphones. But the Tubule adds some color, wich is what I like about it.
The guitar used is a 2006 Martin D28 Marquis.
Unfortunately, I haven't had the time to convert the files to mp3's or 44khz/16bit, so you have to import the files to your sequencer until I (or a friendly slut) have bounced new files.
I need a new cabinet for my mac, so there's a little background noise; sorry about that.
Here's the link to the files:


MobileMe - iDisk

Tell me what you like and dislike about them! Let the comments roll in! Help me, slutz

[StringMike]

Oh, and by the way, the contenders are:
Mojave MA-200
Brauner Phantera
Brauner Phantom
Early 70's Neumann U87
Lauten Horizon
Telefunken USA R-F-T AK47

All the tube mics had at least 1 hour of warm-up time.

[Enfris]

Male voice soundclip 3, Guitar 4, Female voice 5... But is just my opinion. Maybe the 5th es the one I like more for the three recordings.

[space2012]

something is totally wrong in your test, something in your signal chain,
cables, micpre, ac line, something

here all sound verry quiet & the same, but in diferent takes.
that cannot be, u87 sounds totally diferent than brauner,
i dont hear u87, i dont hear brauner,
i just hear same thing, diferent takes.

was recorded -24dB!

anyway...
great female singer, sounds like moloko.

[J.C.]

I agree with space2012. I was expecting big differences, but it did sound like different takes with similar setup. Does this mean it doesn't matter if I get a Mojave or a U87 (I was checking this out to hear the Mojave for the first time)? I dug the singing.

Jack

[World Studios]

I say there is something wrong with your ears or speakers. The files sound excellent and there is as much difference as you could ever expect between two (or 6) mics of roughly the same type. Mic placement, cable, preamp, converter and the sound of whatever you just listened to before all influence the sound just as much as the chioce of mics, really. Unless you go for a mic with a very different sound, like a ribbon or a SDC... I just downloaded the first two ones to hear if they sounded the same, will get the rest and tell you my thoughts later.

Cheers,

[World Studios]

Hi!

Now I heard them all on my HK Soundsticks, which are decent speakers, but not my mains... All in all, I say nr 5 is the one. It has the top and the bottom. Nr2 has a nice top, but sounds thinner, still, I like it, then nr 6. My wild guess is that 5 is the Brauner Phantom and 2 the Phantera.

I liked nr 3 the least. Sounds pinched, dull and Neumannesque. Not my cuppah at all. Nr 4 sounds similar, but with more top end. I wouldn't be surprised to find the Lauten and U87 here...

Please tell. PM me if you don't want to go public. If you DO like the sound of the Brauner Phantom, then you HAVE to get a used Manley Ref C, which IMIO (in my informed opinion) is better, but still sounds very close.

[J.C.]

Alright, World Studios you're right there is a difference between the takes that reflect different tonal characteristics. It's a little easier to hear when my daughter isn't gearing up to read to me and asking "what are you listening to?" (she's 5 ). Anyways, I dug 2, 4, and 5 the most (with elements here and there of the others). 3 was the least favorite. 5 had some passages in the male vocal that sounded a little more "magical" to me. Even with the magical element, to me I found myself liking 2 over 5 if I take in account all three clips. In the end, I liked 4 as the over all winner (different sound from 2 and 5). Is 4 the Neumann (that's my guess)? I liked 4 as the all around choice, even though I liked the "sound" of 2 & 5 better (does that make sense?). I'm really interested in which is the Mojave (just never heard it in a posted shootout). Thanks for the clips thumbsup.

Jack

[J.C.]

StringMike

Could you PM me the answers? Thanks.

Jack

[StringMike]

Thanks a lot for your replies - it was great to hear your opinions, wich were not far from mine. Here's the mic names:

1= Brauner Phantera
2= Mojave MA-200
3= U87
4= Brauner Phantom
5= Lauten Horizon
6= Telefunken USA RFT AK47

In my opinion, the Brauners were a bit too sterile in this application. They had too little to offer, characterwise, and couldn't justify the price tag. The Mojave was way too sibilant, especially for the female singer. It could be good in some applications with the guitar, but I would rather have a less bright basic sound, and then add a little 7-8K during mix if it doesn't cut.
The Lauten seemed to have much less going on in the top, instead it had a boost in the upper mids, that suited the three sources very fine. It may be too much for other singers or guitars; I liked it very much though. It gave some character without altering the source. The U87 was the least bright of the mics - but it seemed to have a great basic sound, that was very easy to work with EQ-wise. I could tweak almost every frequency without making it sound artificial. But as a basic sound, it may sound a little dull. If the song was more powerful, a rock song, I might have chosen it over the Horizon for male vocals. The AK47 was surprisingly bright, but not as sibilant as the Mojave. It might fare better with other sources, like a mahoghany guitar or in a jazz song or soul ballad, but in this application it definately didn't shine, though I can hear its qualities.
Again, thanks for the replies, I really appreciate it!

[J.C.]

Wow, I love these blind shootouts. Just so much to learn. I was going to be looking at getting an AK47 or TM1 (and wanted to hear the Mojave), but this post presented me with another option or two to consider. Thanks.

Jack

[World Studios]

OOOOOPppppppsssss. I got it almost all wrong, didn't I? I did spot the U87, though... Well, I do love a blind shootout. Very interresting. Thank you.

[rumleymusic]

does anyone alse think the horizon's are great mics??????

Yup, hard to find anything that tops their sound at any price point.

[Biosynth]

hello.
My favorite mic is Phanthera.