Can you help me with choosing a tube microphone for around $1600?

[Reag1502]

Originally Posted by u b k

what's your pre? what's the rest of your chain?

i ask because a mic alone is not going to give you warmth. for that, you need a warm mic, a warm pre, great converters, and mellow acoustics in your room. if you plug a u47 into a sytek you're not going to have old warmth, you're going to have modern bigness.

i'll keep plugging for the p12 because it has some kind of compelling quality to it that i've only ever heard in expensive, vintage mics. the 2247 and it's ilk, these mics sound great and for the money offer unparalleled quality. but when you put a 2247 side by side with a mint u67, there is no comparing. the 67 truly has silk up top and is master of the midrange; the 2247 sounds a little raspy and small.

put the p12 side by side with that same u67 and it holds its own, you'd have no idea the two mics were so far apart in age and price. it owns the mids as well, it's just not as airy. the 67 is big, the p12 is focused, both are gorgeous and highly engaging in their own ways.

trust me, when it comes time to mix all your tracks together, you will deeply appreciate a mic with midrange clarity more than sheer low-mid girth.


gregoire
del
ubk
.

Yeah, I guess I should of mentioned what mic pres I have. Well there's two that I run.

1.The API A2D
2.Chandler Germanium

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by GearHunter

Thanks for the setting me straight on that, Tone-ster. There are so many of these new mics out now that are part chinese part US part German even, that I dunno which part is from where or goes where. Of these new ones that I've heard, and I haven't heard all of them, I like the Telefunkens. I also have always liked the AT4060. But shoot, my favorite mic that I own is my 20 year-old Neumann U87. I think you know the one. So...there you go.

[synth.ignition]

Count me as another satisfied TM-1 user.

You might want to give Dave Pearlman a call before deciding since you're considering his mic. Seemed like a real decent guy when I talked to him.

[ricknroll]

Look for a used Gefell UM92S or UM92.1S.

Rick

[Reag1502]

I'm gonna go with the Telefunken AK 47. It should work out great with my API and Germ. Thanks for everyones input I really appreciate it.

[Koed]

Put the SE electronics Gemini on your list.

You won't be dissapointed.

[emkay]

Originally Posted by shikawkee

No offense but the 4060 isn't in the same league as the AK-47 IMO and I've used both. YMMV.

Which league are you talking about? The high quality well built AT 4060 mic in a league of it's own totally unique sound? OR-- the AK 47 "busted" a few months ago as a Chinese OEM with the telefunken logo and a price tag seven times the original MSRP ....now in the embarrasing league of issuing an "updated" mic to circumvent the "error of their ways"? LOL----YMMV......peace?

[emkay]

Originally Posted by emkay

Which league are you talking about? The high quality well built AT 4060 mic in a league of it's own totally unique sound? OR-- the AK 47 "busted" a few months ago as a Chinese OEM with the telefunken logo and a price tag seven times the original MSRP ....now in the embarrasing league of issuing an "updated" mic to circumvent the "error of their ways"? LOL----YMMV......peace?

Possible error---might have been the M-16----BUT!! Still definitely keeps Telefunken in a league of it's own!

[shikawkee]

Let me add to my previous post in that if you had a Royer 121 in addition to a LDC and an SM7 you'd be ready for just about anything. Coupla' M-88's wouldn't hurt either.

[shikawkee]

Originally Posted by emkay

Which league are you talking about? The high quality well built AT 4060 mic in a league of it's own totally unique sound? OR-- the AK 47 "busted" a few months ago as a Chinese OEM with the telefunken logo and a price tag seven times the original MSRP ....now in the embarrasing league of issuing an "updated" mic to circumvent the "error of their ways"? LOL----YMMV......peace?

What I'm saying is I've tried both and the Telefunken sounded better to me on the same instrument. Substantially. YMMV.

[Reag1502]

I just tried to record some acoustic guitar with my Rode NT2000, and it sounded terrible. I sure hope that Telefunken smooths things out, because it doesn't really matter were I place the mic with the Rode, it just does't have a nice acoustic sound. Its either too boomy or to harsh and bright.

[Greg Wells]

If you really want to look at an unsung hero..... my vote is the incredible Gefell UMT70s. It was my main microphone for years before I could afford more expensive mics, and I gotta say it fully competes with all of them. It's not a tube mic but sure sounds like one. Despite all the musical chairs I've played with mics, I would never EVER sell my UMT70s. An amazing mic on lead vocals, acoustic guitar, drum overheads, violin, cello, you name it. Sounds almost identical to its big brother, the UM900, which is 3 times the cost.

Really.

[DAWgEAR]

Have you considered the RED type A? That's in the ballpark of your price range.

You could then later add extra capsules for sonic variety.

Just a thought.

[Nu-tra]

I want a P12!

[MeSoHornplayer]

If you can spend a little more, think about a vintage Neumann CMV-563. I own one and it's amazing. It's called the Poor Man's 47 because it's a tube mic that shares the M7 capsule, but it should be called The Mellow 47. Great for jazz, singer-songwriters, pop, male and female vocals.

Also, a very inspiring mic visually. Singers new to it realize there's something special about it just by the way it looks. It's working for me.

[asagaai]

Originally Posted by Reag1502

I just tried to record some acoustic guitar with my Rode NT2000, and it sounded terrible. I sure hope that Telefunken smooths things out, because it doesn't really matter were I place the mic with the Rode, it just does't have a nice acoustic sound. Its either too boomy or to harsh and bright.

I have an NT 2000 and got a Pearlman TM1 with EF 12 tube.

The Pearlman is bigger and deeper down low and is larger and has more depth with detail, although it has a compressing type effect on the signal. Depending on pres it can be sibilant on female singers but has a high cut. I have pacifica and chameleon labs 1046 and with pacifica on female can be sibilant without cut switch, but on cham needs air eq'd in.

I agree with your description of NT 2000 on acoustic guitars-I am mixing an album with acoustic guitars tracked with NT 2000 and pearlman, and the NT 2000 is a bit bright and hard. The Pearlman on acoustic through a nice opto comressor-soo nice.

But-I tracked double bass with NT 2000 and got a great sound with virtually no need to eq- soft deep instrument with hard bright mike-perfect-and then tracked double bass with pearlman and it was awful, too much low end and I had a real job trying to cut out the mud - so -horses for courses.

Sorry for long post-but I got both so I thought I would try and help-and - for vocals/acoustic guitar I now always use Pearlman instead of NT 2000.

I also agree with Ubrik-if you track vocals and acoustic guitar with Pearlam you will need to have appropriate arrangement with gaps for each or decide which is to be dominant.

Cheers
GJ
Newcastle/OZ