Help choosing a mic!

[Sonic Nomad]

Hi Fellow Slutz,

I'm about to purchase a new mic and would appreciate any input.
Currently I use a crappy Studio Projects C1 and until recently used a Rhode NT2 and a rather old C414 through a Focusrite VoiceMaster Pro.

The Focusrite will be replaced by a Millennia STT-1 Origin.
The following mics are available locally;
Neumann
Rhodes
SE Electronics
DPA

The mic needs to be a general purpose mic that has patterns and can be used for dialogue (we do tons of radio), singing and some instrumental work.

David

[Brent Casey]

Hi David,


What sort of problems are you having with the C1 microphone?


Brent Casey
Studio Projects Microphones
877-563-6335

[lowfreq33]

So the NT2 (not the NT2A) is actually a pretty decent mic, so I'd keep that around just in case. I'm a big fan of the SE mics in the bang for the buck category. The Gemini is a really thick, dark sounding tube mic, great for a "warm" mic, but not right for every voice. Works well on people with a strident quality to the voice, smooths things out a lot. The 5600 is a little more neutral (for a tube mic), the 3300 is VERY similar to the U87 (which for me means I won't be buying one), but a lot of people like that sound. Since you mentioned Neumann I assume you have a little bit of a budget? Check out mics by Peluso, Lawson, and maybe Gefell in the high range. The key is to have a few choices to accomodate different voices. If I had $2k to play with I'd get 3 mics that were very different. Maybe the SE gemini, a Blue baby bottle and an AT 4047 (similar to a Neumann FET 47). These would cover just about any voice type you might encounter. Or you could just use a 57 and be done with it.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by Sonic Nomad

The mic needs to be a general purpose mic that has patterns and can be used for dialogue (we do tons of radio), singing and some instrumental work.

David

What's your budget? $2-3k? more or less?

[Sonic Nomad]

Originally Posted by Brent Casey

Hi David,


What sort of problems are you having with the C1 microphone?


Brent Casey
Studio Projects Microphones
877-563-6335

Er.... Hi Brent,

I suppose that came out wrong, "crappy"!!!
The C1 has been a work horse around here for some time. It's a real no brainier for tracking vocals on certain styles of music. In fact it was used on last years "Big Hit" in these parts.
I have found that the vocals will really cut through in the mix and sit snug.
But when it comes to more sibilant vocals, well that’s another story.

Might be me but I find that EQing some material captured by both the C1 and the NT2 does not deliver the expected results. The C1 will always be kept for it’s abilities. For it’s price it’s paid for itself many times over. That’s the thing when recording most VO’s and certain voices for certain styles of music it starts to show.
This has also made consider that I may not have to spend big dollars on a boutique or “industry” standard mic.

[Sonic Nomad]

Originally Posted by lowfreq33

So the NT2 (not the NT2A) is actually a pretty decent mic, so I'd keep that around just in case. I'm a big fan of the SE mics in the bang for the buck category. The Gemini is a really thick, dark sounding tube mic, great for a "warm" mic, but not right for every voice. Works well on people with a strident quality to the voice, smooths things out a lot. The 5600 is a little more neutral (for a tube mic), the 3300 is VERY similar to the U87 (which for me means I won't be buying one), but a lot of people like that sound. Since you mentioned Neumann I assume you have a little bit of a budget? Check out mics by Peluso, Lawson, and maybe Gefell in the high range. The key is to have a few choices to accomodate different voices. If I had $2k to play with I'd get 3 mics that were very different. Maybe the SE gemini, a Blue baby bottle and an AT 4047 (similar to a Neumann FET 47). These would cover just about any voice type you might encounter. Or you could just use a 57 and be done with it.

lowfreq33,

It's really a NT-2A!
Have had my eye on the Gemini and the 5600. rather fancy your recommendation of the Gemini, a Blue baby bottle and an AT 4047. Sounds like a good place to start.

[Sonic Nomad]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

What's your budget? $2-3k? more or less?

Tony,

I figure $3k! no more than that ATM.

[Brent Casey]

Originally Posted by Sonic Nomad

Er.... Hi Brent,

I suppose that came out wrong, "crappy"!!!
The C1 has been a work horse around here for some time. It's a real no brainier for tracking vocals on certain styles of music. In fact it was used on last years "Big Hit" in these parts.
I have found that the vocals will really cut through in the mix and sit snug.
But when it comes to more sibilant vocals, well that’s another story.

Might be me but I find that EQing some material captured by both the C1 and the NT2 does not deliver the expected results. The C1 will always be kept for it’s abilities. For it’s price it’s paid for itself many times over. That’s the thing when recording most VO’s and certain voices for certain styles of music it starts to show.
This has also made consider that I may not have to spend big dollars on a boutique or “industry” standard mic.

Heh ...
The C1 does tend to stand out, due to a couple of amplitude peaks in the 5kHz - 7kHz range. I weighed in primarily because you mentioned that your facility was doing a lot of dialogue work and the C1 has always been well received by vo/dialogue folks. I wondered if something was wrong with the mic itself.


Brent Casey
PMI Audio Group
877-563-6335

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by Sonic Nomad

Tony,

I figure $3k! no more than that ATM.

For $3,000... You could get a Peluso 47 LE or Pearlman TM-1, and a Peluso 251. A combination of these mics would give you a lot of flexibility. One would give you the full bodied, vintage 47 vibe, and the 251 would give you the modern, open top end. I've been using primarily the 251 or 47 LE on pretty much every vocal I've tracked for the last 6 months. At this point, there isn't much left to be desired.

I think the 47 LE might get the edge over the Pearlman in your situation, due to the 9 polar patterns.

[Sonic Nomad]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

For $3,000... You could get a Peluso 47 LE or Pearlman TM-1, and a Peluso 251. A combination of these mics would give you a lot of flexibility. One would give you the full bodied, vintage 47 vibe, and the 251 would give you the modern, open top end. I've been using primarily the 251 or 47 LE on pretty much every vocal I've tracked for the last 6 months. At this point, there isn't much left to be desired.

I think the 47 LE might get the edge over the Pearlman in your situation, due to the 9 polar patterns.

Tony,

You are the second person to tell me about the Peluso 22 47SE!
And my gut tells me I should not brush it off.

Thanks....

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by Sonic Nomad

Tony,

You are the second person to tell me about the Peluso 22 47SE!
And my gut tells me I should not brush it off.

Thanks....

I actually prefer the 47 LE (the difference being the tube).. But, yes they are both incredible microphones.

[markk]

22 47LE