Experiences with AEA R84 on vocals please!

[Dog_Chao_Chao]

Originally Posted by u b k

i should add to my year-old comments that the 84 needs a reeeaaallly good room, because you will hear the brutal truth of your room with that mic. sometimes the brutal truth is beautiful, sometimes it's just plain brutal.


gregory scott - ubk
.

Agreed. My first attempt of a FOK with the 84 was pretty creepy. Then I tried to compress....

I do love this mic but its not that easy to take the best of it. Its very easy to have it pick up all the mess. Sometimes its just plain mud land. And it does not work well on all vocals, like all other mics for that matter. If the source is too bass heavy or needs to be picked up really near, or even if you want to make it sharp and very detailed, this is not the mic for it.

[James Lehmann]

Originally Posted by rank

Oh no, I was almost decided to get a R84, now I discovered that there's another version called R84 DJV especially for voice work. Here's the discription from the aea-homepage:

Designed for voice work
The AEA R84 DJV is a variation of the award winning R84 ribbon microphone, optimized for closeup voice reproduction. The R84DJV has the gorgeous, flattering tone of the R84, but is more heavily protected from the moisture and wind blasts that can occur during vocal work. The proximity effect of the R84DJV has been adjusted for an articulate sound at close working distances. The R84DJV is perfect for studio broadcast work, voice overs, and "intimate" vocal recordings.

Does anybody have this mic or had a chance to test it maybe next to the regular R84?

I too am curious about this R84 DJV version:

Why wouldn't one get an R92?

"The R92 motor has been designed to optimize AEA's Big Ribbon™ element to close micing situations. Reduced proximity bass boost and excellent wind blast protection make it suitable for close micing (6-12 inches) of guitar amps, vocals, percussion..." (AEA Website)

I'm guessing the R84 and the R92 must be sufficiently different in tonality to warrant the introduction of the R84DJV.

[seanmccoy]

Originally Posted by James Lehmann

I too am curious about this R84 DJV version:

Why wouldn't one get an R92?

"The R92 motor has been designed to optimize AEA's Big Ribbon™ element to close micing situations. Reduced proximity bass boost and excellent wind blast protection make it suitable for close micing (6-12 inches) of guitar amps, vocals, percussion..." (AEA Website)

I'm guessing the R84 and the R92 must be sufficiently different in tonality to warrant the introduction of the R84DJV.

Nope. It's because the R84 looks cooler.

[andersmv]

Originally Posted by seanmccoy

Nope. It's because the R84 looks cooler.

thumbsup

[James Lehmann]

Originally Posted by seanmccoy

Nope. It's because the R84 looks cooler.

Ah - got it!

Can you post some WAVs of the R84 'looking cooler' than the R92?

[Ollie]

No doubt the R84 is a fantastic mic. Is it going to be my first pick for a vocal mic? Most likely not. With the right vocalist, then I can see using it. Don't get me wrong, I think the mic sounds good on vocals, and absolutely great for some other applications. It has not been my first grab for vocals.

[robot gigante]

Originally Posted by rank

What are your experiences with an AEA R84 on male and female vocals? What preamps did you use, how much gain was needed? How did it work on close distance? How would you discribe its charakter (i.e. big, warm, present ...)?

Are there any comparisons with LDCs that have a similar character (i.e. 414 uls, Brauner Panthera, U47/U67 ...)?

When it works for vocals, it really works. When it doesn't, it doesn't and sometimes that is going to be the case.

The sound is very unlike those LDC's.

[henryrobinett]

My use for it on vocals has been for jazz, smokey female vocalists. It has worked fantastically well. Also the AEA44c and the RCA77dx. Killer all, but exceptionally AEA44.

But I'm repeating myself in this very thread.

[armin]

Great chain x male vocal x aea R84 - UA6176 - lavry blue

All the best

Armin Effenberger

www.chicsoundstudio.com

[cheu78]

Old thread.. But.. As UBK said you need a good treated room..
But an R84 could be very nice on vocals, I had a good experience with it even if in the end we choose a coles 4038 for that particular singer..

My 0.02$,

Bests,
Cheu

[bigfurry]

I'll jump on with many and say that it's often great, and I use it often over an old Neumann, BUT...

Your room better have some bass traps in it, cause its figure 8 and happens to sound best on vocals with some distance from the vocalist- for me closer to 2 feet.

Also I find that it likes a lot of gain, more like 62-64db here, and that means your room is hopefully quiet.

Also helps to have a good outboard eq.

that being said, i love it, just want to give you somethings to think on!

[RKrizman]

I have yet to have it work for me on vocals. Still and all, a fantastic mic. Used it on a mandolin yesterday and it sounded almost creepily real.

-R

[Sugar Stinky]

R84 is incredible on vocals,
fat creamy,

yet when eq'd it gets all the airr you need,

only problem is, sibilance can be funny on some vocalists... not sure why,

[AB3]

My favorite mandolin mic. And I have tried a lot of them.

Originally Posted by RKrizman

I have yet to have it work for me on vocals. Still and all, a fantastic mic. Used it on a mandolin yesterday and it sounded almost creepily real.

-R

[roger]

Originally Posted by Sugar Stinky

only problem is, sibilance can be funny on some vocalists... not sure why,

yes....i have found this too - depends on the voice but yeah! a bit unexpected when i first discovered it.