Red vs. Blue mics. Is Blue worth paying twice as much for?

[ericdevine]

As far as I understand, Blue and Red are pretty much the same company? I am looking to get a "bottle" style mic w/ changable caps, and was wondering if the Blue bottle is any better then the Red type A?
Let me put that a different way..... since "better" is a difference of opinion.
What are the differences between the two?
Thanks-

[Trebor Flow]

If you can afford it - get the Bottle - it's a stunning mic.

The B7 on the Bottle is very special.

Trebor

[ericdevine]

Have you been able to compare it to the Red?

[SoundEng1]

The Red Type A rocks really Hard!!! Ive tried the R0,R6 and R7 and they all sounded great.

[Trebor Flow]

No - I've never heard a Red type A or B (although I'd love to get a type A so I can use my caps where the Bottle is too big and it is BIG!)

I suppose for the money you get THE best electronics BLUE can offer and the transformer in the Bottle is like the size of your fist. (Sorry NL )

I'm not keen on transformerless mics for lead vocals - so for me the type A and B would be out for my vocal mic.

You really do need to try them to be sure if the Bottle is worth the extra money.

Trebor

[Matthew Murray]

If you're into the Bottle, and it isn't too much of a sales pitch, I have a bottle for sale with B7 and B6 caps. Might have a buyer in line already, but if you're interested, by all means, write me.

[pan60]

the only BLUE mic that i am aware of that will take their multitude of capsules is the BLUE bottle.
the RED type a is not a transformer coupled mic as i understand it ( that is not to say it is a bad thing either ) were as the BULE bottle is.
it has a very large custom made trany.
i just bought two RED bottle mic's or i would be getting Matthew's BLUE bottle!
i tried trading him my ex-girl friend but he was not interested : )

[Matthew Murray]

I told you Pan, all girlfriend trades, ex's or otherwise, have to go through a thorough inspection here at my lab. The offer still stands. thumbsup

[pan60]

lol

[tnjazz]

Blue is Red and Red is Blue, but neither is Violet.

[AMIEL]

the best Blue mic es el Blue Berry!!

[carloff]

what do you think about using Blue capsules with CMV 563?B7 and B6 would be awesome.

[slobbermonster]

Originally Posted by tnjazz

Blue is Red and Red is Blue, but neither is Violet.

thank goodness for that!

[SoundEng1]

Originally Posted by Trebor Flow

I'm not keen on transformerless mics for lead vocals - so for me the type A and B would be out for my vocal mic.

You really do need to try them to be sure if the Bottle is worth the extra money.

Trebor

I tried the type A on vocals and loved it. I was a little on the fence at first about the Red Mic, But what a great investment it has been. Try and get a demo from a good dealer ( i purchased mine from Warren at Front End Audio) and see if it works for you.

[The Beatsmith]

For the life of me i can't decide between a type b and a type a red mic

I haven't tested the reds but i can't see the blue as being TWICE as good as them, so i'll grab a red.

if money is no option, i guess the blue is the one to go for....

[pan60]

Originally Posted by The Beatsmith

For the life of me i can't decide between a type b and a type a red mic

I haven't tested the reds but i can't see the blue as being TWICE as good as them, so i'll grab a red.

if money is no option, i guess the blue is the one to go for....

it is not a issue of twice as good it is a different mic's.
BLUE dose not offer a mic like any of the RED mic's

and their is nothing wrong with a transformer-less mic.

i owen transformer coupled as well as non, it dose not factor in when i choose a mic.
i either like the mic for what i am doing, or i think another may preform better at the time.

[Trebor Flow]

thumbsup

Originally Posted by SoundEng1

I tried the type A on vocals and loved it. I was a little on the fence at first about the Red Mic, But what a great investment it has been. Try and get a demo from a good dealer ( i purchased mine from Warren at Front End Audio) and see if it works for you.

Well as I already have the Bottle with B0/6/7 the red would be a waste of money -other than it would be useful for acoustic guitar as the Bottle is so big and difficult to position.

As regards a CMV for the Blue caps "tape op" mag gave that combo a thumbsup

Now the thorny issue of output transformers on mics. Well I've been a professional singer and vocal coach for 15 years now - during which time I have tried many many mics for recording my voice. I have a complex harmonically rich tenor voice that leens towards being bright - therfore I always sound best on a darker U47 type cap (B7) and ....

I find mics that are transformerless sound "too hard and tiring" when recording a track where I am using a lot of vocal output. The transformer coupled mics IMHO soften these artifiacts and create a wonderful smoothness along with the fact I sound best on a valve mic and usually a valve pre and valve comp.

This is all MHO of course but I once read an article with that chap Klaus Hynes (can't remeber the spelling if his name) a mic guru where he said excactly the same thing.

It's like when I treid the TLM149 when getting the Bottle, it had a hardness that electronic balanced mics have to me ear. I even find the KIWI lacks a transformer and would love BLUE to do a retro fit of the KIWI to a transformer output KIWI.

If you can afford the Bottle over the Red's and the application is lead vocals then for me it's a no brainer - that B0 cap (like a Blueberry) is amazing on darker sounding voices - you can use it like 1-3" away and it is just incredibly intimate and detailed. For bright Tenors and female vocals the B7 is very special and the B6 on male barritones /pop male voices is great.

Trebor

[pan60]

Originally Posted by Trebor Flow

thumbsup
Now the thorny issue of output transformers on mics.

The transformer coupled mics IMHO soften these artifiacts and create a wonderful smoothness


Trebor

don't get me wrong i love's trany's, more often then not ( imho ) when some one hears a piece of tube gear ( mic or pre ) and love it, it's that big chunk of iron they are loving.
so transformers get a big from me!

just wanted to clarify my point which is their is not anything wrong with a mic that lacks a trany.

as to ericdevine question, they are just different and i hope that has been made clear.

if you can swing it Matthew's mic would be a great investment as well as a great bargain.
at some point in building your gear collection you will want many mic's some will and some will ( most likely not ) not be transformer coupled.

[carloff]

are blue and red capsules the same?

[warhead]

Yes, they are interchangeable.

War

[Doublehelix]

Originally Posted by Trebor Flow

If you can afford it - get the Bottle - it's a stunning mic.

The B7 on the Bottle is very special.

Trebor

100% agreement here!

The Bottle rocks!

I have experimented with the Type B (solid state) and it is a very nice mic. I used it with the B7 cap on a Leslie woofer, and all I can say is "WOW"! It would make a very cool addition to the mic locker, especially as it can use all my Bottle caps.

[warhead]

There is nothing wrong with that Type B body, really just a good clean solid sound.

War

[The Beatsmith]

Nothing really wrong with it? Don't over sell it dude

[Studio Dweller]

I have a Type A w/R6 capsule sitting here and an R7 should show up sometime in the next few weeks from the rebate offer. I haven't had the opportunity to put it through it's paces yet, but so far, I used it successfully on a male tenor BV, a doumbek and on the keyboard side of an accordion. I know, I know, lets not start another "what's the best mic for the keyboard side of an accordion" thread.