An Amazing mic.. The MXL V6

[Bang]

First and foremost, I won't hide the fact that I endorse this mic, but I do it for a reason. It really is one of the most kick ass mics for any dollar. I just did a shoot out between it and some other guys (one being a Groove Tubes GT66), and it really shined. It has a shimmery, ultra detailed top end and deep lows. Great on voices, overheads, room mics, and its one of the best acoustic guitar mics I've heard. I should also add that its built in California, not China. Try it out if you come across one, you won't be dissapointed,

[XHipHop]

Hey Bang, what other mics were in the shootout?

[xqtion]

Hi,

I heard lots of good things about the MXL v69,
how would you compare the MXL V6 to the MXL v69 mogami edition?

Thanks

[xj32]

I own two of them and honestly for the price how can you not. Serriously, they have a great sound and vibe all thier own and thats what a mic should have.

Paul

[warhead]

Originally Posted by xqtion

Hi,

I heard lots of good things about the MXL v69,
how would you compare the MXL V6 to the MXL v69 mogami edition?

Thanks

The V69 is a darker mic with a sort of thick midrange thing going on. The V6 is more open and smooth top to bottom, really has a cool vibe to it.

Very different mics.

War

[iflyinmymind]

Hey Bang...

How does it compare to your v77 ?


What do you think that the v6 is better on than the v77??

thanks
______________
Todd Seibel

[Bang]

The V77 is much more colored and harmonically thick in the upper mids. The V6 is still big sounding but in a cleaner way. Very different sounding mics. The GT66 is a great mic as well but on my voice it added too much "stuff" to the bottom end. The V6 has a way of making things sound very glamorous, it has an expensive sound. Other mics I tried were a U87, a Rode Classic II, and the V77.

Like I said, try it out, the sound to price ratio is crazy.

[xqtion]

So Bang, do you think the MXL V6 compares favorable as far as quaility with U87 and the Rode Classic II in your opinion?

[s00p3rm4n]

Originally Posted by warhead

The V69 is a darker mic with a sort of thick midrange thing going on. The V6 is more open and smooth top to bottom, really has a cool vibe to it.

Very different mics.

War

Do you think a V6 would make a worthwhile upgrade to my Studio Projects C1? I want something less dark than the V67g, but I want to avoid the harsh sibilance of the C1 (and want to get rid of that bitch so badly).

[iflyinmymind]

I also am wondering if you think that the V6 F.E.T and a V77 TUBE could cover most Vocal's as well as many other applications like bass, guitar, horns, strings???

_________
Todd Seibel

[warhead]

Originally Posted by s00p3rm4n

Do you think a V6 would make a worthwhile upgrade to my Studio Projects C1? I want something less dark than the V67g, but I want to avoid the harsh sibilance of the C1 (and want to get rid of that bitch so badly).

That's a sure step away from that sibilance of the C1 for sure. That V6 would give you a much smoother sound top to bottom vs the C1.

War

[Bang]

The C1 has always sounded to me like it had an exciter enhancing the top end, it was overkill for me. The V6 has a rise in the top that is smoother, although I use a desser on most all vocal mics a bit.

Another great MXL mic is one of their cheapest mics, its the V57M. On first listen, the top end can be a tad bit "much", but it sounds great on my voice (check out the blackline songs at the blackline page) and it also works great on overheads. I would say having one V6, one V77, and three or four V57Ms would be a great arsenal of condensors.

The U87 is just outdated sounding to my ears. It has a very colored and somewhat wooly low end... and the top end always needs a bit of eq. I like it on some stuff but I wouldn't use it on my voice. GT66 is fantastic on most stuff, especially clean guitars and outside kick. Rode Classic is also nice and very comparable to the MXL in sound quality, it certainly isn't "better" despite its price point.

[iflyinmymind]

Hey Bang..thanks for the input!!! I love the heavy sounds you get and your mixes...I wish i had a bad ass Neotek...but alas, I am a project studio!!

I am thinking of just buying a v77 cause I have a CAD e-200 that is okay for a lot of things....But I guess if the v6 has a really great 'vibe' ..

I think for me the best money would be spent on a used v77 w/ a nos tube.

A pair of shinybox '46' ribbon mics

and some KEL Hm1

maybe a few of the also inexpensive mk219 w/ the mods done....

That should only set me back around 1000.00 for a lot of great mics...!!!

____________
Todd Seibel

[Bang]

Todd, while the 77 is a great mic, you might have trouble finding one new. Changing the tube to a NOS is a cool idea and can offer a nice new sound, although the stock China tube in those things ain't no slouch. Seriously check out the V57M and V6, you'll be impressed. Also, the Behringer B-2 Pro is a great mic that beat out the Neumann TLM 27 a while back in a shootout I posted. Good luck, and remember, a Folcrom plus a nice mic pre while not a Neotek can add a great analog vibe.

[iflyinmymind]

Is the V6 comparable to a Shure ksm32 in sound?

I have used a few and they are pretty good all around mics for the poor gear slut...

If the V6 is one of the best acoustic guitar mics youve heard Bang, then count me in...cause although i would like a pair of km84's im not gonna be getting them any time soon!!

Have you ever used the cad e200 condenser?

Thanks for the heads up on these cool mics!!
_________

Todd Seibel

[Bang]

The KSM 32s are kinda neutral, where the V6 has a vibe going to it. I love it on acoustic because it has a great way of enhancing the pick attack and it never gets too boomy. If you don't like attack on your acoustic you could either compress it out with a fast comp or just put the mic further down the neck. But its just gorgeous on acoustic, definitely my first choice for it now. I'm doing vox right now with a V57M to the Neve Portico, I'll post a clip of the song later. As long as you have a decent desser like the Waves, this mic is also superb. Lots of detail.

[Bang]

Just posted this in the MP3 forum, when I realized that it had relevance to this thread... you can hear the MXL V6 AND the MXL V57 at
www.blacklinerock.com/main.html

The song OPEN I did entirely with the V6 and The Sands was done with the V57. Both went through the Trident S20. They should both stream via the music player on the page.

[Elof]

Bang: Great sounds on "open" with that mic. Did you need to use any de-essing?

[musical5]

[quote=Bang]Just posted this in the MP3 forum, when I realized that it had relevance to this thread... you can hear the MXL V6 AND the MXL V57 at
www.blacklinerock.com/main.html

The song OPEN I did entirely with the V6 and The Sands was done with the V57. Both went through the Trident S20. They should both stream via the music player on the page.[/QUOTE


The vox on "Open" make the others sound like a demo. Did you use it on any other sources?

[joelpatterson]

I actually do have four V57Ms. The first ones were a sickly green color, not like the sheeny silver picture on the box. Kind of between avocado and "vomit." But they sounded so crisply clean, I thought, "well, they screwed up the finish and ontop of that they mistakenly put $700 capsules in."

So I got two more just to see, and it's all true, dazzling clarity, on drum overheads they are like reach-out-and-touch real.

[bigbone]

Originally Posted by joelpatterson

I actually do have four V57Ms. The first ones were a sickly green color, not like the sheeny silver picture on the box. Kind of between avocado and "vomit." But they sounded so crisply clean, I thought, "well, they screwed up the finish and ontop of that they mistakenly put $700 capsules in."

So I got two more just to see, and it's all true, dazzling clarity, on drum overheads they are like reach-out-and-touch real.

Are you talking about the V67G......cose i can't find a V57M in the MXL website
thank's

[Jamz]

I've been reading very good things about the MXL V69.
Spent several weeks researching the $200.-$300. range of mics for a Christmas present to my son. The 2 contenders were the MXL V69 and the ADK Hamburg/Vienna.
I really like the idea of being able to swap out the tubes in the V69 without the fear of ruining a $7K mic. It is a new one on my list. I picked up the ADK Hamburg. That is also a great mic in the same price range.

[peter893]

Originally Posted by joelpatterson

I actually do have four V57Ms. The first ones were a sickly green color, not like the sheeny silver picture on the box. Kind of between avocado and "vomit." But they sounded so crisply clean, I thought, "well, they screwed up the finish and ontop of that they mistakenly put $700 capsules in."

So I got two more just to see, and it's all true, dazzling clarity, on drum overheads they are like reach-out-and-touch real.

humm... if you are talking about the v67G, I picked up one of these a while back. for 100.00 bucks... I thought it looked cool. I thought this mic sounded like shit. it was cold, brittle and just sackless.

I guess ill have a re-listen

[joelpatterson]

Originally Posted by peter893

humm... if you are talking about the v67G, I picked up one of these a while back. for 100.00 bucks... I thought it looked cool. I thought this mic sounded like shit. it was cold, brittle and just sackless.

I guess ill have a re-listen

No no no, V57M's the name. It might be that they've been discontinued? I guess then I've got a bunch of vintage V57M's. I sure wondered how a $60 mic from American Musical Supply could sound so utterly amazing, knock-your-socks- off amazing... and then when I studied the frequency response, I noticed that it's got your typical cardioid pattern, but the one thing is that it only rejects the lows from its null side, it's picking up just as much highs from the back as the front.

And I guessed that this extra helping of highs makes whatever's in front of it sound super hyper real, because it's got the information from the room, just the crisp detail from the room. I gotta admit, "V57M" is a name that's tailor-made for confusion. I've seen a "V63M" in the catalogs recently, maybe that's the update?

[peter893]

ok heres the one your talking about

http://www.zzounds.com/item--MSEV57M

[Bang]

I first got my V57Ms at Musicians friend when they were blowing them out. I just got another from Zzzounds. They are fantastic mics, tons of clarity and harmonic upper midrange. Needs a bit more de-essing then some other mics, but its worth it for the result.

[AdamJay]

bang,
what higher priced mic that we are all more familiar with could you compare it to?
is it so unique that its not comparable?

[Bang]

I don't. My expensive mics started dwindling down after I heard the MXL stuff. For 70 bucks, just try it out, you'll find use for it on something.

[iflyinmymind]

Bang or anyone else, have you compared the Mxl v6 to the ADK Vienna or Hamburg?

I suppose these ADK tube mics might be closer to the V77 or V67.

___________________
Todd Seibel

[monsterz]

I dont think that the Hamburg and Vienna are tube mics, just regular LDCs. Apparently very good value though, especially over here in the U.K.
Cheers.