List of Colored Mics?

[Chrisc_o]

Dollar store mics, mics bought from stores that have no business selling pro audio gear. They usually sound like ass and cost a couple of bucks at most.

Keeping in mind that no manufacturer makes it a point to make a "bad" sounding product (accuracy and good, clean sound is what everyone is really after) I'd suggest looking at your source for manipulating your tone, not the mic.

Record in bad sounding rooms. Put the mic in a cardboard box. Put the mic in the opposite spot you would normally put it (like behind the singer's head instead of in front). Tinfoil in front of your guitar speaker. Get creative with your sources and techniques and use whatever mics you already have.

THAT is what makes recording fun

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

The list of uncolored would be shorter, and would consist mostly of small diaphragm mics of the Schoeps/DPA types.

[realmike15]

Originally Posted by Chrisc_o

Dollar store mics, mics bought from stores that have no business selling pro audio gear. They usually sound like ass and cost a couple of bucks at most.

Keeping in mind that no manufacturer makes it a point to make a "bad" sounding product (accuracy and good, clean sound is what everyone is really after) I'd suggest looking at your source for manipulating your tone, not the mic.

Record in bad sounding rooms. Put the mic in a cardboard box. Put the mic in the opposite spot you would normally put it (like behind the singer's head instead of in front). Tinfoil in front of your guitar speaker. Get creative with your sources and techniques and use whatever mics you already have.

THAT is what makes recording fun

I appreciate the reply, but there is a difference between Colored Mics and Bad Mics. One does not necessarily = the other.

[Jimbob131313]

Originally Posted by realmike15

I appreciate the reply, but there is a difference between Colored Mics and Bad Mics. One does not necessarily = the other.

I say erase this notion from you mind and just get creative with mic placement and the rooms you use. Unless your doing classical recording, get any respected LDC and your good to go my friend.

[Chrisc_o]

Originally Posted by realmike15

I appreciate the reply, but there is a difference between Colored Mics and Bad Mics. One does not necessarily = the other.

Hence the quotes around the word "bad". Bad as in "not accurate".

I was trying to say that no mic is really designed not to be accurate. Inaccurate or overly colored = bad in terms of mic design = what I was talking about.

Maybe my explanation wasn't clear enough?

At any rate, I find it silly to nit-pick considering the general theme of my post. Why not discuss the meat of the post rather than a single word?


Wait! I know of 2 now that I think of it: the Copperphone and those harp mics. Green Bullet is it?

[realmike15]

Originally Posted by Chrisc_o

Hence the quotes around the word "bad". Bad as in "not accurate".

I was trying to say that no mic is really designed not to be accurate. Inaccurate or overly colored = bad in terms of mic design = what I was talking about.

Maybe my explanation wasn't clear enough?

At any rate, I find it silly to nit-pick considering the general theme of my post. Why not discuss the meat of the post rather than a single word?


Wait! I know of 2 now that I think of it: the Copperphone and those harp mics. Green Bullet is it?

You had some great advice, but I don't agree with you that, anything other than totally accurate reproduction is bad mic design. That's all.

[dkelley]

wow guys, really?

it's not so hard.

apex 460 and the other rebrands of the same chinese tube mic.

colored. distorted. bright. compressed. and actually that combination works really well on some vocal things in some styles of music.

cad m9 - somewhat colored.

mxl 960 - darker colored tube
the other mxl tube mics - brighter colored tube

the various chinese ribbon mics (apex, fathead, etc) - various colors, some are relatively dark, the apex 205 is more neutral but does have some vibe to it.

cheap SDC mics (603 etc)... various shades of bright thin colors like light green, bright yellow... those are the colors I'd put for those mics LoL

mxl v67g - pleasant LDC vintagy type of color in the midrange...

then you can start getting into pricier mics and the other mics that are rebranded or subtly different versions of the same mics listed above (like MXL 9090 and so on for the mxl v67g/i)

[realmike15]

Originally Posted by Jimbob131313

I say erase this notion from you mind and just get creative with mic placement and the rooms you use. Unless your doing classical recording, get any respected LDC and your good to go my friend.

I do use Placement and Room effects to get particular sounds. But I'm looking for mics to help me with that process.

[realmike15]

Originally Posted by dkelley

wow guys, really?

it's not so hard.

apex 460 and the other rebrands of the same chinese tube mic.

colored. distorted. bright. compressed. and actually that combination works really well on some vocal things in some styles of music.

cad m9 - somewhat colored.

mxl 960 - darker colored tube
the other mxl tube mics - brighter colored tube

the various chinese ribbon mics (apex, fathead, etc) - various colors, some are relatively dark, the apex 205 is more neutral but does have some vibe to it.

cheap SDC mics (603 etc)... various shades of bright thin colors like light green, bright yellow... those are the colors I'd put for those mics LoL

mxl v67g - pleasant LDC vintagy type of color in the midrange...

then you can start getting into pricier mics and the other mics that are rebranded or subtly different versions of the same mics listed above (like MXL 9090 and so on for the mxl v67g/i)

Thank you, exactly what I was looking for! Just needed a starting point.

[uncle duncan]

Here's a chart that's a little outdated.

The Listening Sessions - Contact TLS

[Funny Cat]

Originally Posted by uncle duncan

Here's a chart that's a little outdated.

The Listening Sessions - Contact TLS

Hey thanks for that link. Sorry to divert the OP but I found it interesting that in the Mic-Pre coloration chart they had the MS-1b listed right beside the John Hardy Pre. I was thinking about getting an MS-1b for an alternate vocal pre after trying the Hardy-Pre. I think I heard *Bruce Swedien* compare the two?

Back on topic, this is a great resource for narrowing down choice of mics. Great link. Thanks again.

[realmike15]

Originally Posted by uncle duncan

Here's a chart that's a little outdated.

The Listening Sessions - Contact TLS

Great resource! Thanks, didn't know this existed.

[MaxSpl]

The Copperphone - Placid Audio

Also, something I have been meaning to do is get an old telephone and rewire it into a mic.

[dkelley]

Originally Posted by realmike15

Thank you, exactly what I was looking for! Just needed a starting point.

you're very welcome. :-)

and the listening sessions is an outstanding reference point, however only for a very few microphones and nothing invented within the last few years unfortunately (which is when all of the exciting, actually good sounding, affordable mics have started to appear).

[Jimsi]

sm7b-smooth in your face sound for rock and maybe rap-needs lots of gain
at4047 warm, tad darkish-transformered
mxl v67g and v67i stick mic, they have a warm sound-transfomered
akg c214-silky warm sound-smooth as butter
mxl 2003a nice smooth sound
at4040 warm smooth sound
at4033 good for blues acoustical instruments-tad good grainy sound

[Jimsi]

Chris, Please post some of your recordings, Ive got to hear this....

Originally Posted by Chrisc_o

Dollar store mics, mics bought from stores that have no business selling pro audio gear. They usually sound like ass and cost a couple of bucks at most.

Keeping in mind that no manufacturer makes it a point to make a "bad" sounding product (accuracy and good, clean sound is what everyone is really after) I'd suggest looking at your source for manipulating your tone, not the mic.

Record in bad sounding rooms. Put the mic in a cardboard box. Put the mic in the opposite spot you would normally put it (like behind the singer's head instead of in front). Tinfoil in front of your guitar speaker. Get creative with your sources and techniques and use whatever mics you already have.

THAT is what makes recording fun

[dkelley]

Originally Posted by Jimsi

Chris, Please post some of your recordings, Ive got to hear this....

I think I can live without hearing Chris's mental concept of what "ass" sounds like.

[Chris Lago]

Originally Posted by realmike15

You had some great advice, but I don't agree with you that, anything other than totally accurate reproduction is bad mic design. That's all.

Last time I checked, the u87 is a rather colored mic, and doesn't not give totally accurate reproduction, in fact it gives exaggerated reproduction. The neve 1073 is a very inaccurate sounding pre, yet it's used by many pro engineers, including myself.

[Jimsi]

Chris is ok, i just wanted to hear someone record in a cardboard box...

Originally Posted by dkelley

I think I can live without hearing Chris's mental concept of what "ass" sounds like.

[dkelley]

Originally Posted by Chris Lago

Last time I checked, the u87 is a rather colored mic, and doesn't not give totally accurate reproduction, in fact it gives exaggerated reproduction. The neve 1073 is a very inaccurate sounding pre, yet it's used by many pro engineers, including myself.

and I would love to have both of those in my possession right now :-)

life would be so dull without color.

Hey Chris L - still loving that sexy electrostatic mic of yours (or whatever that amazing sounding black rectangular thing is)?

[realmike15]

Originally Posted by Chris Lago

Last time I checked, the u87 is a rather colored mic, and doesn't not give totally accurate reproduction, in fact it gives exaggerated reproduction. The neve 1073 is a very inaccurate sounding pre, yet it's used by many pro engineers, including myself.

Couldn't agree more. I think some of the best mics/pres out there have their own take on sound, instead of uncompromising 1:1 accuracy.

[BudgetMC]

Originally Posted by MaxSpl

The Copperphone - Placid Audio

Also, something I have been meaning to do is get an old telephone and rewire it into a mic.

Like this?



I've got a couple of these. Love 'em on vocals (often blended with another mic)... and they can totally add flavor to get a snare or tom to really cook. I've got, er, rather a lot of mics, and one of these is pretty much always up. I use another live...