Another Vocal Microphone Thread (recommend me something)

[mattjew24]

We have a MixWizard where I work...the preamps have a definite character to them.

Microphones are a big bowl of soup. I suggest you try a few different ones out.

[shadowkid33]

Do you have any way to describe the character of the mixwiz preamps? I'm open to other options if the mixwiz is a dud, but from everything else I've seen online it looks like a good choice.

Also any recommendations on where to start with the mics? And how do you guys generally go about testing them out before you buy them?

[prizebeatz1]

I stopped my microphone hunt once I got a KSM 44. I got a great deal on a used one. Before I had it, I went through the process of buying and selling numerous used mics off of ebay and Guitar Center used gear websites. I went through the Oktava 319, AT4033, SM7b, AKG 535, SM58, KSM32, SM57, AT4047, Sony f780, Omnisphere 535, and an EV635. They were all usable but only a few of them really stood out to me. I ended up keeping the KSM44, AKG 535 and the Sony F780.

[mattjew24]

Originally Posted by shadowkid33

Do you have any way to describe the character of the mixwiz preamps? I'm open to other options if the mixwiz is a dud, but from everything else I've seen online it looks like a good choice.

Also any recommendations on where to start with the mics? And how do you guys generally go about testing them out before you buy them?

I'd say they are slightly dark and fuzzy sounding. Not anything amazing but the Wizard has Direct Outs so I plan on recording some bands that play at my work I'll share with you

[shadowkid33]

Okay, cool! Thank you so much. I have to ask a stupid question though, if you record through the Wiz pre-fader you lose all of it's volume controls correct? I read you can take apart the Wiz and switch whether it's channel outputs are pre/post fader.

[mattjew24]

Pre Fader direct out is what you want. You still have volume control...you just go straight from the preamp of the Wizard into your recorder instead of through the EQ and fader

[Phosphate]

The MXL V63M is a great budget option, that's known to go above and beyond with a little bit of mixing work thrown on top. Live performance would be a different issue as it usually is, since the V63M is very fragile.

If you can go for something with a nice flat response and maybe a bump up at 6khz, that'll make your vocals shine really nicely. In fact, just EQ'ing in a little bump at 6khz helps significantly for major vocal warmth.

[Puffer Fish]

There is nothing at all wrong with the MixWizard. Yes, it does have routing options--there are jumpers inside the box that you need to set for making changes as was already described. They have good support in the manual and on the web site--check them out!

I have a 14:4 and a 16:2. I used one of them for recording in the past and I can tell you the preamps on the MixWizard blew away the preamps built into a Presonus Firepod. The Firepod preamps sounded thin, small, dead, veiled, wooly and sort of harsh by comparison. It was not just my perception, but anyone who heard the A/B of tracks agreed. I was sort of surprised at the time, but it made moving forward on that particular project a lot easier.

Now I am not saying the MixWiz preamps are better than the wide variety of stand-alone preamps out there. But I will say that if I had to record using the preamplifiers on a MixWiz again, I would do it and the preamps would not stop me from producing good results. It will work well for you. The EQ can be useful as well.

I used my mixer channels as direct outputs and went right into the DAW from there. If you have a sense of figuring out routing, you will be able to use the MixWizard as your monitor routing as well. You can create four stereo monitor mixes from that little board by routing the signal from each channel. If you fold playback from the DAW into the board, you'll be able to achieve zero latency monitoring when doing tracking--a very cool feature that you can't achieve unless you are using hardware like you have. You might as well take advantage of all that sort of stuff!

I second the KSM44 as being a great microphone. But it really all comes down to your own tastes in the matter. If you have an opportunity to audition different microphones for your vocals, that'd be your best bet. If not, you'll have to look at frequency plots, use your knowledge of the mics you have used to glean pertinent information while sorting this stuff out. Yes--maybe look up the mics you have used for vocals and learn more about them and think about what you feel as though you are currently missing. Then go from there--at least then you'll have a working point of reference. Unless that's where you are already!

[tINY]

Standard budget vocal mics to try:

Kel HM-7u - works with a lot of acoustic guitars well too
MXL V67g - transformer output for some analog-y sound
AT4033 - the nashville favorite...
Heil PR30 - very articulate mid-range
RE410 - honest, clean mic - can be used on stage too
ADK Hamburg - for old germanophilles
CAD M9 - tube
SP C1 - First good sounding chinese condeser
SP CS5 - Mutli pattern for versitility
MD421 - moving coil classic



-tINY

[jareds270]

I'm suprised no one has suggested an AKG C414 yet. It's a fantastic mic that you can get well under $1000 used, and it really shines one vocals and acoustic guitar. And drum overheads. And other acoustic instruments. And just about everything else.

[tINY]

Originally Posted by jareds270

I'm suprised no one has suggested an AKG C414 yet. It's a fantastic mic that you can get well under $1000 used, and it really shines one vocals and acoustic guitar. And drum overheads. And other acoustic instruments. And just about everything else.

Which C414???



-tINY

[mattjew24]

Originally Posted by tINY

Standard budget vocal mics to try:

Kel HM-7u - works with a lot of acoustic guitars well too
MXL V67g - transformer output for some analog-y sound
AT4033 - the nashville favorite...
Heil PR30 - very articulate mid-range
RE410 - honest, clean mic - can be used on stage too
ADK Hamburg - for old germanophilles
CAD M9 - tube
SP C1 - First good sounding chinese condeser
SP CS5 - Mutli pattern for versitility
MD421 - moving coil classic



-tINY

Interesting that you say the 4033 is the Nashville Favorite. It's always been the U87 at studios I have been at...and where I interned they had the 4050 but not a 4033.

[Bcsteene]

Off of ebay you can get a neumann tlm103 for under 1000. Great mic! Otherwise the akg c414 is also a phenomenal mic and is very versatile.

Also remember that good gear holds its value if you ever resell.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Gearslutz App

[tINY]

Originally Posted by mattjew24

Interesting that you say the 4033 is the Nashville Favorite. It's always been the U87 at studios I have been at...and where I interned they had the 4050 but not a 4033.

It was extremly popular in bluegrass circles because it was "nashville standard".

I've never been to Nashville.... But, it worked well for single vocals, group vocals, and whole ensembles (less the bass) in that genre....




-tINY

[shadowkid33]

Hey guys, just wanted to say thanks for all the help! I'll look up some samples of all those mics and narrow it down to a few to try!

[Yetti]

Originally Posted by shadowkid33

Hey guys, just wanted to say thanks for all the help! I'll look up some samples of all those mics and narrow it down to a few to try!

The song sample sounded pretty jammin!
A couple thoughts...a little off topic, but I believe worth considering;

Some rock singers just perform better with a handheld mic...The handheld also gives the singer the ability to track vocals without headphones...point the monitor speaker right at him....the bleed from the monitors is not much if the singer is right up on the mic.
I've experienced this a few times, where the singer is so used to performing live, and moving his head and body with the drive and feel of the soundtrack...the handheld can be the only way to get the performance, usually with the band fist pumping during the tracking performance, feeding the energy.
Of course the usual SM57 and 58 are options, but I have had really good results with both the Sennheiser MD421 (with a large foam cover from the extra large foam cover that comes with the Shure SM7b, and also the SM7B in these situations.
I have said things to the singer like "dude, this is a $350 mic in your hand...just don't drop it or I'll kick your A22. Things like this lighten the mood, get some laughs from the band, and hopefully the singer is ready to nail it.


Or, if your singer performs better in the standard studio setting with a LDC mic, pop filter, and good mood lighting, I like Rode K2 for vocals, I also have 2 freinds that use a similar Rode NTK, and vocals sound great with that mic.
The bonus is that the Rode K2 and NTK a both are really good acoustic guitar mic, amongst other things.
Those mic generally do much better if you are not right up on them...keep the pop filter about 7" away, just in case the singer gets right up on the pop filter.
Also metioned earlier, the AKG 414 (my experiences with the 414 B ULS) is a great choice for a Vocal mic, similar all around great mic like the K2, but a bit less character than the Rode K2 tube mic in my opinion.

Also...just added this;
The MD 421 and SM7b are great choices for normal vocal tracking too (mic stand, headphones ' popfilter....but they can be used also as handhelds.
Hard to say which one would be best on that singer...it would be a fun shootout.
I would bet on the MD421 as being the winner..

Hope that helps a little bit...