Multi-purpose dynamic microphone

[Kierkes]

Originally Posted by Cue Zephyr

Howdy folks,

I was wondering, is there a microphone out there that works well on various sources? Things like drums, guitar cabs and vocals? But not just in the studio - also out and about.

I know in the studio that most of you will tell me SM7(B). But there's more, right? Like Heil PR-30/40 or an Electro-Voice RE20? But I've read everywhere that the Shure can be somewhat impractical as it needs more clean gain which often isn't available in live settings.

Is there anything that I could use on the guitar cab as well as vocals - both live and in the studio? Are the ones I mentioned above OK for this or is there more?

Or should I just get myself a i5 and a Beta 58 (because I like the sound of those)?

Let me know - thanks.

CZ

I'd definitely have to plug the i5 just for being a different version of the SM57. I'd think a lot of members of this forum will recommend one dynamic microphone once the adjective "versatile" is mentioned:

Beyerdynamic M201. Completely unpretentious in every way. The other Beyers are a little more flattering, like the M69 and especially the M88, which is silky smooth.

I will have to say that just because a microphone isn't handheld doesn't mean it can't work for live use. Stevie Wonder has used the RE20 live (granted, he doesn't move around that much, and has since switched to Heils) and I've seen the SM7b held by the yoke. I'm sure some of them could work that way, but most of them probably have nasty handling noise.

I just received a Heil PR-35 and am itching to try it out. Another curious microphone is the Prodipe TT1, if you can still find it. It was dirt cheap, but it may be more of a commodity now that they're not quite as easy to come by.

[Cue Zephyr]

I've done a lot of listening and have posted a topic on here before, about the 57 vs. i5 and even Beta 57. I was going to purchase one, but it didn't happen yet. I think that's a good thing, there may be a better purchase ahead.

Let me be clear about the handheld-ability - I don't need it to be handheld at all, if I'm playing out, I'm self-accompanied, whether I'm solo or in a band.

Didn't know about the Beyer, I'm gonna check it out right away.

EDIT: I like the price tag on the Beyer.

Thanks!

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

Beyer M-88, Beyer M-69, RE20, Senn 421 or 441....

[Xander]

EV n/d 468. He's just a little guy, and inexpensive too. But very easy to place, and sounds very clear on many sources.

I've used it live on vocals, guitar cabs, and acoustic guitars.

Sadly I have not had the chance to use it in the studio, but I would not hesitate to throw it on anything!

[Cue Zephyr]

Originally Posted by Bill@WelcomeHome

Beyer M-88, Beyer M-69, RE20, Senn 421 or 441....

Thanks, but those two MD's kind of fall off the edge of my budget!

Nice one on the 468 - never heard of it.

There's a problem though - there's all sorts of demos on these microphones but none of them are with vocals. I would like to hear some of these mics up against a dedicated vocal mic just to hear the difference (or the similarities).

My budget lives around the M201/ND468 etc up to and including the M-88.

I was looking at the PR-35, by the way - was considering getting that over a Beta 58 or OM5 or similar. But then I thought why not find a mic that works on more than (live) vocals.

About the Prodipe TT1... I can get a lot of 3 for just over €100 how's that?

[Kierkes]

Originally Posted by Cue Zephyr

Thanks, but those two MD's kind of fall off the edge of my budget!

Nice one on the 468 - never heard of it.

There's a problem though - there's all sorts of demos on these microphones but none of them are with vocals. I would like to hear some of these mics up against a dedicated vocal mic just to hear the difference (or the similarities).

No promises here, but if you have the time to wait a week or two, I could probably put my voice on U87, C414 (old version with mechanical pattern switch), PR-35, SM-57, SM-58, Beta 57a for you. I would with an SM7b too, but I sold that one to a screamer friend.

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

Originally Posted by Cue Zephyr

There's a problem though - there's all sorts of demos on these microphones but none of them are with vocals....

M88... Live Aid, Phil Collins unplugs his M-88 from the London stage, carries it to the states, and plugs it in on stage when he arrives in Philadelphia.

Other users of the M-88 as a vocal? Elton John, singing into an M-88. David Bowie, Pat Benatar, David Crosby....

..and it is also a pick for kick.

and:

"Miking (John) Mayer's guitar rig depended on the song's mood. On “The Heart of Life,” Franscoviak threw a ribbon mic in the middle of the main room as a pair of amplifiers boosted Mayer's tracks. On the majority of the tracks, though, Franscoviak would put a Shure SM57 and a Beyerdynamic M88 right next to each other, about two fingers' width from the guitar cabinet's grille.....
...Jordan's assortment of drums — which seemed to be endless, Franscoviak says with a laugh — were miked fairly conventionally: an AKG D 112, an RE20, a 421 or a Beyer M88 on the kick; .... "

[Omega Arts]

I have one of the limited addition M 88's.Only 1000 were made. The this is a beautiful mic and sounds great on lots of stuff. I use a Audix OM 5 live. BUT The M 88, works great too. Main reason I use the OM 5 is because it's excellent for feed back rejection. Would I ever sell my M 88?
Absolutely not.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

[Kierkes]

Originally Posted by Cue Zephyr

I was looking at the PR-35, by the way - was considering getting that over a Beta 58 or OM5 or similar. But then I thought why not find a mic that works on more than (live) vocals.

About the Prodipe TT1... I can get a lot of 3 for just over €100 how's that?

The PR-35 is just a PR-30 in a handheld body. Obviously, because of that, it doesn't sound quite the same, but there is a marked similarity. I'm going to see if I can get the PR-35 to work for recordings; I also have this suspicion that it might do fairly well on other sources too. It IS marketed and advocated almost only as a vocal mic, but we'll see. Each Beyer is more of a desert island mic than the Heil though, for sure.

Not a fan of the Beta microphone; some people love the 57a for being neutral, but I can't get the thing to work with my voice. (My squillo overwhelms the microphone.)

The Audix microphones are great and reliable, but they are on the fussy side of dynamic microphones. You need some microphone technique to use them; don't know if you bounce around on your instrument. I do.

[chessparov]

+1 M88 as all-rounder live/studio (although on my "bright" voice would need to de-ess a bit) Foolishly sold mine some time back.

IMHO the Shure's Beta, or not, need a premium pre and solid AE skills to really shine.

Chris

[Cue Zephyr]

Originally Posted by Kierkes

No promises here, but if you have the time to wait a week or two, I could probably put my voice on U87, C414 (old version with mechanical pattern switch), PR-35, SM-57, SM-58, Beta 57a for you. I would with an SM7b too, but I sold that one to a screamer friend.

I most likely will wait anyway.

Would be great to hear differences among all these mics you've listed.

Thanks in advance!

Originally Posted by Kierkes

The PR-35 is just a PR-30 in a handheld body. Obviously, because of that, it doesn't sound quite the same, but there is a marked similarity. I'm going to see if I can get the PR-35 to work for recordings; I also have this suspicion that it might do fairly well on other sources too. It IS marketed and advocated almost only as a vocal mic, but we'll see. Each Beyer is more of a desert island mic than the Heil though, for sure.

Not a fan of the Beta microphone; some people love the 57a for being neutral, but I can't get the thing to work with my voice. (My squillo overwhelms the microphone.)

The Audix microphones are great and reliable, but they are on the fussy side of dynamic microphones. You need some microphone technique to use them; don't know if you bounce around on your instrument. I do.

Does one work better than the other? I don't really care for the handheld functionality. If the PR-30 even works a little bit better than the PR-35, I'll have the 30.

I don't have microphone technique yet, but I'm willing to work on that.

---

Looks like the M-88 gets a lot of love here, I'll keep that one in mind - thanks!

[kafka]

Originally Posted by Kierkes

Beyerdynamic M201. Completely unpretentious in every way. The other Beyers are a little more flattering, like the M69 and especially the M88, which is silky smooth.

Beyer M201, all the way. Smooth, easy to use, and will last you a career. Get a pair of them, and you'll never part with them. After that, the M88 is a dynamic mic that thinks it's a condenser. Great on guitar cabs, drums, bass guitar, vocals.

The SM7b isn't nearly as versatile as either of these mics, and I don't recommend it as a first mic.

[Cue Zephyr]

Originally Posted by kafka

Beyer M201, all the way. Smooth, easy to use, and will last you a career. Get a pair of them, and you'll never part with them. After that, the M88 is a dynamic mic that thinks it's a condenser. Great on guitar cabs, drums, bass guitar, vocals.

The SM7b isn't nearly as versatile as either of these mics, and I don't recommend it as a first mic.

It won't be my first mic, it'll be my first dynamic mic. I already own four condenser mics. :P

The M88 sure seems like a winner, from this topic.

I am greatly tempted to grab a TT1 now though... they are so cheap!

[kafka]

Originally Posted by Cue Zephyr

The M88 sure seems like a winner, from this topic.

You can't go wrong with an M88, either. It's just as useful as the M201.

[Silent Sound]

Originally Posted by Kierkes

The Audix microphones are great and reliable, but they are on the fussy side of dynamic microphones. You need some microphone technique to use them; don't know if you bounce around on your instrument. I do.

If you're talking about the OM series, then I fully agree. I have an OM-2 that I can't really use live. I could if I could hold the mic in my hand and keep it where I want it, but I always have another instrument in my hand during live performances, and I have to move around a lot (stomp boxes, grabbing a slide, or just wiggling around to the music), so I that microphone is just too hard to use for me. In fact, that realization lead me on a journey to try out several different dynamics for live vocals. Here's my findings.

Audix OM-2. Too small of a sweet spot and made my voice sound a bit harsh.
Audix i5. Better, bigger sweet spot and my voice sounded better through it, but my voice had trouble cutting through the mix. Great for studio vocals though.
Shure SM57. Voice cut better live. Also worked great in the studio. Overall though, everything sounded a bit muddy and undefined.
Shure SM7B. Like an SM57, but better! You might have to bring your own preamp to gigs though. Depends on the board you're plugging into.
Audio Technica ATR30. A cheap old mic I had laying around. Easy to use and sounded pretty good. A lot like a SM57 but less meaty in the lower mids. Still a great mic for the money!
Sennheiser e935. Clear, full sounding, and easy to use. The most natural sounding of the bunch. My favorite and current live vocal mic.

So I'd give the SM7B the award for most used mic in the studio. It just does really well on just about any source I put it up against. The Audio Technica ATR30 gets the value award. It cost less than half of the next microphone but still sounds like it belongs in the same category. I prefer it over the OM2. The OM2, I would only use as a backup or where feedback was a problem. I also don't particularly care for it on instruments in the studio. I do have a friend however, who sounds great through an OM2. It's his preferred live vocal mic! The i5 and SM57 are both the workhorses of the bunch. They're extremely versatile and do well in both the studio and stage. I'd give the i5 the edge for instruments and the SM57 the edge for vocals. The i5 does better in the highs and lows, and has a more modern and clean sound, but the SM57 does better in the middle frequencies. The Sennheiser e935 is the best live vocal mic I've ever used. I bought it after trying an e835 at a venue where they wouldn't let us bring in our own microphones. Both are extremely forgiving and natural sounding. I haven't tried them out on any instruments yet, but from my experience with them so far, I would be surprised if they didn't sound pretty good on most instruments. Good enough to use without any major tweaking anyway. I also haven't used it on vocals in the studio yet, but I'd imagine it'd do fine. Probably not as nice as the SM7B though, as it doesn't have as much body or proximity effect.

For your first dynamic, I'd get one that works well for you in a live situation. Get one that will allow you to move around a bit, since you say you will probably be playing as well. And make sure it compliments your voice nicely. Dynamics aren't too expensive as far as microphones go, so you can always get another one later on down the line to be more of a studio workhorse. And while you're saving up for that, I'm sure your live vocal dynamic mic you've already chosen will do just fine in the studio on any number of sources.

So that's been my experience. Hope it helps.

[edva]

Originally Posted by Bill@WelcomeHome

Beyer M-88, Beyer M-69, RE20, Senn 421 or 441....

+1 If you get the M88, which is excellent, be sure to get the real Beyer wind-cap for it. A must have with this mic for vox, kik drum, or bass cab.

[Cue Zephyr]

Originally Posted by Silent Sound

For your first dynamic, I'd get one that works well for you in a live situation. Get one that will allow you to move around a bit, since you say you will probably be playing as well. And make sure it compliments your voice nicely. Dynamics aren't too expensive as far as microphones go, so you can always get another one later on down the line to be more of a studio workhorse. And while you're saving up for that, I'm sure your live vocal dynamic mic you've already chosen will do just fine in the studio on any number of sources.

So that's been my experience. Hope it helps.

Maybe I will grab a Prodipe TT1 then!

And an M88 later. :D

Thanks for the reply, really.

[Cue Zephyr]

*bump*

I need to ask - I've been curious about Heil mics as they seem to inhibit a sound that I like for vocals (clear an detailed with a little presence rise), but which one actually does work on a guitar cabinet also? The PR-30/35 being the limit budget-wise!

[triple_dre]

Bought an M88 this week, stuck it in front of my guitar amp and it definitely wow-ed me.
Can't wait to use it on other stuff as well.

However, I did read a bunch of comments stating that M88's occasionally die when used on kick drums a lot. Not sure if I'll use it on my kick because of this.

[BurnStudios]

Pretty much a no brainer... sm57 all day everyday. If you can not get the sound you want with a 57, well then your doing something wrong.

[erosconpollo]

Originally Posted by Cue Zephyr

I need to ask - I've been curious about Heil mics as they seem to inhibit a sound that I like for vocals (clear an detailed with a little presence rise), but which one actually does work on a guitar cabinet also? The PR-30/35 being the limit budget-wise!

As long as you're thinking Heil, consider the PR20 or 22 as well. Somewhat less expensive, quite decent vocal mikes, and useful on instruments or amps. Not quite the fidelity of the PR30 or 40 but it's a good sound.

[Kierkes]

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get into the studio to compare all the microphones; I've gotten hung up on school. Sorry I can't do anything for you. :(

[12ax7]

Originally Posted by kafka

Beyer M201, all the way. Smooth, easy to use, and will last you a career. Get a pair of them, and you'll never part with them.

[...]

...One of my ALL TIME FAVORITE dynamics!

Works on just about anything.

KILLS on snare!

.

[Xander]

Originally Posted by BurnStudios

If you can not get the sound you want with a 57, well then your doing something wrong.

I respectfully disagree. It's not a magical microphone that can get any sound off of any source.

[triple_dre]

Originally Posted by Xander

I respectfully disagree. It's not a magical microphone that can get any sound off of any source.

Yeah, it seems some people just like that sm57 sound.
If that's what you're after; then yes you will obviously get the sound you want with one.
Obviously it's proven to be a very useful mic, but in no way would I say it's going to work in every situation, because it does in fact have a pretty distinct sound.

[AlexK]

The 57 is an often overlooked budget mic - superb for the money and very useful. Everyone knows it, but seems to forget just how good it is.

However, the M201 is what the SM57 wants to be. I use 201s on tonnes of stuff - absolutely superb microphone with many uses - and agreed with the above - it's absolutely killing on snare drums. Also really great on HiHats (if you're spot-micing, which I don't normally), acoustic guitars, shakers, Viola/Violin, trumpets, brighter horns in general, kick drum beater heads etc. A really great mic!

[brassmoose]

Heil PR35 is fantastic. Great highs and lows. I did a shootout on a guitar cab and the Pr35 came out on top. EV468 was 2nd and is especially good on rhythm guitar (also brass and saxes). The 35 is my live trumpet mic, and home recordings are really good. Solid on vox. PR22 is bright, IMHO, ang good for lead guitar, but I dont care for it on vox when I have a 35 or an EV767 around. ALL these mics are great on snare, but each has a verrry distinct flavor. I prefer them all over a 57 on guitar, which seems muddier and compressed. Not bad, but different. Classic rock tone, tho. 57 is excellent on snare. If I could have only one dynamic, live or studio, it would be the 35. Runs a little hot, too, which is nice. I should note that I dont have a SM7 or M88 or M201 to compare.