What Mic and Pre combination have you found best for acoustic instruments...

[walth]

Originally Posted by ine-kpro...

Im currently in the hunt for a Mic and a Pre combo that can tackle most acoustic live recordings. Anyone have any experiences with combinations that they have found to be most successful with.

millenia mic pres are popular. martechs also get a lot of use. GML is great

API, focusrite isa-series, 10xx are great too.

Earthworks, schoepps and DPA/B&K mics are great too.

[jnorman]

typically, we record most acoustic performances in stereo, which means a pair of mics. neumann km184s, schoeps cmc64s, DPA 4011s in ORTF, or km131s, cmc62, 4006 in AB.

pres - sonosax, sound devices usb pre, DAV, forsell - depending on how much gear you want to schlep around (portable battery-powered stuff, vs rackmount gear requiring access to AC).

[GZsound]

I posted a similar question to a bunch of Nashville recording engineers and producers and the most common mic preamps were Neve and API by a wide margin.

Neumann KM184's seemed to get a lot of mention as far as mics.

I think any decent pair of mics and any decent preamp can get a good acoustic guitar recording. The room makes a difference and the way the guitar is set up makes a difference.

I use two AT4041 or ATM10a or Oktava MC012 mics and an RNP with great results.

[sonare]

Hasn't anyone noticed that the question was posed in 2005?

[MichaelPatrick]

First question is whether or not you want the room in your mix. If you do, omni mics. If you don't, cardiods. Make that decision and then people can answer your question.

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by sonare

Hasn't anyone noticed that the question was posed in 2005?

We'll need to be sure that we answer the OP with gear that was around in 2005, so as not to confuse him.

[MichaelPatrick]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

We'll need to be sure that we answer the OP with gear that was around in 2005, so as not to confuse him.

Good point.

[Jim Williams]

Custom built gear is my solution. Mic preamps are transconductance designs with 40 mhz bandwidth. Mics are custom made from various capsules.

I've not found commercially available gear to get that intimacy.

It's not much different than professional racing where everyone builds their winning cars themselves. You don't see the winners using "off the shelf".

[aracu]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

It's not much different than professional racing where everyone builds their winning cars themselves. You don't see the winners using "off the shelf".

there is danger of the mic crashing into the conductor

[Jim Williams]

Only if it falls off your "Decca Tree".

If you look at some of the top AE's in classical, many do use custom built equipment. Some guard their sources too.

[aracu]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

Only if it falls off your "Decca Tree".

If you look at some of the top AE's in classical, many do use custom built equipment. Some guard their sources too.

It is great when a manufacturer is interested in making variations of
their standard mics for clients. Sonodore is a good example.

[Bater]

My favorite combination of mic and preamp for recording acoustic guitar is a modded nady rsm 4 (1.8 micron ribbon and a cinemag transformer) paired with the Mackie onyx preamp. I know it's low end, but the sound is beautiful.

Sent from my Vortex using Gearslutz App

[bafonso]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

Custom built gear is my solution. Mic preamps are transconductance designs with 40 mhz bandwidth. Mics are custom made from various capsules.

I've not found commercially available gear to get that intimacy.

It's not much different than professional racing where everyone builds their winning cars themselves. You don't see the winners using "off the shelf".

But more often than not the best driver trumps the best car...

This might echo with anyone that remembers Airton Senna racing in the rain