Beats by Dre Mic on American Idol

[bvrb]

Hello all,
Long time lurker, first time poster. What an awesome community to be a part of!

DISCLAIMER: I am neither an American Idol fan, or Monster Audio fan. In fact, both of them seem to be the nemesis to our industry! However, this peaked my interest tonight...

A Facebook friend posted tonight saying "Dre Beats Wireless Microphones on American Idol?"

After a quick google search with no results, I jumped on the Fox website and found a contestant singing into a mic with the Beats By Dre "b" logo on the bottom.

I seriously doubt Monster (the manufacturer of the Beats By Dre headphones) actually made a wireless mic - and I even further doubt that a show as prevalent as American Idol would use a mic that isn't industry tested and approved.

So do you think Idol is using a Shure or AT mic and modifying it to the Dre look for advertising purposes?

[AndyFromDenver]

it probably has a built in autotune circuit! Sweeet

What other cool features might it have?

[Dreamsilent]

Now anticipating Monster bringing out a repackaged SM58 with the beats logo which sells for £200...

[lostwars]

I saw this as well, and thought it was strange. Does anyone on gearslutz actually use Dr Dre headphones? he is a great producer and everything but I am sure his $300 headphones aren't going for supreme clarity.

[johndykstra]

Those mics are made by Blue.

[johndykstra]

Blue Encore 300 Cardioid Condenser Handheld Live Performance Microphon

[Apollo Soul]

Originally Posted by lostwars

I saw this as well, and thought it was strange. Does anyone on gearslutz actually use Dr Dre headphones? he is a great producer and everything but I am sure his $300 headphones aren't going for supreme clarity.

... but they do a mighty fine job doubling as a car subwoofer.

[matt thomas]

I listened to them in an Apple store. I thought that they were really bad, all woolly bass, and a bit of tss tss.

There was a bit of a discussion about them a while back in a thread on the B&W headphones

matt

[e.Blue]

Originally Posted by lostwars

I saw this as well, and thought it was strange. Does anyone on gearslutz actually use Dr Dre headphones? he is a great producer and everything but I am sure his $300 headphones aren't going for supreme clarity.

I was initially really skeptical about the original Beats By Dre headphones. However, I did read quite a few reviews (mostly by non-audiophile reviewers) which seemed to praise them highly. A while back I came across a deal at newegg.com that basically let me pick them up at less than half price, so I decided to go for it. I must say that I think that they do live up to the hype. When I'm not listening critically and I just want to enjoy the music they are easily my first choice. The sound is a bit hyped, but not in a distracting way.

As far as using them in a studio, I wouldn't recommend them for several reasons:

* They are EXTREMELY leaky, in fact I'd feel self-conscious using them even if another person was in the room.
* They are bulky and need batteries.
* They have to be turned on/off via a switch
* Expensive and obvious theft-magnets
* They are not constructed of the best materials, especially considering the cost

Nevertheless, they do sound GREAT! My one exception to using them in the studio would have to be for composing (not mixing) as they just naturally seem to make music sound its best and help to maintain my inspiration.

-e.B

[deciferthis]

The big question here is did it sound good on idol? I been reading up on it and they say it's a wireless encore 300, which I never heard but I know I can trust blue.

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by bvrb

DISCLAIMER: I am neither an American Idol fan, or Monster Audio fan. In fact, both of them seem to be the nemesis to our industry!

Why is American Idol the nemesis to our industry?

[johndykstra]

Solid question.

Antithesis is probably a more appropriate word, and a good explanation of why so many musicians find it revolting.

[brill bedroom]

I actually like the Beats for DJ-ing, but I never tried them in a stdio setting. I got rid of them, though. May seem silly, but I just didn't want to deal with needing batteries for my headphones in a live gig situation. I have. enough things I need to remember to bring.

[cavern]

Originally Posted by Sounds Great

Why is American Idol the nemesis to our industry?

Cause some of those kids can really sing and don't require a ton of gear and autotune to sound good.

[PopularDemand]

Originally Posted by lostwars

I saw this as well, and thought it was strange. Does anyone on gearslutz actually use Dr Dre headphones? he is a great producer and everything but I am sure his $300 headphones aren't going for supreme clarity.

The label gave us a few. They are far from cheap. Very well built. But... They are not accurate for mixing. They actually sound like "the club" in your ears. Big, huge, hyped sound. Vocalist and musicians are using them to record as opposed to our other options because of how good they sound.

Originally Posted by bvrb

After a quick google search with no results, I jumped on the Fox website and found a contestant singing into a mic with the Beats By Dre "b" logo on the bottom.

I seriously doubt Monster (the manufacturer of the Beats By Dre headphones) actually made a wireless mic - and I even further doubt that a show as prevalent as American Idol would use a mic that isn't industry tested and approved.

So do you think Idol is using a Shure or AT mic and modifying it to the Dre look for advertising purposes?

Blue made the Beats by Dre Mic. Industry standards out the window when you have monster and interscope behind all the "Beats By" products.

Blue Microphones is pleased to reveal that for a few months now they have been working on a very special project.

Specifically, they’ve been working behind the scenes with Jimmy Iovine’s team at Interscope Records and Beats by Dre to create a world class microphone for on-stage use by the contestants of American Idol.

Beginning with last night’s performances, American Idol debuted this new wireless microphone custom-built specifically for this season’s performers.

Combining the sonic detail, clarity, and unique head design of Blue’s enCORE 300, the style of Beats by Dre, and pioneering new digital wireless technology from Line 6, Blue’s latest innovation is now rocking the American Idol stage!

http://www.prosoundweb.com/article/b...american_idol/

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by cavern

Cause some of those kids can really sing and don't require a ton of gear and autotune to sound good.

thumbsup

There are a couple of young ladies that are real standouts and will no doubt be well known singers in the future. Why does it matter how they are discovered? AI, Disney, whole in the wall bar, MySpace, whatever.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by cavern

Cause some of those kids can really sing and don't require a ton of gear and autotune to sound good.

Ironically Amarican Idol is one of the few things you will see on TV that is NOT saturated in auto tune. I am by no means an avid viewer, but have gotten roped into sitting through the finale a couple of times, and noticed that even the "Celebrity Guest" singers are not using auto tune, and have much less in terms of backing tracks covering their mistakes (watch any performance at any awards show and you'll notice that there are 10 layers of harmony, but only one singer on stage, who is magically singing flawlessly despite doing a dance routine that would get Billy Blank hhuffing and puffing). And obviously they don't use auto-tune on the contestants, because then Simon Cowell wouldn't have anything to roll his eyes and yell about.
Side note... Why are we, in America, so obsessed with being yelled at in a British/Australian/S African etc accent? American Idol, Super Nanny, Hell's Kitchen, Nanny 911, Tabatha's Salon Makeover, etc. WTF America... WTF?

[johndykstra]

And back to the Sennheisers on stage. Sounded way better, no? Blue has done themselves no favors with this placement scheme. Those who didn't know before, still don't. Those who did, are less impressed. A huge lose/lose.

[Sounds Great]

One of them was using a C800g in the studio.

[johndykstra]

Pia, if memory serves me right.

[Plush]

Only in Hell-A are headphones jewelry.

Iovine wearing those red junque sound headphones around his neck like a 60's pendant is a classic Hollywood move.

[Skulls615]

Originally Posted by johndykstra

And back to the Sennheisers on stage. Sounded way better, no? Blue has done themselves no favors with this placement scheme. Those who didn't know before, still don't. Those who did, are less impressed. A huge lose/lose.

How would you know? Please shed some light as to how you have objective information on what thousands or even millions of people thought of the quality and its impact. To say "those who didn't know before, still don't" is a completely biased statement.

[johndykstra]

Defensive eh?

Look. This week's performance was the first of the season where the vocals had some breath and life. Dynamics were way better. Pitch was way better. Now, whether that was a result of changing the mics (The Blue mics were utilizing a Line 6 wireless transmitter BTW), or J-Lo's husbands "help" doesn't matter. Let's face it. EVERY contestant didn't decide to suddenly stop using a sponsored product for no reason.


And the "those who didn't know still don't" is perfectly valid statement. Uninitiated people watching at home still don't have any idea what Blue microphones are... what with all the Beats logos slapped all over them. And in my OPINION, people who are familiar with the Blue brand, saw them perform terribly on stage.

Who said my statement was objective? It's clearly subjective. You holding Blue stock or something? I'd be mad too.

[johndykstra]

Originally Posted by goldeneye13

Funny and so true. dfegad

how can you objectively say that? How do you know if millions of people would think a Gearslutz comment was funny or not?

[scud133]

IMO those mics don't work well at all, at least for TV broadcast. really weak, hard to hear the vocals on the "Beats" mic, yet they are loud and clear with the "other" mics.

[DanDaMan]

Originally Posted by AndyFromDenver

it probably has a built in autotune circuit! Sweeet

Hahahahaha, I like that statement

[Remoteness]

Originally Posted by scud133

IMO those mics don't work well at all, at least for TV broadcast. really weak, hard to hear the vocals on the "Beats" mic, yet they are loud and clear with the "other" mics.

EQ and other signal processors are not just in banner ads, they also can be found in equipment racks...

Sometimes you may have to break one out to address devices that don't always work very well.

I know, it's better to start off with the right mic or piece of gear, but...

When the best option is not available you (IMO) must do whatever it takes to get the sound you expect to achieve.

Like I've said, a number of times before, "it's about the ear, not the gear!

[scud133]

Originally Posted by Remoteness

EQ and other signal processors are not just in banner ads, they also can be found in equipment racks...

Sometimes you may have to break one out to address devices that don't always work very well.

I know, it's better to start off with the right mic or piece of gear, but...

When the best option is not available you (IMO) must do whatever it takes to get the sound you expect to achieve.

Like I've said, a number of times before, "it's about the ear, not the gear!

are you suggesting that they replaced the engineer in the control room (because he has better ears) or installed a new EQ unit and that's why the sound is better?

like when some performers in the same show use the different mics, and the ones using the non-Beats mic are always cutting through better with less room bleed?

bottom line: if you watch the show, it's like an A-B comparison between the mics because the performers this season (for some reason) don't all use the same mic.

[Remoteness]

I don't know about all that, but...

It's cool when there's enough time to strap EQs and such across the mic channels and do your best to match to the better sounding mics just to keep the audio continuity.

Some times you don't have a choice when it comes to what gear an artist (or their associates) want to use, but (IMO) you always have to make it sound the best it can sound, especially if you like music production.

Great gear makes things sound better faster.
You got to work a bit longer on the other gear...

In the end, all mics/all inputs must cut through and sit in the mix.

YMMV

Originally Posted by scud133

are you suggesting that they replaced the engineer in the control room (because he has better ears) or installed a new EQ unit and that's why the sound is better?

like when some performers in the same show use the different mics, and the ones using the non-Beats mic are always cutting through better with less room bleed?

bottom line: if you watch the show, it's like an A-B comparison between the mics because the performers this season (for some reason) don't all use the same mic.

[johndykstra]

Originally Posted by scud133

are you suggesting that they replaced the engineer in the control room (because he has better ears) or installed a new EQ unit and that's why the sound is better?

like when some performers in the same show use the different mics, and the ones using the non-Beats mic are always cutting through better with less room bleed?

bottom line: if you watch the show, it's like an A-B comparison between the mics because the performers this season (for some reason) don't all use the same mic.

What show are you watching?

Up until Motown week, every contestant was using the Beats logo'ed Blue Encore mic. For Motown week, every contestant was using a Sennheiser.

From what I understand, (as relayed to me through a Blue inside sales rep), is that being Blue does not have a wireless product, Idol was a testing ground. They were using Line 6's wireless protocol. Given the mass exodus, I'd say it failed. Again, Beats has obviously paid a small fortune for their product placement. The fact that they were absent from stage last week tells me that there is something about them that made tweaking an impossibility.

To my ears... Subjectively... the difference was immediately apparent.