Expanding mic collection what next?

[BlueSprocket]

Your desired budget would be really helpful. There are so many options for microphones in every budget these days.

Keeping with the style of stuff you have listed. The Audix CX112 is a really surprising LDC for the money, I believe they sell for about $399. They remind me of my 414-EBs, but brighter and a hair more "forward". The Audio Technica 4047 is also a cool mic in around that price range.

If you're thinking RE-20, you might consider the Heil microphones. Have a PR-30 and a PR-40 around here. They both sound great, PR-30 is smoother, almost ribbon-esque. The price is certainly right for them too.

[la grange]

go for valves. Rode could be a start, definately adjustable polar.
something with an edge.

Oli

[tINY]

It depends on what you are doing and how much you want to spend.

Some good SDC might be worth thinking about.

That PR40 is good for a lot of things....




-tINY

[warhead]

If you replace that F12 on kick drum, you're going to find out how much better life can be. I would grab another dynamic for kick and other duties, the Heil PR40 would be one I think you would be wow'd by. I would likely pick it over the RE20 on just about anything, sounds more lively whereas the RE20 has always been a fairly flat sounding dynamic.

On the multi pattern mic, there is a ton of stuff to choose from. I would not necessarily grab a tube mic but maybe that's just me. On the cheap my favorite as many know is the CAD M179, and the patterns are completely variable as well. In higher price ranges there is the sE Electronics Z5600A (actually a tube mic) or Shure KSM44 and a range of others that would likely outperform what you have soundly.

However, none of those dual diaphragm mics (in any price range) do the OMNI thing well...! The off axis response is still pretty lacking above the 10k range.

If you think you'd be doing a fair amount of OMNI stuff, I would consider a multi capsule mic kit which would include a true pressure omni capsule. The Studio Projects C4 kit for example is a pair of excellent mics that offer 2 different patterns (cardioid and omni caps) and 2 different sounds (the omni cap is a tad darker with a huge bottom response, the cardioid a flatter type of response) and a pretty low noise SDC to boot. I find them to be a lot of mic for the money. The Oktava MK-012 is a step up but more costly. You could get a lot done with a pair of either of those, especially with 2 capsules.

You don't have a ribbon, on the cheap the APEX 205 / 210 is hard to beat (and I've used it against $1800 ribbons and preferred its sound at times!) although the CAD Trion7000 is a nice step up. If you have the budget the AEA R84 rules the roost in my experience of one ribbon that does everything at least very well if not excellent, all delivered with a vibe untouched by other ribbon makers.

There are many others out there worth mentioning, but off the top of my head and having used tons of this stuff, these are the likely "can't go wrong" candidates that you will hear the difference with.

War

[HeavyG]

...I don't see a workhorse kick mic...so perhaps a more versatile dynamic that fills this need like an RE20 or an SM7B. We all know that they also kill in other applications (Vocals, Bass, Acoustic, etc)...so this addition would strengthen several areas at once.


Tear it up...cheers.

[skythemusic]

I agree with the posters here, I'd go for the 4047, the Heil, a Rode tube, and two the CAD's and Oktava's. In fact, I'm saving up for some of those myself (already have a couple Rode tubes and a bunch of sdc's)...Scott

[donsimpson]

AKG 414. Multi-pattern, including omni, and one of the most flexible mics around.

[Shaolin]

Hi War, (or anyone who knows, of course!) Hope you don't mind answering a quick question about the m177.

I've got a mobile rig for demos and startups which I keep low end. I'm micing the guitar cab with an i5 and a cad gxl2400 going into an 8 port presonus usb firepod. The gxl is driving me crazy however. Just too flat sounding and also brittle in the highs. I've seen a few of your posts praising the m177. Is the high current draw a problem for a usb pre like the presonus supporting 3 or 4 other condensers and another 4 dynamics?

Thanks

[CrankyRayHanky]

I love these types of threads..



4047 would be great for many applications including upgrading your kick- but I love it on guitar cabs, bass, vocals, room....

check out the Avantone line as well- real quality regardless of price- which is very reasonable

none of this is in the same style as a re20 though

[warhead]

Originally Posted by Shaolin

Hi War, (or anyone who knows, of course!) Hope you don't mind answering a quick question about the m177.

I've got a mobile rig for demos and startups which I keep low end. I'm micing the guitar cab with an i5 and a cad gxl2400 going into an 8 port presonus usb firepod. The gxl is driving me crazy however. Just too flat sounding and also brittle in the highs. I've seen a few of your posts praising the m177. Is the high current draw a problem for a usb pre like the presonus supporting 3 or 4 other condensers and another 4 dynamics?

Thanks

Hey there. The M179 gets all my praise, the now discontinued M177 for most of its life was priced so closely to the M179 (which is variable pattern) that I never paid the M177 any attention really.

The M179 requires 8 mA of juice, so check the output of your device and the requirements of your other condensor mics.

War

[Me_Likey]

M-Audio Sputnik is a pretty good inexpensive all-around tube mic.

[tINY]

Originally Posted by warhead

Hey there. The M179 gets all my praise, the now discontinued M177 for most of its life was priced so closely to the M179 (which is variable pattern) that I never paid the M177 any attention really.

The M179 requires 8 mA of juice, so check the output of your device and the requirements of your other condensor mics.

War

I bought an M177 when they went on sale. It's exactly the same as a 179 at the cardioid stop (as far as I can tell).



-tINY

[spaceysound]

Wowzers so much to look up, technically I could stretch $1000/£500 so the josephson and AEA R84 are out of my league I'm thinking the 4047's seem pretty decent and the AKG 414 is always on my mind so maybe save up for one or an R84, looking at the Audix CX112 I'm wishing it was omni just seems a tad similar to what I have right now but will have to look in to it a bit closer.

It could well be with my limited experience that the higher end mic's are waisted a bit with me right now though so I'll work my way up.

Thanks War for putting me on to the Apex 210 and the Cad trion7000 I might get one of them as they seem fairly close in price and have good charachteristics for recording guitar also the 4047 also seems like it would give my low end mic box some versatility.

I have a Reslo Ribbon mic that I want to fix but can't find the ribbon material I built a couple of valve amps and I'm used to fiddly jobs so I'd like to give it try any ideas where I'd get that ultra thin aluminium?

cheers, and thanks for all your great posts!
janders

[BlueSprocket]

Ironically, right after my post earlier, I talked with the guys at Audix. Seems they now have a multi-patterned version of the CX-112. The CX-212. Does Omni, Cardioid, and Fig-8. If they stayed with the same capsule and just made the necessary amplifier changes, I'd say that might fit in well to your setup. Basically a 414 for a good bit less.

The Audix is using a capsule which is similar to what is in the OLD 414's. I'm not a big fan of the current model of 414, but then that's just my preference, YMMV.

[Corran]

Couple of Oktavas and a cheap ribbon or two

[malaclypse]

Originally Posted by spaceysound

any ideas where I'd get that ultra thin aluminium?

a friend of mine made a ribbon mic using the foil from a candy bar wrapper or cigarette pack. you gotta carefully remove the paper backing.