23rd March 2007
#1
Want to hear Sontronics Mics? Enter...
Okay, let's kick this off with a disclaimer: I am the Queensland Accounts Manager (read: Sales Rep - ugh, I hate that title) for Major Music, a distributor in Australia. Major Music is the National distributor for MOTU, Native Instruments, Fostex, EastWest, Auralex, and others. Basically, I get to pimp good products that pretty much sell themselves, so I get paid to be a good guy and help out my stores. It's a pretty cool gig! Our newest line is Sontronics Microphones, which people keep asking about around here, but no one seems to have had much first hand experience with. I have had a Sontronics Helios (multi-pattern valve condensor) and a Sigma (phantom powered ribbon) in my home recording space (read: spare bedroom packed with semi-rigid fibreglass) for the last few days, and this afternoon I decided to put something down for y'all to hear.
Signal path.
Both the Helios and the Sigma went into an SCA N72 channel, then into my Fireface 800, into Logic. 24bit, 44.1khz. Now, I know the N72's are a pretty colourful pre, thankfully it only gets really colourful at high gain settings. Both thse mics kick out some pretty serious output, so the Helios had only 5 gain clicks (about 30db) and the Sigma had 6 clicks (@36db). In comparison, I usually run my AT4047 at 10clicks (albeit with the mic's 10db pad in). For further comparison, an SM57 needs about 8 clicks for good singing level into the Fireface. Even for these gain settings, the levels into Logic were quite low, so the effect of the N72's topology should be fairly negligent. Basically, the transformers weren't working hard. Next time I'll run the mics into my Mini-Me for a cleaner amplification source. There will be more files to come.
Processing.
The really scary thing for me is; there is no processing! As a self-recording artist (SRA - look it up, it's an affliction these days), I am used to pulling every EQ, compression, and plugin trick in the book to improve the sound of my music. This is the rawest thing I have ever put up for mass consumption. I think I'm going to throw up. However, I am bouyed by the well-meaning GS members who will hear through any lack of talent, and focus purely on the sonics. In short, there is no EQ on any track, and no compression on any individual track. I used a plate reverb setting (Logic's Space Designer) on a send, and the master had a tiny bit of AdLimiter just in case. When bypassed, you couldn't even hear it working, it was there to catch any random vocal jumps or tambourine peaks.
Arrangement and Engineering.
The vocals were recorded with the Sigma ribbon, as was the little pair of ethnic tambourines. The Helios was used for both rhythm guitars, and the leads at the end are recorded with the Sigma. Right guitar is my Yamaha LL6, with the continously variable polar patter knob set halfway between cardioid and omni. This gave the extra low end of my Yamaha (quite a good Martin copy) a bit more "room". Left guitar is my 1978 Maton BG808 (think 000 size), with the polar pattern set halfway between cardioid and figure-8. This gave the Maton's smaller body a bit more low-end reinforcement. Both of these guitars are unfortunately in need of some serious maintenance, but tuned up okay for the task at hand. Guitars were mic'd at a distance equal to the length of the guitar body, on the 12th fret, pointed slightly toward the neck join. Vocals were recorded at about 12inches from the Sigma, with a good solid head-turn on the "hey"s to keep everything in check, level wise. Tambourines were recorded about 18"-24" from the Sigma. Everything is 1 whole take, the gouitars are each first takes, the vocal is the fourth take, and the tambourines took two because the phone rang. Grrrrr. I know most people would think "um, ribbons on the guitars, condensor on the voice". Well I tried that, it just sounded better this way. The leads at the end were recorded with the Sigma, just to get a different colour, and hopefully show the difference in tone. Rhythm guitars are panned hard right and left, the lead guitars at the end are panned +/-14. Again, the Yamaha is panned right, the Maton left.
So, what do you think? I'm trying to get some discussion happening about these mics, because apart from UK magazine reviews, no one seems to be talking about these. I'm happy with their performance so far, not to mention the impressive looks and great packaging. I have pictures to come, but it's late and I'm off to bed after I upload this file. Please mention what you are listening on if you post, and if you have any sound sources you'd like to hear, specifically. Any Brisbane-based 'Slutz with a piano, or a decent drum recording room drop me a PM. I'd love to try the ribbon on some drums and keys, for sure.
And finally, please be kind! Listening to the tune again, I feel so naked. Like those recurring dreams I have...
heath.
PS. 192kbps Mp3 file. .wav's are available if your inbox can cope.
Signal path.
Both the Helios and the Sigma went into an SCA N72 channel, then into my Fireface 800, into Logic. 24bit, 44.1khz. Now, I know the N72's are a pretty colourful pre, thankfully it only gets really colourful at high gain settings. Both thse mics kick out some pretty serious output, so the Helios had only 5 gain clicks (about 30db) and the Sigma had 6 clicks (@36db). In comparison, I usually run my AT4047 at 10clicks (albeit with the mic's 10db pad in). For further comparison, an SM57 needs about 8 clicks for good singing level into the Fireface. Even for these gain settings, the levels into Logic were quite low, so the effect of the N72's topology should be fairly negligent. Basically, the transformers weren't working hard. Next time I'll run the mics into my Mini-Me for a cleaner amplification source. There will be more files to come.
Processing.
The really scary thing for me is; there is no processing! As a self-recording artist (SRA - look it up, it's an affliction these days), I am used to pulling every EQ, compression, and plugin trick in the book to improve the sound of my music. This is the rawest thing I have ever put up for mass consumption. I think I'm going to throw up. However, I am bouyed by the well-meaning GS members who will hear through any lack of talent, and focus purely on the sonics. In short, there is no EQ on any track, and no compression on any individual track. I used a plate reverb setting (Logic's Space Designer) on a send, and the master had a tiny bit of AdLimiter just in case. When bypassed, you couldn't even hear it working, it was there to catch any random vocal jumps or tambourine peaks.
Arrangement and Engineering.
The vocals were recorded with the Sigma ribbon, as was the little pair of ethnic tambourines. The Helios was used for both rhythm guitars, and the leads at the end are recorded with the Sigma. Right guitar is my Yamaha LL6, with the continously variable polar patter knob set halfway between cardioid and omni. This gave the extra low end of my Yamaha (quite a good Martin copy) a bit more "room". Left guitar is my 1978 Maton BG808 (think 000 size), with the polar pattern set halfway between cardioid and figure-8. This gave the Maton's smaller body a bit more low-end reinforcement. Both of these guitars are unfortunately in need of some serious maintenance, but tuned up okay for the task at hand. Guitars were mic'd at a distance equal to the length of the guitar body, on the 12th fret, pointed slightly toward the neck join. Vocals were recorded at about 12inches from the Sigma, with a good solid head-turn on the "hey"s to keep everything in check, level wise. Tambourines were recorded about 18"-24" from the Sigma. Everything is 1 whole take, the gouitars are each first takes, the vocal is the fourth take, and the tambourines took two because the phone rang. Grrrrr. I know most people would think "um, ribbons on the guitars, condensor on the voice". Well I tried that, it just sounded better this way. The leads at the end were recorded with the Sigma, just to get a different colour, and hopefully show the difference in tone. Rhythm guitars are panned hard right and left, the lead guitars at the end are panned +/-14. Again, the Yamaha is panned right, the Maton left.
So, what do you think? I'm trying to get some discussion happening about these mics, because apart from UK magazine reviews, no one seems to be talking about these. I'm happy with their performance so far, not to mention the impressive looks and great packaging. I have pictures to come, but it's late and I'm off to bed after I upload this file. Please mention what you are listening on if you post, and if you have any sound sources you'd like to hear, specifically. Any Brisbane-based 'Slutz with a piano, or a decent drum recording room drop me a PM. I'd love to try the ribbon on some drums and keys, for sure.
And finally, please be kind! Listening to the tune again, I feel so naked. Like those recurring dreams I have...
heath.
PS. 192kbps Mp3 file. .wav's are available if your inbox can cope.
