Have you recorded extensively with both these mics? How about posting some music samples, as I'd like to listen to them. Thanks.

FWIW, I think Rumours was recorded through some version of 1073's at Sound City. Not sure I'd write it off as a "70's" sound. I think Nirvana did Nevermind there too.

I like my 103. I get best results when I put it at a little bit of a distance. 18" in front of an acoustic guitar, pointed at the sound hole, is one of the best sounds I've gotten. I can see why the guy liked it for distance classical micing. It's got some Neumann "grab". I don't care for it through my 737, but like it through a Phoenix DRS-2 or something super clean like my friend's custom made DeMedio. I also see it gettting a lot of use as a VO mic.

-R

I was waiting for someone to say that....

fuuck LOL

I was just making the point that a Neve or a Neve clone (or any preamp for that matter) is not going to instantly change your production into a 70's recording.

There are too many other factors involved, the room, the players, the song, the instruments, the mics, the mic technique, the cables, the EQ's, the recording medium, the playback speakers, the compressors, etc.

I think folks around here put too much emphasis on mic preamps. While the preamp does make a difference and it is worth picking preamps that fit your needs I don't think the preamp makes as big a difference as some other things above do.

Yea, I wasn't trying to bust balls either, just clarifying. I must say though, I think pres make a huge differnence, but, I think you gitta sometimes just use what you have. All the subtle differences from one studio/session to another add up to the sound of a CD. I am not sure I am making sense, I had a late gig last night!


It would be cool to have a list of what type of gear was used on what genre or "scene" of 70's music,

Like what were "The Faces" using, or what about the Disco stuff, or Linda Rondstat,

Or the Pretender/Clash (Cadec I think)

There were Tridents, Quad 8's, API, Neve, Cadec, Helios, MCI?, all that, who used what?

Kurt, my chain is TLM 103 > Great River ME-1NV (Gain stage) > RNC1773 > Great River ME-1NV (Output stage) > XLR input of the Mbox 2 (labelled "Mic")
But come on! I can't believe I would absolutely have to connect the ME-1NV to the Mbox 2 with a 1/4 cable! The source selector is set to DI not Mic and 48V is off (of course). The Mbox peak indicator never lights up. The distorsion I hear is not clipping.

Popmann, I compress very little (ratio of 1:4, a max of 4db of gain reduction) so I would be very surprised if the RNC were responsible but just to make sure I'll remove the RNC from the chain and see what happens.

Thanks for all you 'slutz advice. I'll try a few things and post a sample if it doesn't work out.

Cheers to all of you thumbsup

Isn't the 1/4" TRS? What's the diff? If that's your line level input, that's what you should use.

BTW...since the RNC is properly in it's unbalanced insert of the Great River, the "distortion" could only come from it's setting. Make sure you don't have attacks or releases set very fast.

Take the RNC out.

Plug into the Mbox line inputs (and make sure they're calibrated to +4)...

If it goes away...put the RNC back.

If it doesn't go away...plug the 103 into the Mbox's preamp. See if that distorts.

If it does--there's something wrong with the mic. If it doesn't...something's up with the GR.

I have a 103 and I hear a very subitle distortion in the mid-high range. Not long ago I set up a 414 and a 103 cheeck-by-jowl and ran them into an AD2022 with very conservative gain on both, to get an accurate comparison. I tracked a female singer with a pretty clean and by no means overpowering voice (she was singing into both mics simultaneously). No chance whatsoever that the mic was being overloadsed or that anything in the signal chain was clipping. The sound of the 103 bothered me enough that I had to quit using it. It's too bad because I like the overall character of the mic. I bought it used so I'm not sure what the history of the mic is exactly, although it certainly does not appear to have been given rough handing.

FWIW...

-synthoid

I use the TLM 103 and M930 and both are excellent mics with low self noise. Anyone who can't get a professional sound with either of these tools, has no business working behind a desk. Obviously, there are better mics, for certain applications.

Anyway, there's no shortage of sales people committed to targeting products for forum bashing, hoping to float your their line, of ****.

I only have the mbox1, but I think running the Great River into the mic inputs on the Mbox2 and selecting DI could be the problem. Try running into the 1/4" line inputs which should (I could be wrong) bypass the Mbox preamp circuitry and give you a much cleaner signal. Right now you are running one amp into another, and by all accounts, not a very good one at that.

I doubt the RNC is the problem, unless you do have it set too fast with bass heavy material. (or a faulty unit) I run out a Hamptone pre into the RNC and then into the Mbox1 inserts (bypassing the Mbox pres entirely) without any problems or distortion.

Running into the inserts on the Mbox1 there is a major difference from running into the XLR and selecting line, which results in a sort of a "cloudy"/"murky" sound.

Otherwise it may really be the mic. I have never used a TLM-103 so I can't say....

Totally agree!

Paul BLenn

How hard is it to just pull out the RNC and see if the distortion goes away!

-R

I've been considering buying the Great River 2 ch pre and 2 ch eq. It costs around $5000. If I spend another $3k I get the 1073 or 1084, is it worth it? What is the difference in sound?

hey check out a ADK A51TC....or other audiophile serie mics...from adkmic.com

hey check this website out everyone..... very very helpful in choosing a mic...

http://testing.holmerup.biz/mic_pretest/index_en.html

The TLM103 is a very high output mic. It's not surprising that all of that gain from the TLM103 going into the Great River would create some grit. Trying a mic that isn't so hot to begin with may make the Great River way more appealing to you.