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Author Topic: Manley Gold Mic. Changing the tubes for better sound...?  (Read 4433 times)

Groove

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Manley Gold Mic. Changing the tubes for better sound...?
« on: April 27, 2004, 03:04:46 PM »

I've got a Manley Gold along with some other mics (251/VM-1) and like the high end of the mic but it's kinda of thin on male vocals.

What can be done to the mic to make it thicker?  Perhaps changing the tube?  Any ideas?

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Michael
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ted nightshade

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Re: Manley Gold Mic. Changing the tubes for better sound...?
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2004, 04:39:06 PM »

Different pre? Use it differently? Change the polar pattern and mic position on the vocal?

In my experience you really have to learn to use the thing, and it's all about capturing natural sounds, not about flattery. At it's best, you get something a lot like what you are hearing in person.

FWIW Hutch is not a believer in swapping out tubes as a way of chasing tone, but of course it will sound somewhat different with a different tube.

Groove wrote on Tue, 27 April 2004 12:04

I've got a Manley Gold along with some other mics (251/VM-1) and like the high end of the mic but it's kinda of thin on male vocals.

What can be done to the mic to make it thicker?  Perhaps changing the tube?  Any ideas?



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Ted Nightshade aka Cowan

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ted nightshade

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Re: Manley Gold Mic. Changing the tubes for better sound...?
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2004, 06:51:29 PM »

I'm sorry, I should clarify... I've been assuming you were talking about swapping out a perfectly good tube for one of another make, not replacing the possibly defective or worn-out tube with another from Manley.

Actually I have two Gold mics, and one of them has not been sounding right- "thin" could describe it, so could "kinda phasey and washed out". I put them up against each other on male voice (mine), swapped the tubes from one to the other, and yes it is the tube that seems to be the problem- time to order another one from Manley.

Manley says to replace them every 4-5 years or so- mine are probably getting on 3-4 years old.
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Ted Nightshade aka Cowan

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Loco

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Re: Manley Gold Mic. Changing the tubes for better sound...?
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2004, 11:44:37 AM »

I've found the manley to be a little bit thin by its own nature. It's great for R&B vocals. Now, you have the VM-1 and the 251. You have very good alternatives for the Manley. Don't mess its character by swapping tubes.
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Carlos "El Loco" Bedoya

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Groove

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Re: Manley Gold Mic. Changing the tubes for better sound...?
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2004, 11:48:43 AM »

I must have had a bad tube because when I changed tubes (had a bunch in storage) the sound improved drastically.  There was also a faint high pitched whine that disappeared as well.

True it's a thinner sounding mic than some others but the high end sounds alot better than the other ones in my arsenal.

Still fooling around with it....

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Michael
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ted nightshade

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Re: Manley Gold Mic. Changing the tubes for better sound...?
« Reply #5 on: April 28, 2004, 12:36:41 PM »

Glad to hear it's sounding much better. Good luck!

BTW, that mic shines on a whole lot of other sources too- excellent all around mic. David Manley designed the thing to record whole ensembles with just a couple mics- not really optomized for vocals like many of these nice LDCs are.
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Ted Nightshade aka Cowan

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