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Author Topic: Dynamics - Quest for the Dark Side  (Read 3300 times)

bitrot

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Dynamics - Quest for the Dark Side
« on: May 07, 2004, 04:44:26 PM »

I had the opportunity to use a Senny 421 last night on a couple of tracks where I'm miking the strings of an electric as the main instrument tracks for the song. My sro's, U195, oktava 012's and sm58 all brought too much pick and jangle to the tracks. The SM58 is suprisingly bright through the RNP.

The 421 was awesome for this. working the mic off axis, I was able to get the sound I heard in my head. oh yeah, the RNP worked better than the JH with this mic for what I was trying to do. I was going to dump the RNP, but will now keep it for dynamics...

So, now my GAS gun sights are on dynamics for darker paintbrushes. The obvious canditates are:

SM7B
RE20
Senn 421
Beyer M88

I'd like some input on the relative flexibility of each of these mics... based on posts, I've read that the RE20 and SM7B can be mroe hit or miss than the 421 on vox and guitar cabs. I'd like something dark, definately dark, but flexible for cabs and vocals.

Specifically, can anyone comment on the relative "darkness" between the SM7b and the 421 (mkII).... which one is 'darker' i.e. more high end rolloff?

Which one would be a better all rounder for taming bright sources and male vocals?

General all-rounder for dark dynamic? Ideally, I'd get a ribbon, but all of the ML52's at the GC's in my area are .... broken!

thanks
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bloodstone

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Re: Dynamics - Quest for the Dark Side
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2004, 05:26:51 PM »

I've had a lot of success with MD 421 MkII on voice, through a Langevein DVC or Joe Meek VC1Q.  Also, 421 is my go to kick mic (I used to be a 57 fanatic until I A/B'd the two).  421 also very useful on electric guitar cabs & bass guitar cabs.


I don't own the other mics you're inquiring about, but I do have a pair of ML52s.  They haven't failed yet (using them for about 18 months) and I like them on voice, acoustic guitar, electric guitar amps and even drum overheads.  I had good success with a pair of ML52 on a solo artist: voice & acoustic guitar.  The figure 8 pattern's pretty tight (much better than an AKG 414 BULS) and if you position them right, the bleed isn't too bad.  
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nobby

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Re: Dynamics - Quest for the Dark Side
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2004, 04:08:00 AM »

You can get a good proximity effect from the 421.
The RE20 is designed to cut way down on proximity effect. Just something to consider. The RE20 has sort of a warm, round sound to my ear.

I've never used an SM7 but I hear a lot of good things about it Cool
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oudplayer

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Re: Dynamics - Quest for the Dark Side
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2004, 08:50:50 PM »

bitrot wrote on Fri, 07 May 2004 13:44



So, now my GAS gun sights are on dynamics for darker paintbrushes. The obvious canditates are:

SM7B
RE20
Senn 421
Beyer M88

Which one would be a better all rounder for taming bright sources and male vocals?



I really like the M88 and RE20 for that purpose (male vocals, spoken word- male and female). I'm not fond of the 421s, myself, though others get great results with them. But the M88 is one of my fav dynamic mics, hands down (hands up? clap yo hands?)
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bitrot

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Re: Dynamics - Quest for the Dark Side
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2004, 07:00:41 PM »

thanks for the replies.

I've also heard the Sennheiser e609s is supposed to sound something like a 421 for $99.  It's supposedly kind of a better sounding/similar sounding SM57.

I mentioned it to a fellow gearslut here at work and whaddya know, right after lunch he shows up with a e609s in his pocket!

He'll report tomorrow, and I'll have a chance to play with it as well.  I'm really interested in the off axis response on this mic, as well as how it works for vocals.

Could be a cheap gem.




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inflatable

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Re: Dynamics - Quest for the Dark Side
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2004, 07:15:30 PM »

So how did the e609 perform?
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drumsound

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Re: Dynamics - Quest for the Dark Side
« Reply #6 on: May 19, 2004, 04:28:18 AM »


Quote:


SM7B
RE20
Senn 421
Beyer M88




I've got all of these but the Shure.  The all can do a lot of things.  I hadn't used my 421s for toms in a while.  This weekend I did and boy did they sound great.  I would say the M88 is the darkest, and the 421 the "crunchiest" in a good way.
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bitrot

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Re: Dynamics - Quest for the Dark Side
« Reply #7 on: May 19, 2004, 04:41:50 PM »

Ok, just gone done with a major deadline at work.

In short, the e609S is a blast, and sounds great for what it is.

Overall, I find it a hell of a lot smoother than my sm58 and and sm57 on cabs and vocals.

On vocals, it's definately a dynamic and I can see it being great for rock vocals.  the high end was smoother than the sm58 and 7, and just nicer sounding overall.

The real deal for me was nailing a sound I've been looking for... I've got a song where I want the sound of the electric guitar strings to be the dominant sound... yep, just miked electric guitar strings.  A wall of them.

I think the major hidden bonus with this mic is the response on the black side... the back side of the diaphragm... it has a great dark sound... so I took the dark side, shoved it up against my amp, which was turned way down with a bit of low end crunch, and then sat in front of the mic's silver, front side and wailed away on my electric.

it was perfect.  the sound I was looking for.  a perfect blend of string sound and a touch for low end crunch.

in general, getting great guitar sounds by just swivelling the mic off axis a bit is really easy.

For $99 I can't believe how nice this thing sounds overall, and it's off axis response is totally useable.  I'm looking forward to recording a whole acoustic song with just it and the sm58.

I liked the RNP with this mic better than my john hardy.  Something about the RNP makes it sound brighter and fuller than my John hardy.

So overall, for $99, if you're looking for a solid amp mic that can double as a rock vocal mic, this thing is the bees knees imo.

Flexible off axis response and a useable backside make this a great goto color mic for the price.

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bgavin (Bruce Gavin)

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Re: Dynamics - Quest for the Dark Side
« Reply #8 on: May 28, 2004, 12:08:02 AM »

I've been hunting for a long while, but finally scored a Beyer M400 Soundstar MK-II.  It is not yet arrived, but Harvey and others find good use for it as a poor man's SM7.
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