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R/E/P => R/E/P Archives => j. hall => Topic started by: j.hall on November 05, 2004, 09:32:11 AM

Title: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: j.hall on November 05, 2004, 09:32:11 AM
what is it?

i'll be cutting vocals with a rode classic (i think) on saturday.

i've never found a better vocal mic then a soundeluxe U-95.
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: redelephant on November 05, 2004, 12:09:09 PM
Do you mean the U195? That is probably my favorite too. I wish I had one of my own.

I have had surprising results with the AKG Solidtube (runs and hides)...
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: NelsonL on November 05, 2004, 01:33:21 PM
No need to run, this joint is pretty flame free.

I use an AT 4040 and most of the time it works pretty well. Granted, I'm using it through an Ampex tube pre that is pretty colored. Quad Eight stuff should arrive next week though!

Last night I had a Ben Gibbard-ish sounding guy in and I'm thinking of re-tracking with a dynamic instead.

J, what Blue mics do you like? I seem to remember you had a favorite. Also, would it be a decent FOK and Vox mic?
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: bloodstone on November 05, 2004, 01:57:30 PM
Currently, CAD M9.  In the past it has been AKG Solidtube, Oktava ML 52 ribbon, 319 or 219, or Sennheiser MD421.  AS you can see, I don't have a lot of fancy stuff.  
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: j.hall on November 05, 2004, 03:48:03 PM
redelephant wrote on Fri, 05 November 2004 11:09

Do you mean the U195?



nope, i mean the U-95

they discontinued it years ago.....i've never gotten a straight answer but i think they tweaked it a bit and renamed it the 47.

the room i used to book had two U-95's and a telefunken U-47
(along with a slew of neumanns and various other stuff)

the U-95 slayed the U-47 on just about everything i used it on.

U-95's were drum overheads EVERY TIME.

bloodstone wrote:
Quote:


AS you can see, I don't have a lot of fancy stuff.



doesn't matter here.  this forum isn't about what you have and what you don't have.  it's about how you get the job done.

rattleyour wrote:
Quote:


J, what Blue mics do you like? I seem to remember you had a favorite. Also, would it be a decent FOK and Vox mic?



the kiwi.  it was awesome as a room mic, and was equally awesome on lead vocal.

didn't try it in front of the kick but i'd give it a shot in a heart beat.
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: craig boychuk on November 05, 2004, 08:18:43 PM
For singing, there's this Microtech-Geffell UM-92 that's pretty cool. It's a tube mic, card/omni/8 patterns. I think it's supposed to be emulating some revered mic of the past, I don't remember which one. I like it because it provides a really honest & accurate representation of the singer, while still being flattering.


For screaming, nothing beats a 58. Or even a 421. Through a mackie pre that's turned up just to the point of distortion, or a boss blues driver.

imho.
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: spankenstein on November 05, 2004, 08:33:16 PM
I'll start with an Oktava 319. If the vocals need some more high end I'll use an MXL 990. Also the plain old 57 gets a lot.

I have this battery powered stero mic from Radio Shack that is awesome for big group background vocals. I used this on a rock-a-billy band recently and it turned out really good.
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: drumsound on November 06, 2004, 02:35:37 AM
I use a 70s U87 a lot on vocals.  My other favorite is a 421.  4047, 414, and GT AM52 sometimes.
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: Joel Hamilton on November 06, 2004, 04:26:47 PM
The U95 is a great, great microphone. I recorded one of my favorite vocals ever on a Sparklehorse record with one of those and a telefunken V76. Supposedly the tube they used for that simply doesnt exist as new anymore, so they used a different topology altogether and made the U99, which is not so hot....

Vocal mic choice varies with every singer I record, but it seems like lately the C12VR that I had modded heavily has been good, a GT1a with a crazy NOS telefunken 12ax7, the RFT 7151 "leipzig bottle" mic always seems to work well.

I usually put up 5 microphones or so, let someone just sing for a minute into each one and go from there. It also depends on whether I am going to tape or to PTHD because there are a few i liked to tape that I dont like at all going "straight into the box."

The BLUE mouse has been kicking my butt on singers that I would normally have chosen a U87 for. I like it a lot more than the 87 on most voices.
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: Fibes on November 07, 2004, 06:40:04 AM
I dig the U-95 more than any mic, most of the time on male vocals. It's not clean, it's a bit crunchy but it has a nice crunch that works for rock. My second favorite mic which has a more robust front end and slays on female vocals is the neumann M-269c which is the German broadcast version of the U-67. BTW the U-95 was supposed to be a U-67ish mic, I think it stands on it's own.

FWIW the U-95 doesn't handle high SPLs very well, therein lies it's weakness which in turn may be it's strength too.
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: wwest on November 07, 2004, 10:35:29 AM
I'll usually throw up a few mics for a singer to sing into, choose the best and go with it.  Nearly 99% of the time, I find myself favoring the AKG C-12A.  It's the american distributed C-12.  The top end clarity just slays.  

One mic I always throw up, yet have never been inclined to go in it's direction is a U87.  For whatever reason it always has a very "boxy" sound on vox in comparison to other mics.  

Lovin' the C-12A.
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: Joel Hamilton on November 07, 2004, 04:07:09 PM
"BTW the U-95 was supposed to be a U-67ish mic, I think it stands on it's own."

Agreed. It sounds a little like a 67 that hasnt had 20 years of marlboro smoke blown in it....

It is a more "up front" sound than any 67 I have ever used.


Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: recorderman on November 07, 2004, 05:44:02 PM
 Shocked
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: Invisible Member on November 08, 2004, 11:23:46 AM
SM7, SM57, 421 and sometimes a MXLV67G for male and sometimes a SP B1 for delicate stuff like my daughters.


Peace,
Dennis
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: weihfool on November 08, 2004, 04:00:05 PM
I've gotten great results from a U87 and a BPM CR73.  Those were both borrowed.  I recently bought an AT 3035 and it sounded OK.  Then, I bought a Daking mic pre/EQ combo and THAT made the AT mic come alive.  I used think the mic had a somewhat fake and shrill top end, but with the Daking pre, it just sounds great.  Of course, YMMV.  
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: Meriphew on November 08, 2004, 04:20:57 PM
When tracking my vox I normally use a Soundelux Elux 251 for lead, and either a Beta 58 or a 57 for BGV's.
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: j.hall on November 09, 2004, 09:54:43 AM
wwest wrote on Sun, 07 November 2004 09:35

 It's the american distributed C-12.  



i didn't know that bit of trivia.

the C-12a looks like a 414, but it's silver, and has the tube circuit that a C-12 has, and the capsule of the, later to be designed, 414.....as i've been told at least.

a brilliant mic, amazing on many sources.
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: wwest on November 09, 2004, 10:20:39 AM
It was actually distributed in North America under Norelco (yes, as in Norelco razors).  It says "Norelco" on the front and says "made in Austria by AKG".

I've looked at those mics and often wondered if Norelco did, in fact, get the design idea for their razors from that microphone.

10-15 years ago no one knew what the hell that mic was, now you're hard pressed to find them......and when you do, people are awfully proud of them and not very willing to part with them.
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: japhy4529 on November 09, 2004, 11:20:52 AM
Studio Projects C1
Neumann TLM-103
Oktava MK-219
SM-57
SM-58
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: drew on November 09, 2004, 11:38:33 AM
for me is usually boils down to either an SM7 or U99.
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: xonlocust on November 09, 2004, 02:00:52 PM
usually a nevaton mc51. sometimes senn 421. i just was on a session using a beyer m88 that was really nice on female vocals.  it's been a while, but i used to use that royer modded mxl mic a lot... also that newish audio technica 4040.
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: Joel Hamilton on November 11, 2004, 04:50:07 PM
My C12a simply says "AKG" on the front.

The norelco ones are cool.
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: tiggie on November 12, 2004, 01:15:23 PM
I use a Rode Classic II most of the time.

I'd be interested to know why people have chosen the SM57 over a 58.
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: bloodstone on November 12, 2004, 03:04:23 PM
tiggie wrote on Fri, 12 November 2004 18:15

I use a Rode Classic II most of the time.

I'd be interested to know why people have chosen the SM57 over a 58.


Personally, my voice never sounded good through a 58 live or in the studio.  I've always preferred a 57 for voice.  FWIW, my group backed up Robert Gordon, the rockabilly cat.  He sang live through a 57.  Also, I always seem to nick my teeth against that big silver ball on the 58.  My front teeth are cracked all to hell.  I hate 58s.  Plus, don't they cost a little more?
Title: Re: vocal mic of choice.
Post by: el duderino on November 12, 2004, 03:14:19 PM
[/quote]

Personally, my voice never sounded good through a 58 live or in the studio.  I've always preferred a 57 for voice.  FWIW, my group backed up Robert Gordon, the rockabilly cat.  He sang live through a 57.  Also, I always seem to nick my teeth against that big silver ball on the 58.  My front teeth are cracked all to hell.  [/quote]

i remember reading somewhere jonathan davis of korn refuses to use a 58 (or any mic with a round capsule) for the same reason.

as for recording, a studio i work at has a U47 tube so that has become the go to vocal mic. although i must say i do alot of regular work with a certain band and their singer's voice only sounds better on the u47 compared to anything except a 58. b4 the u47 showed up i'd usually use a TLM-170.