• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass AKG D112 & AMT S-25

#21
Chris Fitzgerald said:
I guess I'm wondering if it's only "comparable" or if it's a hell of a lot better than the Trinity. No need to upgrade if it's a lateral move soundwise. Then again, if it's better....
Click to expand...

Well I think he thought they were comparable soundwise but that doesn't mean anything if one induces feedback and the other doesn't. If it's not usable then it doesn't matter how good it sounds. I think the AMT is a good compromise between a really sensitive studio condenser mic and a very average dynamic mic for say speaking use only. They've designed it so that it's usable but still sounds good (better than any pickup).
 
#22
Adrian, the AMT really sounds nice. I have not been testing a lot of mics, but when you put the mic up close, the sound tends to get boomy. How close do you have to place the AMT go get the almost 'bleed-less' sound you are talking about?
It would be nice to hear what the mic is hearing from some different distances from the bass.

How do you point the mic when you play in different situations? How do you place your amp? Where do you stand in relative to the drummer? Etc.

Thanks
 
#24
There is something known as the "proximity effect". This describes the way that the bass response of some microphones increases as the mic moves closer to the sound source. It's most obvious in vocal microphones - a singer can use proximity effect to change their sound during a performance by moving closer for more warmth and bass.

The AMT doesn't really exhibit any noticeable promixity effect. It's designed specifically for bass and for close up mic'ing. I typically have the capsule about 1/4" from the body of the bass. It's located in the same place all the time which is in the middle of the bass just below the end of the fingerboard. That's where I chose to put it based on experimenting with the body mount system (which allows a little more flexibility in the placement).

I typically put my amp to my left just slightly behind me or beside me. I typically stand to the side of the drums - either left or right but usually the right if I can. I use the mic even in small practice rooms with the whole band and it's fine.

The preamp has no tone controls. There is an internal gain trimpot with a 40 dB range and you can also control it with an external knob but it only affects the 1/4" output. The XLR level is always the same. Personally I never muck with the EQ myself but the LR Baggs MixPro that I've written about works very well in conjunction with the AMT and gives you basic 2 band EQ. I got it mainly because of the mixing capapability. You could also use a single channel unit like their Para-EQ.
 
#26
I dunno but here's what I think:

Find a place where they will let you try one on a trial basis. I think there should be trials for all such equipment like this. Or at least a place where they offer a return policy (and for cash back - not store credit). Borrow it for a while and use it on gigs, etc. That's the only way to know.

Marcus just got his recently and seems to be happy so far.
 
#27
I think Adrian's tryout advice is sound, no pun intended. :D While you're at it, you should also check out the Audio Technica ATM35. It's a clip on mic that's great for acoustic bass though it doesn't have the cool attachment thingy that the AMT has. I thinks its strengh is that it sounds good, has interchangeable elements and higher sensitivity and SPL stats.
 
#29
Hey Phil, do you know the difference between the ATM pro 35x and the ATM 35 ? Because at music123, the pro 35x costs $129.99 and the ATM 35 costs$229.99 .
Another question, can i plug these mikes into my iamp 500? is this power module already givin phantom power or not?(if not what is the solution?) sorry, in all the pictures of this mike, i can only see the mike it self and couldnt really understand whats goiong on at the end connections...
thanks
NUNO
 
#30
Marcus just got his recently and seems to be happy so far.[/QUOTE]

And becoming happier as I get used to using it. There was a little bit of a learning curve for me, going to the AMT only. I think that it works great if you love the sound of your bass (I do). Adrian was very helpful with information at the outset for me. It really feels like I'm playing unamplified to me; that is, what I put into to any given note or phrase is what comes out, dynamically speaking. There isn't any of that sort of "evening out" of the notes that happens with some pickups through an amp. It's very transparent and natural sounding. Plus, switching from pizz to arco has changed from a pain to pleasure.
 
#31
basscrazy72 said:
Hey Phil, do you know the difference between the ATM pro 35x and the ATM 35 ? Because at music123, the pro 35x costs $129.99 and the ATM 35 costs$229.99 .
Another question, can i plug these mikes into my iamp 500? is this power module already givin phantom power or not?(if not what is the solution?) sorry, in all the pictures of this mike, i can only see the mike it self and couldnt really understand whats goiong on at the end connections...
thanks
NUNO
Click to expand...

The ATM35 comes with the power module which provides the power for the microphone and allows you to plug it directly into the input of a iAmp 500.

The difference between the ATM35 and the Pro35x is the specifications:

Link Removed

Link Removed
 
#32
Phil Smith said:
I thinks its strengh is that it sounds good, has interchangeable elements and higher sensitivity and SPL stats.
Click to expand...

I don't want to get into a big discussion about stats since I think the only thing that matters is the actual performance in real world conditions but since Phil mentioned them...

Comparing them purely on paper, I think the main reason to consider the ATM 35x is price. The interchangeable elements might be a good thing if the cardioid is not proving to be selective enough - if there's too much bleed or feedback. In which case a hypercardioid or some other element might be good to try (with usually a compromise in the reproduction). The AMT seems to do just fine with its cardioid pattern.

To me personally, the stats you quote don't mean much. The AMT's maximum SPL is 120 dB and that's more than enough to handle any transient on the double bass. A jackhammer at three feet is approximately 120 dB. I'm pretty sure I can't play anywhere near that loud even at 1/4".

As for sensitivity, firstly you can't compare the two figures without knowing how they are measured. Audio-Technica have very nice told us that they are measuring in terms of its open circuit output voltage which is in dB relative to 1 volt using an input SPL of 1 Pa which is 94 dB SPL. Not everyone uses the same input SPL (sometimes it is 0.1 Pa or 74 dB SPL in which the -65 dB could actually be -45 dB). And secondly, a more sensitive mic is not necessarily a better sounding mic.

I'll state again that I've never tried the ATM 35x and it's a lot cheaper than the AMT although it's not designed specifically for the bass. It no doubt works for some people although I've never known anyone to use one exclusively. I just wanted to make it clear that comparing those stats is really not all that useful.

Now on the other hand if you can tell me the AT 35x has a more accurate reproduction and it's just as resistant to bleed and feedback as the AMT and it's cheaper to boot, then I would be damn impressed.

Adrian
 
#34
Robert said:
Regarding the close-up micing with the AMT. How does string noise get reproduced this way? That's a quite important thing isn't it.. That's why I'm still curious about those sound samples.. (yes I'm a bit annoying.. ;))
Click to expand...

This is a good question and one I've thought a lot about.

This is obviously not just an AMT issue but something to consider when using any mic for close-up work whether it's mounted on the bass or a stand.

Location of the capsule (using the gooseneck) obviously plays a part in this but the short answer is yes obviously with close mic'ing you're going to get string noise. To really reproduce what an audience 10 - 100 ft away hears, you'd need mics at the distance and obviously in a live situation that can't work. So close mic'ing is a necessary compromise.

The reality is that yes you pick up some string handling noise including the strings sometimes slapping against the fingerboard (intentionally or not), the buzz of the hair on the strings during arco, etc. The louder the sound reinforcement level, the more it becomes an issue. If you're sending the mic to the house and outputting it into a huge stadium, obviously you don't want some huge transient like a slap of the string against the fingerboard coming out at that level, however if you're just reproducing to a small amp on the stage (and next to the bass) then it's not such a big deal.

Practically speaking, when I use the mic, there's two things I need to be careful of. One is intentionally slapping the strings against the fingerboard which I often tend to do on latin tunes especially if there is no drummer. I need to tone that down a little bit when I'm using the mic - again depending on how much amplification there is. If I'm going to the house (or recording) then I am conscious of it. If I'm just using my own amp then it's not a big deal. The other issue is that I use a bow quiver and when I drop the bow in there, I get a thud. This is no doubt exacerbated by the fact that I have the AMT on the tailpiece (as opposed to the body) mount. As I start to use the bow more and keep switching back and forth between pizz and arco, I may end up not using a quiver.

Other than that, the rest of it is positive. By that I mean that the AMT (or any other mic) reproduces the string noise that often a pickup cannot. I mean the pickup is sensing vibrations from the table or the bridge so it's not listening in the same way that a mic is. The reason I use the mic exclusively is because I found with gut strings especially that I couldn't reproduce the sound to my satisfaction with any pickup, even the Dyn-B which I thought was great.
 
#35
I just bought a Audio Technica ATM35 for $145 on Ebay, i will post when i receive it and try it, as long as i would love to try the AMT, after buying the iamp 500 + wizzy speaker, im not in condition to spend that kind of money..maybe in the future. G.A.S doesn't seem to leave me alone :D
Im thinking about using the ATM 35 pluged in the iamp for small gigs, and for bigger gigs, use the iamp with a pickup and plug the mike in the house P.A. Of course that would be great if i could use the ATM 35 all the time, nothing beats the sound of a mike, and using gut strings...you really need a mike in my opinion..

NUNO
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back