I would never consider using one of these for recording. It misses the whole point of why they exist. They are attractive to those that want the look, and that usually means "live".
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Of course. Mine was a more general comment about cheap (primarily condenser) capsules which are a big market today (in the very small world of recording).
If I wanted this vintage look, I'd pick up a slightly used sample of the current Shure 55SH for $100 or so. Just my approach: with proven performers at reasonable prices, I'm not going to spend time or money on super cheap mikes.
Otto
I learned something interesting with the 50's rock band I was in. I have a couple of Shure Beta SM58's. I always use my own mic. But the rest of the band was a family and not very well off. They had purchased one of those "four mics, cords and stands for a hundred bucks" deals (I believe they are audix mics). I could not believe they did that. It seemed as atrocious to me as it would to you. Well, almost. I think my inner cheapskate has more control over me than yours does over you.
Anyway, one day I didn't bother to bring mine (long story) so I just used one of theirs. Honestly, for live, there was not really any difference that was immediately apparent. Not feedback, not boominess. Even dynamics sounded not bad. They "pretty much" sounded like the Shure. But this was live, of course. And that's the thing. When subtle differences are getting drowned out in the mix and the club acoustics, sometimes a certain quality is "good enough" as in, you sort of reach a point of diminishing returns on your money. I'm still too much of a mic snot to use Audix, though.
But I really learned a lesson with those headphones. It was a major paradigm shift for me. It harkens back to the 70's when I sold Pioneer stereos just as they were getting "good" but were still pretty cheap. They were a steal for what we sold them for. That did end, of course.
But it also reminds me of the basses you can get on Rondomusic. five to ten times cheaper than the competition and yet almost as good. Sometimes just as good. Manufacturing is going through a major paradigm shift these days. Just as Japanese made used to mean cheap, and then it became "cheap and good", and finally "good", the chinese may be following the same path. Time will tell.
I'm not too worried about sending manufacturing jobs to China these days for the simple reason that the day is soon coming that manufacturing does not really mean jobs. Machines will to it ALL. Then the country with the best tax environment will be the one producing the stuff. But don't ask me where we're gonna get the money to buy anything without jobs.
A couple years back I went on a retro-futuro mic kick, and I don't recall if it was the Stellar Labs' mic, but yeah people are taking cool-looking mics and upgrading them with better cartridges.
Alas, all the stuff I gleaned from my OCD search for Vintage Mics and modern equivalents/updates is on my old computer. Some of those mics from the '40s and '50s are still going strong, Apple could take a page from the old microphone manufacturers books on constructing something to last... oh wait, planned obsolescence, yes, there is always that now.
Anyhoo, some very cool vintage-looking mics that StarWars could've used as futuristic space ships – ie not all the mics I was looking at were Shure copies. However, I did just come across an iPhone casing that Shure looks like that venerable mic. I'd post some non-Shure pics, but if you're a mic-style freq like me you'll seek them out on your own – if you don't already know about them.
Might have to get the Stellar headphones, my K240 set died long ago (after a very long life), meanwhile I'm using a set of those "Dr Beats" I received as a gift.
Alas, all the stuff I gleaned from my OCD search for Vintage Mics and modern equivalents/updates is on my old computer. Some of those mics from the '40s and '50s are still going strong, Apple could take a page from the old microphone manufacturers books on constructing something to last... oh wait, planned obsolescence, yes, there is always that now.
Anyhoo, some very cool vintage-looking mics that StarWars could've used as futuristic space ships – ie not all the mics I was looking at were Shure copies. However, I did just come across an iPhone casing that Shure looks like that venerable mic. I'd post some non-Shure pics, but if you're a mic-style freq like me you'll seek them out on your own – if you don't already know about them.
Might have to get the Stellar headphones, my K240 set died long ago (after a very long life), meanwhile I'm using a set of those "Dr Beats" I received as a gift.
If you look at musicians friend the cheapest audix mic I could find was $50.00. I also think that they are manufactured in the USA. If you are too big of a mic snob to use audix you have no clue. They make some of the best mics available.I learned something interesting with the 50's rock band I was in. I have a couple of Shure Beta SM58's. I always use my own mic. But the rest of the band was a family and not very well off. They had purchased one of those "four mics, cords and stands for a hundred bucks" deals (I believe they are audix mics). I could not believe they did that. It seemed as atrocious to me as it would to you. Well, almost. I think my inner cheapskate has more control over me than yours does over you.
Anyway, one day I didn't bother to bring mine (long story) so I just used one of theirs. Honestly, for live, there was not really any difference that was immediately apparent. Not feedback, not boominess. Even dynamics sounded not bad. They "pretty much" sounded like the Shure. But this was live, of course. And that's the thing. When subtle differences are getting drowned out in the mix and the club acoustics, sometimes a certain quality is "good enough" as in, you sort of reach a point of diminishing returns on your money. I'm still too much of a mic snot to use Audix, though.
But I really learned a lesson with those headphones. It was a major paradigm shift for me. It harkens back to the 70's when I sold Pioneer stereos just as they were getting "good" but were still pretty cheap. They were a steal for what we sold them for. That did end, of course.
But it also reminds me of the basses you can get on Rondomusic. five to ten times cheaper than the competition and yet almost as good. Sometimes just as good. Manufacturing is going through a major paradigm shift these days. Just as Japanese made used to mean cheap, and then it became "cheap and good", and finally "good", the chinese may be following the same path. Time will tell.
I'm not too worried about sending manufacturing jobs to China these days for the simple reason that the day is soon coming that manufacturing does not really mean jobs. Machines will to it ALL. Then the country with the best tax environment will be the one producing the stuff. But don't ask me where we're gonna get the money to buy anything without jobs.
Yes, you are right. I pulled the name out of my butt and realized that is not what they were after I posted. But I should have edited because I unfairly trashed the brand. I'll look up the mics. They're probably on Amazon.
I had a OM5 that was every bit as good a mic as my Beta 58. I wish I had not sold it. The D6 which I also own is one of the most preferred bass drum mics available.
I own three Shure 55SH II's and a Super 55. So I guess we're somewhat in agreement there.
I don't use them to record. This is purely for live work, and purely for aesthetics, because my client base and audiences get off on all things retro. I would definitely need to hear a Stellar Labs version or read a reliable review before I could decide whether to use one live.
TBH, I wanted my Shures chromed and fitted with LED's. If the Stellar Labs version sounds decent, it will save me a step (chroming).
I figured that I might be a mic snob because I have a couple of Audix vocal mics (OM6, VX5)...and don't use Shure. Too funny.
M. M.
Yes. Truth be told, way back in the day I saw Audix as Wal-Mart and learned they were not. But that is such ancient history that memories got crossed.
Fact is, the lines have been seriously blurred and tech copy-catting is the new paradigm. Gear snobs are the real losers. Smart consumers and audiences who couldn't care less are the winners.
Be the champion; audition this mic and let us know what's up. Thanks.
Two things:
1. you are absolutely right. I love the stuff I get from Rondomusic.
2. I'm going through the MCM site and my latest catalog and compiling my order right now. It'll be the dynamic, of course. I might actually make a quick voice recording with it and my Beta 58 for a comparison and post it here, but I'm not committing to it.
Two things:
1. you are absolutely right. I love the stuff I get from Rondomusic.
2. I'm going through the MCM site and my latest catalog and compiling my order right now. It'll be the dynamic, of course. I might actually make a quick voice recording with it and my Beta 58 for a comparison and post it here, but I'm not committing to it.
Too cool. I rely on my Beta 58's quite a bit, that would be a valid comparison.
I would even settle for word-of-mouth. I've read many of your posts, you're a stand-up guy, I trust your opinion.
Rock on, and thanks in advance.
Actually it is people who don't understand that mics are one of the most important parts of a PA system. The only thing more important is speakers.
Absolutely. And what brand is written on the mic matters not to me, as long as it sounds good.
From a hardware standpoint, which is to say ruling out operator weaknesses, a Pa is only as good as its weakest link. Great mics and great speakers are easily hamstrung by other factors. Compromised speaker placement due to architectural factors, A mixer with poor channel strips... 15 band eq when room or monitor anomolies require 30... Or a great mixer with a lousy eq...
Great PA is a bit of a blancing act from a budgetary standpoint, it is a series of linked compromises... That said, I believe that there is no substitute for good mics and Di's. If you don't start with good, all you end up with is 'less good' louder. I liken it to turntable days (man, I'm dating myself...). Once your system was at least 'mid-fi', the next big upgrade was the phono cartridge so that you were amplifying the best signal you could afford to. Which is why my sound company uses $230 mics as front line rather than 3 for $100, or $99 at GC or mics where style over substance was a design goal. Yah, you can hear a difference.
As with many things, operator skill will either mitigate or exaggerate all those budgetary compromises.
As far as the brand thing goes, it matters to me. If a band loses a mic for the night it's one thing, for a sound company to lose a mic and not have a spare in place in seconds or minutes - it is reputation damaging... And then there is the budget again, try to get the off brand serviced...
With Shure or Audix, if a mic dies, there is a service program that will get you esentially a new mic in your old housing for a nominal cost in a very short period of time when the mic is out of warranty. As much as I like MCM (I use them for LED washes and dmx stuff), I'm not expecting that from them... Nor am I expecting life time service from GC... Audix turned a faulty D6 for me in less than a week. The charge was about 20% of new plus shipping back. About $50 and I got a new mic in return, for an out of warranty mic. Buy once, cry once as the adage goes...
Last edited:
