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Best mic for basscabinet

#41
Update:FOH for major touring act uses the Shure Beta 52 as a bass cab mic.
Spec says 20~10kHz for response.
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He hasn't used the Heil although we both know Bob makes good stuff.
 
#42
Wes Whitmore said:
If your DI sounds good in the FOH, you could experiment with a mic just for your IEM signal(others can still use your DI if they don't want to touch anything yet). After some experimentation, you could then introduce it to the FOH mix, or not if the DI sounds better.
Wes
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I may still try a mic but I figured out that I'd flipped my DI over to post EQ looking for the ground lift. Sound guy had a hum he couldn't figure out and asked me to flip the ground. Oops. I've got a lot of highs in the amp EQ as it's a single 15 cab w/no tweet.
 
#43
JimmyM said:
i think the op isn't on here responding because he posted this thread a couple months ago. but that's beside the point.

shoe, i like you and respect what you have to say usually, but in this case, you couldn't be more wrong....

...you're certainly entitled to have your opinion and do what you want. but i've found that all this stuff about di vs mic is mythology. it's no harder to get a good sound with a good mic suitable for bass than a di.
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Jimmy, my comments were made with the caveat that there was NO sort of context provided by the OP aside from "LIVE SITUATIONS". That could range from coffee houses, to clubs, theaters, etc. And in a low end type of gig, which is what it seems that the OP might have been alluding to, sometimes a simple solution is the way to go. In this particular discussion, context really can be everything. Without that all the OP can get from everyone else in the conversation is supposition. IMHO, until the OP provides a little more context about his own situation we're all just spinning our wheels one way or the other.

Back to the core conversation on microphones: for fans of the Sennheiser 421, I've read a number of reviews from engineers who have trouble with Sennheiser's mic clips. Has anyone else here had a problem with the 421's clip? I've had engineers use this mic on my cabs in the studio and it sounded great. But it's definitely got a peculiar shape that doesn't lend itself to most conventional mic stands.
 
#44
ShoeManiac said:
Jimmy, my comments were made with the caveat that there was NO sort of context provided by the OP aside from "LIVE SITUATIONS". That could range from coffee houses, to clubs, theaters, etc. And in a low end type of gig, which is what it seems that the OP might have been alluding to, sometimes a simple solution is the way to go. In this particular discussion, context really can be everything. Without that all the OP can get from everyone else in the conversation is supposition. IMHO, until the OP provides a little more context about his own situation we're all just spinning our wheels one way or the other.

Back to the core conversation on microphones: for fans of the Sennheiser 421, I've read a number of reviews from engineers who have trouble with Sennheiser's mic clips. Has anyone else here had a problem with the 421's clip? I've had engineers use this mic on my cabs in the studio and it sounded great. But it's definitely got a peculiar shape that doesn't lend itself to most conventional mic stands.
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Yep, the clip is goofy :)
 
#45
I've heard of the 421 clip breaking before, and I certainly wouldn't want to try using a conventional clip with that mic! I guess you could always (shock horror) tape it to the stand, if you're really stuck. Sennheiser do offer replacement clips though IIRC.

IMO a humble 57 on a bass cab gives a great sound that's very 'mixable'...I've found that a lot of other mics can sound ace, but it's difficult to get them to sit right with everything else FOH. That said, I would only use a 57 alone in a pinch; I almost always go with 57+DI when mixing.
 
#50
D.A.R.K. said:
There are so many factors to take into consideration that there is no way to make the call on which mic is best without looking at the whole picture.
In one situation, it could be an sm57. In another, it could be a u87. Or a pr40. or an re20. or an m88. etc.
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Well OP did say "Live"

What "situations" were you referring to? (lets say using the exact same cab and head each time)







:bassist:
 
#53
Toolmybass said:
Well OP did say "Live"

What "situations" were you referring to? (lets say using the exact same cab and head each time)

:bassist:
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Style of music. Motown? Metal? Funk? Pa system configuration. How many players? All the instrument types.... drummer and drum tunings, guitar amps and tone settings, horn section? Keys?
Where will everything fit? Acoustics. Will the extended low frequencies of some mics really help in a boomy room?
sure, it's nice to have a decent quality mic, but for example, I've been mixing a band for about a year now
that incorporates lots of electronics, and I've had a devil of a time finding the right kick mic.
So far we have tried audix d6, akg d112, shure beta 52, re20, sennheiser 602,and ev nd 868.
Oddly enough, the mic I've been a fan of the least in the past has worked the best, the 868.
With the electronics, it just sits the best. Without them, it would probably be a different story.
Just like finding the right eq for the bass amp in a mix, you need the right mic in the context of the situation.
 
#54
I'd lean towards a plain ol' SM57 for most live situations, it mixes well, most techs and sound guys worth their salt know the mic well, it's a good safe choice.
I really like the beta 52, especially on 10s/12s. It picks up a lot of the cab "punch" well.

I think it's counter productive to bring a boutique mic to a live venue, I don't like to gamble with my sound (probably why I generally just rely on my DI anyways), and I don't want to risk creating any frustration for the guy running the board, he has enough **** to deal with anyways.
 
#55
The best mike for a bass cab ?

Well it's the mike that your FOH engineer uses.


If you mix your band and play bass at the same time, then it's your responsibility to choose the mikes , so all the mike mentioned earlier is a good answer.
 
#58
The different settings on the Senn 421 make it the best to me. Unless your bypassing the boards graphic the bass guitar and kick drum are at the mercy of the vocals. I use a seperate graphic for the kick (ekg egg) run the bass direct into a channel outside the graphic and the middle setting on the 421 is the choice most of the time. The Shure 57 is the life saver mic and is capable of saving the day anywhere on a stage or studio, great mic. still the best for snare & toms. Doc
 
#59
ShoeManiac said:
Back to the core conversation on microphones: for fans of the Sennheiser 421, I've read a number of reviews from engineers who have trouble with Sennheiser's mic clips. Has anyone else here had a problem with the 421's clip? I've had engineers use this mic on my cabs in the studio and it sounded great. But it's definitely got a peculiar shape that doesn't lend itself to most conventional mic stands.
Click to expand...


Long time 421 user here. I've never broken the clip ... You would have to be an animal to do so ... Now Shure type clips - those I've creamed while being reasonably careful... so I have an extra or two in the kit. never felt it was worth it for the Senn but carrying a spare is not a major deal really.

These days I sing on a 421. Love it...
 

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