Building a versatile mic cabinet on a budget

[Taylor Livingston]

Okay, so, I'm not a total idiot. I know that good gear comes at a price. But I'm hoping to find the right balance for my needs and finances.

I'm putting together a little home recording setup. I have an Alesis Multimix USB mixer, and an iBook with Cubase. I like the flexibility I get with computer recording, as well as being able to record when it's convenient for me, without having to book time and feel pressured to get good takes in less time. I need to get a few microphones, hopefully for around $400.

I will be recording bass and electric organ through 2 bass amps, in stereo. The stereo thing is not something I can give up, so I need 2 mics at the very least. The Shure SM57 is something I hear a lot for amps, but people are usually talking about guitar amps, not bass. My bass sound is very full frequency, but low end is important, as I'm sure I don't have to tell you guys. I'm also not sure I can use an SM57, as my mixer only has +50dB of gain on each channel, and I believe the 57 needs around 60.

I will also be recording acoustic bass guitar, cello, and doublebass, and some (female) vocals, as well as various acoustic odds and ends. For this, I'm thinking I may need a condenser. I've heard good things about the Rode NT1. I already recorded my drum tracks at 2 other studios, so I don't need any drum mics (thankfully).

So, what do you guys recommend? Would 2 dynamics and a condenser handle what I need to do? Would I be able to use them together, condenser on the body of an acoustic instrument, dynamics set farther to get a stereo ambience? Thanks.

 

[el_Kabong]

To start with, if you can finance the extra cost go for an NT2 rather than the NT1. If you're looking for versatility you'll find the polar pattern options very useful in the longer term. I don't know exactly how they compare in price (probably dearer than a 57, doh!) but a relatively inexpensive mic for bass is the audio technica atm25, lots of low end. Mixed with a di signal you'll have a lot of tonal options. For later on, the rode nt5 pencil condensers (come as a matched pair) are just great for all kinds of things, room mics, acoustic instruments, drum overheads.... IMO they're not just good for the money, they're just plain good.

 

[msquared]

I used to own an NT1. It's a decent mic, but it's got an off-axis response that I didn't dig and it really favors mid-high and high frequencies. It shines (for its price bracket) on male falsetto or female vocals and cymbals. I wouldn't use it on anything bass related and only as a last resort on cello.

The first thing you need to do is get a couple DI boxes and skip recording the amps themselves unless you really know what you're doing or you can't come up with a way to do a Leslie effect without using a genuine Leslie cab.

The second is to get a Sennheiser MD421. This is for vocals and up close stuff on most of your acoustic instruments. Out of all the mics I've owned (and it's been a lot!), this is the first one I'd replace if my mic closet were wiped out.

The third is to get a matched pair of small diaphragm condensers. I've had decent luck with Oktavas, great luck with the cheap MXLs, and I dig the Shure SM81s.

You will want a large diaphragm condenser eventually, but you'll get more use out of the stuff listed above.

 

[hyperlitem]

mics to think about:

audix i5 - great sm57 clone but better
akg d112 - great bass mic if u can find one cheap
oktava 219 matched pair as overhead and room mics
sennheiser re20 - great bass mic
sennheiser 609 - great guitar cab mic

as far as condensors go
Ive heard good things about the studio project stuff, never tried it
SE electronics stuff is good
Def second the rode nt-2a over the nt1 by a longshot
alot of the AT stuff seems great

GOOD di boxes, not the behringer stuff but like a radial or countryman goes a long way

Every one of the above mentioned mics is a great idea also. Look used for sure cuz $400 doesnt really buy a deceant mic cabinant, it barely buys one mic.

Also when micing an acoustic instrument i find that a condensor goes farther away and a dynamic mic up close, u mentioned the other way around. A dynamic probably wouldnt even pick up an acoustic from more than a foot away. Good luck and have fun.

 

[anderbass]

I used to own an NT1. It's a decent mic, but it's got an off-axis response that I didn't dig and it really favors mid-high and high frequencies. It shines (for its price bracket) on male falsetto or female vocals and cymbals. I wouldn't use it on anything bass related and only as a last resort on cello.

The first thing you need to do is get a couple DI boxes and skip recording the amps themselves unless you really know what you're doing or you can't come up with a way to do a Leslie effect without using a genuine Leslie cab.

The second is to get a Sennheiser MD421. This is for vocals and up close stuff on most of your acoustic instruments. Out of all the mics I've owned (and it's been a lot!), this is the first one I'd replace if my mic closet were wiped out.

The third is to get a matched pair of small diaphragm condensers. I've had decent luck with Oktavas, great luck with the cheap MXLs, and I dig the Shure SM81s.

You will want a large diaphragm condenser eventually, but you'll get more use out of the stuff listed above.

+1...Very good advice.

 

[chrisp2u]

Much good advice from hyperlitem above.

Definitely take a look at some of the Studio Projects mics. Think they're in the process of revamping most of their line currently, but there are a few models that were already considered some of the best value to performance mics. I have a pair of their C4 SDC's, and they're great for the $$$. Also note that some mics, like some of the octavas, can be bought and modded later on making them much better mics than the stock version.

I also have a Senn 609 and Shure 57... neither are really optimal for bass cab mic'ing. My Shure Beta 52 is decent... AKG D112 is a good/popular option too. Personally, even though I have a bunch of mics (and a couple pretty high-end) I usually just end up going direct through a sans amp BDI or Line6 Bass POD XT when recording, but that's usually cause I can be pretty lazy. Been considering picking up a radial DI and reamp setup myself.

Go here and search around... there are tons of posts in the "Low End Theory" forum discussing this stuff...

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...and besides tons of great advice/opinions from many industry pros (and otherwise), there's also loads of good deals in the classifieds there too.

Good luck,
c

 

[BR Audio]

another vote for 421s. I've used those mics on pretty much anything you can think of. My favorite for Kick, Toms, Guitar and Bass cab. But I had great success using it in Congas and Horns as well.
Definetely get at least one of those.


my2cents


Gil

 

[Taylor Livingston]

Thanks for the help, folks. Both of my amps have DI outs, so assuming I just use those for bass and organ, and I still have about $400 to spend on mic'ing acoustic instruments and voice, what would you guys recommend?

I also want to reiterate that I'm not expecting to get high end studio sound on the cheap. I just don't want to get mics that are bad even for cheap mics.

 

[chrisp2u]

$239 (for the newer version) or less...
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...most all the reviews about them around the web are pretty favorable. Don't think you can do much better for the money.

Then you could pick yourself up something like a Shure 57 as a decent all round utility mic and still have some $$$ left over.
---
c

 

[Taylor Livingston]

So, the Sennheiser MD421 vs. Studio Projects C1? Is an older Senn better than a newer one, or vice versa?

 

[el_Kabong]

The 421 is a classic mic, I wouldn't think twice about picking one up. Great on bass. Don't know how the earlier ones compare but my 2yo version sounds good. And a repeat plug for a pair of NT5s. If they aren't too dear where you are they are very good. Not really meant for vocals but they take eq very well.