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Double Bass instrument mounted mics

#21
Well, I just pulled the trigger on one of these, and will report my results. FWIW, I play with a big band that would make Nigel Tufnel (from Spinal Tap) proud. You know, 'volume as an art form'.

I'm looking forward to using it on other gigs, tho.
 
#22
Jon -Please DO post a review when you've had a chance to try it out. I'm looking for a more mic-oriented sound myself, but don't want to throw out the monet for an AMT if I can't try one in person first.

Slightly off topic, I'm very interested in finding out which of the mics on the market (or even possibly the Schertler Dyn-B) can plug directly into the new Acoustic Image 2-channel Clarus' XLR mic channel without a preamp and still sound decent. I've got my "loud and large" rig together, but for most of the smaller stuff I'd like to come up with something that allows me to do away with external preamps altogether.
 
#23
If the Clarus mic channel is the same as the mic channel on the Coda (and I'm sure quite sure it is since it's just the head for that combo), then you can plug the Dyn-B straight in but as we've discussed around here before, the Dyn-B sounds a lot better when it goes through the Schertler Pre-A II preamp not for the additional gain but because of the resonance filter in their preamp which makes it sound better.

As for the AMT, you can only use that mic with their preamp which supplies power to the mic. The mic itself has a 4 pin plug that has to go into their pre which then brings it up to about the level of an SM-58 which means you still then need to go into the preamp on the Clarus to get a decent level. Since the volume controlled output from the AMT preamp is 1/4", normally you'd go into the instrument channel on the Clarus - I used the high gain. There is a pot inside the AMT pre that allows you to adjust the initial gain but I've never adjusted it.
 
#24
Originally posted by Chris Fitzgerald

Slightly off topic, I'm very interested in finding out which of the mics on the market (or even possibly the Schertler Dyn-B) can plug directly into the new Acoustic Image 2-channel Clarus' XLR mic channel without a preamp and still sound decent. I've got my "loud and large" rig together, but for most of the smaller stuff I'd like to come up with something that allows me to do away with external preamps altogether.
Click to expand...

If you want to go that route rather than going to the house, I would recommend checking out the AKG D112. No preamp required.

Also, the soundman at church put on a really cheap Oktava that had a screw in hypercard capsule that sounded really great. It didn't require Phanotom power either.

Monte
 
#26
It does. And when Monte says the D112 does not require a preamp, I think he's saying you wouldn't require an external preamp but you're still going to have to go into the preamp section of the Clarus (or a mic preamp on a board). Almost every mic will require a preamp and most of the condensers require phantom power. I believe what you are trying to avoid is just having to carry more crap, less boxes, less wires, etc. which I'm all for too.
 
#27
YO, ADRIAN,

Exactly. I have my "knock down walls" rig together, and I have a nice small portable rig that I like, but I still have to carry an external preamp with it. If there was a good mic (either condenser or dynamic) that could mount on the bass and plug straight into the XLR in on the new Clarus, then I could go with that for "almost acoustic" gigs. For the next step up, I could use the second Clarus channel to blend in a bit of pickup for those gigs where the mic alone is insufficient and/or impractical, and still not have to carry the external pre and worry about how my batteries are holding up.
 
#28
Well if you want to try the small condenser between the bridge with rubber bands trick or even behind the tailpiece wrapped in foam, then most of those mics will let you go straight into the Clarus mic channel and may or may not require phantom power (which is just a switch on the Clarus anyway). As far as I know, most of the smaller mics require preamps and operate off 9V, that includes the AMT and also the Golden Trinity I think. I'm not sure about others like the ATM35 and other clip-ons that some folks are using. Yes one of the things that's nice with the 2 channel AI is having a built-in mixer/blender.
 
#29
You know, I thought about that, but the difference you get when the mic is pointed at the table, and when it's 90 degrees off axis is similar to using two completely different mics.


Last weekend, using my DAW, I took a condenser on a boom stand and placed it (roughly) where the SD mic would go. I was extrememly happy with the result. I've tried several mics (dynamic and condenser) in the position you mention (90 degrees off axis to the bass), and didn't like any of them.
 
#30
I've tried both of the methods I mentioned and they didn't work for me either. Apart from the fact that the sound is crap, it picks up too much other noise. The only thing is sometimes when the mic is pointed at the table, reflections off the table (e.g. cymbals) can be picked up. As someone said to me, the table on a bass is sometimes like a great big parabolic dish reflecting everything back.
 
#32
Originally posted by Phil Smith
Chris,

The ATM35 comes with its own power supply that has an XLR out that can hook up to a PA mixer or to that extra channel on the Coda.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up. I guess my question would be: if the Clarus II already has phantom power, why couldn't you just do away with the power supply altogether?
 
#33
As I said in an earlier post, a lot of the smaller mics don't use 48 V phantom but use 9V or something else so they have their own power supplies (that sometimes also do other things as well). The AMT box for example supplies the power (with a 9V battery inside or it a power pack connected to it) and also raises it to a nominal level ready to be pre-amped. It also provides the multiple outputs.
 
#34
Since the Clarus DOES have Phantom power, I would suggest once again the AKG 3000, which I'm basically using on 99.9% of the gigs now (occasionally with the Stat B into an amp for stage support). With the 48v phantom power switch of the Clarus, all you would need is a mic cord. No longer made, but it is a phenomenal mic and you can find them on E Bay frequently. A killer piano mic as well.

Last night, tonight, and Saturday I'm playing with a Jazz Messengers type quintet in a huge room. Last night I used the AKG into the PA which just has two speakers in front of the stage. Then, so the drummer and I could hear better, I ran a monitor line from the PA into my Schertler powered speaker (with just bass in it). It sounded great!! I thought it might even be too loud, but the low ceiling swallow bass, so towards the tables and bar it was just right.

I put mine on a mini boom stand and stand slightly behind the high hat side of the drummer. Fortunately, this stage is large, so I don't have to worry about space considerations.

Monte
 
#36
I'd personally like to try the EV re-20. There is no better sounding dynamic mic for upright. Conderser mics are great but do require phantom power, but have less proximty effect. The dynamic are a little smoother but have the bass bost. The re-20 (and R-11, PL-11 too) have almost nil for proximity effect. I guess the EV 767a would work too. All would have to be stand mounted.

There's a PL-11 I'm really tempted to buy here at a store in seattle. Damn shame I don't have any upright gigs to use it on. I think I'll just save up for an RE-20.

pete
 
#37
Well, my LCM100 arrived. I put it on, and experimented with it for a while. Sorry, gang, but this one's not for me. I'll be using the money back guarantee.

I don't think this mic has the freq response it claims to have. It sounds thin and brittle to my ears, and nothing like my bass. It's VERY prone to feedback (I know, more on this comment in a second), and fairly unusable for me.

Now, one good thing has come of this. I've got the same mic that Monte has (actually, two of them that I bought for my studio years ago), the AKG C3000 (not the 3000b). I fooled around with the two rubber band trick, and guess what? AWESOME SOUND!!! I really dig it. When I go on the road in February, I'll be using my pickup to drive my amp, but I'll be sending this mic to the house.

Does anyone know of a box that will provide phantom power and give 1/4" outs?
 
#38
Hey Jon, if you get a chance, shoot a photo of the orientation of your C3000 in that position. I have a couple of those too, and have been thinking about doing just what you describe...mic to the house, pickup/amp for monitoring only. I'd like to know what placement you got your best tone.
 
#40
Adrian - thanks. I'll be looking into one of these in a hurry, since it sounded great coming out of my amp.

Mike - sure! It looks a lot like the picture earlier in this thread, except the diaphram is on the side, so it's pointed at the table.
 

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