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Looking at Mics....need help/opinions

#21
eb76 said:
IMO, SM57 lack both the reach and detail needed to be effective overheads. One of the best budget condensers I've used is the Perception series from AKG. I own a Perception 200, and have had good results with it on acoustic guitar and as a single drum overhead on a small kit.
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+1

You really need a condenser mic for use as an overhead on a drum kit. I use a pair of Behringer C2s and they sound absolutely fantastic. Invalid Link Removed
 
#22
eb76 said:
IMO, SM57 lack both the reach and detail needed to be effective overheads. One of the best budget condensers I've used is the Perception series from AKG. I own a Perception 200, and have had good results with it on acoustic guitar and as a single drum overhead on a small kit.
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My point is that he should try experimenting with tools he already has before buying new tools. Chances are that it probably won't be the best tool for the job, but you never know. It might be lo-fi in a cool way. If you're in a crappy room, you might not want a mic with a lot of detail.
 
#23
Aaron said:
My point is that he should try experimenting with tools he already has before buying new tools. Chances are that it probably won't be the best tool for the job, but you never know. It might be lo-fi in a cool way. If you're in a crappy room, you might not want a mic with a lot of detail.
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I can accept that. But my point is that since he's looking for a mic for vocals and acoustic guitars, neither the SM57 or the e902 (which he's already got) wouldn't be what I would consider alternatives. They may create interesting sounds, but they'll most likely be totally unusable unless you were going for the lo-fi sound. I guess what I'm saying is that he's already looking for a mic, so if he picks a decent directional mic and takes his time placing it there will be an improvement in sound with minimal room interaction.
 
#26
bassbrock said:
Nah - dynamic mics like the SM57 are rarely useful more than 2 or 3 feet away from the sound source. It really will sound like crap regardless of room, etc.
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I have never tried distant-micing with dynamics. By crap and rarely useful, do you mean lacking in low-end/thin?

What about omni directional dynamics and pressure-gradient mics with reduced proximity effects (i.e. EV RE series)?
 
#27
eb76 said:
I can accept that. But my point is that since he's looking for a mic for vocals and acoustic guitars, neither the SM57 or the e902 (which he's already got) wouldn't be what I would consider alternatives. They may create interesting sounds, but they'll most likely be totally unusable unless you were going for the lo-fi sound. I guess what I'm saying is that he's already looking for a mic, so if he picks a decent directional mic and takes his time placing it there will be an improvement in sound with minimal room interaction.
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If I was in his situation, I would probably be shopping for condensors as well. I'd just like to see more people experiment doing different things when recording. It seems that most people have a mold/formula that goes along with what has been commonly done before. My favorite engineers are unique and always try new and different things. There are albums that sound great where the drums were recording in a small vocal booth. I think a mindset of considering what you can do with what you have will yield better results than viewing engineering as a science where you need mic A for purpose B, etc.

Today, when everyone and their uncle have home studios, people have more freedom to spend the time to experiment. You don't have to blow hundreds of dollars a day in a studio to make an album that sounds great. Although project studios are rarely equiped as well as major commercial studios, I feel that home studios offer major potential for creative innovations in audio engineering that haven't been fully tapped.

Maybe it is my youthful idealism or lack of experience, who knows. :D
 

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