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Double Bass Small Diaphram Condensers For Double Bass

#42
Ric, I don't think anyone mentioned the Sennheisers yet.

They sent me a couple of mics to demo, one is the e 908 'tiny' gooseneck with a spring clip. Sennheiser e 908 - Instrument Microphone - Saxophones, Trumpets, Drums, Wind Instruments, Congas

I was about to send these back but just plugged this one in today and it sounds great. It also has a switchable low cut filter and a switchable 10db cut on the transformer.

I also have the e 614 which I like very much but which requires the H-Clamp or something similar, which I know doesn't work on your bass.Sennheiser e 614 - Instrument Microphone - Polarized Condenser Microphone - Percussion- Woodwind- String Instrument

Here's a link to my demo: Sennheiser Microphones Review (for Double Bass) Video and Audio
 
#43
rickwolff said:
Ric, I don't think anyone mentioned the Sennheisers yet.

They sent me a couple of mics to demo, one is the e 908 'tiny' gooseneck with a spring clip. Sennheiser e 908 - Instrument Microphone - Saxophones, Trumpets, Drums, Wind Instruments, Congas

I was about to send these back but just plugged this one in today and it sounds great. It also has a switchable low cut filter and a switchable 10db cut on the transformer.

I also have the e 614 which I like very much but which requires the H-Clamp or something similar, which I know doesn't work on your bass.Sennheiser e 614 - Instrument Microphone - Polarized Condenser Microphone - Percussion- Woodwind- String Instrument

Here's a link to my demo: Sennheiser Microphones Review (for Double Bass) Video and Audio
Click to expand...


Which model of the 908 does Sennheiser recommend for double bass? The website says:

The evolution e 908 instrument microphone is available in four variants:
  • as e 908 D for drums and percussion
  • as e 908 B for wind instruments, congas, and drums with free-floating suspension system
  • as e 908 B ew for the wireless miking of saxophones using an evolution wireless instrument transmitter
  • as e 908 T ew for the wireless miking of trumpets using an evolution wireless instrument transmitter
 
#44
I don't think they actually 'recommend' any of them for double bass.

I am using it 'off label'.

I believe the different variants are only differences in the mounting clip which is used (I could be wrong).

Today I attached the spring clip to the ball at the end of the string. It would be easy to mount a bolt and nut through (most) tailpieces that you could use as an attachment point for the spring clip.
 
#45
Last night I used an Audio-Technica AT803 lavalier mic (omni) with my plywood bass. The lapel clip wouldn't stay clipped to the bridge, so I clipped it to my Snark tuner, which was clipped to the bridge. I engaged the "low cut" position on the power module, and then straight into my QSC K8. No EQ other than that.

While the sound wasn't quite as good as my EV dynamic omni on a boom stand, it was good enough... and I didn't have to shlep another piece of gear. Stands of all sorts are a pain to shlep.
 
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#46
AGCurry said:
Last night I used an Audio-Technica AT803 lavalier mic (omni) with my plywood bass. The lapel clip wouldn't stay clipped to the bridge, so I clipped it to my Snark tuner, which was clipped to the bridge. I engaged the "low cut" position on the power module, and then straight into my QSC K8. No EQ other than that.

While the sound wasn't quite as good as my EV dynamic omni on a boom stand, it was good enough... and I didn't have to shlep another piece of gear. Stands of all sorts are a pain to shlep.
Click to expand...


I have used the AT803 for many years. It's a decent lav mic. Just tried it recently on my double bass and it sounded good. I especially liked the flyweight mounting system! :) But since it's an omni, I was wondering about bleed. Have you tried this in a band context? If I were tracking in a studio, I'd use other options.

AT803 wide shot below afterstrings.JPG
 
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#47
Ric Vice said:
Steve I seem to remember you use a EA Doubler is that correct? If so how do you set it or if not what do you use?
Click to expand...
That must be another Steve who has a Doubler... I am using a zoom A3 into a JBL powered 10" speaker, or FOH when available.

I position the Remic under the bridge. I have a little felt pad stuck mid-arch which lets me push the Remic towards the E side where I prefer the tone.
On the A3, I have a 40Hz hpf set permanently in the menus. Using the tone knobs I roll off the treble and usually slightly cut bass to taste.
I find it too hard to tame the lows when the Remic is under fingerboard or tailpiece (on my bass).
With the Audix, I just turned the treble down.
 
#48
Good too know and thanks, recently I realized that the Remic Green 5400LB has a lower output, than the Remic Red 5400 which sounds incredible, as long as you don't have to get to loud.
I like the felt pad idea because, for some reason, one of the corners, on the riddged feet of the camera foam wegged surround, on my Remic Green isn't sticking out like it should so I have
to really make sure that it's snug inbetween the table and the tailpiece.
 
#50
Happy Steve said:
Let's throw this one into the mix. The main downside is the mini-xlr connector, so BYO cable or adaptor...
View attachment 3700055
Click to expand...

What is the polar pattern of your mic? I'm wondering if sound via a close-mic holder like H-Clamp would work best with an omnidirectional pattern? No proximity effect, but it would be prone to picking up side noise....

An H-Clamp is coming my way, and I aim to see how a Telefunken M60 small diaphragm condenser will work. It's a cardioid capsule so I expect proximity effect. There are optional omni and hypercardioid capsules. Would one of those be better? At my beginner stage, studio recording is the main use case. If I eventually play with a band, it would be in quiet scenarios.
 
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#51
N. Kentucky Bass said:
...
An H-Clamp is coming my way, and I aim to see how a Telefunken M60 small diaphragm condenser will work. It's a cardioid capsule so I expect proximity effect. There are optional omni and hypercardioid capsules. Would one of those be better? At my beginner stage, studio recording is the main use case...
Click to expand...

Recording? The omni up close or a directional-pattern mic at a distance. The cardioid up close will likely force you to subtract some low frequencies through EQ. The room is part of the equation too.

My preferred tactic is an AEA R84 ribbon mic (bidirectional) about 3 feet off the top, with the opposite side of the mic pointed toward a large empty space.
 
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#53
I once tried an Oktava MK-012 through the underlength (rubber band mount). Tried an omni, a cardioid and a hypercardioid capsule with this mic. Omni was best, hypercardiid second and cardioid worst. Would never use a cardioid for that.
Bass frequencies are a bit weak with the Oktava (and the output is not balanced), but since the lower frequencies are overrepresented that close to the top this weakness is not too bad.
 
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#55
tito mangialajo said:
Let us know how it works! :)
Click to expand...
As Ric mentioned before... you get "a lot of microphone" for the money. The CM4 sounds for my ears very even and natural and is easy to handle....if you are listening to details using earphones or very good amplifiers and monitor loudspeakers and there is a quiet room and so on... then you hear some differences to a Brauner Phantom for example, but "on stage" I doubt anyone to hear these differences.. The only feature to bother a little bit is the omni characteristics, which can't be changed..:P If it would come with a cardioid or hypercardioid characteristics, it would even be better... for live applications...
It's not too bad to use an good preamp, because output isn't sooo big, but that's "by nature" to "all" or at least most small diaphragms compared to large diaphragm mics..:)
 
#56
LaFaro01 said:
As Ric mentioned before... you get "a lot of microphone" for the money..........The only feature to bother a little bit is the omni characteristics, which can't be changed..:p If it would come with a cardioid or hypercardioid characteristics, it would even be better... for live applications...
It's not too bad to use an good preamp, because output isn't sooo big, but that's "by nature" to "all" or at least most small diaphragms compared to large diaphragm mics..:)
Click to expand...

Just for clarity, the Line Audio CM4 is a Cardioid. Their OM1 is an Omni.
 
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#58
LaFaro01 said:
sorry... that's totally correct... :) I wasn't really awake this morning and thinking about another mic at the same time, which can be switched to different polar patterns...:p
But hypercardioid as polar pattern would be even more nice ;) for me...:)
Click to expand...

No worries, the description calls the CM4 a “slightly wide cardioid” so it’s got some advantages with sound bleeding into the microphone compared to their Omni. I wonder if Line Audio could be approached about building a Hypercardioid Version?
 
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#60
I haven't attempted to use it live, but I have a Red5 Audio RV12, an inexpensive side-address cardioid condenser that has proved surprisingly useful for recorded close miced bass in rooms that are either noisy or not great acoustically. Because it's side-address, it can be wrapped in a roll of foam between the bridge legs like people have been doing with the Sennheiser dynamics.
RV12 Studio Condenser Microphone - Red5 Audio
 

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