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Which mic are you using for recording vocals?

lostcontrol_

lostcontrol_

Guest
Jul 18, 2011
188
26
Helsinki, Finland
#1
Hey there,

Slightly off topic for a bass recording forum, but hey ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

My old Røde NT2a decided to break (some kind of contact issue probably), so now I have a good chance and a reason to get a new mic. I haven't had to follow the market in a while, so all opinions and hints would be appreciated :)

What's it for
  • 90% of the time to track clean, low-ish male vocals (bass-baritone or so), think Nick Cave, Johnny Cash, Rome, Of the Wand and the Moon etc.
  • On occasion, I also record a low tenor/high baritone, a mezzo, and an acoustic guitar, so some flexibility would be nice
  • Recording is mostly not done in a professional studio, but either at my home studio or rehearsal room, which both have decent acoustics
  • For live use, I'm pretty happy with my Audix OM5, so my focus here is on a decent studio mic
  • I'm using a Focusrite Clarett as an interface, so most likely no sense in getting the really high-end stuff ;) Accordingly, I'm thinking of a budget of under 400-500 €/$
The main issues I have are that my experience with mics is pretty much limited to the stuff I have and that I'm not able to test most options in a proper recording situation. Thus, I'm relying heavily on the internet, reviews, suggestions, and quick tests in stores.

I've liked the warmth of the Røde but would be interested in a more defined mid/high range in addition to having a nice low-end. That, and I've had it for so long that some change would be refreshing :) So far people have suggested an AKG 414 and a Shure 87a.

My personal experience with mics, in general, is mostly with the basic stuff from Shure/Audix/Sennheiser/Røde; Røde NT1/NT2a, Shure SM57/58/a few Betas, Audix OM5/OM6/i5/ADX51, Sennheiser e602/902.

Thanks in advance for any advice, and happy holidays to everyone :)

B/R, Erkka

Here's a quick recap of your replies, with a price from Thomann added (new, price range for different models, 1€ = 1,14USD):
  • AKG C414 - 619-799€ - 1 mention - hard pressed to find a better microphone
  • AKG C 535 EB Handheld Condenser Microphone - not on Thomann - 2 mentions - high-end stage condenser, very bright
  • AKG P420 - 166€ - 1 mention
  • Audio Technica 2035 - 155€ - 2 mentions
  • Audio Technica 4047 - 659-777€ - 2 mentions - a little more money
  • Audio Technica 4050 - 715-1190€ - 2 mentions - very versatile for a lot of instrumental use. Fairly accurate and well-behaved. Far cry from a 414?
  • Apex 460 - not on Thomann - 1 mention - between MXL and AT 4047
  • Miktek stuff - 269-1399€ - 1 mention - budget mic, sounds solid for the money and doesn't have that harsh top end that is inherent with cheap condensers
  • MXL V67 - 99-159€ - 1 mention - great results
  • Oktava MK-319 - 231€ - 1 mention
  • Rode NT-1 (not NT1-A) with headbasket mod - 211€ (kit) - 1 mention - Sold my TLM103s after I learned that trick.
  • Shure SM7/A/B - 377€ (for B) - 3 mentions - a real vocal workhorse. versatile, well in the budget and reacts well to almost all post-production. Needs good mic pre.
  • Shure KSM-32 - 519-599€ - 1 mention
 
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#5
I like this mic a lot, but it's bright, which works well for my vocals.

Frank Sinatra Jr's Performance Mic AKG C535EB

I've also used this mic in the studio, though it's designed as a high-end stage condenser: AKG C 535 EB Handheld Condenser Microphone . I use it as a stage mic mainly, when I can talk the house sound person into using a condenser, which is hit or miss. But it records well.

That one's discontinued so you might have good luck finding a used one at a decent price. It's also very bright. Someone's selling one used right now for $12k that Frank Sinatra Jr. supposedly used. Invalid Link Removed

I'm sure you can find one cheaper :)
 
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#7
Yeah, I’ve used a first generation AT 4050 for around 15 years. I really like it, and it’s very versatile for a lot of instrumental use. It’s fairly accurate and well-behaved, but that may or may not be what any particular person wants for vocals. It often works for me, usually in the figure-8 pattern within the ASC Quick Sound Field.

OP, have you used a Shure SM7A? That’s a real vocal workhorse.

Otto
 
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#8
If you need a budget mic, the Miktek stuff sounds solid for the money and doesn't have that harsh top end that is inherent with cheap condensers.
Also, can't often beat an SM7 for versatility either, well in budget and reacts well to almost all post production.
Only draw back is it's a thirsty little bugger, so you need a good mic pre.
 
#15
byacey said:
When I did some tests, AT 4047 was pretty harsh and gritty compared to the C414. The AT 4050 is considerably better, but still not in the same class as the 414.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I should probably spend some time with a C414. Back at the time, I asked David Josephson for a recommendation for a multi-pattern condenser with the priority being the most accurate mike for instrumentals and he specifically recommended the original AT 4050 over the C414. Both AT and AKG are high precision manufacturers, and you can rely on every unit to meet a high spec both new and decades down the road, at least on their better models.

Otto
 
#18
The recent "good mike for a cab" thread got me thinking of trying the poor man's version of the Josephson C700A. The dual outputs allow the omni and bidirectional capsules to be processed separately.

One useful trick is to rely on the omni for the low end, since it lacks proximity effect and is less affected by movement to or away from the mike, while using the directional capsule to capture the higher frequencies with better focus and reduction of room reflections. The directional mike gets rolled off on the low end, the omni rolled off on the top. My version will just be an SM81 cardioid stacked with an SM80 omni.

Otto
 
#19
I use a Blue Bluebird specifically, and the fact that it's pretty even with only a small presence boost gives it more flexibility for my uses. Moved a little closer, its proximity bass gain is pleasing and musical esp for male voice, IME, and it has great clarity across the board. Fantastic bit of microphone for the money. The Baby Bottle is, recalling using one some years back, not really any better at anything despite the extra cost.

That said, I also have a Røde NT1000, and it's good for bringing detail out of a fairly warm, fundamental-heavy male voice, but otherwise has been relegated to guitar amp duty.
 
#20
ofajen said:
The recent "good mike for a cab" thread got me thinking of trying the poor man's version of the Josephson C700A. The dual outputs allow the omni and bidirectional capsules to be processed separately.

One useful trick is to rely on the omni for the low end, since it lacks proximity effect and is less affected by movement to or away from the mike, while using the directional capsule to capture the higher frequencies with better focus and reduction of room reflections. The directional mike gets rolled off on the low end, the omni rolled off on the top. My version will just be an SM81 cardioid stacked with an SM80 omni.

Otto
Click to expand...

Minor thread-jack, forgive us please.

For a second, I thought you were talking about a specific, much more affordable version of that one microphone haha...I'd be all over that! But using two mics is not really any trouble with a bass cab since the "sweet spot" is either large or duplicated via multiple speakers. Of course, being in an urban duplex, I may struggle with using an omni mic, but that's a separate battle.

Currently, I've got a Black Lion B173 preamp arriving tomorrow and two Auteur channels right now, so... let's say I pointed my Røde NT1000 large-diaphragm cardioid toward the cab, then found a nice omni to put up against it. But then, ran DI from the head for a 3rd channel just for kicks. It's a bit of post-processing work, but all mixed together and phase alignment-sorted, that's a whole lot of tone possibility.

Of course you're probably not doing much room mic tracking on bass, but rejoining the thread regarding vocal recording... in a nice room, a second mic can do wonders for extra "air" behind a track, and I'd say especially male voice, where standard close mic recording can yield a dense and somewhat unbalanced result without some extra sparkle.

Good stuff, lots to think about!
 

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