Favorite mics for room/ambience

[The StabbinCabin]

I'm looking to upgrade from my NT2s. Been doing some browsing with some mixed results. Anyway- I'm looking for something that just doesn't have that gross presence peak cheaper Rodes do. I'm not really at a point to drop dough on something vibey like a Royer or stuff thats 1200USD or more per mic since I'm saving for better pres. I feel like an upgrade for room mics will give me a significant audible improvement.

I didn't see a thread so I figured I'd ask what the UM guys have been digging for room mics, why you liked them and so on...

Thanks!

 

[Scott C.]

if you haven't checked them out yet,the cascade fathead is a good alternative to the royer and way cheaper.

 

[Harley Barley]

royers are definitely a first choice in my drum room. but fat heads are a close second, very different sound but both equally as good. Fatheads have a super smoooth top and super creamy low end watch the kick drum doesnt become too intense. Royers just have this fantastic mid range character that i really really love. i'd definitely try the fatheads if royers are out of your budget. also just try experimenting with placement of the NT2s room mic placement can make a huge difference. too much cymbal? put them right down on the floor and try some other stuff . 57s are also really really cool for room mics they have the midrange detail you need/want from a room mic

 

[Nolly]

For cheap room mics, I've been very impressed with the CAD M179s - pretty flat, smooth response, the continuously variable polar pattern is very handy and the price is unbeatable. I love the classic frequency response from ribbons on rooms but generally I dislike the figure 8 pattern they tend to have unless it's for a Blumlein config, which definitely doesn't do it for me all the time.

 

[Trevoire520]

CAD M179's are good, I've heard alot of people saying the Behringer ECM8000 is great for rooms, super cheap too!

 

[Heabow]

Isn't room mic choice linked to the room itself? I mean if a room is super bright, maybe ribbon mics would be more appropriated. I used NT1s, KSM137s, JM37DPs, SM57s, MK012s, Pantheras, TBone RB500... Some were the good choice for the context, some others were not...

 

[mva801]

It really does depend on the room and the sound you're after. I feel like the fatheads would be a great choice. Not too expensive, and have many other applications aside from just rooms. If you don't have a good pair of ribbons, maybe snag those and then decide between them and the rodes on each project, depending on placement and desired sound.

 

[atoragon]

i have used with great satisfaction a neumann tlm 102

 

[greyskull]

Ribbons FTW
Although it feels a real waste putting royers on room when they kill as overheads!

 

[KHE]

Ribbons FTW
Although it feels a real waste putting royers on room when they kill as overheads!

never used any figure8's as overheads, how do you set them up?
any sound-samples to share? i guess they will pickup way more room-sound as OHs than the usual cardioid mics, since half of the 8 is pointing away from the kit?

 

[mva801]

^^^ Try a blumlein, or they work just fine as a spaced pair.

 

[Heabow]

I feel like the fatheads would be a great choice. Not too expensive, and have many other applications aside from just rooms.

+1

 

[The StabbinCabin]

I agree Headbow with the room comment. My room is a pretty decent size. My rear wall has a large wood diffusor with paneling behind the wooden boards- so if I want to deaden the room up I straighten them to reveal the back and draw the big theatre curtain I have on one of the side walls and use gobos.

I know it's my placement that's the issue, and I haven't had too much time to mess around with it. I usually start waist high in front of the kit a few feet and move them lower and farther away as a feel sounds right. Usually ending up with too much kick and not enough snare/toms or too much cymbal around 3-5k that gets in the way of the shells.

I'd really like the idea of getting some smooth/dark figure 8s and try MS from the drummers perspective and other spots that might help me get the sound I'm looking for. Might have to keep my eyes open, I did see a pair of Fathead IIs on CL a few months ago.

Harley Barley- I do have extra 57/58s I could try, but I wasn't too fond of the sound I got the last time I tried it, but that was in a different room!

Anything else you guys like or keep going back to?

 

[nialldoran]

i do love fatheads i have to agree with everyone here, good for overheads, rooms, and i always throw one on guitars for rock and hardcore stuff, their low mids are just great, loads of beef, i'd also use a pair of sE4400a the odd time, depending on style of music and kit, but that's just since our 414s went out of action

and to go back to what KHE asked fig8s are cool overheads, i love them as a spaced pair, and using glyn johns method too sometimes, usually use 4038s instead of fatheads on OHs though

 

[mickrich]

I use a pair of t bone ribbons.
They sound fat and full.
http://www.thomann.de/gb/the_tbone_rb500.htm

 

[xTomx]

Another vote for Fat Heads, love mine.

 

[Wisheraser]

I've got the Joly modded Fathead and it's great on room duties. The great thing about it, and likely the regular Fathead as well, is that the highs start to roll off around 5k, so it wonderfully tames cymbals for those drummer with less than stellar technique. The Beyer M130 is great too. It's basically a figure 8 version of the awesome M160. It reaches up to around 8k though, which may or may not be a good thing depending on the situation.