LDC for metal-style vocals

[blackcom]

I know a common 57 is a very common mic for metal-style vocals, however...I was wondering what kind of LDC you guyes would recommend for this kind of vocals...?

I know a U87 is a very known mic...how do you guyes rate it. I also remember Andy told he used a M149 for Arch Enemy....but that's pretty pricy...

I'm not too keen on getting a U47 as the VF14 tubes are discontinued....

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

One I read good things about Mieszko of Nasum is the AKG 414. He always used that on nasum records for his vox, although the ordinary C 414 is discontinued so maybe its a different version or he just had an old one...

 

[blackcom]

I've seen studio pics of Devin Townsend (SYL) and James La Brie (Dream Theater) using 414....but i've also heard it's a bit dark in the higher mid freqs....

Any album recorded with an U87 anyone know of?

 

[Matt Smith]

I bought a 414 B-ULS because Russ from Symphony X uses it, and it was *terrible* on my voice. I've heard people say that it only really works on about 10% of singers, and maybe that's true, because it just brought out the worst in my voice. It's a weird mic. It does sound dark overall to my ears, but also somehow manages to sound kinda nasally at the same time. It might be the golden ticket for you though; but I'd definitely try before you buy. There's really no way to judge mics besides trying them out in your studio on your music.

I like the Soundelux line of mics. I'd LOVE to try an E-47 (Michael Wagener loves that mic), but it's out of my range. The U-195 is nice though. It can be a little silibant, so watch out. I also tried the iFET7, which had a little nicer midrange than the U-195, but once I got it into a dense mix, that made such a small difference that I couldn't justify paying twice as much for it.

 

[Kenny Lee]

he...he..he...we've been using a Rode NT1! $200.00 U.S.D. sounds great.

 

[tjkili]

I too find that the Soundelux 195 is a very fine Mic. It also is very good as an
allround Mic. I sold my Rode NTK for it and haven´t regret it so far. But it can be a bit problematic on some voices.

tjkili

 

[MR NINE]

Try the Audiotechnica 4033! It's very good! It costs around 350€.
Or the 4050! This one is a cherry on a cake! But it costs around 600€.

 

[_RiseInside_]

i´ve been using the rode nt1000 and i am not happy with the results either on spoken and screamed vocals. It is too damn thin and cold. Last weekend i compared it with a rode nt2 , a studio projects c1 and a shure sm 58. The studio projects c1 was the warmest and best sounding.

 

[Matt Smith]

I have a C1 and use it a lot for demos and stuff. It immediately sounds good because it's so hyped, but it really is lacking in the midrange department. I've found you have to back way off to get a really usable sound with it (at least with my voice). The U195 strikes me as kind of a nicer version of something like the C1; definitely a bump in the upper mids, but not quite as exaggerated, and just a smoother, nicer sound with more body overall.

 

[AmirH]

High everyone, I've never even posted here before but I lurk once in a while

I use a u87 and have found that it works great with my voice, particularly with growls(assuming that's what was meant by metal style vocals.) Really it sounds great with most voices, but not all. The rhode nt1 does indeed sound slightly thinner to my ears and seems more suitable to singing but I don't own one so I'm basing that opinion on what I've heard from people that I know use it. I have tried a c1(friend bought it) and it sounds similar to the 87 but it voiced differently. It might sound better with some voices, worse with others. I've also heard good things about a new marshall mic that just came out but haven't head it myself yet. Anyway, suffice to say- if the u87 is an option for you it's a good investment and sounds quite good with everyone I've tried it with. Should probably be noted that mine is a couple decades old though and I've heard the newer ones aren't exactly the same as the old ones.(maybe they just to wear in??)

Hope I've helped some.

 

[_RiseInside_]

I would love to hear andy´s and james opinion on this issue
What are they using and have used in the past... i guess andy is using a shure sm7 right ?

 

[James Murphy]

you name it, i've used it.. lately i'm using a Røde K2 with great results.