Need Mic advice

Lasse Lammert

Lasse Lammert

HCAF Blitzkrieg
Feb 12, 2009
8,409
40
48
www.lasselammert.com
Hello....

I've got some money to spend (not much though, will be around 2400-2800€ in total).

Things I'm considering and or think I need:

I've always been GASsing for a Royer R121, although I'm a huge fan of very immediate sm57 kinda tones (modern metal), I do have an m160 that I like to blend in for smoothness, but the proximity effect is pretty strong on that one, so the low end can be a bit too much when recording high gain guitars.
I really wanna try/have an R121, I'm just not sure that it's worth spending 1300€ just to "blend it in" sometimes....does it give me significant advantages over the m160? I want to be convinced

I think I really need another md421, I only have two at the moment and most drum kits have 3 toms.....I would sell my D2 if I bought another 421 I think...I don't WANT to spend money on a mic that I already have twice, but it might be the reasonable thing to to.

I'm loving my D6 for kick drum, but I always wanted to have a Shure 91, I'm recording mainly modern metal, so I like the scooped clicky sound...the D6 sounds pretty modern as well, but I think the 91 won't hurt?

And last but not least:
I want another flavour when it comes to vocal mics, I'm using the SM7 a lot (and loving it), I also have a c414XL-II that I like one many things, especially on some female vox, the presence bump can make it sound brittle, harsh and nasally on some singers though, so I think I'd need another WARM sounding LSD, obviously I can't afford a Neumann u47 or so, I don't wanna have anything very low budget though, cause I'd probably still pick the c414 then...I'm thinking about the 900-1400€ range, but most good mics in that range have a tendency to sound very crisp/harsh again TLM103, Brauner Phantom (so I've heard at least)...From the clips on the Thomann website I like the Neumann TLM 49, but I don't wanna rely on those clips
Is there an LDC in that price range that has a very high quality but warm and big sound?


Thanks for your help!

LL
 
Maybe Electro voice RE20?
Good for toms, floor toms and even kicks. Pretty usable for guitar cabinets and may do vocals as well (speech and low pitched growls).
Interesting point about this one is the lack of proximity effect...
 
Avoid the brauner like the plague. The brightest, most sibilant cheap/nasty sounding mic I've ever used.
Had to use a fucking low pass filter on it... Seriously.
 
I have a TLM103 and it sounds a bit harsh in the 5-7k range but since I got my Universal Audio LA-610 it hasn't been an issue.
The UA really smooths the sound and the compressor is fantastic. I can hit 10-15bd compression and it still sounds natural.
I would suggest getting a used LA-610 and try it with your 414 before getting other vocal mics. It should tame that high mid annoyance.
You will also find yourself using the LA-610 for bass and drum room mic and non metal guitars. Sounds great on all of them.
If you don't like the 610 sound you can easily sell it on.
Any bad reviews you see of the LA-610 are from people who don't know how to gain stage properly.
It is VERY sensitive to clipping unless you strictly adhere to the VU meter at each stage (pre in, pre out, and main out) and set output level to 0vu=-18DBFS.
I would love another channel and will get one if an original (silver one) pops up at the right price.

Another mic you might not have is an ATM25. They have recently been reissued.
I have an original one and it sounds amazing on floor tom, kick, bass amp, brass, and some vocals.
It is smaller than a 421 and very directional so it works well for floor tom off axis to the ride cymbal and sounds better than the 421 in this role.
421 on racks and atm25 on floor gives me a great tom sound.
It will also give you another very useful mic instead of 3 of the same 421s. Heavy as brick too!
 
nah, I've got a good ribbon already....actually I don't know exactly why I'm GASsing for the r121 ;)

My main issue is the vocal mic though, has anyone had experiences with the TLM49 ?
 
Shure KSM313. Used to be made by Cowley & Tripp. Ribbon element is made from roswelite so it can handle the loud stuff. It's supposed to be amazing on vocals and guitars.
 
to clarify that...I'm not looking for a ribbon mic, I've got a great one, I'm GASsing for the r121, but not because it's ribbon ;)
is not that I NEED it or anything, I'm just considering getting one to cure my GAS.
the vocal mic is actually more pressing
 
The NTK is awesome. It adds a whole new dimension to vocals in the mix. I have been finding myself ending up with Rode mics on a lot of my sessions lately. In the shoot outs they have been beating out my Neumanns and SM7 for the particular songs I have been working on as of late. Ive been working on a modern death metal band with the NT1 on guitars with results I'm really liking.
 
Heil PR40. It can be used on literally everything and does it well. It's essentially designed to be a dynamic but sound like a condenser mic. I've got 4 421's and routinely use it as my floor tom mic. It's always a contender for vocal mics and it was used on a chick singer for a recent project. It's badass on bass cabs too.

For LDC's check out the Miktek CV4 or the Peluso line. The make clones of the 47, 67, C12, and bock 251.
 
people!! believe me! the U47 IS in fact a bad ass mic....but it's just not worth it!...specially for metal! there's little to no use in it.

Lasse, if you don't have a U87 you should consider it. but buy it used. If you want something different for your vocals, this will be the mic, it can take a beating too! you'll find way more use for it than any other LDC neumann. It will be a great mono room mic, you can pair it with a 57 on guitars too, for bass cabs is awesome! and even on snare too.

another thing i see...is that you only have one 414?? consider maybe getting another one too. They make incredible good OH's, room mics, m/s, piano, acousic guitars...and so on...

as far as the R121 you are GASing right my friend...you need this mic! it's not only good for pairing with a 57 on guitar (which is the best combination i've ever found for guitar period.) but it's awesome on drums as a mono room when its super compressed. tbh...it's a must on any pro studio.

i really don't think you need another 421...at least now. you can use a d112, the sm7 or keep using the d2 on floor tom just fine with great results...OR...the c414 kicks some serious anus on floor tom!!
 
For the guitar mic, definitely check out the Heil PR30 or PR40. They're both amazing mics, they sound great on almost everything. Very present, open, and immediate sounding with great low end, very little (if any) processing required. In my opinion the PR30/PR40 will sound as good or better on everything that you might use an MD421 on.

As far as the Beta 91, I've been using one on kick for five years and I've never felt the desire to try anything else (though I've used other mics in other studios). The 91 sounds excellent on pretty much everything, leave it inside the kick for a punchy sound or set it outside the kick on a pillow for a more natural, boomy (in a good way) sound.

Finally, for the vocal mic it sounds like the Pearlman TM1 would fit the bill nicely. It's a modern take on a U47-style tube mic. You could also consider the Mojave Audio MA200 or MA300 (or their FET cousins).
 
GO for R121. Its fantastic to record Cymbals and cancel snare.
For guitars its just awesome.
I own 2 TLM 103 too, but R121 its just special. It makes guitar tracks receive post processing so well...
And for recording acoustic instruments its great!
But...
If you don't own a u87 a suggest you getting it. Versatile.
 
Thanks for your advice guys.
I do own a PR30, but I never liked it on anything but bottom snare...I know Andy likes it to, but mine just sounds so extremely fizzy it's unusable for guitars.
I'm GASsing hard for an u87, had one, loved it....
but the problem is, if I get the u87 I won't be able to afford the Royer :(
I'd be happy just getting the royer and the u87 (I don't NEED the sm91, just wanna have it)...too pricey though, and the used u87 go for almost as much as the new ones over here.
Thanks for the Pearlman and Mojave tips, gonna check them out.

Has anyone compared the TM-1 to the CV4?

a second 414 is not an option since I have the XL-II
 
Gotta give another plus for the R121. I love the low mids that thing gets on guitars, and it's a bit more midrangy than other ribbons that I've heard, in a good way. It takes to software really well without losing it's foundation (if you know what I mean) If you got a Neve style preamp such as a GR you can adjust the impedance which sort of cuts out some of the low end as well. It kills on room mics too. I gotta agree with Pipa on the U87 keep the leftover cash and save up for the U87, that thing sounds so good on many different sources, especially clean guitar tones, when mixed with a Sm57. It also sounds great on flute, should you ever have someone wanting to record with that. And it just works and sounds great on most singers too. Don't care for it on the growlers/screamers but the singers, it sounds amazing! Yes I've worked with both of those mics quite a bit and I know what to expect from them. I will say though that you'd probably want to get the U87 modded, they pinch the lows and the highs, just a tad.
 
You should check the Brauner Phantera, it is crisp and all but not harsh. I'm in love since I bought it.

It also slays as a drum room mic, for acoustic gits and so on.

Just a heads up, imo it kicks serious ass...
 
Lasse, try your pr30 on floor toms. I'm starting to actually prefer it to my 421s for 16" and 18" drums. I bought one for the same reasons you did and was super disappointed when I tried it on a guitar cab. Harsh city. Almost sold it until I had a huge kit come in and I ran out of 421s.

I'll try it on snare bottom too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

exoslime
Microphone recommendation for acoustic guitar recording
Replies
6
Views
507
Backline
exoslime
E
F
Looking for a second Amp (after a Diezel)...Help!
Replies
14
Views
883
Backline
findingthesound
F
LeSedna
Need a QUICK advice on a used macbookpro
Replies
4
Views
632
Backline
Melodeath
M
Lasse Lammert
Royer r121 vs Beyer m160 on guitars
Replies
25
Views
8K
Backline
Lasse Lammert
L
LeSedna
Switching to the dark side (apple). Need your advice.
Replies
32
Views
2K
Backline
LeSedna
L
Top Bottom
Back