Studio Mics

[carvedones]

Ok im looking into more mics. I have a few, but will update as soon as i can. Im looking at these :

Kick - Shure SM7
Snare - Shure SM57
Tom - Shure SM57
Overhead - Shure SM81
HiHat - Shure SM81
Ride - Shure SM58
Vocal - Shure SM7
Bass - Shure SM7
Guitar - SM57

So i will need (if i mic the whole kit including hihat/ride) :
3 x SM57
3 x SM81
1 x SM58
1 x SM7

What are your opinions of these mics?

 

[kev]

The sm81s are quite expensive arent they? I spotted them for £250 a piece at best.

 

[TheDude]

Too much Shure for my taste

 

[colonel kurtz]

i'd definitely agree with there being a bit too much of the shure name on that list...i mean yea, they make good mics, but damn

and the SM81's are sort of pricey, but nothing ridiculous - they go for around $350 new here in the US, and you can get them for around $200 each used

 

[carvedones]

Suggestions are very welcome. Im looking for mics that work well on multiple applications.

 

[AStacy2]

I'd get another SM81 for the ride too or just switch the SM7 to hats instead. Maybe a Beta52 for the kick instead too if you're going all Shure which it looks like.

 

[carvedones]

Im not going all shure for the sake of it. Its just they seem to be a little more diverse in there use.

 

[scorpio01169]

i'd replace the kick selection with either a Audix D6, or a Shure beta 52A

 

[colonel kurtz]

here's what i would suggest...

audix DP-5A set - roughly $550 if you shop around and make some phone calls
pair of SM-81's
SM7
SM57

 

[KeithTidd]

i would do KSM32's for overheads.

 

[JBroll]

D6 for kick, at least one i5 for snare, I'd get a good DI instead of a mic for bass (if I mic'ed a bass cab, I'd throw a 57 or i5 on the 'grit' amp and a condenser on the 'clean' amp that's providing the lows - AT3035 maybe? - but I'd much rather use a DI for a clean injection and a RAT for the grit), an MD421 (or more) for more 'meat' and less 'honk' on the toms (I think of the SM57 as a very 'honky' mic, in all honesty, and wouldn't use them as often as you are), maybe 414s for overheads as an alternative, and have the transformers on the 57s removed.

Removing the 57 makes the mic about 10dB quieter and opens up the sound a lot more. What you do is unscrew the mic at the middle and clip the wires on the capsule end (as in disconnect them at the capsule, so your wires are going into the creepy looking goop in the body), unscrew the XLR jack and clip the wires at the jack end, stick the body in boiling water for 10-15 minutes, and pull the wires on the 'fatter' end until a goopy yellow thing (the transformer) comes out. Then reassemble and wire the mic back up, and if you want to have the option of the 'transformered' sound just build it into a short XLR patch cable.

Jeff

 

[LSD-Studio]

get a D6 for the kick and use the sm7 for the hats...saves you one sm81.

try to get a D2 (or 2) for the toms

 

[Skaldir]

Sounds good, Lasse.
And that SM58 on Ride sounds like a bad idea. Any cheap condenser mic would be better.