Microphones for voice!!!
- Thread starter Leandro Gardini
- Start date
Frederick Russ
Founder Emeritus
Hi Leo,
Check out the Studio Projects T3 - its a tube microphone with a lot of the same technology onboard as the old vintage Neumanns:
https://www.studioprojectsusa.com/t3.html
You can get it for less than $500 in the States.
Check out the Studio Projects T3 - its a tube microphone with a lot of the same technology onboard as the old vintage Neumanns:
https://www.studioprojectsusa.com/t3.html
You can get it for less than $500 in the States.
Hi Leo,
You've just asked the 5-Million-dollar question.
There are many available nowadays. Some dark, some bright, some more neutral, etc. IMHO, you need to look at the entire vocal chain, or at least at the main parts such as the mic and the preamp. The right preamp on a mic can help you achieve a better sound (if that is what you're after). Also, will this be a general vocal mic or will it be specific to one main vocalist? A bright mic on a thin voice will many times not sound very good (even when you're using a high-end expensive mic). What kind of results are you looking for? Will its intended use be more for demo work or finished product, pro work?
The biggest question you need to answer is your budget for the mic and whether or not you own a mic pre already. Otherwise, you can get answers that range from "buy an SM-58" to "buy a Studio Projects mic" to "buy a Neumann" to "buy a $9,000 Brauner".
If you are able to try out a few in your space and compare the results, that will probably help you immensely as well. In some markets, this is a possibility and in others it is not. Anyway, a little more info from you will probably give you better answers IMHO.
FV
You've just asked the 5-Million-dollar question.
There are many available nowadays. Some dark, some bright, some more neutral, etc. IMHO, you need to look at the entire vocal chain, or at least at the main parts such as the mic and the preamp. The right preamp on a mic can help you achieve a better sound (if that is what you're after). Also, will this be a general vocal mic or will it be specific to one main vocalist? A bright mic on a thin voice will many times not sound very good (even when you're using a high-end expensive mic). What kind of results are you looking for? Will its intended use be more for demo work or finished product, pro work?
The biggest question you need to answer is your budget for the mic and whether or not you own a mic pre already. Otherwise, you can get answers that range from "buy an SM-58" to "buy a Studio Projects mic" to "buy a Neumann" to "buy a $9,000 Brauner".
If you are able to try out a few in your space and compare the results, that will probably help you immensely as well. In some markets, this is a possibility and in others it is not. Anyway, a little more info from you will probably give you better answers IMHO.
FV
OP
OP
Leandro Gardini
Senior Member
Thank you Frederick and FV,
Sorry...when I first posted this new thread I was in a hurry and didn?t tell you more about what I?m looking for...
...I?ve been studing how to sing twice a week for about two years...now I have enough technique to sing more or less in a professional way...but , as we don?t have a choir library that fits all our need (or at least most) I?m willing to perform myself...This mean , I need my voice and three more singers to make my own choir with the size I need...
...I don?t have mic pre yet and despite of buget is always a problem I?m willing to invest on high quality!!!
Frederick , I?l be checking carefuly the link!!!
Sorry...when I first posted this new thread I was in a hurry and didn?t tell you more about what I?m looking for...
...I?ve been studing how to sing twice a week for about two years...now I have enough technique to sing more or less in a professional way...but , as we don?t have a choir library that fits all our need (or at least most) I?m willing to perform myself...This mean , I need my voice and three more singers to make my own choir with the size I need...
...I don?t have mic pre yet and despite of buget is always a problem I?m willing to invest on high quality!!!
Frederick , I?l be checking carefuly the link!!!
Hi Leo,
If you're primarily going to be recording groups rather than soloists, you may want to look at getting 2 mics instead of one so that you can do stereo recordings. If you go for 2, try to order them as a matched stereo pair so that you ensure that they're consistent in their sound.
I think that you'll still need to set budget though. For example, the Studio Projects mics are great for what they are. However, in order to get the price down, there are corners cut here and there. Although they are typically compared to Neumann's, they are *not* a U-87. Don't get me wrong though, they are great mics in their price range.
Also be aware that mics, even high-end ones, have a sound. As I mentioned previously, some are darker, some are brighter, etc. At the end of the day, you need to be able to get the sound that you want. The less EQ-ing you can do, the better the mic is for your application (keeping in mind that the room will affect the quality as well).
I hesitate to suggest/recommend a particular brand because I'm not sure what sound you are after. Let me offer my thoughts and a few different ones possibly to try. In the low-to-mid end of the price spectrum, Studio Projects and Rode make some decent mics. In the mid-high, you can go with tried and true Neumanns or even Microtech-Gefell. The MG mics are great IMHO and the company was formed by some ex-Neumann people IIRC.
If you will not be able to test mics out for yourself (due to unavailability), I would recommend that you stick with mics that are known as more neutral-sounding. Mics that are agressive or have a particular sound may not be desirable in many different applications. Also, since I don't typically record choirs myself, I would highly recommend that you try to find out what mics are mainly used for recording choir. That will probably give you the best results for your money IMHO.
Also, keep in mind that there are many great mics available today at many different price points. The companies that I mention above are not the only ones and also may not be the best for your particular application. When you've decided on a few different mics, research as much as you can to determine what their strengths and weaknesses are.
HTH,
FV
If you're primarily going to be recording groups rather than soloists, you may want to look at getting 2 mics instead of one so that you can do stereo recordings. If you go for 2, try to order them as a matched stereo pair so that you ensure that they're consistent in their sound.
I think that you'll still need to set budget though. For example, the Studio Projects mics are great for what they are. However, in order to get the price down, there are corners cut here and there. Although they are typically compared to Neumann's, they are *not* a U-87. Don't get me wrong though, they are great mics in their price range.
Also be aware that mics, even high-end ones, have a sound. As I mentioned previously, some are darker, some are brighter, etc. At the end of the day, you need to be able to get the sound that you want. The less EQ-ing you can do, the better the mic is for your application (keeping in mind that the room will affect the quality as well).
I hesitate to suggest/recommend a particular brand because I'm not sure what sound you are after. Let me offer my thoughts and a few different ones possibly to try. In the low-to-mid end of the price spectrum, Studio Projects and Rode make some decent mics. In the mid-high, you can go with tried and true Neumanns or even Microtech-Gefell. The MG mics are great IMHO and the company was formed by some ex-Neumann people IIRC.
If you will not be able to test mics out for yourself (due to unavailability), I would recommend that you stick with mics that are known as more neutral-sounding. Mics that are agressive or have a particular sound may not be desirable in many different applications. Also, since I don't typically record choirs myself, I would highly recommend that you try to find out what mics are mainly used for recording choir. That will probably give you the best results for your money IMHO.
Also, keep in mind that there are many great mics available today at many different price points. The companies that I mention above are not the only ones and also may not be the best for your particular application. When you've decided on a few different mics, research as much as you can to determine what their strengths and weaknesses are.
HTH,
FV
OP
OP
Leandro Gardini
Senior Member
FV
Thank you...very useful informations...
...actually I?m not going to record a choir , as I said , I?m going to record solists several times , so that I have a simulation of a choir...they?l be recorded in my own studio , so , there?s no ambience , but the mic will be at a certain distance from me and them...
...maybe a neutral mic is the best opition to start...do you have some in mind???
Frederick , do you have the T3???Can you share some thoughts???
Thank you...very useful informations...
...actually I?m not going to record a choir , as I said , I?m going to record solists several times , so that I have a simulation of a choir...they?l be recorded in my own studio , so , there?s no ambience , but the mic will be at a certain distance from me and them...
...maybe a neutral mic is the best opition to start...do you have some in mind???
Frederick , do you have the T3???Can you share some thoughts???
OP
OP
Leandro Gardini
Senior Member
About 800 dollars (maximum)!!!fv said:
Frederick Russ
Founder Emeritus
leogardini said:
Leo I don't have it personally but heard it in use during a demo - it was great - sounds warm and rich for the money - an excellent buy in my opinion. Having said that however I recommend you go audition some mikes to get a better idea of what you're really wanting since mikes have very different characteristics depending upon the application.
