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[Handlestash]

Hello all,

I have a very small but busy studio in Dublin. I put it together as a hobby studio a few years ago but throught word of mouth I seem to be getting more and more clients which is great but really starting to stretch the capabilities of my kit. I'm going to be upgrading everything over the next few months and I'm pretty handy on the software, PC and soundcard side of things but one area I have really let slip is Mics. Up until now, because it's been a hobby and demo studio I've only had two mics, an SM58 and an AKG C3000b but I want to buy a good vocal mic that I can also use for acoustic instruments. I know the market has exploded over the last few years so your advice would be greatly appreciated.
My budget is about 500 euro.

Cheers,
Anthony.

[Handlestash]

Hi again,

I know this is a real newbie sounding post but I promise I searched through the forum first. There's just so many opinions and model numbers flying around it's difficult to be objective.

[Dave B]

For e500, you could probably pick up a couple of SE3s and an AT4033 which would give you a better vocal / all purpose mic and a couple of SDCs which are handier for certain tasks (e.g. micing acoustics).

Just a thought

[Handlestash]

Ok, cool.Thanks, I'll read up on them after lunch.

[RegressiveRock]

I think the explosion of the market has, in fact, made your job considerably more difficult. The main cause of this difficulty will be that you are looking for a mike that is a safe performer, rather than something that will be good on some voices and bad on others, plus you want something that will be a safe performer on a wide variety of other sound sources.

On your budget, I'd probably shift for a second hand AKG 414. It's, (as is oft quoted on this forum), unlikely to sound stellar on anything, but it's a studio workhorse that can cover most sources and many different miking solutions and is very unlikley to sound disasterous on anything either.

Having put the 414 in my collection I'd probably look to trade the C3000b in for something to give a little more variety to my set up.... perhaps a nice transparent SDC for MS with the 414 or a ribbon for some slightly darker sounds.

I's also start thinking about an SM57, Beyer M160 & M201, Sennheiser MD421, and so on... If you go pro, your going to need some studio standards in the bag to be able to service basic miking solutions. The mikes I have listed so far are just some "dynamics" you might think about having in your plans, (although one is in fact a double ribbon design). The experience of trying to do sessions with very minimal kit is always a great teacher, but new (and hence less friendly) commercial clients may be less keen to work with someone who appears to be using their paid session as study time...

Reg

[Handlestash]

Do you think a 414 would be noticably different from the C3000?

[RegressiveRock]

In that it is:-

- Multi-polar pattern
- Has a different frequency response curve (Well four of them actually, eight, if counted across standard models, (there is, I gather, also a limited edition mike))
- More refined handling of off axis sounds
- Comes in two different sounding models
- Uses a different capsule design based on the C12 capsule
- One is a stage mike and the other is a studio mike (although I have seen 414s in use of stage many times...)

Yes

[Handlestash]

Cool, thanks.
The thing with me is I'm primarily a musician. I've been in many studios over the last number of years and would have been exposed to all sorts of mics (I knew what a 414 was, as in looked like and was used for, the moment you mentioned it) but it's different when somebody else is flying the plane, you just have to sit back and hit on the hostesses (so to speak).
I looked up the SE3s they sound like a nice little mic.
Couldn't find the AT4033 in any modern context. Is there a new model?
I'm researching the othere suggestions now.
This is fun isn't it lads? I mean, this is what the forum's all about.

[RegressiveRock]

Cool, thanks.
The thing with me is I'm primarily a musician. I've been in many studios over the last number of years and would have been exposed to all sorts of mics (I knew what a 414 was, as in looked like and was used for, the moment you mentioned it) but it's different when somebody else is flying the plane, you just have to sit back and hit on the hostesses (so to speak).
I looked up the SE3s they sound like a nice little mic.
Couldn't find the AT4033 in any modern context. Is there a new model?
I'm researching the othere suggestions now.
This is fun isn't it lads? I mean, this is what the forum's all about.

Try Audio Technica 4033 in google.

Yes, it is fun, this is what the mike (dare I say nerd) forum is for.

The SE3 is quite a favorite of forum moderator, Max. I've owned a pair of less highly engineered SE1As which were pretty okay considering that you could get a boxed pair with an ORTF arm for pin money. I didn't shout good riddance out of the door when I sold them on.

BTW way are you...?

Handles Tash: - Silent Movie Era Villain?
Handle Stash: - Someone who enjoys playing with recreational substances?
Hand Le Stash: - A hip-speaking highwayman?
Hand Les Tash: - A barber's assistant?

Reg

[Handlestash]

All of the above.

[Handlestash]

Sorry, I found a review of the 4033 in SOS but from 1996.
It's not on the Audio Technica site. There's a 4050 (I think that's waht it was but I've left the site now) has the 4033 been replaced?

[Handlestash]

Hey Regressive,

I looked up your suggestions too and I think I know what I'll try and get now.
Thanks a million gentlemen.

[RegressiveRock]

"Evilly twirling his moustache, Handlestash exits stage right, without giving the audience a clue as to what his dastardly plans are"...

[Handlestash]

and I would have got away with it too if it wasn't for you pesky kids...

2 SE3s and a 414 and a 57 to start with then eventually a MD421 and M160. I think I'll keep the C3000b because I'm so used to it.
I should be all set with those I think. I'm not planning to expand the studio to facilitate drums or anything.

Thanks a brazilian!

[RegressiveRock]

Well, with a set up like that you should be able to achieve some interesting spot, coincident, spaced, ORTF and MS recordings using various polar patterns plus having a good general purpose dynamic for the odd guitar cab.

Be careful about how and where you source your mikes and check if the SE Electronics try before you buy scheme extends to your area. If possible, try and audition all the mikes in the actual applications in which you would like to use them.

As to keeping the C3000b, it’s not a mike I’ve used a lot or chosen for my reasonably diminutive mike locker as I’ve only seen them in stage applications, myself.

With regard to buying more GP "dynamics", I’m not sure how well that would blend with your needs, as a major application for both the M160 and the MD421 is drum miking. However, both are also used guitar cab mikes, the former with a little care as to the ribbons. The M160 makes a great second spot on acoustic guitar to help fill out the sound of a spot condenser.

[Handlestash]

Good god man, you are a nerd aren't you! Sorry, couldn't resist. I really appreciate the time you've taken today.
I doubt the SE 'try before' is an option. I live in Dublin. There aren't any suppliers you can trust here. I'm probably going to have to order from Blighty.
Anyone you'd recommend?

[RegressiveRock]

For product knowledge and service, I'd usually choose KMR Audio. They will not be the cheapest, as they are mostly pro-only suppliers and therefore staff themselves accordingly. (However, they have a High Street presence which separates them out from some of the other pro only people).

However, I'd also check out some of the other firms in this arena. If price is an absolute factor, then with Sound Control and Turnkey in administration, I guess you're looking at Digital Village, Dolphin etc.

Oh... and you'll definitely need to work out which of the three models of 414 you want... (Nothing in life is ever quite that simple).

[BenWeston]

Just my two cents but I recently picked up an M-Audio LUNA mic and it's absolutely great in terms of it's overall useability. Get one or two of them and you'll find you'll end up using them more than any other mics.

[RegressiveRock]

Good god man, you are a nerd aren't you!

That's Mr M. Nerd or Your Royal Geekness to you...

[Handlestash]

Good morning all.
I read up on the M Audio Luna. Sounds like a nice mic too. Regressive, thanks for the shop tips. I checked KMR, you're right, they're pretty expensive.
I've decided to get the kit from the US. My fiance is a yank and she's going home for a couple of weeks so she's going to pick me up some bits. Hell of a lot cheaper too.
Anyone else tried the Luna?