The VP88 is a stereo microphone built around an MS configuration. It
has a forward facing cardioid capsule and a side address figure 8 capsule.
It can either output direct M S outputs or a stereo output with
3 different degrees of width (determined by the relative level of the
side component). There is an HPF switch. The mic is a condensor
which can be powered by phantom or an internal 6v battery.
This is a mic with a bit of a confusing sense of identidy in that I am
not sure if it wants to be an ENG mic, or a studio mic. Maybe that
is why it had remained a bit obscure. It runs for about $1200 CAD which
means I figure you can get one in the States for about $700-800 USD. I
got mine used for about a quarter of that.
I have used it for a couple of things. I recorded a tenor (with piano)
audition tape for an opera using it, and then also did some quick female
vocal tests.
The mic has a very nice midrange to it. This part of the piano sounded
quite good. The low end, however rolls off too much (and this is without
the low-end roll-off switch engaged). It is also a bit peaky in the
presence to 10K range. The off-axis response seems to be very weird.
Also, it is quite noisy for a mic in that price range.
I am interested in the potential of also using this as a forward facing
cardioid mic (guitars, other instruments) and as a side address
bi-directional (vocals, brass). the tests for this were okay, but the
weird off-axis colourations make this a bit tricky.
The electronics of this mic make it a bit of an underachiever. Has anyone
ever had theirs modded? It might be nice to see what David Josephson
could do with it.
Anyone else want to share their thoughts on the VP88?
Rob R.
Ici Radio Canada.
andy
<:>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on"...
Dean Martin
I"ve only had time to try it as drum over heads and I really like it. I
pulled my KM84's down, and the Shure is now my overhead mic of choice.
I have a low ceiling and a very small space so maybe that is why it is
working better for me I don't know. All I know is that it I got better
drum sounds with that as my overheads then with either my KM84's or my
AKG451's using a great river mic pre.
Twist Turner
http://members.tripod.com/~Twist_Turner/index.html
If you want to hear a VP-88 on drums, you can go to my website... I have an
example of a jazz kit mic'd with one... Out in front of the kit as the only
mic used... (as I have talked about at great length on this group)
It is on the listening page: http://www.fifthcircle.com/listen.html under
"Example 3: Jazz Sextet"
--Ben
--
Benjamin Maas
Fifth Circle Audio
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.fifthcircle.com
I think the reason it gets short shrift (is that the right term?) for studio
work is definitely because it has a steeper LF rolloff and it's noisier than
most other stereo condensers. Still, I've found it useable & useful. Steve
Folsom turned me on to using it as a drum overhead, where the positioning is
determined entirely by listening to the M output while the drummer plays
snare drum exclusively. From 2 or 3 feet directly over the skin you have a
snappy, poppin' snare sound...bring in the S channel (or switch over to X/Y)
and there's yer whole kit. Badda-boom, badda-bing.
Also makes an *adequate* piano mic. Not my fave, but quick & dirty.
/Bob Ross
My guess is the AT 822 makes at least as good an overhead for about half the
price. It really does seem to be a mike that "just doesn't fit".
"Rob Reedijk" <ree...@hera.med.utoronto.ca> wrote in message
news:9b4ia2$27b$1...@news1.chem.utoronto.ca...
I buy mine my listening to them. The Shure actually sounds good for drum
overheads. I roll off the bass on the overheads anyway so who cares?
I also tried it as a room mic and it seemed to work ok for that application
too,
Since you are recording why not buy your mic's buy listening to them and
auditioning them, not reading the tech. spec's and deciding that it won't
sound good because the response curves are not to your liking. How do you
know it has a smooth high end without hearing it?
Harry Lavo wrote in message <9b5hud$j63$1...@bob.news.rcn.net>...
"Twist Turner" <twi...@flash.net> wrote in message
news:wKvB6.1524$qA4.46...@newssvr10-int.news.prodigy.com...