Microphone recommendations for live vocals (Rock, R&B)
Tom Bynum
lead) in my group. Due to circumstances out of my control, I now have to go
out and purchase my own mic.
We've been using EV 257's (or 357's...?...I believe it's the 257). They
seem to be good mic's, at least in my experience. I know they can take
their share of abuse and keep working. Any way, since I don't know jack
&^%$ about good mic's I was hoping someone from a sound engineering
background could lend a hand.
I'm obviously looking for a performance mic, with a good cardioid pattern.
Good gain before feedback. Our board does offer phantom power, but I want
to stay away from a powered mic to make it more flexible in other
situations. I would like for my voice to be a little warmer than it seemed
with the EV, you know a little more "ooomph" ( for those occasionally
leads). As a working musician, I also need to keep the cost down. My
target is under $150 with $100-$120 being a little more palatable. But I
will consider value for the money as a key. For example, it $120 might get
me an OK unit, but $180 will get a much better one, I would take the $180
since it's a much better value.
Since the EV is the first and only mic I've ever used, I don't know anything
about the others out there. I know the world compares everything to the
Shure SM58, but I've never used one. Basically I'm clueless about what to
consider.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Michael Gaster
"Tom Bynum" <tby...@argusinc.com> wrote in message
news:ur8_7.384$Oj5....@newsfeed.intelenet.net...
this has been discussed quite a bit here recently... you will want to look
at the Audix line of mics OM-3 and OM-5 are in your price range but the OM-7
is going to be the best solution... what kind of mixer are you using???
Michael
Key Audio (Kenneth Kareta)
> I'm a bass player by trade, but I also sing backup vocals (and occasional
> lead) in my group. Due to circumstances out of my control, I now have to go
> out and purchase my own mic.
I was a bassist for years. 2 great advantages to carrying your own mic around:
1) No one else's booze-breath on the mic
2) No more mic sharing, less colds during flu season
> We've been using EV 257's (or 357's...?...I believe it's the 257).
My condolences ;-)
> They seem to be good mic's, at least in my experience. I know they can take
> their share of abuse and keep working.
Physically, yes, but as they age, these early EV ND mics tend to loose their
crispness, If that's all You've ever used, compare it to a new one, it will be
an eye opener.
> As a working musician, I also need to keep the cost down. My
> target is under $150 with $100-$120 being a little more palatable. But I
> will consider value for the money as a key. For example, it $120 might get
> me an OK unit, but $180 will get a much better one, I would take the $180
> since it's a much better value.
In that price range, You are fairly limited, but not totally out of options.
> I know the world compares everything to the Shure SM58, but I've never used
> one. Basically I'm clueless about what to
> consider.
The SM58 is truly a hard working mic, durable etc. but it's not the only
contender in that price range anymore. and definitely not the deepest sounding
Mic out there.
For about $100 You could try the Sennheiser E-835. It would be deeper sounding
and have better rejection than a SM58. It's bigger brother the 845, is a
noticeable improvement, but add 40 greenbacks to the price.
There are also some fair products by AKG in that range, but I have no experience
with them, so, I'll let others describe them.
--
Ken Kareta, owns "Key Audio Services"
Audio Rentals for 100 to 100,000 listeners.
Massachusetts, Connecticut & Vermont (mailto:re...@keyaudio.com)
Arizona, New Mexico & parts of lower California (mailto:ren...@keyaudio.com)
nmm
>Since the EV is the first and only mic I've ever used, I don't know
anything
>about the others out there. I know the world compares everything to the
>Shure SM58, but I've never used one. Basically I'm clueless about what to
>consider.
Lee's palace bought a bunch of those mics EV 357(i think that's the #)
vocal mics. None of them made it a year.
The SM-58 is a standard cause it's tough.
Try to get everyone in the band the same vocal mic. It'll make your life a
lot easier in terms of EQing your monitors.
Mike Tulley
wrote:
>I'm a bass player by trade, but I also sing backup vocals (and occasional
>lead) in my group. Due to circumstances out of my control, I now have to go
>out and purchase my own mic.
>
Try to arrange a session where you can try the Sennheiser E845, Audix
OM-7, AKG D880, and Shure Beta 58A. They're all good dynamic vocal
mics which get along well with monitors. If none of them suit your
voice, you may have to get exotic.
Mike T.
Michael Gaster
"nmm" <voxman-*@eol.ca> wrote in message news:B85EABE...@64.56.235.84...snip
>
> Try to get everyone in the band the same vocal mic. It'll make your life a
> lot easier in terms of EQing your monitors.
>
it might make things easier for eqing monitors but what about the way people
sound on the mics, I agree the mics should be matched but to a point,
typically on my stage(s) I use all Audix mics but depending on the singer I
will use an OM-6 or an OM-7, not all mics work on all people!
Michael
nmm
wrote:
>
>"nmm" <voxman-*@eol.ca> wrote in message news:B85EABE1-
>78...@64.56.235.84...
I see what you are saying; maybe i'm a little lazy in that respect, or
underfunded.
If i was doing a show with seperate monitor mixes for everyone, i
wouldn't see a problem with mixing up the mics to suit the vocalists.
Though I never seem to see that done on large setups.
I used to use Beyer M-300 s but they just didn't have the durability of the
good ole 58.
For club gigs with one, maybe two monitor mixes... at about $150 per mic..
Sounds like a job for the SM-58 to me.
I should give the Audix mics a try, I've noticed people saying nice things
about them here. The only ones I'd seen had switches on them, or were used
as tom mics.
Not that this is practicle at all but what was the Neumann that was used on
that last Steely Dan tour for vocals?
Hermann Stemberger
"nmm" schrieb
> Not that this is practicle at all but what was the Neumann that was used
on
> that last Steely Dan tour for vocals?
I don't know Steely Dan but i think that he used the KMS 105.
link to the infos:
http://www.neumann.com/infopool/mics/produkte.php?ProdID=kms105
It's the topliner for live from Neumann, it is situated somewhere beside the
Audix VX-10.
regards,
hermann.
Key Audio (Kenneth Kareta)
> I see what you are saying; maybe i'm a little lazy in that respect, or
> underfunded.
>
As You said, on a multi mix stage, it's much more feasible. Another way is to
match the lead mic with the voice, and give everyone else the generic rental
stock vocal mic. This also helps define the lead vocalist, sonically. With
feedback rejection specs as they are these days (as opposed to the good old (?)
days) it does leave more room for mix and match mic'ing, provided the tech is
on the ball.
Michael Rempel
> it might make things easier for eqing monitors but what about the way
people
> sound on the mics, I agree the mics should be matched but to a point,
> typically on my stage(s) I use all Audix mics but depending on the singer
I
> will use an OM-6 or an OM-7, not all mics work on all people!
I am wondering why not the OM-5? Correct me if I am wrong, but the 6 is
wider cardioid, with a looseish bottom, and the 7 is almost shotgun
hypercard with a lot of bass pressence. The 5 is hotter, tight cardioid
pattern with less bass presence than the 7 and has a bit more 8k peak. Is it
your preference, or do you not like the 5 for some reason? I have a few 5s,
but no 7s because I dont have a good male singer who can use a mic properly.
>
> Michael
>
>
David Shorter
> I am wondering why not the OM-5? Correct me if I am wrong, but the 6 is
> wider cardioid, with a looseish bottom, and the 7 is almost shotgun
> hypercard with a lot of bass pressence. The 5 is hotter, tight cardioid
> pattern with less bass presence than the 7 and has a bit more 8k peak. Is it
> your preference, or do you not like the 5 for some reason? I have a few 5s,
> but no 7s because I dont have a good male singer who can use a mic properly.
They're all hypercardioid with the OM7 having the tightest pattern.
The OM5 and OM7 have fairly similar frequency responses with a low
end roll off and a nice presence boost above approx 5kHz with the
OM7 having a bit more around 10kHz. The OM6's response is a lot
flatter, hence the apparent low end increase compared to the other
two, and has a noticeable peak above 10kHz. The OM5 and OM6 have
about the same sensitivities, while the OM7's sensitivity is around
8dB lower.
The OM5 is a very good general purpose mic. The OM6 is particularly
good with some female vocalists. The OM7 is definitely one of the
best mics for loud rock vocals but with one proviso, because of its
tight polar pattern which gives it excellent GBF the singer needs
to stay on the mic, if the singer gets off axis the response drop
off is really pronounced.
As usual this is just one man's experiences and YMMV.
--
Regards,
David Shorter
Oceania Audio
Auckland, New Zealand
Any errors in tact, fact or spelling
are entirely due to transmission error.
Michael Gaster
"David Shorter" <dazz...@ihug.co.nz> wrote in message
news:3C3EDAAF...@ihug.co.nz...
...uhhh thanks David.
he pretty much hit it (and then some) for me which should explain why I uses
just those 2 mics, the 5 is a good mic hell I will take a OM-3 over a 58 or
B58 any day and the 5 (depends) over the 3. I have found the 7 isnt that
hard to work with as long as you have a good console & (obviously)W/good Mic
Pre's, and plenty of power in the system. ...your set!
Michael