Looking for a new mic.

Over Dose

Over Dose

Engineer
I'm looking for a new mic for recording vocals. I have a Neumann U87, and tlm 103, a AKG Perception 200, a royer ribbon mic, I rented a Sony c800g, which I didn't like to on hip-hop for artist that stack their vocals. I need a tube or large diaphragm mic with a lot of character and warmth. What would you guys suggest? I've actually considered getting a custom mic, but I don't know where to go.

will be tracked through an avalon 737, or neve 1073
 
i got a blue kiwi and run this mic thru the robbie preamp and it sounds sweet! i would suggest that, it has both character and warmth homie...
 
shure sm7b or electro voice re-20

if you want a custom mic check out jj audio or micheal jolly mods
 
-OP, go to a local store ant shootout a few mics. An Avalon and U87 (which you have) is more than enough to get great vocals. If you really must add to the mic locker checkout some of the Peluso mics. The 2247 and P-67 are great tube mics. This company makes Neumann based mics for half the Neumann price.

If you are technically savvy you can get an Avatone CV-12 and perform the mods. Swapping out the capsule, tube and transformer. Nice without the mods. Awesome with mods.

http://www.morphproductions.com/apex460transformermod.htm
 
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Thanks for the unprompted plug.

It doesn't hurt that as a co-founder of the company (JJ Audio) my genre is hip hop music and engineering rap music primarily.

I have tested nearly every mic we make on hip hop vocals (my own usually, which is a baritone) and also recorded hundreds of vocals with these mics. However I'm going to recommend a competitor here.

As far as comparing 10,000 dollar mics to 100 dollar ones, as an experienced engineer I know you can usually find your way to getting a decent recording with proper technique and application. However with the cheaper made stuff (NOT CHEAPER PRICED), you will use those techniques and application ALOT more than if you simply had something that sounds good off the bat in 85% of the scenarios you encounter.

As for what is worth your time:

I'd recommend the Stellar CM6 for $350. I don't make it, it doesn't need to be modded to give you good vocals right out of the box and it has some of the best components you can get from the Chinese factories as stock parts.

Peluso CEK67 capsule
Tung Sol EF86 tube
Chinese (better quality) BV8 transformer
upgraded caps
Shockmount
case
PSU
7 pin tube cable

All for $350.


That's right under your budget, dude sells them on ebay. But I think he sold out the first round, but he's getting more soon.:sing:

Peace
Illumination

Langston Masingale
Sales and Customer Support
JJ Audio Mics, USA
JJ Audio Mics Email

---------- Post added at 09:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:43 AM ----------
P. Casso said:
-OP, go to a local store ant shootout a few mics. An Avalon and U87 (which you have) is more than enough to get great vocals. If you really must add to the mic locker checkout some of the Peluso mics. The 2247 and P-67 are great tube mics. This company makes Neumann based mics for half the Neumann price.

If you are technically savvy you can get an Avatone CV-12 and perform the mods. Swapping out the capsule, tube and transformer. Nice without the mods. Awesome with mods.
Click to expand...

BTW

The Cinemag CM2480 is going to offer less of a drastic change than people think. Its a very clean transformer and needs to be coupled with a negative bias circuit in a real C12 platform so that you don't have some crazy crisp sound in it. It does offer a better amount of headroom, however if you are looking for something that really makes a HUGE difference, I'd recommend the Tab Funkenwerk T14. It costs about 40 to 50 more than the CM2480 but the Tab Funkenwerk is also used in mics that cost thousands upon thousands of dollars. This kind of quality is available to the general public for right around $100 from Oliver at AMI/Tab Funkenwerk.

The CV12/Apex 460 is a ripe platform for mods, but now people are starting to revisit the mods that are published for it because alot of the fixes for the 12/460 are actually robbing the mic of tone. This has been a hot topic lately for techs.

You can actually use the stock capsule in the 460 if you set up the circuit appropriately and use the Tab Funkenwerk, it is one WARM and RICH transformer.

For a capsule upgrade I'd recommend the Tim Campbell CT12, to my ears its the best CK12 capsule (~$450) on the planet under $1200.:sing:

Peace
Illumination
 
Thanks for the insight on that. It's nice to hear that you guys take hip-hop/r&b into consideration when performing your testing. :cheers:
 
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To be perfectly honest, hip hop is one of the most UNDER represented platforms for testing equipment.

This was one of the motivating factors for me to start this company with Jim.

To quote another rapper:

"A rapper that makes microphones? That's the best idea I've ever heard!":)

Peace
Illumination
 
Thanks for all your input guys. I really appreciate all your input. I'm going to look more into JJ Audio. I'm going to buy more than one mic, I want to add at least 5, possibly 10 new mics.

@Illumination, is there anyway I can hear clips of the mics you guys sell and also on different preamps? I've heard some good reviews from a couple people, I just don't want to buy something I feel wasn't a smart investment. Thanks
 
Disasster said:
I haven't used these two mics but I heard great things about them: http://www.bockaudio.com/251.html, http://www.bockaudio.com/507.html
Click to expand...

Bock picked up the 251 line. Based off the Soundelux 251. They are a little less rounded than U87s, with a "glossy" top end - shiny but not bright if that makes sense. I haven't used the Bock version - but the word is that it's top notch.

For pop female vocals, 251 is hard to beat as a go to. It provides a clear shiny high end, but still has that taming quality that prevents the sound from being shrill.

Lawson 251 is a good emulation as well. Cut an album with that recently on male vocals (used a dum dum dum SM7 on a few tracks) - I might be able to find an example and post up.

My recommendation was something in the U47 category.
 
K,

Male vocals sung - Lawson 251 into Great River
Male rap vocals - Lawson 251 into TG Chandler 1073
Upright bass - Lawson 251 into API 500 series
 
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