Vocal mike for low voice?

[woodman]

my wife asked me what i wanted for Christmas, and i told her a good vocal mike for the Woodshed studio. when she asked me what kind, i had to scratch my head ... dang, i dunno!

my voice is peculiar ... it's baritone/bass, and i usually have to key down a third to a fifth for most male vocal covers. it's a boomy voice, but if i use a mike that screens out the boom, i lose all the warmth. my singing isn't Junior Brown-deep, more somewhere between Merle and Cash. i also use a gnarly Tom Waits style sometimes, and that's hard for most mikes to handle.

my main vocal mike now is a CAD E-100, and it sounds great with my wife's voice and with male singers in a more "normal" range. it has a 100Hz high-pass filter, which gets rid of a lot of the mud but sacrifices the richness.

as many savvy mike mavens as we have on this forum, i wondered if anybody knew of one that's friendly to the lows/low mids without sacrificing high mids and presence. cost is an issue, though; anything over $300 would be a deal-killer, and $200 would be more like it.

i know, i'm wishing for the moon! but any suggestions would be gratefully considered.

[Ben Harmless]

My first thought would be a Shure SM7b, though it's over your price range. Used, it would probably squeek in, though I don't see too many used ones - people tend to keep them.

Same applies for the EV RE-20.

Same for the Beyer M88.

So, eliminating those, I think I would actually be willing to consider taking the plunge on a mic that I've got no personal experience with. Do some research on the Heil PR30 and see if you're struck the same way I am.

Tape Op Magazine did an interview with Mr. Heil a couple of issues ago, and that plus the things I've read on Gearslutz and the Tape Op boards makes me very curious.

These are all dynamic mics. Unless I've got a lot more to spend on a vocal mic, (Neumann KMS 105, Beyer M500 - and up) I'd probably stay dynamic - and even then there's a good chance I'd stick with the dynamics anyway.

[woodman]

Originally Posted by Ben Harmless

These are all dynamic mics. Unless I've got a lot more to spend on a vocal mic, (Neumann KMS 105, Beyer M500 - and up) I'd probably stay dynamic - and even then there's a good chance I'd stick with the dynamics anyway.

thanx, Ben ... i'm curious as to your reasoning. is it because condensers tend to have boomy characteristics, or other factors?

[Ben Harmless]

Originally Posted by woodman

thanx, Ben ... i'm curious as to your reasoning. is it because condensers tend to have boomy characteristics, or other factors?

No, it's just because most condensers under the $700 range just don't really seem to do anything more than the dynamics, and often seem preoccupied with high-end articulation at the expense of a good, solid fundamental tone.

I also just tend to like dynamic mics on many sources. There are many occasions where the extra articulation of a condenser reproduces things that you wouldn't normally distinguish from human speech in a natural environment. The extra mass of the moving-coil diaphragm slurs out the smallest of transient artifacts and, IMHO makes for a warmer sound overall.

I don't mean to make it sound like I prefer a lower-fi sound (which sometimes I do) as most quality dynamic mics will reproduce a great amount of detail. I also won't claim to always be able to tell the difference in a blind test. All I know is that I've got an SM7 and (about a million) RE20s at work, and my ear likes them on human voices over the 414s and the Beta 87Cs. I think the SM7 brings out more richness in my voice than any other mic we have - and I don't have that low a voice.

Honestly, this is a personal preference. I don't mean to make it sound like anything more than that - though one could argue that there's nothing beyond personal preferences in recording, and music overall.

If you find yourself in upstate NY, stop by and we'll play with all the mics in our locker. The other engineer would be down too.

[tonewoods]

"Honestly, this is a personal preference."

Yeah, but your preferences are spot-on....

+1 on everything on this thread so far....
Saved me a lot of typing....

Try to get an used SM7 if you can.
Great mics, especially for what you're trying to do.....
And they'll hold their value....

And yeah, the Heils look like winners, but I too have no experience with them...
Been meaning to check them out.....

[Tim Armstrong]

I've been intrigued by some of the import ribbon mics, like the Nady line: RSM-1, the RSM-4, and the RSM-5.

Another that really seems like a possible keeper is the ShinyBox 46. A regular poster over at the Womb has said nice things both about the mic and about their customer service.

I haven't USED these mics, or any ribbon for that matter, but like I said, they look to be a cool alternative...

Tim

[woodman]

Originally Posted by tonewoods

Try to get an used SM7 if you can.

that was Ben's first choice, too ... poking around the 'Net, that looks like an mighty good mike! also checked out the Heils, and they got good reviews, but it looks like the SM7 would be worth the extra dough. hmmm ... may Santa can work some OT!

[mudbean]

Woody, I'll throw in my "Yea" for the Shure SM7b - I love mine ... my understanding is, it's also very popular in country studios these days for those male baritone voices.

Also, to try and confuse you even more, you might want to take a look at the MXL V69ME - this is a tube mic, very rich sounding, and is a real sleeper. New for $300 from the discounters. I don't have one (yet, it's on my wishlist), but my studio buds rave about them.

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com...one?sku=271017

mud

[RosayFanboy]

If you want a really good, but inexpensive mic, I recommend the Sterling Audio ST51. It's $100 and I've gotten really good results with it. And every review I've read was a positive one. Just my 2 cents.
No matter what mic you get, let me say make sure you get a shock mount and Pop-Filter along with it. Those 2 accessories really make a difference. Especially a good Pop-Filter.
Good luck with your quest!

[tweeet]

Used an Audio Technica Pro25 Bass drum mic on a couple of sessions with a male bass singer from a choir....also used it for narrative voice overs....that was pretty good...and economically priced.

[vjf1968]

No experience with these but I'm looking to into buying a pair.

http://cascademicrophones.com/cascade_FAT%20HEAD.html

[woodman]

with a grain of skepticism, i researched the $99 Sterling ST51, and was surprised at what i found ... nice tip, Rosay! the EM review specifically said it delivered a natural full range on the male voice "... letting the baritone's rich low notes fill up the track without creating any problematic honk or bass buildup in any part of his range." since that's the specific quality i'm looking for, it wouldn't bother me if it's a one-trick pony.

at that price, if it wasn't precisely what i wanted, buyer's remorse wouldn't be as bad as spending $350 with the same results. of course i wouldn't expect it to sound like a $350 mike, but as i say, i'm not necessarily looking for versatility, but for something that will fill just one need: not making my weird voice sound like geese farts on a muggy day.

in a perfect world, i'd buy an SM7b without hesitation and be set for life. but as holiday demands on the bankroll add up, that's looking like a beautiful dream. so i'm giving the Sterling a hard look as a possibility until better times roll around.

anyone else used these?

[JohnSS]

You might want to check out Studio Projects Mics. They make a very good Tube Mic as well as other large condensers that are excellent values and are good for reproducing vocals, pianos, strings, etc. I own the B1 and have never had a problem with any vocal tracks when using it.

[popthree]

i think my vocal range is very similar to yours woodman..... a friend of mine suggested i give the Heils a look. I bought the PR20 since i wanted a mic i could easily use on stage if needed. i really like it.. its my only studio mic presently, so i use it for vocal, guitar, whatever.

[smsuryan]

i wonder how many shure 57 mics we would have if we had a tally of all forum members who own one..cheap mic thats decent

[mudbean]

Originally Posted by smsuryan

i wonder how many shure 57 mics we would have if we had a tally of all forum members who own one..cheap mic thats decent

I believe that anyone who gigs should have a 57 or 58 tucked away in the bottom of their gig bag at all times, and in the glove box in the truck, and in the ... regardless of whether you have contract PA support or not - I can't tell you how many times I've saved gigs for me or others by just having an old beater SM58 laying around - they're nearly indestructable and they can do anything in a pinch, at least well enough to avert disaster.

mud

[TNO]

I would look hard at the Nady ribbons but the best vocal mic for my baritone voice is the beyerdynamic TGX58.

[Old Cane]

The PR20 as mentioned above and the Fathead are good choices. I also have a PR30 that I really like for everything. They have a handheld version, the PR35 now too. Your local GC Pro can get you a killer deal unless you have another source. I also buy from Warren at Front End for online stuff.

[tboy]

I've also had great luck using an omni-directional pattern in front of bassy, resonant voices. Get right on it, and you get a big, clear and open tone without prox buildup, but ambient noise can be an issue and the sound of your room comes into the picture much more. Not many low-cost with switchable patterns, but the Shure SM63 is a dedicated one I've used with luck. Under $120.

The RE/PL20 won't build up either like other cardioids, but it's a bit dry sounding for me, and they're pricey for their flexibility. I understand it's Stevie Wonder's favorite vocal mic.

[woodman]

this thread that started at Christmastime has finally reached fruition! today, my new Shure SM7B arrived ... a little late for Santa, but oh well ... the past five months gave me a lot of time to check around, read reviews, compare prices, etc. ... what sealed the deal was that Uncle Sam blessed all us Social Security geezers with a whopping $250 check to see us through the economic downturn. at the same time, Unique Squared was running a special on the SM7 for $299.95, including a cheapie Whirlwind mike cable. kicked in last weekend's gig money (yes, i often play for $50 in clubs, but it's better than not playing) and i did my patriotic chore by plowing it all back into the economy!

plugged it into the Brick to put it through some paces ... first up, checking the presence boost and bass rolloff switches ... my sound is definitely both switches engaged. then an A/B test with my former vocal mike (CAD E-100 medium diaphragm condenser) — wow, the difference was dramatic! my voice went from geese farts on a muggy day to geese farts on a crisp autumn day. i laid down a vocal track on a band project i'd already completed and there was no comparison ... the SM7's response sounded almost like a pricey large-diaphragm condenser, rich and present, whereas the existing CAD track sounded boxy and pinched.

so i've finally found a mike that likes my voice — no buyer's remorse here! many thanx to Ben, Mud and tonewoods for the recommendation. this one's a keeper!

[fezz parka]

Zimmy sings through a SM7. Great mic.

[woodman]

if it's good enough for Zimmy, it's good enough for me!

[mudbean]

Glad to help.

mud

[octatonic]

SM7 or Beyer M88 would be my first choice.

[Old Cane]

We all knew you'd like it. Good deal. Nothing like a crisp autumn day.

[Telesavalis]

I would suggest looking for a used Sennheiser 421.

[mudbean]

Originally Posted by Telesavalis

I would suggest looking for a used Sennheiser 421.

Why?

mud

[Ben Harmless]

Grats, Wood! Now start pointing it at everything else too! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Some day I will have one of my very own. Until then, the one at work will have to do...