TELL US about YOUR MICROPHONE

Larry Read · **Voice Talent** Joined: 27 Jan 2007 Posts: 6

I personally own a classic Neumann U47 it's my soul mate and sounds as magical as it gets I bring to all sessions. Other favorites I use are the AKG 414, MD 421, and a Blue Blueberry.

But each persons Voice is different it really is what ever works for you/

when it works its great if it does not shake it Wink

Pierre Maubouche · Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007, 19:05 (GMT) Post subject: Re: Mics I use

Larry Read · **Voice Talent** Joined: 27 Jan 2007 Posts: 6

Mics are the most important link in any audio chain. Being a recording engineer and composer as well as a voice talent has afforded me the opportunity to get to try out and use under real conditions just about every microphone made. My personal favorites for VOICE are as follows

#1 Neumann U47.. this the Granddaddy of all mics. The one everyone tries to emulate and copy. Used exclusively by Elvis, The Beatles,Frank Sinatra, Roy Orbison, M Jackson, and just about every high end recording ever made. Very costly price range 7,000 to 30,000 depending on condition priced out of range most studios

#2 Neumann TLM49 The newer and not as pricey version of the above with an almost identical freq curve. List $1,199 can be had for around $1,699
and worth every penny. Absolutely no sibilance problems, No P or K expolsions and that Famous Warm Deep Classic Neumann sound. A real winner in all depts. Uses the same K47 Cartrage as the above

#3 AKG 414 this is a studio standard of the industry with a pedigree as long as a mile.. derived from the C12 another legend for just under $1,000 street price..list 1,299 this is an almost insane quality mic for just about anything. 6 different patterns, roll offs and pads has the Wow factor Vocally works well on female vocals and Incrediable on any Acoustic Insturment. Many famous recording produced on this one as well.
This is a mic you cannot go wrong with!

#4 Blue Mics Blueberry. A strange and new age looking mic but with character all its own. Bright clear highs deep low end. Not a mic for everyone suited best for trained vocalists. If interested try it out first!
Has to be used in close proximity 2 to 3 inches from source. Can be problematic in the P and sibliance dept but if you can keep it in control it's a really magical and excellent performer that rivals mics costing thousands more .only one patten Cardriod.
street price around $ 950.00

#5 EV PL 20 this is a large diaphram mic used in just about every talk radio booth in the world. Been around forever, Many uses. Not as warm or friendly as the above but a Totally Flat response built with great quality and very rugged. Has a few proximity problems with Pops but they can be eliminated easily with a pop filter screen.. Dynamic Cardroid Priced around $500

#6 Sennheiser MD 421 A real favorite in the lower priced range, Extremely good sounding on MALE vocals and certain female vocals.
No low end pop problems very well rounded sound. wonderful mic considering its low price. Around $375 single dynamic cardroid pattern

I have invloved with music and vocal production for 30 years if you have a question don't be afraid to ask I am always learning as you should too.

Nice to meet you, larry Wink

Joe J Thomas · **Voice Talent** Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1521

Colin Campbell · Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007, 20:06 (GMT) Post subject:

Todd Ellis · Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007, 01:24 (GMT) Post subject:

The PL20 and the RE20 are the EXACT SAME mic. The marketing geniuses at Electrovoice one day decided they were getting great radio business - but not so much studio business - SO they painted RE20s and RE11s (and some other models in the RE series, too, I think) gray, called them PL20 and PL11 etc ... and put them on the market - I don't know how long they did it - but they stopped at some point. Look really close at some of the RE20s you see in radio stations - some of them MAY be PL20s.

Colin Campbell · Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007, 01:37 (GMT) Post subject:

We have all RE-20's and some new RE-27's where I am. I don't like those mics. BTW... no mention of whether you have used a Shure KSM series mic.

Larry Read · **Voice Talent** Joined: 27 Jan 2007 Posts: 6

The KSM 32.. I own one of these as well . This is Shures studio entry level mic. Having owned one of these for the last 3 years .. heres my thoughts.
It's a very flat mic.... well made, comes with a really nice carrying case
The sound leaves me kinda cold.. Not a warm mic.. very accurate though. Handles P and K 's if you don't eat the mic ..no sibilance problems.

One pattern cardriod and has roll off and pad swiches on rear.
Comes with really nice suspension mount. Not a really hot mic in the output dept... needs a lot of mic pre to be heard well. 48v phantom powered. List $ 700 can be had at a street price of $499 and maybe lower check around.

Not a really excellent musical mic but works well in the voice over realm. Not my first choice...its just not a warm and friendly sounding mic.
It does however sound better when passed thru a tube pre/amp like the Unversal Audio LA-610 that helps warm it up alot.
AND tada!! It is MADE IN AMERICA < rare nowdays

Just a thought...I have always wondered why a lot of lower end mics come with such awsome carrying cases and Mics like my outstanding almost $2,000 Neumann TLM49 come in cardboard box?? What is up with this ??? wierd huh?

George Karnes · **Voice Talent** Joined: 26 Dec 2006 Posts: 905

Well I just couldn’t hold-out any longer. I have been wanting this classic piece of equipment ever since I started in voice over work.

While some pros count pennies saving up for a Neumann U87. Real experts know that nothing can compare with the weapon of choice for true VO aficionados, Mr. Microphone.

I have spent so many nights dreaming about one day owning my own Mr. Microphone. Finally I found one on eBay. It had some scratches and the connection cord was frayed but I could just tell it had good bones. I checked my Visa balance and knew I had a shot. I was worried when I saw the bidding start to run in the last minute, but I kept my powder dry and sniped in my bid with 3 seconds to go. I could hardly believe my luck. I nailed it for $32.50.

It has been everything I dreamed of. I am the life of the party everywhere I go. I was amazed to find that with Mr. Microphone I was able to shout "be back to pick you up later" at girls from my car.

Now I can walk around speaking into it like that Movie Trailer guy. "I WOULD LIKE A CAN OF PEAS." It cracks me up to do it at the Super Wal-Mart and watch all the Seniors and Teenagers running for the canned goods aisle.

So you all can have your Rodes, your Shures and even your Neumanns....

I say thank you Mr. Ron Popeil, I am keeping my Mr. Microphone.

Todd Ellis · Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007, 22:21 (GMT) Post subject:

George wrote:

Gordon Gibb · Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007, 20:28 (GMT) Post subject: Mics

A bit late to this thread - but I have the Studio Projects B-3 condenser. I'm quite happy with it.

I'm with you, Colin - I use to revere the EV RE 20 (which is pretty much what we have at the station now - they're bulletproof) but ever since using the Sen. MD 421, I would much rather have the latter. Mind you, it would be niteresting to see what the RE 20 would sound like with decent processing (we don't, at the station) - but for what I'm doing here, I'm happy with my condenser.

My pick for a Dynamic would be the MD 421.

I guess, in the end, the best mic for you is the one you sound the best on....

J.S. Gilbert · Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007, 01:43 (GMT) Post subject: Telefunken and Heil

Mics are less than 1/2 the equation. Good mic + good mic pre + good digital conversion. For starters any of you guys that like the RE20, the RE 27 is an even better microphone, but a microphone that is extrmely similar to the RE 20 that is less expensive and doesn't require a mic pre cranking 500 octane to drive it is the Heil PR 40. I met the inventor of the microphone at AES and I auditioned there and I think it manages to duplicate everything you like about the RE-20 (even looks a little like it).

Now for thos of you (no offense to anyone meant here) who are making a living at this and really care about quality sound, the telefunken AK47 is in my opinion the singulalrly best vocal microphone for under $8,000. In fact street price for these guys is only a tad higher than a Neumann TLM103 andless than a new U87 (around $1,500 for the Telefunken). Of course, nobody ever got into trouble for usink a Neumann U87. Unfortunately the new models ain't as good as the vintage.

I'd love to hear what mic pre's are being used out there and what converters.

Michelle Ann Dunphy · **Voice Talent** Joined: 13 Sep 2005 Posts: 181

Right now I'm using a Studio Projects C-1, which has been a good workhorse for me, but I don't think it gives me the best sound. It's rather cold sounding. slash

I'm debating between getting a Rode NT2A and a Shure SM7. Smile