Mic Input #1

[babyhead]

This option is not available to all, but here in LA I can rent pretty much any mic. With that you can use/try what you are in the market for. Keep an SM-7 or RE-20 around if you don't want the track so pretty. If you are intent on buying, which has it's own merits, I would +1 on the Brauners, and consider MBHO or the Nuemanns.

 

[V9977]

I may not have the wide experience of the rest of the team, but I would humbly recomend the U87 all the way.
If you can get your hands on a decent-condition older one (the one with the batt compartment), even better.
Prefer it over the M149 even. 414 sounds like a telephone next to it.

My 2 cents.

 

[warpie]

a bit off topic but I'm quite excited cause I just bought an MD441N.
I know it's not the most expensive mic ever but you know....
I'm a low budget guy  :

 

[j.frad]

Well it's expensive for a dynamic mic and it's a great choice, they are incredible mics!
Congrats!

 

[fazer]

You really do match voices with microphones.  One that nobody mentioned is the C48 Sony.  Its very smooth on Female voice.

Another one I tried and liked but did not buy is Violet.  These are hand drilled back plates Like the old tube neuman's They are made in Latvia. They can be very smooth.  The one I tried had 5 capsules that changed on the body.  The U67 capsule was my favorite.  The preamp body used a fet  but they make Tube bodies as well.  The rep was going to give me a great deal on it but it was during the market crash in 2008.  I wasn't sure what was going to happen next.  It had a very clear clean sound with out a lot of spikes on the vocals.  I should have bought it but I have an old Neuman m249 I use.    There is a vintage 414 brass plate/ring capsule from the late 70's.  It can be a beautiful mic and yes they are bright but the right 1 can be very smooth.  The later 414 TL's sound better on Piano , Drums and not my 1st choice for Vocals.

 

[warpie]

Well it's expensive for a dynamic mic and it's a great choice, they are incredible mics!
Congrats!

I only had the chance to test it on a guitar cab so far, and it sounds better than the 421 
I'm really tempted to use it as a top snare mic but I can't even imagine the scenario of some drummer hitting it...

Also, I just got two calrec pencil mics with the cardiod capsules. I've used them in the past and I really like them on some situations. Even as overheads sound great.

michael

 

[j.frad]

It can be nice on snare, but sometimes it will sound like a drum machine
You dont have to hang it over the snare, pull it back a little, it's a hypercardio after all...

 

[craigmorris74]

I would go back and really listen to the midrange on the U87 and the low end mics.  Even though the 87Ai's have all kinds of "improvements" for modern recording, they still have a fantastic sound in the mids and lows that is just fabulous.