mic grills that sound good

[Family Hoof]

So I just spent hours with the Metas and search engine trying to answer this question myself but the results were not satisfying. So, Gus, or anyone else, if I may trouble you once more...

Which cheap LD condensers have the best sounding grill assemblies?

Granted that you have a good circuit, I believe the grill is just as important for good sound as the capsule. I'll probably buy a capsule from Peluso or Blue, but I don't think I can DIY a grill or body that's as good as the MXLs, for example.

I can take a guess at reflections based on angle/dimensions, and HF damping based on how many layers and how fine the mesh is, but what are some specific factors to look for?

Are there rules you use to determine sound quality based on grill design or is it just listen and learn?

Really appreciate it! Thanks!!!

 

[gyraf]

Listen and learn.

I have very good results with the simple grille design used in G7.

Jakob E.

 

[Michael_Joly]

A while back I scoured rec.audio.pro and collected a bunch of comments about grille designs here:

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.audio.pro/browse_thread/thread/14e2e070842b3650/fe355288b20c89a0?q=microphone+head+grille+effects#fe355288b20c89a0

 

[Mbira]

This may seem off topic, but are there "good" benefits musically to any of the grills? Why not have a mic with a removable grill to take off when you record something? Are the grills there only for protection?

Joel

 

[Gus]

Ok I kind of like the MXLV67 69 grill for male voice.

I also like grills shaped like the real u87 grills you need to look at older china microphones for that.

The MXL1006 grill is OK for female voice

The studio projects C1 etc are good.

FWIW I have built almost the same circuit and capsule except for caps in a MXL67 and the fence post microphone the sound is very different.

Honeybear is recorded with a tubed MXLV67.

A lot is try and learn. I don't know what a microphone is going to sound like until I try it Sometimes I think I am understanding more about microphone and then they don't react like I thought they would. I have so much more to learn.

I will pick a microphone as the ref microphone on a testing day. Then I will have 3 other microphones set up to compare to to try to learn what the differences are compared to that days ref microphone.

The diameter and open area are somewhat predictable: however the bottom of the grill cavity shape can change the sound(flat tapered etc)

 

[tubemonkey35]

Gus, I liked Honeybear. I forget the circuit you used buy I liked it a lot, what was it again?

The Royer mod on the mxl2001 seemd nice but cut off at the highs until I removed one inner layer of the front grill.

FYI: Royer (mojave) is discontinuing the kit and coming out with their own MIC with some tweaks to the original kit.... wonder what those tweaks are.

 

[Family Hoof]

Michael Joly,
That is GREAT info! Wish I had thought of searching rap!

Gus,
I know you've said those things before, so thanks a lot for the useful summary. Going for the U87 style was my first instinct. Do you know of any china mics that pull it off better than the MXL 2001?

I think I will spend much more time researching this subject and do some listening tests before spending money.

 

[Scodiddly]

Grilles are a necessary evil - condensor capsules are incredibly sensitive to RF and hum.

 

[Family Hoof]

[quote author="Scodiddly"]Grilles are a necessary evil - condensor capsules are incredibly sensitive to RF and hum.[/quote]
Yes, this I learned the hard way (chopping off the grille) :green:.