sound clips are coming up within the next few minutes! Here's the skinny on them:
The performances are not 100%, there's flubs and such, plus some untamed plosives, etc, we were mostly just trying to get a feel for the mics and vocal quality. I'll have a relatively decent full take of the bit we recorded (which is just an intro to a longer song) in a bit.
The singer has a really tricky voice, with an edge that needs to be controlled.
Signal path is:
Relatively yucky Presonus Bluetube preamp, which is the only preamp I currently have on hand that doesnt have an A/D on the other end of it
SSL, moderate compression (SSL sounds VERY good on Charles's voice)
ADA8000 with gain at 0... this thing still has a fair bit of gain to it in its lowest setting on the balanced in.... I'm guessing the 1/4" in is unbalanced, but I dunno for sure.
All monster XLR cables
take 1 is the Oktava MK319, which is a ~1" diaphragm large-body mic, I paid $69. I cut the compressor out for a second toward the beginning.
take 2 is the MXL2001, another 1" large body. This is the capsule Gus calls the "32mm chinese", and considers to be slightly lesser quality than the 34mm 797 capsule which is in the 2003. I'll have a 2003 in a week or so, so we can do more comparisons with it. I paid $99 for this mic, and got a 990 and 991 for free. I sure love Guitar Center.
take 3 is the aforementioned MXL990. Seems to me like there's a lot of HF that just sound chirpy and weird in some way. This is a 20mm SD capsule in a large short body... exacly the same capsule and circuit as the 991 and 603 pencil mics.
take 4 is my '68 U87, with it's brand new capsule (neumann, not reskin). Cardioid pattern, no rolloff or pad.
take 5 is the U87 again, but vocal delivery is quieter.
All the takes were recorded with the guitar, and there's some bleed in the vocal mic, which the compressor happily emphasizes
The guitar track is left in the clips, and it was recorded with a MXL603S on a Vox Pathfinder, and it's a jazzmaster he's playing.
