Hello Audioz members,

hope your doing all fine.....
I need a little help I was going to buy a new Mic or a used one.
My old mics that I sold were Neumann Tlm49 and Brauner Panthera.
The MIc that i am going to buy will only be used for Vocal Recordings R&B Hip Hop Female-Male Artist.
I already went to shop with no luck (bought a Telefunken CU29 and send it back)
What I need is a Good Mic that (i know it is impossible) worked on severale male female Voices
So these are my options now.

1.
Buy a used Neumann 87AI.(1500€)

2.
Buy new Slate VMS
I hope some of you have some experience with it and share it with me here.(1299€)

3.
Peluso P12 or
Peluso 22 251

4.
Pearlman TM2

5.
Buy some Used unexpensive Mics
Neumann TLM 193
Mojave 201 FET
AKG C214
Sennheiser MK4
Avantone CK7
all Used 1500€

6.
maybe you have an option that i didn't had.

thx

 

"If" you can get a selection of good second hand mics for the same kinda money it would give you a range of options for different singers, that might be a handy thing to have going forward.

However, getting second hand mics that have been looked after and are in good order might be hard, and could end up giving you problems if things don't work out.

Another way would be to try and borrow a few differnt mics from your local shop......leave them a deposit and spend a few days testing and making a decision.

 

For that kind of money I would try to get some versatility. An Audio Technica 40 series is an excellent medium priced LDC. That would leave money for another mic (SM7B?) and an ART pre-amp. I can't emphasize enough how much my ART can make any mic sound better for a reasonable price.

 

I am happy as a clam after buying a Microtech Gefell umt70s. I spent lots of time auditioning microphones. I checked out the Beez Neez Mahalia, the Neumann U87, U89, 103, Rode Classic II & K2, AKG 414, all those Telefunkens including the CU29, Audio Technica 4047 & 4050, that Mohave 201fet, and after all was said and done the umt70s (I also bought the Gefell m930 which is sooo wonderful in it's own right) was the one that took everything that I threw at it, from belting operatic high volume punishment to up close and personal whispering and never broke up or sounded anything but velvety sweet. The two preamps that I have to use it with are the Daking Mic Pre One and the Warm Audio Tonebeast. I found that for my voice in my room that it sounds best with the Tone beast when I want my vocal to fit like a glove in a mellow mix, and when I wish it to stand out in a busier mix then the Daking is what I like to use. I think that the umt70s is just killer as is all the Gefell line. It has the three polar patterns, cardioid, figure 8 and omni which is a bonus and employs as close as it gets to the the original Neumann M7 capsule (Thiele makes a few amazing ones as well as Telefunken but if it matters the Gefell factory still uses the original Neumann machinery, I believe). You really need to get up close, like six inches to utilize any proximity effect so have taken to using a Rycote InVision pop filter which fits nicely into the Rycote shockmount. In contrast, the m930 has a much longer reach and if I have it up for scratch vocals a foot away begins opening up the bottom end. Two great mics with totally different personalities. You can't go wrong with the umt70s as the quality is amazing in both construction as well as perfirmance. Mine is matt black, but it also comes in a nice satin nickel. Have fun shopping around

Out of curiosity, which preamp(s) were you thinking of using with whatever you decide to buy?

 

Or you Build your own Diy Mic...

Check:
http://microphone-parts.com
http://microphone-parts.co.uk

 

Have you tested a SE Electronics sE X1 Tube?

 

I have 1 mic and 1 mic only. It's the Shure SM7B vocal cardioid dynamic microphone. It was pretty expensive at the time I bought it which was over 10 year ago

 

I have had the Slate VMS for several months now, I love it and the whole concept, If you can demo it I suggest you do ASAP.
I sold my TLM67, Lawson L47MP and CU29 because for me the VMS was more versatile and far more detailed than those 3 and delivered results that are pro quality IMHO. I also have a very extensive use of many classic microphones used in many top pro studio's across the US, and I'm a multi-platinum Engineer and producer, so I'm experienced. I believe the Slate is the bang for the buck mic/preamp system today, again I suggest you test it for yourself as it's at the top of my list for the price and it's ability to cover many different sources. I will be purchasing a 2nd VMS for stereo work next year.

As always, to each their own.

 

yea what he said!!! lol..... but on a serious note i have a many mics collection myself an 90% was used gear from pro studios and i couldnt stress enough on how versatility/variety with medium $ range mics beats the hell out of just one or a few Top $ microphones

 

When I listened to the Slate files comparing their VMS and the microphones that they are modeled after, I was was able to discern which was which every single time in a double blind test. However, when they were comped together so that they were seamlessly mixed I was totally mindfucked and was stumped as to when one ended and the other began. And in addition to the three top of the food chain microphones, you get two iconic preamps that you can mix and match to cover lots and lots of bases, probably all that you might every need to record 95% of any singer that you would record as well as many instruments.Then, to make it even mo betta still, Slate will be creating other virtual vocal microphones that I'm sure will fill in that 5% gap to enable you to rule the world from the comfort of your comfy studio chair. When they begin to model the small diaphragms then it will just be ridiculous and game over. The Slate system as well as its competitors both now and in the near future won't be putting any creators of high quality microphones out of business (just yet) but they will probably loose a goodly bunch of sales though from guys like @koschke who might take what a bunch of funny named folks like WillTheWeirdo or superliquidsunshine have to say on forums just like this one here. I wish in a big way and for many different reasons that this VMS thing and its ilk weren't as cool as they really are , but I just need to let my prejudices slip by the wayside to make room for the new, making space for an idea that is ripe and whose time has finally come.

 

I have not listened to mic modeling, but I know the guitar amp/cabinet modeling works. But mic modeling would remove some of the fun from owning all the mics I do if I could make just one sound like any. I guess it would be a different sort of "tinkering".

 

I think that I know exactly how you feel.

I was thinking about it in another way, that it is important to archive our files in different formats as well as locations, and this might just satisfy that criteria for us all when it comes to microphones. Maybe I just be trippin'.

 

I was talkin with Will in another post bout the VMS an i will prolly be purchasing this tool cause for me>>> if nothing else this a quick an easy way to fig out what mic works best on the source recorded ;) Somthing else that comes to mind is out of all the mics i own in pairs and even 3 or 4 of the same>>> no 2 of them sound the alike... and not just the tube Microphones either i can hear difference in every 57 mic i have

 

Last edited: Nov 3, 2016

That's one if the things that bums me out about these kinds of things, the unique identify of an object, maybe what I would describe as the soul of a tool is overlooked, relegated to uselessness, squandered or is rendered unimportant for a modern convenience, that, in bringing a cookie cutter sameness to the market, and in effect, so that we all can now "share" the same experience*. It is dangerously close to the vibe of a tangential storyline of a sci-fi novel, perhaps.

 

you have a way with word's my friend and for the reasons you just stated i will always cherish and put my collection to use... for the unique character each and every one them of the same or different model can bring to the table ;)

 

@superliquid: So do you think that a fairly low-cost large diaphragm condenser microphone combined with good mic modelling will satisfy most requirements except the most high-end or solo recordings?
Apart from that, I'm sure that mic placement and recording environment play an important role (even the decision to X-Y or M-S that I had to experience again lately), but I'm still a bit skeptical about modelling when it comes to recording vocals, although I'd be happy to learn a new lesson.

 

hey Guys
thank you all for your replies i appreciate it very much
I am also sceptical with the VMS but the truth is for that moey to get all the modeling mics is really awsome but in the other hand it is like using a bunch of Plug ins to get the right sound out of the Vocals.
@WillTheWeirdo
as one of the owner of the Vms how is it compar to a Neumann U87 A. I watched all the video about the Vms and find it really harsh in the top end with a lot of sibilance.
Do you have that problem too and can you record in real time or do you use the plugins after the recording session.

I did not try the SE Electronics sE X1 Tube but from the low budget mic I found the Sennheiser MK4 realy impressive no harsh top end an no sibilance that killing ears.
So still got the problem but I right now (i'm not 100% sure) i will pull the trigger on the VMS but i will definitely contact slate for a Coupon when i am buying the vms want to get some of his plugins in too.

thx

 

U87ai is a good mic, it just has one voicing, the VMS and Townsend Labs Sphere concept is to allow you to use software to change the voicing quickly. The VMS is a very detailed mic/preamp, if the source is sibilant, the VMS will show it like a real C800G, VM-1, or Manley will. If you find the VMS harsh in testing, then it may not be the right system for you.
The VMS will not allow low latency monitoring with the software in use at this time, but the soon to be released Townsend Labs Sphere mic will be using the UAD platform and do it.

These are just tools, as with any tool, test it for yourself to know if the tool is right for you.

 

Last edited: Nov 5, 2016