best mic

[nitrous2400]

i was wonderin what you would suggest as a good mic for guitar cab recording... i got an mbox a while ago and just started messing round with it .. i have a m audio nova and it doesnt do the amp any justice... very small spectrum on the sound i really need a mic with good low end quality because thats pretty much all i play..any help would be great i was lookin at a sennheiser e609 the other day 100 bux aint bad at all either that or a beta 57a ... im gonna need two so just wondering some input i only have two inputs on the mbox so until i get a mixer ill prob just run one mic to each cabinet i run... anyways any feed back would be great thanks

[onemind]

Of course the classic answer is an SM57, versatile, bulletproof, and in many ways a large component of the recorded 'rock' sound. If you're just starting a mic locker look no further. The Price no object answer (if you want to spend three times what your interfact costs) would be a Royer R121 ribbon mic. Why two at once though....Why not use the sm-57 up close and then about a foot back use a Large Diaphragm Condenser Mic to capture some ambience and detail (or if you're feeling adventurous... behind the cab...)

[Bassomatic]

Hype be damned, a 57 is still going to be more useful than a Royer in many, if not most, guitar-centric applications.

[nitrous2400]

Originally Posted by onemind

Of course the classic answer is an SM57, versatile, bulletproof, and in many ways a large component of the recorded 'rock' sound. If you're just starting a mic locker look no further. The Price no object answer (if you want to spend three times what your interfact costs) would be a Royer R121 ribbon mic. Why two at once though....Why not use the sm-57 up close and then about a foot back use a Large Diaphragm Condenser Mic to capture some ambience and detail (or if you're feeling adventurous... behind the cab...)

im just sayin i have two inputs its a mbox II i run.... right now my maudio nova sounds like crap i have a full stack so im gonna experiment what brings up the best sound i was gonna mic one on each cab and see if that works, i want to get a mixer and setup like 4 inputs on the mbox but not until my motors back together and i finished up everything on my car my hobbies are too expensive for me hahaha

[danj]

instead of getting a 4 channel mixer, you would probably be better off just getting a 2 channel preamp with a digital out and use the spdif in on the mbox 2, since most cheap mixers a.) come with cheap, crappy pres, b.) will overall just add a lot of noise and c.) you'll still only have 2 channels that you can't seperate. this way you can have 4 seperate channels in at a time. ART makes a 2 channel pre with a digital spdif out for around $250

[nitrous2400]

my friend told me bout that idea but i figd itd be too expensive ... preamps are normally expensive ..i just picked up a presonus tube pre just to get things moving and experiment but yeah ill have to pick up sum mics soon prob either the beta57a or the e609 and then ill bee in business.. with the digital out will that come up on protools with the controls too or will i have to use the preamp to adjust???

[T.Wesley]

Go with the e609. I get way better results with that mic than a 57. I've never really liked the sound of a guitar cab miked with a 57.

--chiba

[Denyle_Guitars]

I use a md412 on amps much more than my 57, 609 and any lesser known mics. I think I get more consistent results from amp to amp and from day to day where small changes in placement are unavoidable. It might just be a case of familiarity with the mic too.

[tradarama]

FIRST....if you an swing it buy an SM57 and the E609. If only one then the 57. I have spent the last 2 months trying to find a way not to like the 57 but it's no use.

I hated all of the threads that told me "if you can't get a 57 to work then you're not miking correctly"....I thought they were wrong...they are not...

Mess with the placement over and over and over and over. Angle it 45 degrees, try it straight on the center of the dust cap, try just where the cap meets the cone (get a flashlight to shine in the grillecloth). Try it close and far. Mess with the tone of your amp. Some say turn the bass or mids down to compensate for the midboost on the SM57.

I think you will find that the tone is pretty close to what you hear (when you bend down and actually hear what's coming out).

Also many have told me to raise the cab off of the floor (table etc). Mic the top speakers and maybe put a huge blanket over the cab/mic.

IF YOU CAN, try two mics at once into two different channels. You may find that the mix sounds really good. Don't waste your money on more expensive mics for guitar yet. There are many other ways to spend money getting a good recorded tone....the mic ain't the issue yet.

[Mook]

Originally Posted by Chiba

Go with the e609. I get way better results with that mic than a 57. I've never really liked the sound of a guitar cab miked with a 57.

--chiba

+1


Mook

[Miles]

Originally Posted by onemind

Of course the classic answer is an SM57, versatile, bulletproof, and in many ways a large component of the recorded 'rock' sound. If you're just starting a mic locker look no further. The Price no object answer (if you want to spend three times what your interfact costs) would be a Royer R121 ribbon mic. Why two at once though....Why not use the sm-57 up close and then about a foot back use a Large Diaphragm Condenser Mic to capture some ambience and detail (or if you're feeling adventurous... behind the cab...)

yeah, SM57, it's one of those things you just need in your toolbox for any event from vocals, guitar, snare, etc... Great mic and the best all arounder in my opinion. But there are some who have a distaste for it due to a more nasally tone they seem to get from it. It's all about how you use it. I use the SM57 for all guitar micing purposes.

[blueline]

+1 on the SM57 and for an affordable amazing mic to use with it try the BLUE blueberry. A very good and versatile mic and wonderful on guitar, I also use them for overheads!

[Cary Chilton]

buy 2 sm57's ( possible stereo miking for other applications and instruments, too)
Senn 906
Royer 121 ( the Royer 121 is the most accurate for hearing what IS) ,but there is a learning curve.
BUy the book : mixingwithyourmind.com to start learning anything about anything regarding producing ( tracking).....