What's your favorite mic for male vocals?
- Thread starter 62Tele
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Yeah, of course it's individualized, but curious what mics keep popping up. Which 251 - Telefunken, Peluso, Bock?
loudboy
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The closest you can afford... <g>
The original German Telefunken 251, which I believe is also very similar to the AKG C12.
Brighter than a 47, but the same quality. Tom Petty is a C-12 guy, so listen to Wildflowers/She's The One for an example.
I've used the Soundelux (Bock) E47 and 251 extensivley and they're amazing mics.
A lot of geat vocals have been cut on a U-67, also.
Jan Folkson
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There are so many factors to consider, that without significantly more information you can't possibly get a worthwhile answer.
I was trying to keep this a little more open ended to see what surfaces. But if it helps - my voice is something along the lines of Marc Cohn, fairly strong output, and I have reasonable mic technique.
I'm looking to find a decent vocal mic to use with an Apogee Duet 2 into my Mac. I'll record mostly original stuff with an acoustic or electric and overdub other instruments as needed. I'd like to get decent sound quality but have no illusions that this will replace a good studio (I've worked enough in great studios to know better).
I'd like to find something versatile enough that it might serve some other duties - it will be part of a set with a 414B-XLS and a pair of C451B's (which I might be selling). Can't see really spending several K for this one, since it's out of proportion with the rest of the setup.
I'm looking to find a decent vocal mic to use with an Apogee Duet 2 into my Mac. I'll record mostly original stuff with an acoustic or electric and overdub other instruments as needed. I'd like to get decent sound quality but have no illusions that this will replace a good studio (I've worked enough in great studios to know better).
I'd like to find something versatile enough that it might serve some other duties - it will be part of a set with a 414B-XLS and a pair of C451B's (which I might be selling). Can't see really spending several K for this one, since it's out of proportion with the rest of the setup.
Looks promising. How about the Heil PR30 or PR40?
Timmylikesthing
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SM7B
The others can be a bit fiddly for someone not used to recording or in a not so hot tracking environment.
SM7B fits most voices and is easy to use.
The others can be a bit fiddly for someone not used to recording or in a not so hot tracking environment.
SM7B fits most voices and is easy to use.
KidArchitect
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PR 30 can get sibilant and its good for scratch tracks, but ive never liked it on a final track.
SM7b is ALWAYS a decent choice. 4047 is another decent choice for the money. MA200 is a decent choice, but doesnt fit very many singers.
SM7b or RE20 are pretty versatile on singers. Or a U47 if you can spend that much. I'd also agree with that 251. The Bock should be more available than the Telefunken, but both are going to be ridiculously expensive and probably way out of the budget.
With all that said, SM7b. I was so against the idea of it, thought it was so overhyped, but eventually caved in and bought one. Best decision of my life.
SM7b is ALWAYS a decent choice. 4047 is another decent choice for the money. MA200 is a decent choice, but doesnt fit very many singers.
SM7b or RE20 are pretty versatile on singers. Or a U47 if you can spend that much. I'd also agree with that 251. The Bock should be more available than the Telefunken, but both are going to be ridiculously expensive and probably way out of the budget.
With all that said, SM7b. I was so against the idea of it, thought it was so overhyped, but eventually caved in and bought one. Best decision of my life.
21stcenturykid
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I used the PR30 for a rapper recently and really liked it, however used it for the female singer from the same band and wasn't so happy with it (she was also a terrible singer). I can post the track beginning of next week for you to hear.
Somniferous
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Just watch out using the SM7 with an interfaces pres, it tends to need a decent amount of clean gain to sound best. Most interface pres won't be up to the task.
Nelson89
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Out of the mic's i've used (so that rules out neumann's and what not), but essentially sm7b, md421, Rode K2. I never bought a K2 because i just didn't have the cash for it...however for some reason it's dropped to like $700 new in Australia...it was about $1300 a couple of months back...
To a lesser extent, believe it or not, i had this one male singer who's voice worked great with my Rode NT1a...but he had a soft voice, everyone else was way too bright with that mic.
On to the sm7b, you do need an extra pre...personally i use a UA 710 with mine, but i've heard a lot of good recordings with just the pre73...but it really is one of those mic's that opens right up when you have a good pre with it.
To a lesser extent, believe it or not, i had this one male singer who's voice worked great with my Rode NT1a...but he had a soft voice, everyone else was way too bright with that mic.
On to the sm7b, you do need an extra pre...personally i use a UA 710 with mine, but i've heard a lot of good recordings with just the pre73...but it really is one of those mic's that opens right up when you have a good pre with it.
Guitfiddler
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When we were tracking in the studio I used some vintage Neumann's but the SM7B suited my voice much better. I've always had a hard time getting my "lowish" voice to cut through a mix, and the SM7B really helped that.
Apparently it also sounds pretty good on guitar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9Fi_2wSDLo
Apparently it also sounds pretty good on guitar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9Fi_2wSDLo
alohachris
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- 63
Aloha,
IMO, there is no such thing as one mic for all male vocalists. Vocal mic's are completely voice-specific. Therefore, the question becomes, "On which male voice?" And that means you probably need more than one "favorite" to be prepared.
Assuming the question refers to studio recording & not live vocal mic's (completely different choices), my favorite mic's in the top echelon on male vocals are:
Neumann U-87 vintage (easier to find than U-47's, U-67's etc. in great shape), Telefunken Elam 251, AKG C-12, & Brauner VM-1. (I've used all of these, but only own the U87). All are fantastic for different reasons & different male voices.
More affordable: Peluso 2247LE, Pearlman VM-1, Neumann Gefell CM70, AEA R-44, & Schoeps CMT series. I also like the Schoeps CMC6 Mk4 with a thick pop filter & the right spacing.
The primary studio vocal mic that my voice chose for me is the Mojave MA-200 cardioid tube (go figure, over all those other great & $$$ mic's). It works perfectly for me: warm, detailed, open & accurate, & sounds great on my Pacifica, MDP-1, MP-2NV, SPS-1, & Apogee Duet & Ensemble pre's.
I have an SM7b that never gets used. Most of the male voices I record prefer the other, quieter, condenser mic's in the locker & aren't necessarily rockers (on whom the SM7b can really shine). If I need a dynamic mic for male vocals, I've recently been choosing the Heil PR 35 - a great mic for studio or live, IMO. That one is a surprise!
The two I use most often on male vocal recordings are the MA-200 & U87. I have others available for different vocal apps. & voices.
Again, favorite mic choice all depends on the male voice I'm recording. One does not fit all. Interesting choices so far.
If you're voice is a bit on the raspier side like Marc Cohn's, then yeah, an SM7b may be just the ticket. It does require A Lot of rated Gain to avoid hearing hiss & has a lot of self noise, but is a good value. I love the sound of pre's in the Apogee Duet. AND, with a gain stage rating of 0-75dB, the Duet has more than enough headroom to work with such a noisy mic as that SM7b dynamic. That's not the case with most two-channel mic preamp's available for under $1.5K.
A Hui hou!
alohachris
IMO, there is no such thing as one mic for all male vocalists. Vocal mic's are completely voice-specific. Therefore, the question becomes, "On which male voice?" And that means you probably need more than one "favorite" to be prepared.
Assuming the question refers to studio recording & not live vocal mic's (completely different choices), my favorite mic's in the top echelon on male vocals are:
Neumann U-87 vintage (easier to find than U-47's, U-67's etc. in great shape), Telefunken Elam 251, AKG C-12, & Brauner VM-1. (I've used all of these, but only own the U87). All are fantastic for different reasons & different male voices.
More affordable: Peluso 2247LE, Pearlman VM-1, Neumann Gefell CM70, AEA R-44, & Schoeps CMT series. I also like the Schoeps CMC6 Mk4 with a thick pop filter & the right spacing.
The primary studio vocal mic that my voice chose for me is the Mojave MA-200 cardioid tube (go figure, over all those other great & $$$ mic's). It works perfectly for me: warm, detailed, open & accurate, & sounds great on my Pacifica, MDP-1, MP-2NV, SPS-1, & Apogee Duet & Ensemble pre's.
I have an SM7b that never gets used. Most of the male voices I record prefer the other, quieter, condenser mic's in the locker & aren't necessarily rockers (on whom the SM7b can really shine). If I need a dynamic mic for male vocals, I've recently been choosing the Heil PR 35 - a great mic for studio or live, IMO. That one is a surprise!
The two I use most often on male vocal recordings are the MA-200 & U87. I have others available for different vocal apps. & voices.
Again, favorite mic choice all depends on the male voice I'm recording. One does not fit all. Interesting choices so far.
If you're voice is a bit on the raspier side like Marc Cohn's, then yeah, an SM7b may be just the ticket. It does require A Lot of rated Gain to avoid hearing hiss & has a lot of self noise, but is a good value. I love the sound of pre's in the Apogee Duet. AND, with a gain stage rating of 0-75dB, the Duet has more than enough headroom to work with such a noisy mic as that SM7b dynamic. That's not the case with most two-channel mic preamp's available for under $1.5K.
A Hui hou!
alohachris
Last edited:
jmoose
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I like the one that sounds "best" on that singer, with that music...
When it came time to do vocals on hero patterns 'cut you out' we did a blind mic shootout... we had time for that stuff and the guys had some money, not a whole lot of money but enough to rent a few nice pieces of gear to augment what I owned.
I put up maybe a 1/2 dozen mics in tight proximity... there was a 414 B/uLs - TLM103 - SM57 (they wanted to try it) - C12 (rented) etc. all patched into my favorite preamps for those mics. Then I had Jay read a magazine or book while I set basic levels... he was maybe a foot and a half from the array of mics. No compression. Too much of a variable.
Armed all the tracks, hit record and rolled through half a song... let the guys sit at the desk and sort through it. There were a couple we didn't like, a couple that were "ok" and one almost unanimous winner!
The winner?
Oktava MC12
The little pencil mic... I think plugged into an API. We did end up using a few other mics on other songs, it wasn't just the Oktava the whole way through.
I'm not sure that i've ever used the oktava since then for a lead vocal... and its certainly not because I haven't tried it!!!
When it came time to do vocals on hero patterns 'cut you out' we did a blind mic shootout... we had time for that stuff and the guys had some money, not a whole lot of money but enough to rent a few nice pieces of gear to augment what I owned.
I put up maybe a 1/2 dozen mics in tight proximity... there was a 414 B/uLs - TLM103 - SM57 (they wanted to try it) - C12 (rented) etc. all patched into my favorite preamps for those mics. Then I had Jay read a magazine or book while I set basic levels... he was maybe a foot and a half from the array of mics. No compression. Too much of a variable.
Armed all the tracks, hit record and rolled through half a song... let the guys sit at the desk and sort through it. There were a couple we didn't like, a couple that were "ok" and one almost unanimous winner!
The winner?
Oktava MC12
The little pencil mic... I think plugged into an API. We did end up using a few other mics on other songs, it wasn't just the Oktava the whole way through.
I'm not sure that i've ever used the oktava since then for a lead vocal... and its certainly not because I haven't tried it!!!
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