[[email protected]]

I am looking for a good ribbon mic for recording vocals in my studio.
currently I am using a u87,414 and a 441 for most vocals.
My price range is$1200.
Glenn.

[Scott Dorsey]

wrote:
I am looking for a good ribbon mic for recording vocals in my studio.
currently I am using a u87,414 and a 441 for most vocals.
My price range is$1200.

What kind of vocals? What do you want that you can't get from the 441?
Do you need a figure-8 pattern? What kind of preamp do you have available?
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[[email protected]]

On Dec 21, 8:12*pm, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
wrote:
I am looking for a good ribbon mic for recording vocals in my studio.
currently I am using a u87,414 and a 441 for most vocals.
My price range is$1200.

What kind of vocals? *What do you want that you can't get from the 441?
Do you need a figure-8 pattern? *What kind of preamp do you have available?
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. *C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Well let,s see I would like a mic for a full sound. male or female. On
some Nashville country lead vocals I hear a tubby rich sound. Usually
on male vocals. The u87 and 414 are clear and handle most all vocals
pretty good. Not real full though. As far as pre's go I have API,
Neve, Focusrite,Presision audio,HHB,Peavey and a few others.
What is sparking my interest is I bought a Shinybox ribbon mic used
from this guy yesterday. I can' believe how good it sounds. The last
ribbon mic I owned was a Beyer back in the 70's. Now I would like to
try out a few. if they sound as good as this shinybox my mind starts
racing on uses. vocals, baby grand piano, accoustic guitar for
starters.
Have you gone to tuesday testers site and listened to
their mic tests?
Glenn.

[Scott Dorsey]

wrote:
Well let,s see I would like a mic for a full sound. male or female. On
some Nashville country lead vocals I hear a tubby rich sound. Usually
on male vocals. The u87 and 414 are clear and handle most all vocals
pretty good. Not real full though. As far as pre's go I have API,
Neve, Focusrite,Presision audio,HHB,Peavey and a few others.

Before doing anything else, then, I'd grab a 77dx, Don't ever use it
in anything but figure-8 pattern, but it's a very fine sounding mike.
It doesn't have a lot of top end and it is VERY touchy about loading.

It's not very Nashville-sounding... not as much top end definition as
the 441 or the RE-20. But it's a great sound for a lot of vocalists.
It's a thing everyone should have in the closet. You can buy one now
for a reasonable price, and sell at a profit if you decide you don't
need it any more.

What is sparking my interest is I bought a Shinybox ribbon mic used
from this guy yesterday. I can' believe how good it sounds. The last
ribbon mic I owned was a Beyer back in the 70's. Now I would like to
try out a few. if they sound as good as this shinybox my mind starts
racing on uses. vocals, baby grand piano, accoustic guitar for
starters.

I'd suggest, then, that you consider the Beyer M-160. It's not usually
my first choice as a vocal mike, but it's a good vocal mike for some
kinds of vocals, and it has a lot more top end than the 77DX without
being artificially "airy" like the U87 and the 414B/ULS. You probably
still know what it sounds like. It's tight as hell... enough that you
can use it on a guitar without hearing the performer singing.

Have you gone to tuesday testers site and listened to
their mic tests?

No, what is it?
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[[email protected]]

On Dec 21, 10:15*pm, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
wrote:
Well let,s see I would like a mic for a full sound. male or female. On
some Nashville country lead vocals I hear a tubby rich sound. Usually
on male vocals. The u87 and 414 are clear and handle most all vocals
pretty good. Not real full though. *As far as pre's go I have API,
Neve, Focusrite,Presision audio,HHB,Peavey *and a few others.

Before doing anything else, then, I'd grab a 77dx, *Don't ever use it
in anything but figure-8 pattern, but it's a very fine sounding mike.
It doesn't have a lot of top end and it is VERY touchy about loading.

It's not very Nashville-sounding... not as much top end definition as
the 441 or the RE-20. *But it's a great sound for a lot of vocalists.
It's a thing everyone should have in the closet. *You can buy one now
for a reasonable price, and sell at a profit if you decide you don't
need it any more.

* What is sparking my interest is I bought a Shinybox ribbon mic used
from this guy yesterday. *I can' believe how good it sounds. The last
ribbon mic I owned was a Beyer back in the 70's. Now I would like to
try out a few. if they sound as good as this shinybox my mind starts
racing on uses. vocals, baby grand piano, accoustic guitar for
starters.

I'd suggest, then, that you consider the Beyer M-160. *It's not usually
my first choice as a vocal mike, but it's a good vocal mike for some
kinds of vocals, and it has a lot more top end than the 77DX without
being artificially "airy" like the U87 and the 414B/ULS. *You probably
still know what it sounds like. *It's tight as hell... enough that you
can use it on a guitar without hearing the performer singing. *

* * * * * * Have you gone to tuesday testers site and listened to
their mic tests?

No, what is it?
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. *C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Thanks Scott for the info. That dx77 is hard to find. It looks like
they sell for $1500 to $2500. The Beyer I will have to look into also.
The Tuesday testers is part of a store online. Front end audio. They
have sound clips of dozens of mics on drums,acc,vocals. Very
educational.
Glenn.

[HKC]

I am looking for a good ribbon mic for recording vocals in my studio.
currently I am using a u87,414 and a 441 for most vocals.
My price range is$1200.


Are you sure you´re after a ribbon if you need a vocal mic. Be prepared to
add a lot of treble, all ribbons I have tried are pretty dark. This is also
one of the reasons so many people like ribbons on electrical guitars, they
seem to capture the hi mid with a more mellow tone than ie a SM57.
Crowley and Tripp makes one that they call "Studio Vocalist" which may be
different (hence the name).

[Mike Rivers]

wrote:

Well let,s see I would like a mic for a full sound. male or female.

Does the singer have a full sound? The mic won't put something there
that doesn't exist.

On
some Nashville country lead vocals I hear a tubby rich sound. Usually
on male vocals.

Easy to do with EQ, as long as there's something to boost. Have you tried?

The u87 and 414 are clear and handle most all vocals
pretty good. Not real full though.

The opposite of "full" is "empty," which suggests that something is
missing. What? Can you hear what you want to hear when you're listening
to the singer in the studio, or are you looking for an artificial vocal
sound?

Wes Dooley will arrange for a demo loan of any of the AEA ribbon mics.
That's a good place to learn what a traditional ribbon mic sounds like,
and what's different, under what conditions, with your Shinybox. It
would be an educational experience. Listening to someone else's
recordings of their studio vocalists won't tell you what your vocals
will sound like.



--
If you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring and reach
me he
double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo -- I'm really Mike Rivers
)

[Mike Rivers]

wrote:

Thanks Scott for the info. That dx77 is hard to find. It looks like
they sell for $1500 to $2500.

And your vocals aren't worth that? g



--
If you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring and reach
me he
double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo -- I'm really Mike Rivers
)

[Scott Dorsey]

In article ,
HKC wrote:
I am looking for a good ribbon mic for recording vocals in my studio.
currently I am using a u87,414 and a 441 for most vocals.
My price range is$1200.

Are you sure you´re after a ribbon if you need a vocal mic. Be prepared to
add a lot of treble, all ribbons I have tried are pretty dark. This is also
one of the reasons so many people like ribbons on electrical guitars, they
seem to capture the hi mid with a more mellow tone than ie a SM57.
Crowley and Tripp makes one that they call "Studio Vocalist" which may be
different (hence the name).

I reviewed the Crowley and Tripp in the July 2006 issue of Recording. It's
a fun microphone... it has a smooth top end but it has a monster presence
peak. It's useful, but it's not like a typical ribbon.

Also not like a typical ribbon is the Coles 4040, which has a lot of top end
but doesn't have the presence boost.

If a singer sounds really good on an SM-57, they are apt to sound good on
the Studio Vocalist or on a Beyer M-500.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Scott Dorsey]

wrote:
Thanks Scott for the info. That dx77 is hard to find. It looks like
they sell for $1500 to $2500.

That's a little high, but not totally out of line. Millions of the things
were made.... every radio station in the country had a couple in the closet.
They aren't in production any longer but they sure aren't rare. You'll find
they are a very familiar sound, just because they were so popular for so long.

The Beyer I will have to look into also.

It's very different than the traditional RCA ribbons. It has a very highly
tensioned ribbon that is corrugated in an odd diamond pattern.

The Tuesday testers is part of a store online. Front end audio. They
have sound clips of dozens of mics on drums,acc,vocals. Very
educational.

I'll look for it next week when I next have web access.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Ty Ford]

On Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:12:40 -0500, Scott Dorsey wrote
(in article ):

wrote:
I am looking for a good ribbon mic for recording vocals in my studio.
currently I am using a u87,414 and a 441 for most vocals.
My price range is$1200.

What kind of vocals? What do you want that you can't get from the 441?
Do you need a figure-8 pattern? What kind of preamp do you have available?
--scott


If you go hehttp://idisk.mac.com/tyreeford-Public/AEA?view=web
There are samples of a recent experiment.

1. Full Mix: both U 89 condenser and R84 ribbon used on main vocal
2. Vocals only using a U 89 and an AEA R84 ribbon some EQ but no EFX
3. Vocals only using a U 89 and an AEA R84 ribbon some EQ and with EFX
4. Vocals only the AEA R84

I like the combined sound. The U 89 provides some upper harmonics (as your
414 would) and the R84 fills in a lot of midrange detail. I'm using the AEA
TRP preamp on the R84.

Wes may be able to tell you more. He may also have these tracks at NAMM,
dunno for sure.

Regards,

Ty Ford


--Audio Equipment Reviews Audio Production Services
Acting and Voiceover Demos http://www.tyford.com
Guitar player?:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA