Looking for recommendations for an 'all around' recording mic
for an Akai GX-630D Reel-to-Reel...

Ohm rating?

Frequency rating?

Brand?

Model?


AND, please keep in mind my budget is a little limited.


thanks

ds


--

Growing Older Is Mandatory...
Growing Up Is Optional...
Laughing At Yourself Is Therapeutic.

On Sat, 3 Jul 2004 10:40:51 -0400, docsavage wrote
(in article ):

Looking for recommendations for an 'all around' recording mic
for an Akai GX-630D Reel-to-Reel...

Ohm rating?

Frequency rating?

Brand?

Model?


AND, please keep in mind my budget is a little limited.


thanks

ds

Hard questions to answer. I'm guessing the deck has 1/4" unbalanced, high
impedance inputs. If so then the trick would be finding a low z mic and
getting one of those Shure barrel connectors that converts low z to high z,
or at least a mic cable that has a female XLR on one end and a two conductor
1/4" TS on the other.

As for the mic, try an SM57 or SM58.

Regards,

Ty Ford





-- Ty Ford's equipment reviews, audio samples, rates and other audiocentric
stuff are at http://home.comcast.net/~tyreeford

docsavage wrote:
Looking for recommendations for an 'all around' recording mic
for an Akai GX-630D Reel-to-Reel...

I'm sorry.

Ohm rating?

Frequency rating?

Brand?

Model?


AND, please keep in mind my budget is a little limited.

What is your budget? Whatever you get, you're going to need either an
external preamp (recommended) or a step-up transformer to deal with the
unbalanced high-Z mike input.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

"philicorda" wrote ...
On Sat, 03 Jul 2004 14:40:51 +0000, docsavage wrote:

Looking for recommendations for an 'all around' recording mic
for an Akai GX-630D Reel-to-Reel...

Hiya.
I have an AKAI 40000 which, although 39370 more than the 630-D is not so
nice a deck. It does share the transport and a few other things though I
think...

A little sony stereo mic of the kind used with mini disks seems to work
fine. The pres are noisy though, so if you want to do it 'right', a couple
of pencil condensers, a tiny beringer desk and using the line inputs would
sound a lot nicer and not cost all that much nowadays.

Or he could just stick with the "vintage" theme and find an old
Hi-Z mic to use with it. Might even find one cheap at a garage
sale or eBay or something! :-)

On Sat, 03 Jul 2004 14:40:51 +0000, docsavage wrote:

Looking for recommendations for an 'all around' recording mic
for an Akai GX-630D Reel-to-Reel...

Ohm rating?

Frequency rating?

Brand?

Model?


AND, please keep in mind my budget is a little limited.


thanks

ds

Hiya.
I have an AKAI 40000 which, although 39370 more than the 630-D is not so
nice a deck. It does share the transport and a few other things though I
think...

A little sony stereo mic of the kind used with mini disks seems to work
fine. The pres are noisy though, so if you want to do it 'right', a couple
of pencil condensers, a tiny beringer desk and using the line inputs would
sound a lot nicer and not cost all that much nowadays.

Thanks for the help. We appreciate it.

Was thinking, originally, about an old Shure 57 or 58... ( Dual
Impedance - or one with 1/4" plug hardwired or with an adapter
plug )
The 58 freq. is rated 50-15hz... So 'lows' and 'highs' are going
to be cut-off or distorted badly... The 57 isn't much better at
40-15hz...

Found some on eBay for $50-$75.

Found cheaper, lowend Shure's, with even worse freq. ratings
(80-13hz)

Also looked at some of the 'low-end' AKG's...

The C900 and C1000 we looked at, claims it has 20-20hz (not that
we believe it from a 'low-end' mic)

And there was an AKG D3700 that claimed 60-18hz for under $30.


Also thought about some 'designed' for tape recorder mics like
the ones we had but died years ago... (Sony electret condenser
ECM-19b)


Of note: We should have mentioned, the main purpose of these,
but not the only one, is to record a 'live' performance of a
band. (loud - lots of bass)


thanks again

ds


--



"Richard Crowley" wrote in message
...
"philicorda" wrote ...
On Sat, 03 Jul 2004 14:40:51 +0000, docsavage wrote:

Looking for recommendations for an 'all around' recording
mic
for an Akai GX-630D Reel-to-Reel...

Hiya.
I have an AKAI 40000 which, although 39370 more than the
630-D is not so
nice a deck. It does share the transport and a few other
things though I
think...

A little sony stereo mic of the kind used with mini disks
seems to work
fine. The pres are noisy though, so if you want to do it
'right', a couple
of pencil condensers, a tiny beringer desk and using the
line inputs would
sound a lot nicer and not cost all that much nowadays.

Or he could just stick with the "vintage" theme and find an
old
Hi-Z mic to use with it. Might even find one cheap at a garage
sale or eBay or something! :-)

On Sun, 04 Jul 2004 09:15:35 GMT, "docsavage"
wrote:

Thanks for the help. We appreciate it.

Was thinking, originally, about an old Shure 57 or 58... ( Dual
Impedance - or one with 1/4" plug hardwired or with an adapter
plug )
The 58 freq. is rated 50-15hz... So 'lows' and 'highs' are going
to be cut-off or distorted badly... The 57 isn't much better at
40-15hz...

Found some on eBay for $50-$75.

Found cheaper, lowend Shure's, with even worse freq. ratings
(80-13hz)

Also looked at some of the 'low-end' AKG's...

The C900 and C1000 we looked at, claims it has 20-20hz (not that
we believe it from a 'low-end' mic)

Even the '57 and '58 fit that bandwidth description with a response
of something like +10/-40dB, though a condenser is likely to have a
lot flatter response, and those might reasonably have such a response.
As Scott always says, frequency response numbers don't mean anything
without the variation in output (listed in dB's) over the frequency
range. And even when that's included, they don't mean everything. Even
a frequency response graph doesn't tell you everything, but if it
includes off-axis response, it tells you a lot.

And there was an AKG D3700 that claimed 60-18hz for under $30.

I recall the Marantz receiver ad that claimed a response of "20 Hz
to 20,000 kHz" and maybe even with less than 0.1 percent distortion.
ISTR it was in Scientific American, early to mid '70's.



Also thought about some 'designed' for tape recorder mics like
the ones we had but died years ago... (Sony electret condenser
ECM-19b)


Of note: We should have mentioned, the main purpose of these,
but not the only one, is to record a 'live' performance of a
band.

In that case (using one mic, or two mics for stereo, to record all
instruments at once) a condenser may be your best bet. The MXL603S
appears to be well-liked in its price range, whereas the C1000 has a
lesser reputation. For using two mics, look up stereo micing
techniques such as x-y micing.
Many condenser mics run on phantom power only, but you'll figure
that out when you have to run to the store (presuming its open) during
the band's first set to buy a phantom power supply box (don't forget a
pair of extra XLR cables).

(loud - lots of bass)

Lots of bass? How many tubas? How many doghouses? Have you heard
the one about the basses going out for a few drinks in the middle of a
Beethoven symphony?



thanks again

ds

Ben Bradley wrote:

snip

I recall the Marantz receiver ad that claimed a response of "20 Hz
to 20,000 kHz" and maybe even with less than 0.1 percent distortion.
ISTR it was in Scientific American, early to mid '70's.

Ohh - don't be unkind. The new kids won't get that one ! ( I'm assuming
they weren't referring to the *AM* section btw ? ;-) )


Graham

On Tue, 06 Jul 2004 02:54:53 +0100, Pooh Bear
wrote:

Ben Bradley wrote:

snip

I recall the Marantz receiver ad that claimed a response of "20 Hz
to 20,000 kHz" and maybe even with less than 0.1 percent distortion.
ISTR it was in Scientific American, early to mid '70's.

Ohh - don't be unkind. The new kids won't get that one ! ( I'm assuming
they weren't referring to the *AM* section btw ? ;-) )

ISTR it meant/implied the audio preamp/power amp section only (even
FM stereo response doesn't go to 1/1000th the stated upper frequency),
and now that I see your comment about "kids" I must correct myself -
it surely must have said "20 cps to 20,000 kcps."



Graham

Ty Ford wrote:

Looking for recommendations for an 'all around' recording mic
for an Akai GX-630D Reel-to-Reel...

Ohm rating?

Irrelevant, this is about output voltage, i.e. sensitivity and about
what you want to record. A simple bal-unbal wiring can handle the
connection if the output voltage is sufficient.

Frequency rating?

Linear.

Brand?

Sennheiser.

Model?

I'd suggest trying a pair Evolution E664's for GP use, back in the old
days I would have said MD 421, but the new version is useless for GP use
and has been re-tailored as a close miking mic. MD 441 was also popular,
but now its price is imo out of the relevant league for this. ADK SC-2
could also be an option. Power supply issues and whether speficic mics
have issues with simple bal-unbal wiring not researched.

Let me know if they are OK, advice is based on specs and brand
reputation only. Alternatives are their lower range Electrets that are
made for use with such recorders, but they may not like the noise of
some instruments.

AND, please keep in mind my budget is a little limited.

Done. Some research has been left to yourself. The biggest worry when
using such a tape recorder to record "real music" is mic pre overload
(and quality). A pair of ADK SC-2's and a Symetrix 302 could have good
mileage with any "hobby range" recorder. Ty may know whether there are
issues with them, but at the equivalent of USD 115 each locally they
appear to be the best budget-quality compromise.

Hard questions to answer. I'm guessing the deck has 1/4"
unbalanced, high impedance inputs. If so then the trick
would be finding a low z mic and getting one of those Shure
barrel connectors that converts low z to high z,

Simple bal-unbal wiring worked well with dynamic Sennheisers as
suggested and that general type of tape recorder in the 1970-ties, I
don't see any relevance of using a barrel connector and a quality
balancing solution will be the Symetrix 302, I even think it could be
cheaper than quality transformers.

As for the mic, try an SM57 or SM58.

Ty, you usually DO do better and remember to ask what the guy wants to
record, there is more that those critters can not record than there is
that they can record, suggesting them is darn near disrespect for a
possibly good recorder.

Ty Ford


Kind regards

Peter Larsen

--
*******************************************
* My site is at: http://www.muyiovatki.dk *
*******************************************

Scott Dorsey wrote:

What is your budget? Whatever you get, you're going to need
either an external preamp (recommended)

Agreed.

or a step-up transformer to deal with the
unbalanced high-Z mike input.

Depends, we didn't do that back when I was using dynamic Sennheisers and
the tape recorder mic input, just simple bal-unbal wiring at the tape
recorder end of the cable.

--scott


Kind regards

Peter Larsen

--
*******************************************
* My site is at: http://www.muyiovatki.dk *
*******************************************

Richard Crowley wrote:

Or he could just stick with the "vintage" theme and find an old
Hi-Z mic to use with it. Might even find one cheap at a garage
sale or eBay or something! :-)

What anybody might like to look for at garage sales is Sennheiser cable
trannies.


Kind regards

Peter Larsen



--
*******************************************
* My site is at: http://www.muyiovatki.dk *
*******************************************

docsavage wrote:

Was thinking, originally, about an old Shure 57 or 58...

Useless in the context & disrespect for a reasonably good recording
device with a horrible media cost.

Of note: We should have mentioned, the main purpose of these,
but not the only one, is to record a 'live' performance of a
band. (loud - lots of bass)

I stand by my suggestion. It can also be used with an out of your budget
Fostex FR2 which the media cost math will put back into your budget real
fast.

Oh, please don't top-post, you mess the context up for the next poster.

ds


Kind regards

Peter Larsen

--
*******************************************
* My site is at: http://www.muyiovatki.dk *
*******************************************