What's the crappiest/overrated "pro" mic you have

kinger · Post by **kinger** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:33 pm

cgarges wrote:
bendymusic wrote:u87...
Seconded. An incredibly over-rated microphone. I have things that I use mine for, but they're not the usual applications. Still, it gets more use than the 57s do.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

I don't own one but I had use of one for a long time; to me, it sounded kind of like the diaphragm was made from cardboard, and not the good quality corrugated stuff, either.

joninc · Post by **joninc** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:38 pm

i got to use some vintage U87s in a local studio on guitar amps - paired with a dynamic - i loved them. also pretty cool for rock overheads.

but my buddy had a U87ai - the new ones i guess - it sounded like mush/broke up like crazy on guitar amps it clearly could not handle the spls .... maybe some are better than others..

also i'll chime in on the C1000 - i bought this early on when i hardly owned any mics based on Andy Hong's rave review in TAPE OP. i don't know if i have ever heard anything so shrill and thin in my life. i wonder if he was doing market research to see if reviews eqalled sales? (don't get me wrong - the man makes great sounding records - i just couldn't see how with that mic.)

kingtoad · Post by **kingtoad** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 5:25 am

I don't know, u87s almost certainly are overrated purely due to ubiquity but I still find them very useful on certain things - some vocalists fit them really well and one of the best guitar sounds I ever got was a u87 about 4 or 5 feet back from a clean, slightly reverby amp.

Probably not worth the money, I guess, compared to some lesser known options (I find the beyer mc740 does a lot of the same things just as well with a slightly darker sound at half the price) but still a good microphone. I've never used one of the newer u87Ais though.

Here's one that everyone's going to disagree with - I've never really liked the RE20 on anything I've used it on. Tried it on kick, bass, guitar (where I did quite like it for a certain "chunky but wooden" sound) and vocals, and never been massively impressed. I could see myself using it for certain vocalists, but all the singers I've tried it on needed a clearer top end than it was giving me.

Ha, I guess I've just said loads of reasons why the RE20 could be good, but I thought I' throw that one in there as I know loads of people really love that mic.

A.David.MacKinnon · Post by **A.David.MacKinnon** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:42 am

kinger wrote:
cgarges wrote:
bendymusic wrote:u87...
Seconded. An incredibly over-rated microphone. I have things that I use mine for, but they're not the usual applications. Still, it gets more use than the 57s do.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC
I don't own one but I had use of one for a long time; to me, it sounded kind of like the diaphragm was made from cardboard, and not the good quality corrugated stuff, either.

I have a love/hate relationship with the U87. Years ago I rented one to do my own vocals and hands down it's one of the worst sounding mics ever for my voice. It made me sound more thin, nasal and harsh then ever.

However, for the right kind of voice it's amazing. I did a record for a fantastic female singer and every mic we tried on her sounded like there was a blanket over it. Muffled, boxy, you name it. I put up a U87 and it was a eureka moment. It sounded like she was in the room with me.

I also think it's really great as a clean room mic when you need the room to be a huge part of the sound of the record.

vxboogie · Post by **vxboogie** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:52 am

vikingrecording wrote:i will agree with the AKG c1000s.
also, shure sm81 -> not for me

agree on the c1000s
big disagree on the sm81 - like them a lot

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 7:35 am

I'm just a lowly bedio-recordist, don't even have a lotta mic's or experience with a lot - certainly not a U87 unless it was on me in a studio and I didn't know it - but I have never met a mic that wasn't useful for some recording application.

For example, I sometimes like the C1000S on electric guitars, and paired with a decent LDC it can be cool on a stereo acoustic. And it can also be aiight for backing vocals.

Further example: I have a cheap Shure 58-looking thing, and a cheap AT thing, and they are nice when stacking electric guitars; especially when I'm using the same amp, it's like instant EQ.

I only wish I had a RE20 to hate on.

@?,*???&? · Post by **@?,*???&?** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:34 am

At the studio that would have to be the Audio Technica 4033.

There are so many better mics in that price range...

capnreverb · Post by **capnreverb** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:51 am

A note about the c1000's. While I think it's not a very good mic, I did notice that it sounded better to me when running off the battery than when using 48v. Could be psychosomatic, but it did sound different.

I bought a u87ai a few months ago so I would have "the benchmark" of what all modern made LDC's are compared to. While I am not totally sold on it, and would probably have bought something else now that I have used one, it is a very good mic. It is bright like a lot of Chinese LDC's , but it's not as shrill as most of those I have tried. Also, it has a unique BIG sound across the spectrum. One thing that I had read about them when doing research is that they really articulate the mids in a way that a lot of mics do not. Because of this, I think they have a very prominant footprint in a mix. Full, rich, and a bit cleanly fat. Also, they are not a very forgiving mic, and tend to blare any issues from whatever I might be recording. Plus, if I need to record a gnat farting from 100 ft, this would be my first pick of the mics I have. For the $1800 I paid, there are for sure probably better mics. But, I can sell it tomorrow for the same price and not be out anything, plus I have the "referance" for everything else - (made today- not c12's, U47's etc.) that I buy in terms of LDC's from now on.

beefy · Post by **beefy** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:40 am

I just want to add as far as the shures go. I got a sm58 and it was pretty horrible not a very toneful mic and it breaks up pretty easy.

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 1:36 pm

That's interesting; I would suspect there is a problem with your '58.

roscoenyc · Post by **roscoenyc** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 1:51 pm

In the 80's ever studio that had mostly quit doing music and mostly doing midi stuff that you'd go into here in ny the guy would pull out his 414. I know they are useful but they
became "jingle mics" to me. I don't really have to like them for any rational reason. When somebody pulls out a 414 I have 'em put it on the high hat which I equate to some kind of audio penalty/detention duty. 414? Ok. put it on the hi hat.

(I almost never use the high hat mic)

protoolsman · Post by **protoolsman** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:17 pm

Don't agree on the C1000. I actually like 'm. It's not like I use 'm on anything but they are OK on acoustic guitar and various other acoustic instruments. So there are better mic's I prefer but the C1000 is not as bad as some posters say IMO. By the way; I own the older grey ones.

But then; I also like the sennheiser 416 and the U87 so I probably have very bad taste.

Bottom of my list must be audio technica 4033 followed by the SM58.

minorkeylee · Post by **minorkeylee** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:00 pm

So funny to see the C1000 in the loop. Posted about them awhile ago, when I sold them to buy a couple 3035s.

I'll say it again. Not a great mic in retrospect, but I always found the key to be... Don't point them directly at ANYTHING. They like to be overshot. Otherwise they're grainy as hell.

So, after that...the Rhode NT1A. Not impressed. MXLs sound just as good. Ouch.

woodhenge · Post by **woodhenge** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:45 am

What about the TLM-103?

If I hadn't got a pair at a VERY cheap price, I'd have TOTALLY been disappointed. About the only thing I like 'em on is a female vocal... everything else makes me wanna put an icepick through my brain...

I saw the AT4033's mentioned earlier in this thread... I actually like those, but they have to be the older ones (mid-90's). The 4033CL doesn't sound nearly as good as the old ones. When they dropped the price, they also lost the sound...

rty5150 · Post by **rty5150** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 6:30 am

woodhenge wrote:What about the TLM-103?

If I hadn't got a pair at a VERY cheap price, I'd have TOTALLY been disappointed. About the only thing I like 'em on is a female vocal... everything else makes me wanna put an icepick through my brain...

I saw the AT4033's mentioned earlier in this thread... I actually like those, but they have to be the older ones (mid-90's). The 4033CL doesn't sound nearly as good as the old ones. When they dropped the price, they also lost the sound...

i would have said that the tlm-103 is very overrated, but since i don't own it...
i couldn't say it. the title was the ones we own. i personally hate that mic. i know that alot of foley artists love that mic, but most recording industry people find it atrocious to the neumann name. i almost got one at the time i got my ma-200, glad to see that i made the right choice.

rich

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What's the crappiest/overrated "pro" mic you have

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