Your mic locker looks like this. What do you buy next?

[fossiltooth]

What would I do if that was my mic locker? If it was me I'd probably sell everything in my mic locker with the possible exception of one of the Sm57's and then I'd start with the recommendations from ipressrecord, junkshop and morespaceecho.

Most folks would keep the sm81's. I wouldn't, but that's just my taste. I might hang on to the beta52, but knowing me, I'd rarely use it on kick drum. Maybe the D6 could stay if I was recording a lot of metal. But I don't, so I'd nix it. I'd sell the RE-27 for an RE-20... unless I wanted a thin and pinched-sounding mic that vaguely resembles an RE20 for some reason...

I'd buy: Beyer m160, m201, 4050's or 414's, 4047, RE-15's, MD421, SM7, ATM25's... you know... some good mics

Each of these mics costs less than $1000. Most cost less than $500. Each of them are far more useful than any of the mics you have listed. Please don't buy the 2 mics I listed that are no longer in production. You'll just drive up their prices, and I still want to pick up a couple more of each. I'd also see about getting one or two "nice" mics. Whatever you can afford. There's a lot of decent stuff around $1k these days: Mojave MA200, the entire Peluso line... incredible? No. Totally useful and miles ahead of anything you have? Yes.

I'm sorry if me response seems disheartening, but that's just me being honest. In truth, it's entirely possible to make a good sounding record with the mics you have available. However, when I look at that list, I only think of the many mics that would serve the same purposes much better.

One last thought: Why does everybody have to own all this sh*t these days? I'm consistently amazed that people will spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on mediocre gear, when there's already so much amazing gear sitting killer sounding rooms that can be booked for next to nothing these days...

Then again, I probably shouldn't talk. I entered the field of engineering by being a kid who saved his pennies working at a music store to buy a remote multitrack rig and a slew of mediocre mics at cost. Looking back on it, I think there are smarter paths. Paths that are better for the fresh-faced recordist, and paths that are better for the overall health of our local musical economies. I just didn't know it at the time... nobody told me! I only knew what I read in magazines: "Buy sh*t. It's the only way!"

Rebel!

Good luck out there, whichever route you choose.

[Sean Sullivan]

Inspired by fossiltooth and waiting for a song to bounce, here is my suggestion if you want to start over:

Pair of AT4050. I see these used in the $250 price range regularly. Picking up a pair of these will make a huge improvement on your recordings, plus they are crazy versatile.

Shure SM7B: I'm continually impressed by this microphone on vocals, pick one up used for around $275 and you'll get a lot of use out of it. Sounds good on bass and guitar amps as well.

Bock U195: Around $700 used, this will be a great microphone for vocals, drums, and electric and acoustic guitars. They are smokin' for the amount of dough they cost.

Sennheiser MD421: I like these on toms and electric guitar. They are a little price, but you can probably find a pair of $500 used and they be on something on every session.

Sennheiser e602: I've used just about every kick drum microphone out there, and inside kick this thing is nice and punchy, hardly needs any EQ. Listening to sessions I've done with a Beta52 and AKG D112 make me wish I owned this sooner.

Shure SM57: Have a pair around, you know where they excel I'm sure.

Oktava MC-012-01: The changeable capsules for these are so nice, and they replaced my Shure SM81s. Great on acoustic guitar, and if the AT4050 weren't cutting it I would use them for overheads. I got my pair for $150 a month ago.

That would cover about everything.

[Mradyfist]

One last thought: Why does everybody have to own all this sh*t these days? I'm consistently amazed that people will spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on mediocre gear, when there's already so much amazing gear sitting killer sounding rooms that can be booked for next to nothing these days...

Then again, I probably shouldn't talk. I entered the field of engineering by being a kid who saved his pennies working at a music store to buy a remote multitrack rig and a slew of mediocre mics at cost. Looking back on it, I think there are smarter paths. Paths that are better for the fresh-faced recordist, and paths that are better for the overall health of our local musical economies. I just didn't know it at the time... nobody told me! I only knew what I read in magazines: "Buy sh*t. It's the only way!"

Rebel!

Good luck out there, whichever route you choose.

I'm still going to stay out of the actual mic discussion, because I want to see what people would pick without additional input from me, but I thought I should respond to this. Here's some major reasons why I absolutely love owning my own studio, even if I can't fix my broken car right now because I'm out of money.

1. It's 11pm on a Saturday night, and I'm sitting around at home. Regular people go out to the bar and spend $30 on drinks. I absolutely hate doing this, so I just head over to my studio.. I don't need to schedule anything, I've already "paid for the time", I just walk in and it's the way I left it.

2. There's a lot of studios in my area that have much nicer gear than me, and if I saved all the money that I spend on rent and gear each month I could probably buy as much time in one of them as I really need. However, every one of them is owned by someone who sets things up differently than me and works differently than me. Plus, they'll probably be there. I'm willing to pay a premium to have a space that's exactly the way I like it, and that's empty when I need it to be.

I'm sure my net profit would be a lot higher (ie existent) if I were just freelancing, but I already have a full time job.

[lotusstudio]

RODE K2 tube mic
BLUE MOUSE
AEA R92
AVENSON STO-2 pair

[Jeff White]

Let me chime in again.

You should really assemble a mic locker around the best sound for a drum kit and realize that those same mics will have other applications for other instruments. I started out like everyone else with an SM58 and an SM57. However, I figured out what I needed for a drum kit and looked into the mic overlap. I'm one of those project studio guys who records friends' bands, my own stuff, work for indie film, etc.

My first go at the drum kit scenario was 2 x Oktava MK-012 with cardioid caps, an AKG D112 for kick, the SM57 for snare, and an Oktava MK219 for a room mic (it was a gift). I never mic'd toms, preferring the MK219 out in front, and most of the time leaving it out.

When the MK219 wasn't cutting it for vox, I picked up the AT4047; 5 years ago, before it was cool to own. I also picked up a 414B/ULS for crazy cheap ($400) because I used them at school and loved them. Then a couple more 57s and 58s for cheap just to have around. Again, the drum kit. Now I could use a mono 414 overhead and the 4047 on kick drum, and use 57s for toms, or the 012s, or whatever, but also have enough mics to record a few folks playing in the same room.

Fast forward to today. I have 2 4050s for overheads, a pair of MK-012s with three caps (including the Red caps) for overheads, toms, whatever, the 414, the 4047 for kick, a few 57s and 58s and an e609 Silver, the Naiant omnis (dirt cheap and sound good) for filler, as well as a cheap pair of Cascade condensers that I got for $50. Those last two pairs can fit in for hi-hat, snare side/bottom, whatever, and if they die trying who cares. Oh, and I sold the D112 for an SM7, because the 4047 is THE kick drum mic for me, and after working a gig with an SM7, I had to have one. I have enough mics to cover an entire band, or mic the drum kit a few different ways, or whatever. ebay is my friend.

The only thing missing from my setup is a pair of large diaphragm dynamics (421s?), a pair of ribbons, and a stellar vocal mic (I borrow an MG UM70 for vox). Oh, and a "subkick" speaker cone mic for kick, maybe. I feel like the mics that I have now I'll most likely have forever.

Avoid the "drum kit packages". Think about how you record and what you record. Think about the amount of channels you can get into the box or tape simultaneously. And think about the long haul. If you buy mics today, you should be able to use them in any day to day scenario in 5 years, 10 years, etc. You may change DAWs, or computers, or even preamps (another discussion), but the bulk of your mics should be mostly standard tried and true work horses that you'll use in 25 years, pass down to your kids, etc.

And I agree about selling the TLM103.

Jeff

[fossiltooth]

Epic post Jeff!

I think that's all sound advice. (goddamn accidental puns)

Mrady, I totally hear where you're coming from. No need to justify your preferences to a messageboard goon like myself. I've just been on this whole anti-gear-consumerism crusade recently.

Home studios are great! A lot of my recent work has been mixing albums that were recorded at home studios, so they keep my business healthy too.

Sometimes I just get upset when I read posts by frustrated folks who clearly want to be musicians, and for some reason they think they have to buy thousands of dollars worth of sh*t and be an engineer too. Sometimes it makes me sad about music and mad at all the trade rags and gear manufacturers.

I'm not insinuating that you're one of those frustrated people. If you're having a blast recording your own stuff, and you're getting the results you deserve, then keep it up! Your thread just made a great soap-box for my current personal agenda.

Good luck and best wishes,

[hughmanatee]

I just want to throw this out there cuz its my favorite mic to use that i dont own
AKG C12

[Mradyfist]

Regarding the TLM103:

I completely understand that a lot of people consider it overpriced, and not really much of a mic at all. For the most part I agree.

However, selling it is not an option. First off, it's not actually the studio's mic; my studio partner bought it before we joined forces. Second, he picked it because it just happened to sound absolutely perfect for his voice, and his priority has always been recording his own material. I'm usually not that impressed with it when I use it, but I will say that the vocals he's done with it sound exactly the way I'd want them to sound.

Otherwise, let's start narrowing things down some more using additional context. One thing we've been discussing is ribbon mics especially. Obviously this is a category that we are completely deficient in, and something which a lot of people swear by.

One thing that I intentionally didn't mention before (to avoid directing people's thoughts) is that if possible, I'd like to get something that either has fully switchable polar patterns, or barring that is figure-8. This is for two reasons: one, I need something that is tightly directional for some of the folk singer-songwriter stuff that I've been recording (I get a lot of nasty phase issues with guitarists who sing loud and play quiet), and two, I'd really like to have another choice for a stereo pair. The SM81s aren't my favorite sound for a lot of things, and if I had a figure-8 mic I could use it with another mic in M/S.

A couple things I've noticed is that a lot of people are recommending the M160. However, I think if I were going to get a new mic, I'd prefer one that does figure-8 to one that's hypercardioid; does anybody know much about the M130? It looks kind of like it's a figure-8 version of the M160, but I'm not entirely sure.

The U195 looks nice, and I think I'll certainly keep it in mind. That's one mic that I don't think I had looked at at all before (probably because I assumed Bock was way out of my price range), so it's good to hear how well-recommended it is.

As far as AT4050s are concerned, I do intend on getting at least one at some point. However, it probably won't be our next purchase.

Also, I forgot to mention that I actually do have a speaker that I've been using Subkick-style, and that plus a 57 on the beater head is currently my favorite sound for kick, over the Beta 52. The D6 has never been my cup of tea, but it's right for a lot of the styles that my studio partner records.

[Bob Weston]

A couple things I've noticed is that a lot of people are recommending the M160. However, I think if I were going to get a new mic, I'd prefer one that does figure-8 to one that's hypercardioid; does anybody know much about the M130? It looks kind of like it's a figure-8 version of the M160, but I'm not entirely sure.

Yes. The 130 is a fig-8 version of the 160. I just used my 160 and 130 as an MS pair and the combo works great. In fact, Beyer used to make a special clip to hold those two mics in an MS configuration.

I've used both the 130 and the 160 on so many guitar amps, violins/violas, and horns with good results that I couldn't begin to count.


bob weston

[calaverasgrandes]

I'd get a ribbon mic. Beyers are good but not retro sounding at all. You can find RCA, EV and Western Electrics on Ebay. But of course thats buyer beware.
Anyone try the Karma ribbon?
I'd also pick up a beyer 201 or two.
Some 421's.
I'd also want to have something with different heads like the Okatavas, AKG blueline, or the old Sennheiser K3/K6 series. That way you get omni, card etc, and its just plain fun to play with mics like that.
You say you have crappy mics? You mean like high impedance AT and radio shack or do you mean garage sale harvested carbon and crystal mics, Or old dynamics from home hi fi sets. I've found some fun mics packaged with old "portable" reel to reels. Some of them are actually shure, beyer and Sennheiser! Most dont like to hooked up to real preamps so I have to use a DI or something to make them play nice with a preamp.

[Mradyfist]

No, my crappy mics are things like SM58 knockoffs, not the cool kind of crappy mics.

What exactly do you mean by "retro"? I'm not sure I'm really looking for a retro sound out of a ribbon mic, although I could be wrong..

Also, the guy from Shinybox posted earlier in this thread, which reminded me that we had checked out his website a while ago and been pretty interested. Does anybody have any opinions on the Shinybox 46 versus something like the M130?

[Jupiter 4 Studio]

I'm going to shout it one more time... CROWLEY AND TRIPP NAKED EYE RIBBON!!!!!!! I am constantly amazed at how good this mic sounds on so many things. I got mine for $550 brand new from Dale pro audio. You can buy 2 for less than the cost of one royer.

[calaverasgrandes]

When I say retro I am mainly adressing the latest fad of ribbons vs what the historically great ribbons actually sound like. Ok well its really a 3 way thing. You have the RCA 44, 77, and what ever that other one was called BK something? Ther are others of course. But mainly those heavy ancient ribbon mics that have a very smooth sound. Then you have the Beyers which are a lot more accurate and fast sounding than the RCAs. Then there are all these me-too ribbons from china.
I think the Royers are shooting more for an RCA sound than a Beyer sound.
The Karma I have no idea. The Crowley and Tripp I have heard great things about but had written it off because I though it was a lot more dough. $550? Thats acheivable! I may need to get one! Its that or maybe one of the GT ribbons.