Blue Ball microphone

[junkstar]

Anybody own one of these Blue Ball mics? Any pros or cons? Favorite applications?

[tylerpursel]

the studio I hang out and occasionally do some shit at has one. I personally find it kinda cool on the back of a cabinet it will add some boom to a guitar sound that is kinda shrill. they also constantly use it in their regular guitar micing technique along with a 57 and a C1000, as well as the occasional ML52

We've also tried it on the shell of the snare drum but I wasn't to impressed with that, it sounds kinda like a hot SM57

[bad_dude_69]

i'm interested in checking one out too, i probably will when i get the cash. for now there's a pretty positive review up at prorec.

[junkstar]

I'm curious cause Full Compass is selling a bunch of them for $150 a pop on eBay (shipping included - no tax to NY). Musicians Friend is asking $199 plus shipping. I've found some positive reviews, but a general mood of uncertainty. Saw one outright negative slam doing a search on this board.

[eeldip]

i like to slam this mic. i dont like it. sold mine after a month or so.

anyway, i BELIEVE (i have heard) that GC is selling them for $99. it might be worth it at that price.

anyway, the ball is a funny sounding mic, which has a place in the studio, but for most of us the $$$$ doesnt justify it. at $99 i would consider recomending it. but still, i think for $99 you could get a different cool colored dynamic mic that would be more useful.

and as i have said before it just sounds like a 57 stuck inside a wiffle ball.

[norton]

eeldip's right on target!

there wasn't one thing i tried it on (drums, vocals, acoustic guitar, electric etc...) that even made me raise an eyebrow.

routinely... and i put this mic through the paces... any number of regular old no-name dynamics blew it out of the water.

it gave everything a boxy quality that pretty much sucked. (wiffle ball...indeed!)

i love blue mics, and think the baby bottle is amazing, but the ball is NOT worth owning.... unless you already have everything else. the oktava/marshall mics are cheaper and much much much more useful.

[thecongostudio]

I tried it for a week and I despised it. I found I could only use it for guitar amps and snare as a blender mic for a more high-end sound in combination with a better condenser on it. Everything by itself sounded like norton said "boxy." Only get it if you want it for aesthetics, otherwise its a waste of money.

[JamesHE]

You can get good sounds out of a ball on guitar cab. Work with it a bit and it will surprise you sometimes. Defintly boxy- but sort of hyper-boxy. that's why it works on what it does. For the most part, it sucks and it's not worth the money. Still it's a fun mic to own. I like it for the odd vocal, and i use it on most the ambient guitar overdubs i do. Near the edge of the speaker, pointing up and at the cone.

[greatmagnet]

I think I started the profoundly negative thread as previously mentioned...I too was asking if I was off-base in thinking it was worthless. Since then I've gone back and tried to utilize it unconventionally in a variety of circumstances and my results are as follows:

This mic is not worth 1/4 the price of an SM57. Blue should unquestioningly refund the $200 every dumb fuck who paid for this mic shelled out in an attempt to quell the inevitable tide of pitchfork and/or torch-weilding engineers who will soon appear at their doorstep looking for blood. If that does not happen it should be smashed to bits "Offfice Space" style.

[Randy]

Going against the grain here.

I got one this weekend and really like it. At first it seemed boxy and hyper and not too pleasant, but then I moved it back off the guitar cabinet to about 1 ft. away and Ta-Dah! a completely different sound. No boxyness at all, nice solid low end and a detailed high end that was not one bit shrill. It sounded just like the amp.

On this setup, I have used a Beyer M260.80, an AKG c414, an SM57, a CAD M179, an EV PL80, an Oktava ML52, a Sennheiser 421, and ohters, all have worked for what was needed, and the Blue Ball fits in nice with all those mentioned. A new color on the palette if you will.

I also used it this weekend on an upright bass to get the finger slap sound. Worked well for that also.

[moosapotamus]

$99.99 at MF. They also have the 8-Ball for $199.99.

~ Charlie

[dougo]

I love my blue ball mic. It took me to 1st place in my regional lawn bowling tournament. The oldies were stunned when I unvieled my secret weapon. Either that or it was my gold lame' speedo

Cheers,
dougo

[nacho459]

Favorite applications?

Making things sound horrible.

DO SPEND MORE THAN $5 ON THIS MIC!

PS, has anyone contacted BLUE and asked them WTF?