Current omnidirectional dynamics

kinger · Post by **kinger** » Mon Nov 21, 2011 4:47 pm

Hey gang, I'm looking for a mic to jam in betwixt the snare and toms of my cocktail kit (I believe "heart mic" is the term?) and I'm thinking an omni dynamic would be the way to go for this. There doesn't seem to be much available so I'm wondering if people can throw out some recommendations, preferably mics that are currently being produced so I don't have to do the evilBay thing. Thanks for any help!

Nate Dort · Post by **Nate Dort** » Mon Nov 21, 2011 5:11 pm

EV 635a

A.David.MacKinnon · Post by **A.David.MacKinnon** » Mon Nov 21, 2011 5:15 pm

The EV635a is still in production and worth owning even if it meant buying a new one (although given the number of these in circulation you should be able to score a good used one for a very decent price). The Electro Voice RE50 is also still in production and easily available.
Another option is the Shure VP64. It's Shure's answer to the 635a. I've had both and they're comparable but I prefer the EV.

jgimbel · Post by **jgimbel** » Mon Nov 21, 2011 8:30 pm

Another +1 on the 635. I got mine for cheap used at a small music store. Definitely good as a heart mic, though it's not all that lofi sounding, which I think is what a lot of people expect. I've recorded two EPs with a band (a third coming in early 2012) and we used a 635 for all of the vocals. We wanted character, but it even ended up being a little clean for that production, so we ended up driving the pre a good bit. Last weekend I had a session with a hard rock/intricate screamy band. I had an RE20 on one amp, and an SM7b on the other (which was a pretty nice Marshall tube amp). For some reason the SM7b was sounding pretty pinched, despite being my usual go-to for guitar amps. I thought I'd try the 635 instead, and it was perfect. Used it on all the tracks.

Dominick Costanzo · Post by **Dominick Costanzo** » Mon Nov 21, 2011 8:52 pm

Can't go wrong with an EV 635A

kinger · Post by **kinger** » Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:10 pm

Thanks for all the replies! It looks like the 635A is the favourite and they're apparently very common (now that I know what to look for

). I'll be ordering one of these soon.

tonewoods · Post by **tonewoods** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 8:38 am

Yeah, one of the hottest tips I ever got was from a Dobro player who used an EV RE50 for recording because of how the omni treated the mids...

So-ooo, I started using (and collecting) dynamic omnis, and there have been a whole bunch of them throughout the years...
Just got one a few days ago at a musician's swap meet--an old Shure 530...

So if you are having problems getting an AC30 to sound like and AC30, or a Selmer guitar to have "that" sound, try a good dynamic omni...
A very useful too....

Dominick Costanzo · Post by **Dominick Costanzo** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 10:38 am

If your shopping for used, try to find an EV RE55
http://www.coutant.org/re55/index.html
Too bad it's discontinued.

tonewoods · Post by **tonewoods** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 11:50 am

Dominick Costanzo wrote:If your shopping for used, try to find an EV RE55
http://www.coutant.org/re55/index.html
Too bad it's discontinued.

That's the one....
Nice mic...

Studiodawg · Post by **Studiodawg** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 12:17 pm

Don't rule out this little bad boy http://www.coutant.org/evpl9/index.html the Electro-Voice PL9. Got an excellent drum sound on a cassette recording around 1990 and have been hanging onto the mic ever since!

mechanicalmastering · Post by **mechanicalmastering** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 2:28 pm

+9 on the 635a, it's awwwwwesome, and they're STILL being made! For Cheap! Super creamy, brown electric gtrs,,, awesome background vocals, (awesome "background" anything, really), awesome room mic, super unique, totally versitile and incredibly "blendable" with other mics. They are round and smooth but can also be made to be articulate and somewhat focused, (with enough EQ), and best part is, there's little or no "icepick" frequencies that, as a mastering engineer, I am not very fond of at all. Great addition if you're recording digitally.

Awesome.

jgimbel · Post by **jgimbel** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 4:23 pm

mechanicalmastering wrote:+9 on the 635a, it's awwwwwesome, and they're STILL being made! For Cheap! Super creamy, brown electric gtrs,,, awesome background vocals, (awesome "background" anything, really), awesome room mic, super unique, totally versitile and incredibly "blendable" with other mics. They are round and smooth but can also be made to be articulate and somewhat focused, (with enough EQ), and best part is, there's little or no "icepick" frequencies that, as a mastering engineer, I am not very fond of at all. Great addition if you're recording digitally.

Awesome.

Great description, exactly how I feel.

Dominick Costanzo · Post by **Dominick Costanzo** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 5:19 pm

Yes, the EV 635A, RE10, RE11, RE15, RE16, RE50 and RE55 all really play nice, are plentiful and are way under appreciated (i.e. a bargain).
The RE 20, part of the same family, is well known and holds it's value on the used market.
If you really want some mojo, find their ancestors, the 664, 665, 666 and 667.
These mics were part of the sound of Chess records from the '60's.
A little on the honky side but what a honk!
Somewhat overpriced on the market because of the "vintage-ness" but a bargain occasionally surfaces.

cgarges · Post by **cgarges** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 1:23 pm

The 635A is indeed a cool mic. If I were looking for something inexpensive and not terribly "hi-fi," that's what I'd use. I also suggest taking a look at the Beyer M101. It's a cleaner-sounding omnidirectional dynamic with less noise than the 635A. Not that that's likely an issue with a cocktail kit, but just worth considering.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

Nate Dort · Post by **Nate Dort** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 1:41 pm

here I am hyping this thing up, and I don't even own one

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