Less Hyped vocal mic suggestions?

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Hey folks, I haven't posted, or made much music, in a while. Lots of
changes in life but I am back in the studio writing and recording once
again. One thing I did was sell off my Elux-251 because I needed the
cash and wasn't using it. Otherwise, my kit is intact. My pre is an
older Great River.

Here is my question...I am looking for a vocal mic in the $100-600
range that is less hyped than the KM-184 that I am using at the moment.
What is bad about my voice is that it is a bit nasaly like Dylan, or
Tom Petty and I want to tone that down..the KM-184 isn't the
answer..though it isn't horrible at all. I am doing pop
singer-songwriter music..not opera. I tried a Beyer M-160 but it is
too far to the other extreme and I don't like SM-57's for my voice a
lot either...although it isn't aweful either. That's it for my mic
locker.

Give me some ideas as to what to audition. A flatter mic would be nice
to have for some acoustic guitar tones too...again the 184 is lovely
but if I track 2 or three guitars I have to EQ more than I like.

Tom Paul

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Tom,

> Here is my question...I am looking for a vocal mic in the $100-600
> range that is less hyped than the KM-184 that I am using at the moment.
> [...]
> A flatter mic would be nice to have for some acoustic guitar tones too...

you may want to check the AKG C900, a condenser mic
which fits well into your price range and has two
(possible) advantages:

1. It comes with a (mechanical) Presence Boost attachment for
the mic capsule that provides a boost of approx. 5 dB between
5 kHz and 9 kHz on a purely acoustical basis.
So using or removing that attachment gives you the choice
between a presence boosted or a flatter response in one
single microphone.

2. You can remove the XLR-adapter and install a wireless
transmitter in it's place turning the mic into a
wireless mic if needed for your performance.

Of course, you have to check personally whether this
(or any other) mic fits your tonal preferences.
So this is nothing more than a suggestion.

All the best,

Dieter Michel

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

<chezestake@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1117364804.900146.249310@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Hey folks, I haven't posted, or made much music, in a while. Lots of
> changes in life but I am back in the studio writing and recording once
> again. One thing I did was sell off my Elux-251 because I needed the
> cash and wasn't using it. Otherwise, my kit is intact. My pre is an
> older Great River.
>
> Here is my question...I am looking for a vocal mic in the $100-600
> range that is less hyped than the KM-184 that I am using at the moment.
> What is bad about my voice is that it is a bit nasaly like Dylan, or
> Tom Petty and I want to tone that down..the KM-184 isn't the
> answer..though it isn't horrible at all. I am doing pop
> singer-songwriter music..not opera. I tried a Beyer M-160 but it is
> too far to the other extreme and I don't like SM-57's for my voice a
> lot either...although it isn't aweful either. That's it for my mic
> locker.
>
> Give me some ideas as to what to audition. A flatter mic would be nice
> to have for some acoustic guitar tones too...again the 184 is lovely
> but if I track 2 or three guitars I have to EQ more than I like.
>
> Tom Paul


Beyer M500. Lends itself well to nasal voices. Lots of presence. Not much
resemblance to the M160, soundwise.

Predrag

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

<chezestake@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1117364804.900146.249310@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Hey folks, I haven't posted, or made much music, in a while. Lots of
> changes in life but I am back in the studio writing and recording once
> again. One thing I did was sell off my Elux-251 because I needed the
> cash and wasn't using it. Otherwise, my kit is intact. My pre is an
> older Great River.
>
> Here is my question...I am looking for a vocal mic in the $100-600
> range that is less hyped than the KM-184 that I am using at the moment.
> What is bad about my voice is that it is a bit nasaly like Dylan, or
> Tom Petty and I want to tone that down..the KM-184 isn't the
> answer..though it isn't horrible at all. I am doing pop
> singer-songwriter music..not opera. I tried a Beyer M-160 but it is
> too far to the other extreme and I don't like SM-57's for my voice a
> lot either...although it isn't aweful either. That's it for my mic
> locker.
>
> Give me some ideas as to what to audition. A flatter mic would be nice
> to have for some acoustic guitar tones too...again the 184 is lovely
> but if I track 2 or three guitars I have to EQ more than I like.
>
> Tom Paul
>
I have the same nasally problem. Don't count out the sennheiser 421 or 441.
You'd probably be better with a large diaphragm mic. The 184 is too
sensitive to pops and plosives.