Members breuwald Posted June 22, 2007 Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 I'm using a Rode K2 for a lot of recordings. I got experiences with vocals guitar, drums and even pianos. I think its great because its very clear and natural. Does anybody have experiences with using the K2 live? I've never really seen tube studio mics on stage. Does it work because of feedback etc.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wztonz Posted June 22, 2007 Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 Position of mic and vocalist is so critical in vocal micing, and so often newbee engineers and vocalists mock what they see on TV, mic way up in the air, singer, head cranked back, singing up to the mic. Nothing could be more wrong. Start with the mic below the singers mouth, aiming at the throat, or even chest. There is much of the sound of a voice that resonates from this area. Now, have the singer stand relaxed, head level, shoulders down, and sing over the mic. (think about the Elvis pose.) Tilting the head back presses the esaphagus against the airway, restricting range and power. Standing head level shoulders relaxed yields maximum airflow aross the vocal cords, yielding extended range, a fuller vocal sound and is far less stressful physically on the vocalist. The singer should be a 12-18" from the mic depending on the room and how intimate you want the sound to be. Closer yields a warmer sound because of the mic's proximity effect, further gives a roomer sound. AFA mics, I also cannot imagine one mic for vocals. However, if I had to choose, I'd probably go with an NTK retubed with an EH6922 Gold tube. This dramatically reduces the mid-hi pressense peak while adding a warmer tone to the low end. It's a completely different sounding mic with a simple 5 minute $30 tube exchange that can easily be DIY. On the cheap the Studio Projects B-1 or C-1 are also great choices. Don't forget the room either. Best is a dead room, unless you know that the room sound you're getting is what you want in the mix. You can build a simple vocal booth with a couple boom mic stands and some blankets, simply hang the blankets over the stands with the booms horizontal, and place behind the mic. If you can, do the same behind the singer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Badside Posted June 22, 2007 Author Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 Well well well... an SM7b is on the way! I took advantage of the current rate change and I ordered it from the USA, for 100$CDN less than what they sell for in stores! I may still pick up a K2... at the current rate, I can get both a K2 and a SM7 for what I expected to pay for the K2 alone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Badside Posted June 22, 2007 Author Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 AFA mics, I also cannot imagine one mic for vocals. However, if I had to choose, I'd probably go with an NTK retubed with an EH6922 Gold tube. This dramatically reduces the mid-hi pressense peak while adding a warmer tone to the low end. It's a completely different sounding mic with a simple 5 minute $30 tube exchange that can easily be DIY. How easy is it to change the tube?I've retubed guitar amps numerous times, but I understand not all tube mics use a socket. Is the tube soldered in on the NTK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Qengho Posted June 22, 2007 Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 Is the tube soldered in on the NTK? Nope, it's socketed. Changing the tube is a snap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Badside Posted June 22, 2007 Author Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 Nope, it's socketed. Changing the tube is a snap. Wonderful! The variable pattern on the K2 still makes it more attractive to me though... I like doing group vocals. Easier to do in omni I suppose a tube upgrade would help the K2 as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wztonz Posted June 23, 2007 Members Share Posted June 23, 2007 Unscrew the shell from the body, remove one phillips screw holding the tube in place, remove old tube from socket, replace with new tube, replace phillips screw, screw mic back together. IOW it takes about as long to do as it took to read those instructions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphajerk Posted June 23, 2007 Members Share Posted June 23, 2007 finding a great tube takes a lot longer though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Badside Posted June 23, 2007 Author Members Share Posted June 23, 2007 finding a great tube takes a lot longer though... Experimenting is half the fun At least it's only ONE tube. Trying to find the perfect combination on my amp (9 tubes in total) is much more complicated. Good thing I don't have a triple rectifier (14 tubes if you count the rectifiers!) Can't wait to experiment with the SM7! I've been looking at the CAD Trion 8000 too. Someone recommended this one on this very thread. Can't find much info about it, but what I do find suggest it's a very nice tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphajerk Posted June 23, 2007 Members Share Posted June 23, 2007 well you might buy 20 tubes to find one that sounds great with a low noise floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wztonz Posted June 24, 2007 Members Share Posted June 24, 2007 finding a great tube takes a lot longer though... Hardly. The EH gold series is very carefully tested, and are very well matched from the factory. I've retubed many NTK's with the 6922 and every one sounded the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphajerk Posted June 24, 2007 Members Share Posted June 24, 2007 keep looking, there are WAY better tubes out there. its not about them all sounding the same [but is good if you like the sound they give].... its about their musicality and noise floor. BUT, if those work for you.... GREAT! seriosuly, replacing tubes can become an obsession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wztonz Posted June 24, 2007 Members Share Posted June 24, 2007 In your opinion, however IMHO the EH6922 gold is the best choice for the NTK of all the ones (about 30 or 40) we tested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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