Members honeyiscool Posted May 23, 2012 Author Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 Fine, then, what about this? I just recorded my guitar with seven different mics: http://soundcloud.com/mittensconfidential/acoustic-guitar-mic-test/s-mE6uH 0:00 iPhone 4 built-in Mic (Probably an Electret Condenser) - $199 + AT&T Plan0:33 Apogee MiC Small Diaphragm Condenser - $1991:08 MXL V67G Large Diaphragm Condenser - $99 + interface1:40 Audix i5 Dynamic Instrument Microphone - $99 + interface2:15 Audio Technica AE5400 Large Diaphragm Stage Vocal Condenser - $379 + interface2:51 Apex 185 Small Diaphragm Condenser - $127 per pair + interface3:28 Zoom Q3HD (2x Electret Condenser mixed to mono) - $299 You can download a WAV from that link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peskypesky Posted May 23, 2012 Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 Fine, then, what about this?I just recorded my guitar with seven different mics:http://soundcloud.com/mittensconfidential/acoustic-guitar-mic-test/s-mE6uH0:00 iPhone 4 built-in Mic (Probably an Electret Condenser) - $199 + AT&T Plan0:33 Apogee MiC Small Diaphragm Condenser - $1991:08 MXL V67G Large Diaphragm Condenser - $99 + interface1:40 Audix i5 Dynamic Instrument Microphone - $99 + interface2:15 Audio Technica AE5400 Large Diaphragm Stage Vocal Condenser - $379 + interface2:51 Apex 185 Small Diaphragm Condenser - $127 per pair + interface3:28 Zoom Q3HD (2x Electret Condenser mixed to mono) - $299You can download a WAV from that link. the only one i didn't like was the built-in mic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mistersully Posted May 23, 2012 Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 generally speaking... there's simply no right and wrong when it comes to microphones... different things work well on different sources... and not everyone is going for the same resultseg. some people will get their best vocal results with an sm57.. some with a U87... completely different mics... completely different price points the apogee seems cool... i don't NEED to get it though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted May 23, 2012 Author Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 I put every mic around 3 to 4 inches from the 12th fret, slightly off axis. I have to say, on my own acoustic mic test, the cheapest mic, the Apex 185, absolutely wins, and not by a small margin. It has the best combination of string, body, and pick. When I bought it, it was more like $90 per pair, making it an even a better deal. These are also easily modded to be even better by modders such as Michael Joly. That said, a lot of that has to do with the fact that these small condensers are extremely suitable for the 12th fret off axis mic technique I was using. Each mic could be optimized by messing around with placement. The iPhone mic clips, like I said it does. I was only doing this to prove that it clips easily. The MXL sounds good but it just doesn't have enough string for me, too much air. This is why it makes a great vocal mic, though. It really gives a nice neutral sound and doesn't transmit too much of the nastiness of a voice. Audix i5 is a slightly more hi-fi and more updated SM57, and it sounds exactly like you think it would. It sounds almost like a piezo, but has a very pleasing quality of its own, I could easily see wanting this sound in a mix, you can see that it would sit very nicely in a rock song with electric guitars. The AE5400 sounds just great IMO, probably my second favorite on here. The AE5400 takes the cardiod capsule from the AT4050 and really delivers a brilliant sound in the form factor of a handheld vocal microphone. The Apogee has a sound that almost sits somewhere between a condenser and a dynamic. Very neutral and smooth, great presence, would sit nicely in a mix. The Zoom, to me, is all treble, no body, all string. Quite a bit of noise. Also, this is the combination of the stereo mics into mono, so it's two capsules you're hearing, and you can hear my cat meowing in it. That said, it's not bad and has a very lively feel about it. One of the chords sounds like it clipped the input, although it didn't. That's something I have noticed about the audio input from the Zoom, sometimes you hear distortion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peskypesky Posted May 23, 2012 Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 the Apex was my favorite too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted May 23, 2012 Author Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 Those 22mm Chinese condensers are really great for acoustic instruments and vocals. The Apex 180/185, GXL 1200, MXL 603, Nady CM90, they're all pretty much the same mic and they're very affordable, too. The CM90 is like $40 a piece. And this is why you shouldn't just buy 5 SM57s for your project studio because they're industry standards. If you get a large condenser, a pair of small condensers, maybe a bass mic like an AKG D112, and a 57-style mic, you would have so many more sounds available to you, and you still spent the same money. I do like my mic collection. In addition to the mics I demoed, I have some more large condensers and a handful of different stage vocal mics and a pair of Sennheiser e906s and an AKG D112, some more SM57-like mics, some other stuff I probably forgot about. I don't have anything super expensive, but every mic I have is a very useful tool with a different sound, and the Apogee MiC will definitely enter my rotation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nicholai Posted May 23, 2012 Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 I liked the Apex and the Apogee best for your playing. Small condensers seem to be your thing. Brought out a nice warmth. I don't play acoustic...... We definitely have different phone mics, interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted May 23, 2012 Author Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 Wouldn't surprise me. Do you have a 4 or 4S or what? Regardless, I'm sure these things are made in more than one assembly line and I do recall my bandmate's 4S sounding better than my 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nicholai Posted May 23, 2012 Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 It's also a 4. Probably a very early one. My 3s isn't as good. I am seriously not endorsing them, but i am really surprised electrets make it into studio settings (at least according to wiki). (thanks for the comparison, I would have never considered the mic without the real sound files) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Canadian Jeff Posted May 23, 2012 Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 That Apex really did sound vurry nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted May 23, 2012 Author Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 There are some well beloved electret mics out there. The Audio-Technica AT4033 and AT Pro 37 come to mind. The AKG C 451 B is like $579 a piece, and that's an electret, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nicholai Posted May 23, 2012 Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 .....learn something new every day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted May 23, 2012 Author Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 They look like standard studio mics, though. You wouldn't know unless you read deeply into the specs sheets. This looks pretty far from: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nicholai Posted May 23, 2012 Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 This looks pretty far from: Lol, yup. That's what I think of. I figured the zoom mic wasn't far off, so it's two electrets, interesting. I never bothered to check on it, if I want a field recording from a show, somebody else probably already is doing it right I can steal a copy from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted May 23, 2012 Author Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 Yeah, I would have to think it's two electrets in there. It's the only thing that's cheap enough and power efficient enough for a device of this size: The Q3 actually has very good audio quality. I have three Zoom recorders (Q3HD, R16, H2) and I think the Q3 has the best built-in mics of all of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OldGuitarPlayer Posted May 23, 2012 Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 meh...made in the USA and $199? Thanks but I'll I'll wait until the Chinese make EXACT copies and sell them for $39.00.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deanmass Posted May 23, 2012 Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 Did you miss what I said? There are two cables in the box, one for USB and one for the Dock connector. If you use the USB cable, it's a USB mic. If you use the Dock cable, it's an iOS mic. It's not hardwired.Anyway, Griffin's not an audio company is all I'm saying. They're a company that makes carrying cases and also makes a few audio devices. Apogee is an audio company. Actually, I did miss that.....And, I get your point about Apogee vs Griffin. But every single griffin item I have owned is very over-engineered. if anyone could pop up with an audio rig and do well with the first run, they could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members notjonahbutnoah Posted May 23, 2012 Members Share Posted May 23, 2012 Heh, nice little 8 page thing going here. Clip sounded good. I've got a Q3 on the way. Pretty excited. Anyway, I have a PC, an Android phone, and an Apple ipod. They are all great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.