What is your favorite mic?

    I have a hand full of mic's and I've tried single and dual mic's but I keep going back to using a single dynamic mic going straight into the KPA, either the tried and true SM57 or the Audix i5. If I had to choose one mic right now it would be the i5, but it can be a bit bright on certain profiles and in that case the SM57 seems to be a bit smoother but I'm not so sure that I like it on most profiles. What mic's have you guys have good luck with? Do you find certain mic's work better with certain types of tones?

    I haven't done a lot of profiles but I like the ones I made with a ribbon mic the best. I used a cheap MXL R144 but there are lots of choices for ribbons in all price ranges. Ribbon mics tend to have a very natural sounding midrange but a LOT of proximity effect and can be very bottom heavy if you're not careful.

    Let's see, bear in mind I only do high gain profiles:

    SM57 seems to be my go-to, I usually en up prefering profiles that are done with a 57-V30 combo. Much more aggressive and gnarly than the rest.

    Audix i5 if I want something brighter and less aggressive in the mids.

    MD421 if I want something bright and scooped.

    Shure SM7B as an alternative to the 57, somewhat similar but is smoother with more body. (A great vocal mic though).

    Beyerdynamic M201TG, a very different mic from the rest. Extended top end, almost condenser'ish. Very even frequency response. I've used these succesfully as drum overheads as well.

    I prefer the combination of a Sure SM57 and a Sennheiser MD421 both closest, varying the position. One Mic I use always on axis, the other on the rim of the speaker. If needed in special cases I use a pair of condenser mics at different positions. All mics are summed in a small sub-mixing console for profiling.
    Works fine - I like the sound possibilities.

    These kind of things always end up being "the mic I know", and I'm guilty of that.

    You just can't beat the SM57 for the guitar amp, although I've had real advantage of putting a TLM103 paired with the SM57. I just like 2 mics on an amp.

    I use the 103 as a vocal mic and it's great for background vocal layering as its quiet, but as with ALL mic's, it's VERY important as to what PREAMP you pair it with. I sometimes use the 103 on main vocals but it's probably better for a woman's voice. I haven't found the perfect mic, but I've used the SM57 for screaming vocals and that works very well too, which was a bit of a shock when you're used to singing through an expensive mic and the used $50 mic works best!

    In the end, I've read that it's best if you can afford to have a variety of mics to play around and see what works each time. I've found a mic to work perfectly for one song, and seem totally wrong for another song, because of what I was trying to do. I've even recorded with an Olympus LS-10 for a different take and sometimes blend that in for the presence it can give. Try different things and you'll find creative answers.

    So the "best" mic is a moving target, it always changes from my experience.

    This is a hard question for sure... So many mics give such different images/perspective of an amp. But generally for me, in metal, a micd with care sm57, spending REAL time finding the sweet spot, is hard to beat, and there's a reason why this 100 dollar mic wins out in most every studio producing metal. With studios that can basically afford anything, there MUST be a reason... Using multiple mics is an artform, and unless you are a professional with real world experience, I'm
    Very lery of any profile with 2 mics. It may not be apparent single tracked by itself, but it will be when double or quad tracked in a mix. I for one could never be an audio engineer: there are just SO many variables, with no real " standards " except maybe a few: it would drive me nuts. Huge respect for these guys pumping out amazing records with different techniques/gear on each one, and making it sound awesome.... End of my rant

    Hard to pick a single favorite. I still use a vintage SM57 (Unidyne III for those keeping track) for some stuff, but I really like the Audix i5 and the Heil PR20. The MXL R144 ribbon is a great cheap microphone too, and super nice on cleans. It sounds especially good through my Focusrite ISA One preamp. Eventually I'm probably going to get a Neumann TLM103 and a Royer 101 - used them in a recording studio and I liked how they sounded.

    Two mics I just do not care for at all are the Sennheiser e609 Silver and the MD421. In combinations with other mics they are ok, but on their own... Ugh, I just don't like em.

    Sorry, went off the track a bit... but you really should check out a i5, PR20 or MXL R144 if you have a few spare bucks. Especially the i5 and the PR20. Both sound great!

    Pete

    Quote from r_u_sirius


    I don´t like the sound of a e609 or a MD421, here I agree with okstrat.

    So I do! I don´t like the e609 or MD421 as well. For acoustic guitar I love my Neumann Mic´s, but for recording electric guitar I always will prefer the Royer 121. Sometimes in combination with a Shure SM57. In live situations one SM57 in front of a tube amp.

    For recording I use a Reussenzehn mic-tube preamp. I sold my Avalon 737 and use mainly my Reussenzehn.

    8|

    Quote from nakedzen

    Here's a quick YT vid I made of the SM57, i5, SM7B and M201.

    Microphone comparison

    wow the sm7b sounds good!! I use live two sm57 but I might give this sm7b a try. I like it because it is somewhat mellower than the sm57..........

    "...why being satisfied with an amp, as great as it can be, while you can have them all?" michael mellner

    "Rock in Ecclesia" - new album on iTunes or Google music

    Quote from michaelmellner

    wow the sm7b sounds good!! I use live two sm57 but I might give this sm7b a try. I like it because it is somewhat mellower than the sm57..........

    I wouldn't use it as a live sound mic, the basket will get bent easily and it's made as a broadcasting mic, ie. it won't stay put rigidly. (Because radio dj's need to adjust the mic constantly it moves easily).