[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

I'm looking for the ksc75 of recording mics for my brother.

Thanks,

Biggie.

 

[rickcr42]

Shure SM-57,around $99 street

Tough,damn near blowout proof,does not require a phantom power supply so places less demand on the mic preamp,works on both vocals and instruments in the studio or on location and at the price about as well as you can do and still get a quality tool that as the kit is upgraded will always find a place in any setting.

http://www.tweakheadz.com/review_of_the_sm57.htm

add a DIY Stereo Bar and/or a mic stand with boom pair and off you go to fame and glory

http://www.3daudioinc.com/3db/showth...?t=7958&page=2

http://www7.taosnet.com/f10/stereobar.html


BTW-latter add in a pair of SM-57s and a pair of SM-81s then a good condenser mic (will need phantom power and some TLC in the field) for a full on budget mini studio

.

 

[cosmopragma]

Welcome back, Rick.

I've asked a similar question the other day over at a german forum frequented by studio folks and I've got the same Shure recommendation.

After the mic question has been answered back to my favorite sport : thread hijacking.

What is the KSC75 of mic preamps (without phantom power)?
Naturally I've also asked this question at the studio forum, but there's no such consensus like in the mic case.What I've got was 30 opinions and a flame war.

 

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

Thanks for the reply. Whats a mic pre-amp needed for? He was thinking mic->sound card.

Biggie.

 

[cosmopragma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotoriousBIG_PJ Thanks for the reply. Whats a mic pre-amp needed for? He was thinking mic->sound card. Biggie.

The built-in mic preamps are usually crappy, good for VoIP or team communication in games.
A good $100 mic would be a waste of money connected to the built-in mic preamp of a consumer soundcard.
Studio soundcards like my RME don't provide a built-in preamp at all.You are supposed to utilize a standalone mic preamp.

 

[rickcr42]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotoriousBIG_PJ Thanks for the reply. Whats a mic pre-amp needed for? He was thinking mic->sound card. Biggie.

A REAL mic is a very low output device, a device on the same level as a phono cartridge in level so needs a preamplifying stage to "up' the signal to a level usable into a line level input,Because this gain is so high and will be cascading into another gain stage (the line level gain stage) any noise WILL be amplified along with the signal by a factor of X Gain of the line stage and so places a serious demand on the mic preamp.

Straight into a computer mic input is usually not a great idea even IF the gain is high enough due to that being targeted to a dialog mic only and not a music mic input.It will be noisy,it will have a seriously crappy overload margin and the response will not be what you need for anything other than dictation unless your freind has a sound card that is designed from the start to be used for recording.Better to front the line inputs with a preamp.a preamp that YOU control so the levels never get to "hot" into the sound card and.

If you must use the mic input of the sound card straight in then one of the Lavelier "tie clip" condenser mics can be used.available from all the usual suspects (AT,EV,SHURE,Sennheiser,AKG.Etc.) can range from "vocal only" all the way to true high end audio recording but being a small diaphragm mic capsule don't expect to have the ability to record high level music.acoustic guitar,vocals,maybe some brass or woodwinds....

Because it is an electret and meant for quick and dirty "plug 'er in and hit record" dity most have built in a jfet preamp stage/mic capsule bias supply?DC Blocking caps so will plug directly into any low sensitivity mic input such as a computer sound card or portable recorder.There are a few very expensive models ready for prime time but most no so accept the limitations and record to strengths only.


Quote:

Welcome back, Rick.

Heya

Quote:

thread hijacking.

back when I was active here you had ZERO SHOT at that title dude !

I am/was THE THREAD HIJACK KING and retired from the joint still wearing the championship belt

Quote:

What is the KSC75 of mic preamps (without phantom power)? Naturally I've also asked this question at the studio forum, but there's no such consensus like in the mic case.What I've got was 30 opinions and a flame war.

that surprises considering any knucklhead knows there IS NO one size fits all when it comes to mic preamps but targeted use results only.

If it is the best for the least then the Rolls lineup is hard to beat with a stick.Not the last word in preamps but usable just the same.a step up in class would be the Rane MS-1B which is a nice design having enough options to be totally usable.

http://www.rane.com/ms1b.html


and in kit form this is a killer for the price if you use upgraded parts on the initial build :

http://www.paia.com/phantom.htm



All the above are what are considered "clean" mic stages.That is no intenional colorations are added to the basic sound of the mic so unless you have access to EQ in the mixer you would use the mic choice or mic proximity effect to dial in the "tone" you are looking for.

This type of preamp is more "overall performance" oriented than target specific to an solo voice or instrument where you would use a particular mic stage to get the general tone you are looking for.The misconception many have is that studio recording gear has the same requirements as home playback gear-it does no.

In the home any distortions or deviations from nuetral are to be avoided like a contageous disease but in the studio these things are required if you are to ge the exact sound you are looking for in an indivuidual performance be it instrumental or vocal so I guess the answer is there is no answer in general only answers to what is the deired goal.

BTW-here is a very good read on the topic in "any man" language :

http://record-producer.com/learn.cfm?a=3080

 

[scrypt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickcr42 All the above are what are considered "clean" mic stages.That is no intenional colorations are added to the basic sound of the mic so unless you have access to EQ in the mixer you would use the mic choice or mic proximity effect to dial in the "tone" you are looking for. BTW-here is a very good read on the topic in "any man" language: http://record-producer.com/learn.cfm?a=3080

Rather nice to have you back in the neighb and imparting technical lore, Herr 42. Do try to ignore the New Incivility and re-make yourself at home.

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickcr42 Shure SM-57,around $99 street Tough,damn near blowout proof,does not require a phantom power supply so places less demand on the mic preamp,works on both vocals and instruments in the studio or on location and at the price about as well as you can do and still get a quality tool that as the kit is upgraded will always find a place in any setting. http://www.tweakheadz.com/review_of_the_sm57.htm add a DIY Stereo Bar and/or a mic stand with boom pair and off you go to fame and glory http://www.3daudioinc.com/3db/showth...?t=7958&page=2 http://www7.taosnet.com/f10/stereobar.html BTW-latter add in a pair of SM-57s and a pair of SM-81s then a good condenser mic (will need phantom power and some TLC in the field) for a full on budget mini studio .

*looks at rig*

*sees Shure SM57*

bah, looks like I have the KSC-75 of mics.

Anyhow, the SM57 or SM58 is the workhorse of Mics, I'd probably call it more like the Alessandro MS-1 of mics (the gateway drug), and those Sony lavalier mics the KSC75s of the world. I used one of those cheapo sony clipon mics (see? clip on! Koss!) and they work just fine going right into a weak soundcard's preamp. The SM57 however definitely needs a separate beefier preamp, so I use the M-Audio DMP3. They have a single version - is it called the micBuddy or something? But I use the 2-channel version so I can plug my guitar in at the same time to add a bit of clean bite to my more spacious mic'd SM57 (The Shure is angled towards my vocals, and the guitar is picked up live less directly).