Thanks! I have the KSM32 and have found my vocals are weak. I had been considering just getting an SM57, so I'm glad you mentioned that it works better for vocals for you.
The KSM32 is a neutral (flat frequency response) mic so it doesn't cut through a mix as well as mics that have more of a upper mid or high boost. It's more suited to backing tracks (non melody tracks) in general, but it definitely can make a great vocal mic, depending on the other tracks in the mix of your music. It definitely will have a harder time competing with over-the-top metal guitars, for example, but even then it can be made to work. However, busy rock mixes might be served better by a dynamic mic that leaves a "smaller footprint" for vocals. Most of the Shure dynamic mics may work better in that case, depending on your voice and the mix. As a final note, I'll just add that so many of the Hollywood rock vocals were cut on a U87 (condenser with lots of upper mids), but some have also used the SM7B (which doesn't cut so much better than the KSM32 TBH). Hope this helps!
@@JeffreySchmidtMusic Thank you! I will make a video comparing when I get it. U87 has always given me the best results, but I'm not ready to throw down $3,000. I've also looked into the SM7. I did have a bad experience with that mic, but it's probably because I used both the cover and a pop screen with it (duh). I'm glad you mentioned those mics, because it tells me I at least have somewhat of an idea of where I'm going!
@@jacobc.7586 Yeah of course the true U87s are way overpriced but it was just to talk about the type of mic that cuts through a mix well. A good more reasonalbly priced mic that definitely cuts through the mix that I also review on my channel is the Mojave MA201 FET. It's a U67-style mic that has prominent upper mids without the harsh highs that many cheaper mics have. On the other hand, the MA201 can be a bit lacking in the lower mids. It's a great mic to get vocals to cut through a dense mix, but can sound a bit thin in a sparse mix. And yes the foam cover plus a pop filter on an SM7B will sound dull. In a sparse mix I usually just use the foam cover. In a dense mix taking the foam cover off and using a pop filter can be good.
@@jacobc.7586 Right and if your budget is $200 or less for a vocal mic I would look into either the Shure Beta58 or the Audio Technica AT2020. The SM57 cuts pretty well but is also pretty siblant. Listen to MJ's "Thriller" to hear an SM7B and "Billy Jean" to hear an SM57 in comparison.
For straight up warmth, beauty, presence/clarity of acoustic guitar and male vocals, which would you recommend this or the Mojave 201? I’m running through an Apollo twin with the standard unison 610 to an la2a. Only very minor accompanyment of other instruments. Thanks, great review man!
Thanks! For vocals alone or vocals+guitar in one mic, it's the 201 hands down IMHO. On acoustic guitar alone the bite of the 201 can sometimes make it harder to put it behind the vocal in the mix, but on the other hand the KSM32 tends to pick up more bass than I'd like making it muddy in the mix. Good luck with your choice.
hello. what do you think about the Ksm32 for the application of recording heavy metal guitar amps? (possibly with an sm57) and how about recording classical guitar with it? thank you!
The KSM32 would be great for guitar cabs in combination with an SM57. Alone, a KSM32 would give you more lower mids (200-500 Hz) than most guitar recordings have, which could be especially annoying if you layer lots of guitars like many metal mixes do. So IMO the KSM32 can definitely work on a guitar cab alone, but it's not ideal since you'd have to work harder on EQ at the mix phase. The KSM32 would be great for solo classical guitar recordings for sure. Again, the more guitars you want to layer, the more you might want to choose a mic with less low mids. My favorite uses for the KSM32 is leads (guitar or vocals) and percussion - any source that you want to "fatten up" or make sound a bit "larger than life". I don't like using it on backing or layered tracks because that quickly results in a muddy mix.
@@JeffreySchmidtMusic very useful information, thank you! so what mics would you say are good for layering guitars? (especially layers of heavy guitar amps) man, this "finding the right mics" thing is exausting. I've been stuck for months trying to dig information to find the right mics I need to buy. for now I have only bought the sm57. which for now I tried for recording acoustic guitar along with a akg c3000 condenser, results weren't amazing, I think. came out very boomy sometimes (I'm aware it's best for recording amps though). I'm going to rent a few mics when I could(Tlm 103, U87, tlm 107, c414) and check them on my voice and on my amp and see which one I like the most, I probably won't buy the u87 but wanted to check it anyway. I wish I could rent a ksm32 or 44 but couldn't find a place that rents those here. I know I need to find a specific mic for each application, such as Acoustic guitar, classical guitar, electric, subtle vocals, and one for powerful vocals. I thought I could cover all bases by just buying a neumann u87, but I'm not so sure about that anymore, since I got the impression it's not best for strong vocals, and not so great compared to other mics for recording acoustic guitar and maybe even amps. maybe it's a wrong impression. but I thought instead of buying a combination of mics after renting and testing some of them, such as: the tlm 103/c414/107 for subtle vocals and acoustic and classical guitars, sm7b for powerful vocals, and a royer 121 probably to layer up with the sm57 for my amp. since choosing an additional mic for my mostly metal purposes is the part I'm most unsure about and understand the least of. all that instead of just buying a u87. which would you say is the more preferable option? a u87 or all of the mics I mentioned together? also when it comes to vocals(soft and strong vocals as well) how do you compare some rode mics over any of those I mentioned that are not too expensive? (c414, tlm 103, tlm107) man, sorry for writing so much.. I just don't know who to consult with about these things. you seem knowledgeable so I thought it would be good to consult with you. your opinon would help me a lot.
@@bonbb3923 No problem man I've been there! Even if you're willing to spend a large budget, I'd suggest that when you're starting out that you get a variety of cheaper mics in order to understand what you like in mics for different sources. A few years back I bought an expensive Brauner mic that I regret because its my most expensive mic and it gets very little use. More expensive does not equal better! It's a great sounding mic, but it's just not my style. As you say, SM57 is great for layering guitars and if you want a fatter guitar for a sparser mix, you can add a 2nd mic that has more low end. For a classic acoustic guitar sound, get a small diaphragm condenser (pencil mic), preferably one with a high pass filter. I use the Beyerdynamic MC930, but AKG and Neumann also make good ones. I have videos on my channel on the MC930. Getting a good vocal mic really depends a lot on the voice being recorded. SM7B is good for harsh metal/hard rock vocals. The KSM32 is good for making a voice sound fatter and is also pretty smooth for a condenser. For muddy/boomy voices that need less low end I like the Mojave MA201 FET. I have videos on that mic too. My best advice is to get a bunch of mics in your studio and try them out with your gear on your instruments in your room. If your recording room is small and untreated acoustically you might be better off using dynamic mic's or less sensitive condensers (like the KSM32). That could be another reason for boomy recordings. Good luck!
@@JeffreySchmidtMusic thanks man! things are defenitly tough when you are your own producer with no record label and you have to choose a gear for your self out of many options... but you have to risk not choosing the perfect gear thanks for the recommendations, I'll also check out your other videos about microphones
@@armansrsa Yes, I flip the phase on one of the mics. And then in my DAW I bump one of the tracks forward or back a little to get them to liine up perfectly if it's not already the case. Hope this helps.
I find the Shure consensers to be sort of half-way between most condensers and most dynmaic mics in terms of both sound signature and sound isolation from an untreated room. They isolate you more from an untreated room than most condensers (I also have the Mojave MA201 and the Rode NT1A), but less than most dynamic mics (I have a bunch of Shure dynamic mics - SM7B, SM58, SM57, Beta58, Beta57). But they also give you less high frequencies than most condenser mics, but more high frequencies than dynamic mics. Hope this helps!
Any preamp or audio interface that has +48 Volts (phantom power) will work. Beyond that it depends on what sound you're looking for and your budget. I use the GAP Pre-73 DLX preamp for vocals and the Daking Mic Pre One preamp for instruments.
00:00 Build quality
02:12 Diaphragm size
05:59 How it sounds
09:22 On percussion
12:03 On vocals
18:47 On acoustic guitar
19:39 On bass
wAwesome Video.. what about the shure ksm42? not much is talked about it
I'm interested in trying a KSM42 but I don't have any experience with one yet.
If you also want a mic with more lower frequencies, Try the mic parts t12. This mic is just as good as well
At2020 is also an MDC and is also surprisingly nice on drum overheads. Liking your videos !!
Thanks! I've never tested the AT2020 but I've heard good things about it, especially for the price.
Thanks! I have the KSM32 and have found my vocals are weak. I had been considering just getting an SM57, so I'm glad you mentioned that it works better for vocals for you.
The KSM32 is a neutral (flat frequency response) mic so it doesn't cut through a mix as well as mics that have more of a upper mid or high boost. It's more suited to backing tracks (non melody tracks) in general, but it definitely can make a great vocal mic, depending on the other tracks in the mix of your music. It definitely will have a harder time competing with over-the-top metal guitars, for example, but even then it can be made to work. However, busy rock mixes might be served better by a dynamic mic that leaves a "smaller footprint" for vocals. Most of the Shure dynamic mics may work better in that case, depending on your voice and the mix. As a final note, I'll just add that so many of the Hollywood rock vocals were cut on a U87 (condenser with lots of upper mids), but some have also used the SM7B (which doesn't cut so much better than the KSM32 TBH). Hope this helps!
@@JeffreySchmidtMusic Thank you! I will make a video comparing when I get it. U87 has always given me the best results, but I'm not ready to throw down $3,000. I've also looked into the SM7. I did have a bad experience with that mic, but it's probably because I used both the cover and a pop screen with it (duh). I'm glad you mentioned those mics, because it tells me I at least have somewhat of an idea of where I'm going!
@@jacobc.7586 Yeah of course the true U87s are way overpriced but it was just to talk about the type of mic that cuts through a mix well. A good more reasonalbly priced mic that definitely cuts through the mix that I also review on my channel is the Mojave MA201 FET. It's a U67-style mic that has prominent upper mids without the harsh highs that many cheaper mics have. On the other hand, the MA201 can be a bit lacking in the lower mids. It's a great mic to get vocals to cut through a dense mix, but can sound a bit thin in a sparse mix. And yes the foam cover plus a pop filter on an SM7B will sound dull. In a sparse mix I usually just use the foam cover. In a dense mix taking the foam cover off and using a pop filter can be good.
@@jacobc.7586 Right and if your budget is $200 or less for a vocal mic I would look into either the Shure Beta58 or the Audio Technica AT2020. The SM57 cuts pretty well but is also pretty siblant. Listen to MJ's "Thriller" to hear an SM7B and "Billy Jean" to hear an SM57 in comparison.
@@JeffreySchmidtMusic Such a great tip for a comparison!
Great.
For straight up warmth, beauty, presence/clarity of acoustic guitar and male vocals, which would you recommend this or the Mojave 201? I’m running through an Apollo twin with the standard unison 610 to an la2a. Only very minor accompanyment of other instruments. Thanks, great review man!
My apologies, you completely answered my question. I was teaching a class and jumped the gun without listening to that part of the video yet.
Thanks! For vocals alone or vocals+guitar in one mic, it's the 201 hands down IMHO. On acoustic guitar alone the bite of the 201 can sometimes make it harder to put it behind the vocal in the mix, but on the other hand the KSM32 tends to pick up more bass than I'd like making it muddy in the mix. Good luck with your choice.
hello. what do you think about the Ksm32 for the application of recording heavy metal guitar amps? (possibly with an sm57)
and how about recording classical guitar with it?
thank you!
The KSM32 would be great for guitar cabs in combination with an SM57. Alone, a KSM32 would give you more lower mids (200-500 Hz) than most guitar recordings have, which could be especially annoying if you layer lots of guitars like many metal mixes do. So IMO the KSM32 can definitely work on a guitar cab alone, but it's not ideal since you'd have to work harder on EQ at the mix phase. The KSM32 would be great for solo classical guitar recordings for sure. Again, the more guitars you want to layer, the more you might want to choose a mic with less low mids. My favorite uses for the KSM32 is leads (guitar or vocals) and percussion - any source that you want to "fatten up" or make sound a bit "larger than life". I don't like using it on backing or layered tracks because that quickly results in a muddy mix.
@@JeffreySchmidtMusic very useful information, thank you!
so what mics would you say are good for layering guitars? (especially layers of heavy guitar amps)
man, this "finding the right mics" thing is exausting. I've been stuck for months trying to dig information to find the right mics I need to buy.
for now I have only bought the sm57.
which for now I tried for recording acoustic guitar along with a akg c3000 condenser, results weren't amazing, I think. came out very boomy sometimes (I'm aware it's best for recording amps though).
I'm going to rent a few mics when I could(Tlm 103, U87, tlm 107, c414)
and check them on my voice and on my amp and see which one I like the most, I probably won't buy the u87 but wanted to check it anyway.
I wish I could rent a ksm32 or 44 but couldn't find a place that rents those here.
I know I need to find a specific mic for each application, such as Acoustic guitar, classical guitar, electric, subtle vocals, and one for powerful vocals.
I thought I could cover all bases by just buying a neumann u87, but I'm not so sure about that anymore, since I got the impression it's not best for strong vocals, and not so great compared to other mics for recording acoustic guitar and maybe even amps. maybe it's a wrong impression.
but I thought instead of buying a combination of mics after renting and testing some of them, such as: the tlm 103/c414/107 for subtle vocals and acoustic and classical guitars, sm7b for powerful vocals, and a royer 121 probably to layer up with the sm57 for my amp. since choosing an additional mic for my mostly metal purposes is the part I'm most unsure about and understand the least of.
all that instead of just buying a u87.
which would you say is the more preferable option? a u87 or all of the mics I mentioned together?
also when it comes to vocals(soft and strong vocals as well) how do you compare some rode mics over any of those I mentioned that are not too expensive? (c414, tlm 103, tlm107)
man, sorry for writing so much.. I just don't know who to consult with about these things.
you seem knowledgeable so I thought it would be good to consult with you.
your opinon would help me a lot.
@@bonbb3923 No problem man I've been there! Even if you're willing to spend a large budget, I'd suggest that when you're starting out that you get a variety of cheaper mics in order to understand what you like in mics for different sources. A few years back I bought an expensive Brauner mic that I regret because its my most expensive mic and it gets very little use. More expensive does not equal better! It's a great sounding mic, but it's just not my style. As you say, SM57 is great for layering guitars and if you want a fatter guitar for a sparser mix, you can add a 2nd mic that has more low end. For a classic acoustic guitar sound, get a small diaphragm condenser (pencil mic), preferably one with a high pass filter. I use the Beyerdynamic MC930, but AKG and Neumann also make good ones. I have videos on my channel on the MC930. Getting a good vocal mic really depends a lot on the voice being recorded. SM7B is good for harsh metal/hard rock vocals. The KSM32 is good for making a voice sound fatter and is also pretty smooth for a condenser. For muddy/boomy voices that need less low end I like the Mojave MA201 FET. I have videos on that mic too. My best advice is to get a bunch of mics in your studio and try them out with your gear on your instruments in your room. If your recording room is small and untreated acoustically you might be better off using dynamic mic's or less sensitive condensers (like the KSM32). That could be another reason for boomy recordings. Good luck!
@@JeffreySchmidtMusic thanks man!
things are defenitly tough when you are your own producer with no record label and you have to choose a gear for your self out of many options...
but you have to risk not choosing the perfect gear
thanks for the recommendations, I'll also check out your other videos about microphones
I also play cajon and usa an akg d112 on the soundhole and a sdc or rode nt1 on the front. Sounds great!
Nice! Thanks for sharing your setup.
@@JeffreySchmidtMusic do you flip the phase on one of your microphones when recording with a mic on the front and one on the back?
@@armansrsa Yes, I flip the phase on one of the mics. And then in my DAW I bump one of the tracks forward or back a little to get them to liine up perfectly if it's not already the case. Hope this helps.
how well does it work in a non sound treated environment. is there a lot of background noise?
I find the Shure consensers to be sort of half-way between most condensers and most dynmaic mics in terms of both sound signature and sound isolation from an untreated room. They isolate you more from an untreated room than most condensers (I also have the Mojave MA201 and the Rode NT1A), but less than most dynamic mics (I have a bunch of Shure dynamic mics - SM7B, SM58, SM57, Beta58, Beta57). But they also give you less high frequencies than most condenser mics, but more high frequencies than dynamic mics. Hope this helps!
Can you tell me what pre amp works well with this mic. I just bought it and need a pre-amp.
Any preamp or audio interface that has +48 Volts (phantom power) will work. Beyond that it depends on what sound you're looking for and your budget. I use the GAP Pre-73 DLX preamp for vocals and the Daking Mic Pre One preamp for instruments.
Much thanks!
why not actually use the mic and show us that? that's what I came for, personally
Check my channel for my mic shootout videos, like this one on vocals that includes the KSM32 ruclips.net/video/81qHJLmaB00/видео.html