Vocal Mic Shoot-out (Neumann,Blue,Rode,Audio-Technica,ADK,Shure)
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- Опубликовано: 30 сен 2024
- Vocal Mic Shoot-out (For Best Results, Listen in Highest Quality)
(Neumann U87ai & U89i, Rode K2, Blue Blueberry, ADK Vienna au12, Audio-Technica 4050 & 4040, Shure sm57)
Music by: Israel and NewBreed "Jesus at The Center"
Each Channel has no EQ, and was clipped gained in PT10 to get the same level. The Tube-Tech CL1B Plugin was put on each channel in addition toa touch of Reverb (R-Verb) as well. Each Mic was recorded At Berklee College of Music (Studio C) and was ran through the Neve 1073 Mic Pre and The A/D DigiDesign 192.
Special Thanks To Christine Smit (@Christinee_Noel) for singing this a million and one times.
SUBSCRIBE to Christine Smit channel here:
/ christinesmitmusic
Engineers:
Nathaniel Coe III
www.natecoemusi...
@natecoemusic
Tyler Scott
www.tylerjscott...
@mixedbyTYLER
COMMENT! We want to know what you think and hear!
Many more videos and music is coming soon.If you have any suggestions or Shoot-outs you want to see, let us know and we will do it! Thanks for Watching. Subscribe for future video's.
I think I'm gonna go with the SM57 and put the remaining $3,300 towards another 33 SM57's
best comment
It's all about that preamp bro. That Neve 1073 can make pretty much any microphone sound half way decent.
Zachary Spence Herp Derp! I was just watching one of your videos
They've done shoot outs with 100 dollar pre amps vs pre amps in the thousands, surprisingly a large majority chose the 100 dollar pre amps. Trust me I would spend the money on a nice pre amp if it really made a difference. Money is better spent on a great eq and compressor.
Benasis Management Yeah man, just watched that video you're talking about. I'm man enough to say when I'm wrong haha. I was blown away by how similar they were! However, I did the blind test and it happened to be the Neve that I chose lol. Maybe I just like the sound of those!
I will say though, that I'm learning that it's not about the price of the gear, but the relationship between four key things: the source (what you're recording), the microphone, the preamp, and mic placement. From what I hear (I don't actually have any real experience lol, I'm just throwing ideas out there) the best strategy is to change up those 4 things until you get something that sounds good and just go with that. So basically if you have a $200 dollar mic and a $3000 mic, don't just automatically use the more expensive one, use the one that sounds the best with their vocal. Same thing with the preamp except in relation to the mic. Same thing with mic placement. Just do what sounds good.
Again, not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but that's the strategy that I'm going to try when I get more into recording.
Praise Jesus, the center of my life! I also do thank God for the SM57! Haters, it's so sad to see you leaving comments bashing people for their faith. Nobody is bashing you for your lack of faith.
She's never gonna want to sing this song again. ;) nice voice. 57 held up nicely.
I doubt that, probably sings it every morning.
I really like it on raw sounding rock vocals. Of course the U87 is beautiful in the mix I’ve tracked with both and with my voice a 57 often gets it done. A singer like this with a beautiful voice I’d prefer the U87. But more expensive though. Hah.
Realize this is an 8 year old comment but I follow your channel currently. I’m also a guitar teacher and the first video I saw when you talked about students googling songs on RUclips was so relatable. I’ve been working on my vibrato with your technique and it’s helped a lot thank you. I need to get over to your patreon soon once I’m employed again.
Thanks, now I know what I want.
I want Jesus in my life, that's what I want.
+Kakashikewl No. You want these mics.
+TheSodaLake No I don't! Jesus' all I need.
I know you need me, but you also need these mics.
+Kakashikewl
I need Jesus, indeed. However I do want the mics. :-)
Thank you, for theese lines. I've make me laugh.
00:00 Neumann U87
1:13 Neumann U89
2:29 Rode K2
3:28 Blueberry
4:31 Audio Technika 4050
5:42 Audio Technika4040
6:44 Adk Vienna au 12
7:49 Shure sm 57
you're welcome
Thankyou
Thank you
I vote for the sm57 just for being the underdog and having the guts to go up against expensive competition.
Rialas Fuck, but it absolutely holds it down! It really is in the preamp.
Rialas Agreed... and I like the sound of it personally alot more than some of the other mics... xD
Michael Munro Agreed x3. Such a 'crap' mic, really holds its own. Body, no ugly sibilance and a nice warm feel...guess the 1073 helps, but well, it would help the other mics too.
Hiss Hum I'm always very amazed when i hear an sm57 through a 'good' preamp. It makes the sm57 sound so much better. I guess it stresses the importance of a 'good' preamp...
Rialas sm57 for everything!!! :) But going through a $2,500 1073 preamp will make most mics sound good. Still, gotta love those 57's!
4040 killing it. Don't bother with super expensive mics if you don't have a good pre and converters. Defeating the purpose. Great voice.
+Alex Jerome if you actually think the 4040 sounds good youre an idiot. shes got a terrible voice and its obvious that the u87 makes it sound way better than she actually sounds
+A Blackman someone's a wee bit too passionate about a microphone opinion. :)
+Alex Jerome someone cant hear anything and is a shitty engineer
+A Blackman Haha whatever you say chap
+Alex Jerome I thought the 4050 was significantly better, but even that one is not terribly expensive!!
some of you are idiots. she's singing the same phrase on each mic for demonstration purposes so stop busting on the song/genre. I think she's got a beautiful voice, if you don't have anything nice to say - shut up, geez. as for the shoot out, if your ears work the winner is clearly the U87.
Brian Varhelyi I agree
Brian Varhelyi I agree about the hating. As far as the Mics are concerned, I don't hear that much of a difference. I'm sure the differences can be adjusted with tools. I notice that the expensive mics are not worth the slight differences in price. That's my opinion.
rode K2 is hold up big time
The blueberry is definitely the smoothest silkiest mic to me. Don't think I would have to do as much to it!! Another vote for the blueberry!!
I think the 1073 wins :)
Haha yes
Sorry I was pulled into worship could hear the comparison...I'm going to try again, my goodness she is powerful.
It just goes to prove a good singer will sound good on any microphone.
the neuman U87 kills all the other microphones.
BTW i'm jewish and jesus never sounded so sweet.
+Fartolissimo The Neve 1073 basically made all of those mics sound magical.
+Fartolissimo Really dude? I'm sitting here with a U87 right in front of me. I'm a fan. But I don't think any of those Neumanns killed anything. They all sounded good. The big star to me was the Rode K2. For $700 bucks it sounded great. I might have to get one. The highs seemed to have a bit more definition with the K2 than any of the others. I find that shocking.
Cheers
Comments here like "this mic was so much better than that mic" are just laughable. A perfect example of people bringing their own preconceived notions to the shootout. That's the first obvious problem, and easily solved by doing the shootout blind. Watch any blind shootout (Sound on Sound did a great one with mic pres and it's eye-opening). The results are always surprising and humbling to the participants (seasoned engineers in the case of SOS).
Fartolissimo lol
Agreed its the only one I noticed sibilance that actually annoyed me. A lot of it was here voice they all sounded so close, the U87 and the ADK were my favourite but super narrow. The AT mics are a little boring in the midrange but dont have any ugly sounds to them and definately worth it (I have an at 4050 and its a useable mic for everything).
A mic shootout that convinced me to buy the only preamp. Nice!
"It`s all about You Jesus" Love it! Oh yeah...I`m supposed to compare mics :)
Beautiful singing to a beautiful Saviour!
:)
Tim nosirrag now now...no need for name calling :)
Wow Amazing how well that K2 holds up against the U87! Very impressed! And Christine's voice is AWESOME! Can I write something for her please?
No. If you listen the "S" "ts" "ch". Only neumann is good. All others are craps. U want a clean record >> Neumann. You dont care >> shure 57
Yeah was surprised too, I was expecting a sudden decline in quality after succeeding a Neumann 😂
I have k2, he very bad. Middle recording bullshit
@@LeviTalTV you're lying, the Rode K2 is a great mic
@@LimePieMusic Now I have a custom tube microphone on an M7 capsule, the difference is incredible, as if I changed an old car for a Porsche.
0:05 - Neumann U87
1:12 - Neumann U89
2:17 - Rode K2
3:22 - Blueberry
4:30 - Audio-Technica 4050
5:35 - Audio-Technica 4040
6:42 - ADK Vienna au12
7:46 - Shure SM-57
Up
I like her voice
Not me. Annoying as hell (ooops, sorry jesus)
gtrsuite Can I like it 666 times?
Such a lovely voice.
Marcos Cerutti LOL
This video shows that it doesn't really matter what mic you use, coz your voice is really amazing. :)
I think I have a pretty trained ear and I really can't hear a difference in quality between mics in the $300-500 price range and the $2500+ price range. I could hear the different frequency characteristics, but not $2000 worth of difference. I think the only reason to buy a microphone that is that expensive is to attract artists with flashy equipment.
Same. Pretty much that. It's all different EQ curves, and some have earlier roll offs like the AT4040 which sounded a bit darker than many others but nothing too bad. I'm sure you can make most mics sound exactly like another with simple EQing.
Lion's Heart Productions Yeah, exactly.
Actually the AT mics were more of the type you could lay down more tracks with...the Neumanns couldnt be used that way...My prefered choice for that is the AT 4033 or the Shure KSM 32...but for vocals its hard to beat the Neumann...
Laying down tracks with lots of Neumanns didn't hurt The Beatles lol
When you are doing less than 8...they cannot hurt...I can lay down up to 124...but shit gets weird around 48even with the quietest pres and best mics...trust me today they use the right tool for the job...and Didnt the Beatles use ribbons...Reslo mics...
I'm atheist but this song is really beautiful
your'e an idiot
*you're
Pointless comment.
Sentiu arrepios aí? hahaha com uma voz dessas é impossível duvidar que existe um céu (paraíso), não é mesmo?. But, Your emotion is you own paradise. Think about it!
I'm anti-theist and this comment is stupid.
Jesus and his friends don't pay tax, that's how they can afford buy the expensive mics. Tax payer funded Neumanns, good work Jesus.
#microphonesforjeebus
Interesting comment, actually when asked Jesus said "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's (taxes) and unto God what is God's (your heart).
Don't let a few bad apples ruin your impression of the fruit
Christ is not to blame for wolves in sheeps clothing.
Clearly the sm57. It fits best to her voice.
Sm57 is the lord baby Jesus put into microphone form
the $100 mic is the best omg
+Chance Park the $100 mic sounds like a great deal lol
SM57 sounds thin, 87 worth every penny.
+oceantracks almost identical frequency response.... here we go again haha
4 things impressed me. 1) The girl performed the same take over and over with incredible and near exact delivery each time.
2) The Neve 1073 made all of the mics sound incredible!
3) The Rode K2 was almost as smooth as the U87 which is the go-to mic for most pros (gwen stefani, Fergie, on and on). The K2 had great handling of sibilance and volume changes with no mud. Some of the mics people are raving about became harsh when she sang louder. Moreover many had muddy mid to low range. My second choice in this test would be the Blueberry.
4) How well the 57 stood up. Jim Morrison recorded most of the doors stuff with it.
In the end If I were choosing 2 mics under 1k they would be the Rode K2 and the Shure Sm7B (used my Metallica, Perl Jam, Slipknot, Pink and on and on) The SM7B is the most professionally recorded mic in history. Google it. It is ~$400
If she can (presumably) sit through church every week, she used to mind-numbing repetition ...
00:07 Neumann U87
1:13 Neumann U89
2:19 Rode K2
3:24 Blueberry
4:31 Audio Technika 4050
5:37 Audio Technika4040
6:44 Adk Vienna au 12
7:49 Shure sm 57
Don't get why people think there's no difference. The U87 (I don't have one, and never gonna, given the price) sits beautifully in the mix right off the bat. The Rode hits the sibilants so hard you want to punch it! Ant though the AT4050 sounds kinda nice, it's kinda weird too from the first "all" and at some points, like adding distance from the singer [which is not the reverb] . The 4040 does not flatter her lowest frequencies. And the Sm57? I own it and would very much like it to sound the best, but come on guys! It's harsh and adds a weird distortion-like mid-range thing at 7.58-8.01. It's unnatural. Sorry, but U87 might not justify the 2000$ difference, but sounds best to my ears (not the U89 though).
I pretty much agree with your assessment. The U87 definitely sounded the best in the mix with no EQ. The 4050 was my favorite at first, but it did start to develop this weird midrange honk in the loud parts. I think people liked the sm57 because it gave some natural compression that helped the mix, but otherwise it sounded very nasal and lacked definition. Maybe people are listening on laptop speakers or something?
So basically any mic will sound good with a $3000 pre-amp and high end converters?
exactly. this video fails to recognize that the signal chain post mic runs about 10k here.. so we're debating 10.1k-13.3k sounds good to me.
or if you sing about a fake god or son of god or the trilogy of god the holy spritit or oooooooooh, I give up
Performance beats gear, period.
Jeremy Leff All of it means nothing in the wrong acoustic environment too.
She probably passed the fuck out after she sang this so many times
Nathaniel, i think it´s a shame you didn´t have posted the full music. I ´ve already knew this music but this arrangement and Christine´s voice were a perfect marriage. Awesomwe!
By the way loved the k-2.
this was amazing, I agree. Did he created the instrumental? It sounds amazing and so complex. I can see so much in the background... I PMed her a while ago asking if she could do a full version, no answer tho!
I fall in love with this girl. Her voice is so awesome. No matter the mic she uses, her voice is always so clear...
I think you fell in love with Jesus
I too fell in love with this Sweety.
She can even sing through the biscuit. So sorrowful melodious singer she is.
I'm impressed at how much less expensive mics dominate this shoot-out. Even shure sm-57 which is not supposed to be made for vocals, loses a bit of gain when she is away from the mic but collects the high frequencies nicely. I'm an atheist by the way and it's a very good song for the task because every mic was tested under similar musical structure and vocal sounds.
Just curious if you’re still an atheist.
@@Buzzrocketmedia lol
i totally forgot about the mics, i was just into singing to Jesus.
me too!!!!!
wow...rode k2 is well worth it!! sound like the $3399 neumann
Came here for a mic competition, and was blown away by the singing talent. Awesome!
I am also blown away. What a emotional singing.
The BlueBerry and the U87 are nearly identical and just from this on headphone audio I can tell a minor loss of warmth on the Blueberry from the U87...great comparative value...The Audio Technica 4050 has a warmth that is desirable but has an audible reverb on highs (effects were on?)...the k2 is a great choice as it virtually eliminates ALL noise, but its almost too clean...and as the shure may have great vocal sound, the pickup is too sensitive (not typical for a dynamic mic or it could just be that performance) as I could hear clicks, echo/room reverb, and plosives...but it IS the best value.Thanks for the video, it is helping me in my decision of purchasing new mics.
great PROOF that there isnt really jack shit difference between a $3000 mic and a $300 AT 4040
overpriced shit
get your ears checked
get your brain checked dumb fuck
Theoria Apophasis That escalated quickly 0_o
ravenhawk82
i know right, keyboard wariors away! haha!
Theoria Apophasis i would advice an earcheck as well ;-)
Her voice, OMG .. I swear can cuts through any mix with a 20 $ mic!!!
what an emotion rings in her gifted natural musically instrument (voice) !!
now seriously ..great equipment are made for great voices!! for this Mariah Carey is unique !!
As a professional female vocalist... I look for something that is true to the quality of the voice. I like more warmth and depth in vocal quality personally... but everyone has a different preference. I don't like many recordings these days because they're too sterile... that 'cd' quality feel that loses it's depth and sounds too processed. The more expensive the mic, the more processed and glazed it can sound. The kind of mics you might want to use on pop music.
My top three were the Rode K2, Blue Blueberry, and Shure sm57. The Blue Blueberry although gives a great tonal depth... I noticed it is sensitive to "s" sounds... making it a bit snakey. She could have been too close to the mic on that one... but it's my first one ruled out. The Rode K2 you really can't go wrong with. It maintains authenticity and a real vocal sound while polishing it only ever so slightly. It would be my first choice for recording a professional track/cd. My personal preference in the line up for my own vocal quality though... would be the Shure sm57. I'm a blues/folk singer primarily and I like having a little grit and maintaining a very real vocal quality.
Ultimately though... overall... I think the Rode K2 is best quality and performance of the bunch. For similar quality at a much lower price...I'd go with the Shure sm57.
That CD quality you speak of and the sterility of it, isn't from the digital medium nor is it likely from the mic. That sound comes from the fact that today, they compress the hell out of everything just to give it a hotter signal. When CD"s first came out they didn't do that. They sounded amazing vs. vinyl and in fact sounded like the band was in the room. (yeah, I'm that old) As producers wanted to make their clients songs stand out on the radio or whatever medium, they started to compress, compress and compress. That in turn killed all the dynamic range and nuance from the performance leaving them to sound quite dead or...sterile. Just a bit of fun facts... ;-)
If you want the best quality take the u87 for vocal.. Is so flat and will make your vocal cleaner and better also it sit in the mix nicely.. It take eq very well also the compressor.. If you hear microphone without the mix people think that is not much difference. But in the mix you will hear a lot of differences..
An atheist has never jammed to some Christian rock as hard as I have this day. Lovely voice!
The mic makes no difference cause Jesus made that sound. At the center. :)
For her voice specifically, the Rode, the ADK mic and the two Audio-Technica mics sound best. Each has a certain character that is a synergistic match for her vocals. If I had to pick one, I would say the Rode K2.
The big surprise of course, is just how well the SM57 fared in this comparison. Through high end preamps and converters, the old workhorse sounds pretty darn good. :)
The SM57 was (I think) the only dynamic in a sea of condensers. By definition alone it should not have sounded that good!
I think this would have worked much better if the backing track was there in lower level so that we could concentrate more on the sound and tone of the vocals. I like the U87, but the Shure SM-57 sounds good, yet I think the Shure stands out mostly because it is higher in level in the mix than the other mikes.
The cheaper mics sounded pretty good for the quieter parts, but you could definitely hear them fall behind once things got louder. Also I'm sure the Neve pre-amp has a lot to do with the difference between what I can get off an SM58 and what you got.
***** Get a valve preamp and replace the valve with a good one. I recommend the ART Tube Mp and to get a Tung-sol 12AX7 valve
You guys are all criticizing someone for singing about God, calling her names. Reality is that you guys are upset because you don't have the hope this woman has. All of you are anonymous, and would probably be singing about sex, drugs or satan. You say that Christian rock is repetitive how about being in a bar every night? hahaha, you guys are in such need of attention.
i dont think any mic could make her not sound amazing haha
u87 is just more solid. more pleasing, no extra hyped highs. perfect.
Extra hype is nice though.
I can't get past her lousy voice aned song!
The U87 is perfect for this singer and song - Intimate but able to capture the intensity of the hook as well - Beautiful. The U89 is SO nice in the verse! Super intimate and perfect and it just grabs you at first, but lacks what the hook needs in intensity; It gets a little lost. Rode K2 is nice at first and then too harsh and fatiguing as it always is which is why I sold that mic when I had one. Blueberry is bright as usual, not as great as the U87. The 4050 and 4040 just lack the sweetness of the U87 and they would work fine on this song and singer, but not as much there in detail and vibe as the U87. The ADK is almost there, just not as smooth and sensual as the U87. The SM-57 - Why is it so much louder in the mix? Are you trying to fool us Nathan? But anyway, if that's all you got, make it work, it's not bad! But I vote for the Neumann U87 on this singer and song for sure! It's perfect for this singer/song.
From what I can hear, Shure SM57 produces more lo-fi and rocky sound. Which I think is probably better for me. Also, the price is so good that it's definitely worth the money.
rode k2 all day. loved it
Great singer. Rode K2 was phenomenal, especially for the price.
case in point, she sounds good on any mic
Her singing is amazing how isnt she famous that is if she isnt already!!!!
+Fatima Don Because Jesus thinks otherwise
+Юрий Гагарин haha
+Fatima Don Vocal talent isn't the only thing that matters.
+John Smith to be famous? She need to the bum and to be nude? I dissagree if she can sing Theres a chance
+Fatima Don Yes, of course there's a chance. I'm not saying you have to be nude and a bum to get famous. I'm saying you have to either meet a powerful person who arranges to have hit songs written for you, like most pop acts today, or you have to write really good songs on your own. Most people don't realize that song-writing talent is what separates good singers from really great musicians / artists. Maybe this girl is an amazing songwriter, I have no idea, but I'm just saying it takes more than just singing talent to make it. I live in Hollywood, and hundreds of great singers come here every day thinking that just because they can sing, they'll be Rihanna or Taylor Swift. It took a lot more than that to get those girls famous.
U87 sounded like butter compared to the others, blueberry was close. Beautiful voice btw.
The Blueberry is an incredible microphone.
@@UniqueThaPoet I've wanted the Blueberry ever since this video. Hard to find in stores though. Seems you have to order it, or have it ordered.
@@peeweesherman they have it in stock at zzounds. They also have a payment plan . I compared my blueberry to my tlm 102 and the blueberry sounds better.
@@UniqueThaPoet 🔥🔥 might have to finally cop that.
Why can't I hear the difference in my headphones I got from a 25 cent gumball machine?
nah man moine are really expensiv skull candy I got at best buy I don't hear a diffrenc!! (....@_@....)
sonofnothing HAHAHAHAHAHA i think it need mor base
I'm in love... and not talking about the microphones :)
She would sound like heaven even if you record her on your iPhone.
Listening through headphones, I'm really impressed that the 4040 sounds so close to the U87 despite the price differential. Well done, AT!
I have one and I love it but the problem is it seems to always catch a lot of sibilance. You can hear it in this video too, it's probably pumped right about where those frequencies are.
Exactly my opinion. AT 4040 was awesome in comparison. Neumann still bests them all, but the AT came really close for a tenth of the price!!
Came here for the mics, not to hear about Jesus. Shouldn't mix business with hobbies, I mean pleasure. Also, most of us don't have Neve 1073 preamps at our disposal. Something more modest would have catered for the masses. It was a good review all the same!
Belief isn't a hobby, except all people as they are
Then make believe she's talking to u saying Jesus sarcastically.
OH and God bless you :)
Did I ask if you thought I was intelligent? no, so keep that info to yourself, and yes I said God bless you, that guy, up there, and by God bless you I mean, May God have mercy on your insolent atheist soul :)
let me get this straight, you believe, the universe, farted, a big bang, and millions of years later, things just started working out, how do you explain the way our bodies are in perfect alignment to keep us alive? lungs breathe air, heart beats blood, and YOU believe, all this shit was by accident? am I really the idiot here? wow, I'm astonshed, you cant see air, or your organs, how do you know its there? you was not here a million years ago, how do you know how it happened? oh cuz SCIENCE said so, thats called faith, therefore you ARE religious, Idiot
I love the rhode k2! Never herd of it before... Pleasantly surprised. Also the 4050! And the sm57 give all of them a run for there money.
Having used an 87 since the early 70's, the AT4050 sounded very good. Like another said, the 57 did a good job, except for the loss of 'you', but maybe she was tired by then. God Bless.
The 57 you can't hide behind and it adds a rock edge to her great singing. The high end mics were great anything under the 5 or 6 hundred range wasn't as good as the 57 to my ears.
For her voice the brighter dynamic mic does add some top end sizzle that sounds quite good.
9 year reply: I agree. The backing track seems to have an alternative rock feel, and sometimes the SM57 and SM58 are two of the best mics you can use for a rock recording. What got my attention especially is how she sounded in the mix. In the mix, the SM57 was one of the best mics.
It did have flaws, but the SM57 gave her almost this feeling that she's singing on a stage. Her voice also had a lot of high frequencies that I wanted tamed (being nickpicky because as a singer, she's amazing), and the SM57 almost overdid it the high frequency taming, but since it sounded like she's on a stage singing, it ends up being a cool effect.
Listening to this through my Event studio monitors and the K2 beats the others no contest
hehe just saw my comment from last year, i went and bought the K2
You can EQ and compress any differences between the RODE & Neumann. I love the Audio Technica 4040, I think it made her sound the best.
The name carries it all... But all mikes consist of copper wire only.. Believe my proximity, performance, and depends on the artist's vocal ..Radio mikes weren't that compared of then
For HER voice....
Rode K2
Shure sm57
Neumann U87
Blueberry
Neumann U89
Audio Technica 4040
Audio Technica 4050
ADK Vienna
Stantawn Kendrick what microphone for male voice ?
Stantawn Kendrick I'm agree
I wonder how many of these same comments would appear with the blindfold test, i.e. listen first. And then look to see what mic is being used after you make your decision to what sounds best.
Great comparison, thank you so much! It's so rare to find singing examples for females, even more so without (or little) effects!
Also big thanks to the brave Lady, singing the same song apparently in one day, but each time with good energy!
Just today I purchased a microphone, and I spoke with a professional before who suggested mics to me that go well with females, especially those who want a warm sound and no accentuation of sibilances (I got an issue with those). More about that for those who are interested in my comment here, sorry for being a lot to read :)
Depending on your voice and what you need a mic for and how your budget looks like, the K2 can be a good pick, for hobbyists with the goal for higher quality, as long as you don't need a fully "neutral" mic, but love a warm sound for a good price, even more so compared to the Neumann mics' price range.
In case you find the K2 a bit "too muffled", lesser "open" than other mics, you can adjust that a bit in the post-edit. For me personally, the highs and mids seem strong enough, especially for people with a sibilance issue.
If someone reads this who searches a mic that goes well for females or anyone with a sibilance issue (sharp sssßßßSSSßßßss, scchhchhhh), here what I currently know:
As long as you don't mind the mic not being "neutral" (neutral means: no real frequenvy emphasis on lows, mids or highs), so you wouldn't mind a warm-coloured tone, plus might have issues with sibilance: The K2 does a good job so you won't have to fiddle much, if at all, with De-Essers.
Although it's better to manually adjust each and every sibilance in your recording, at least going bythe professionals I've heard.
The K2 doesn't seem "muddy" in the mids and highs despite being so warm/emphasizing the lows, it still got some things going in the mids and highs to bring sufficient clarity, without amplifying one's sibilance-issue. If the lows are too much for you, you can remove them a bit, but for me that's less work than fighting all instances of sibilance in my recordings.
The professional also told me the K2 can go very well with Rock singers. I found some videos here on YT where it was used for Rock/Punkrock, male voices, but also a great "Nessun Dorma" classical recording.
Each time the voices sounded warm, never had the feeling of "shrieking", "hissing" or so (I watched videos where no, or close to no effects were on the voice, or a comparison of before-after adding them, plus instruments).
I was also told that the 8-characteristic would sound even better than just cardioid.
To briefly explain that: The K2 comes with a power supply to feed the K2 tube - means you don't need an audio interface for/with 48V phantom powering, but just at least to get it into your device.
On the power supply is a knob with which you can set the direction characteristic of the K2. Mostly, cardioid (looks a bit like a butt) is chosen for speaking and singing solo; you don't want sound coming usually from sides or behind, so "cardioid" makes it so the voice just is recorded from front, and goes more and more silent towards the sides; the K2 also offers omnidirectional (circle symbol, means, mic records in all directions) and 8-form (looks like an 8, means, front and end of mic get recorded, e.g. for dialogue or duets).
A potential secret tip: A couple females who tested those characteristics while singing solo, said that you should chose cardioid characteristic, BUT THEN slightly move the knob towards the 8-figure for about 1/4! That would give it a wonderful colouration. You'd have to test it of course with your own voice and room, and maybe you'd have to adjust it more or less to cardioid or the 8-figure - but definitely test it!
As I currently don't have the K2 here, I can't confirm it, but I suspect maybe it gives a bit of a "fake stereo" sound of sorts, or a small effect as if you sang twice, with 2nd audio track having a minimum of delay, which usually leads to a sound of more "fullness".. I don't know, but in any case, I'll test that!
It is also recommended to have e.g. a mattress / thick foam or similar behind the K2 when you sing solo.
I will also have my back side be shielded, but if you can only do that on one side: Do it towards the direction you sing to, behind the mic.
The K2 is a tube microphone, the tube itself costs maybe around 20€, in case it ever goes bad. When this will be the case, is unknown, could be 5 years, could be 50, to exaggerate (maybe) - I know people who used their K2 for ~15 years already.
You can switch the tube yourself, there are videos for it here on YT, it's really easy. If you can replace bulbs and similar at home, you can also on the K2!
It should also be mentioned that - at least in my country - if you register your K2 within 30 days after purchase, the guarantee gets extended to even 10 years! And from those I've read, Rode seems to be quite good and nice regarding repairs and the likes - at least for the K2.
To what extent the K2 is also goof for voiceovers (e.g. YT videos), I can't say currently! For singing it's clearly great value for the price.
If you can't afford the ~600€ for a K2 tube mic plus search for a bit more "neutral" mic, plus got issues with sibilance, a condenser large diaphragm mic alternative for about half the price (atm ~290€) is the Sennheiser MK4.
It does have a small emphasis on the highs, but it still isn't causing "shrieking" or "hissing" issues, is what I was being told.
MK4 shall be way better than the NT1, which seems to be a bit hyped.
The MK4 is crystal clear. If you like or prefer its brightness and get no issues with sibilance, got more of a softer voice, the MK4 seems good.
I also requested intel about the:
- Rode NT1000: Ttoo much emphasis in the highs for my voice, it'd cause more sibilance issues; considering it costs about the same as the MK4 [~300€], of course I picked the MK4 over it
- Warm Audio WA-47jr: Would have slightly also gotten a problem with my sibilance issue, as there is an emphasis in the 5k Hz range, but then again it gets droppped a bit around the 6k-10k range - if you know where your audio issues are located, this info might help you. The WA-47jr costs atm ~310€ in my country, reduced from ~370€.
Just giving you few more mics in that price range for comparison, as not everyone has got a sibilance issue after all :)
Here recommendations of XLR audio interfaces that fit well for the MK4, plus also especially people with sibilances issues, because there are also preamps inside those audio interfaces which can have a "colouration" and thus potentially increase e.g. sibilance issues, or make your voice or instrument sound differently, e.g. warmer:
- Behringer UMC204HD (not the cheaper 202, but the 204!) - Its preamps are more accentuated in the mids, hence it doesn't make your sibilance worse, but instead gives a bit more of a "body"; at time of typing: ~90€ for the 204HD. I myself currently have got this Behringer.
If you're not on a tight budget, for about double the price you could chose:
- MOTU M2 - good mic preamp, it sounds very natural, means, no huge accentuation, according to the professional I spoke to. Means, it doesn't make your sibilance worse, and if you need to change anything as for accentuation in your recording (lows-mids-highs), you can do that easily via using EQ in your editing program; at time of typing: ~200€
- Audient iD14 MK II - Its preamps are more accentuated in the lows, means it makes mics sound "warmer". So if you got a mic that accentuates your sibilance issues, or you just want to sound a tad warmer, this would be one of the reasons to pick this one. At time of typing: ~200€
That being said, of course you shouldn't be all too "stingy" in buying a cheap audio interface, but then a more expensive microphone, because a bad interface can potentially make your mic sound worse. But you also shouldn't reverse it and put in lots of money into an interface, for a microphone that's very cheap.
Try to find a balance - I personally will always invest more money into the microphone itself than an audio interface. As hobbyist recording in a normal room the audio interface is not that super important to me, but important enough to make sure also the interface fits to a) my voice/vocal issues or requirements, and also to the microphone I've chosen.
^ Keep in mind, all suggestions here are made with someone having sibilance issues and trying to smoothe those out a bit without having to invest extreme time in post-edit - what fits to YOUR voice and circumstances specifically, will often differ.
Each audio interface got its own goods and bads, e.g. some are also good to plug in and record various instruments with, while other interfaces might be more focused on microphones in specific. And there are many thngs more those interfaces can or cannot do, but I can't go into more details here, it's gotten so long already.
Trust your own ears, try to test microphones and, if needed, audio interfaces, and prefer "dry"/"naked" audio examples over those with effects, so you can also better evaluate how it sounds like with your voice. Keep in mind that more often than not male and female voices are different, even with those males who got a more high-pitched singing voice, or females who got a low-pitched singing voice.
Try to find singing examples with voices that match your range/voice key, and preferrably also for the type of songs you want to sing (Classical, Jazz, Ballads, Pop, Rock, Metal etc. pp.)
If in doubt, try to find a specialist (ask for them!) in shops who offer that helpdesk/consultant service.
Whew, that's all for now!
Hope it helps someone :)
Take care, thanks again to the provider of this video!
Meri
man! the sm57 sounds awesome!
i found very little difference between these mics but then again i didn't bother to listen it in HD... Now i know the difference would lie somewhere along the line of saturation, tonal qualities, depth and richness of the sound but it's really never that much of a different but yet them prices be looking like years apart.
facts
Where does the extra 3,000 go when one buys a Neumann? Into the pretty badge?
I like the Rode K2 the best for the price, it doesnt have that a bit annoying high sibiliance like the AT mics, it smoothens out the highs very nicely to my ears, but still really articulate. It lets the vocals to sit in the mix, not over it.
I know this is an old thread but after revisiting it and doing so much recording here with different mics...I think I can add something a little outside the box. In my experience when engineering/producing a singer, the perception of the singer is incredibly important...did anyone ever ask this girl which mic she liked best...I bet I have a guess or two. That being said, there are some singers who think they know what they sound best on and demand to use only that mic (fair enough), there are some producers who like the sound of certain mics (fair enough) but for my tastes, all of these are close and you may have your own reason for buying one over another...but for me, I have 3-4 mics that I try for every talent and inevitably at some point when checking each, a singer will say "I really like the way I sound on this mic" and they just sing better and give a better performance because they're comfortable and that's what I'm after...just my two cents worth.
I couldn't agree more, Patrick. What is remarkable is how similar most of these mics are given the price variance - sure, there are subtle differences (my personal fave is the ADK Vienna) but we are splitting hairs here. When the end listener hears the song, I'm certain that they are not wondering about what mic was used, but rather, they are listening to the voice and performance of the singer.
K2 is amazing, it cuts through background sounds like butter, you barely have to mess with it in post processing. You might not be able to tell with a poor pair of headphones but it's night and day with a good audio setup. The shure sm57 does a good job at cutting through it as-well, but that's what its designed for, to be used with instruments in the background, that's what separates a dynamic microphone, from a condenser microphone.
Yeah good video. I'm not looking for a "good" mic because as the video shows us no mic will replace a good singer like this beauiful mademoiselle!! For such a voice I would make the music for all the bibles!!! Very good singer!! Anytime : see ya!!
The Newmann U87 is the best mic here...clear upper-mid's by default.
The neve makes them all sound great
Man that SM57 is magical.... I love that mic with the good preamp. Voice sounds so clear!
Wish they had the AT4060.
Man her Man's gonna be pissed when he finds out she's been singing about this Jesus dude all night, he must be from Mexico with a name like that.
She's safe man, Jesus is still in prison & will be for some time I think.
Great shootout. Yss, I found the U87 the most pleasing for her voice, although I did like how the Rode K2 sat in the mix. The SM57 did quite well although a bit harsh on the highs, but did cut through the mix really well, which is why it and the 58 are great stage mics. Would have liked to hear a Audio-Technica 2020 in this shootout. I recorded a female vocal with one a few years ago and on playback it was like she was in the room with me - great choice for her voice and I bet would have worked well for Christine's voice as well. However the 2020 really sucked for my voice :D
Not only are you singing about myths, but I can't fucking hear all the frequencies because of the god damn instruments in the background.
+AtomicTeddy Pretty much my opinion as well. Not only was the instrument track making it impossible to truly hear the mics, I couldn't even bring myself to listen to the video due to the subject matter of the song. Such a shame.
Different takes introduce a new variable with every mic, which makes the shootout inherently flawed. RUclips audio compression is going to make discerning subtle differences nearly impossible. In all these "Neumann vs XXX" shootouts, the thing that I just can't get past is that Neumanns are a $500 mic with a $3,000 markup because "the Beatles used it."
and 50,000 other vocalists...I agree, New neumanns are not the same as old neumanns. I had a stereo pair and never used so I sold.
so what this shouout is telling me is that i really really need to buy a neve 1073 i see
Singing from the heart love the passion!!!
I forgot this was a mic comparison
Your church is blessed to have you.
Great video - I preferred the Røde K2 (cost/perf). Great vocals!
Wow, such a beautiful singer. It was about feeling and how it came across in the mix. The pre was beautiful. I would have to listen a number of times to make a decision on the mic but the 57 faired very well. Thank You.
U87 fits nicely right into the mix, U89 strips aways the nice highs that let the voice cut through and leaves it a little too dull, Rode was very intimate but ever so slightly harsh on the highs, Blue had some nice moments.... AT 4040 over the 4050 too much of the clarity in the voice is lost on the 4050, ADK is in the same boat with the U87 but the U87 retains more of the natural voice while falling right into the mix, Shure cuts through nicely at times and harshly at times if you're good with EQ and mixing you can definitely make it work. If she's singing just to me or I'm listening to a smooth emotional ballad I think the Rode would be my choice, but the U87 and to a slightly lesser extent the ADK (and maybe Blue) have that ready for radio sound. 4040 is probably the best value wise. EQ that just right a it'll sound great. IMO. That's obviously a good preamp. The vocal performance is stellar!!! I'll be singing this for days.
The ADK vienna has the best depth of all! It sounds so balanced and clear...really impressed with this mic.
The AT4050 has a warm character... Like this too.
Neumans sound ok, blue has a pretty saturated hi-end wich i don't like to work with.
Rode has a nice vibe.
SM57 has an overall nice balance, but adds an harsh edge to some consonants ( g, c, s and, by personal experience the k are the worst).
I don't like the neumann U87 because the voice is not fully taking/picking up its like there's something missing for me. Then the two AT and Shure SM-57 got my ears thou. I like the quality of all mics but no doubt why the ATs and Shures were the best selling mics. Its cheap but good. Now i know what ill buy. :D
Thanks mr. Nathaniel Coe.:D
i'm impressed to how it goes when recorded with SM57. Preamp may be the issue but it rocks. But for this song I voted K2 and U87.
eh - hard to say from a youtube video but it would seem once again the diff in mics is exposed as laughably overrated. (PS: white singers, in the words of george carlin: stop pretending to be black. that asinine warbling of your voice like squeezing air out of balloon does not equate to good singing FYI. :barf:)
I like the tone of the Rode K2. It's warm-ish and smooth.
Also, i really love the AT 4040, specially for the money. To be fair though, the Neumanns sounded excellent with a natural tone, while the shure is not that bad for 99$.
For that price, i would still prefer the AT 2020. Audio Technica does something really nicely with their mics and headphones, specially for voice recordings/reproduction.
As a producer I know alot of you wouldn't understand.
But she sang it diff each time.
Its not how good she's singing.
I noticed by the comments that a lot of you aren't very experienced and should know and understand it's all about the quality in the mic and how it works for you.
DIFFERS
I would choose the $99.00 cheap mic. It sound fantastic!
But if I planned to record her voice , No money would be spared.
She is Amazing.... well worth the most expensive mic in this video, and yeah I would just give it to her as a " thank-you".
I am so glad to be lucky enough to use a U87 through a 1073 for female vocals. Just wish that all the singers sounded as good as Christine. This mic is very good at giving sparkle without too much sibilance. The bottom sounds rich and warm on her. The reverb on her voice interferes with the shootout IMHO since this colors the mic sound.
Isn't the Neve great!!!
i have to say that this is a real comparison of mics... same song goes over and over again... no additional EQ and EFX... and it all sounds almost the same for me... why not we just goes for the cheapest Shure sm57 lol? the other mic cost sure a lot and only make minor differences..
You are all wrong, each and every one of you. How can you be so obtuse?
The question here isn't which mic sounds better, but rather, which mic serves Jesus! Which company has Jesus in their hearts, minds, bodies, and souls?
That, is the mic you want.
You see, Jesus is magic, and he will find a way to make the correct mic sound better than any dumb expensive studio mic. In fact, you can even use an old pair of headphones or an old speaker element, connect it as a mic, and sing with all your heart and soul. As long as it's from a Jesus-loving company who understands that only those who have let Jesus into their hearts will be singing in the afterlife, then he will work his magic to make it sound fabulous.
Because, he's Jesus.
And he's magic. And he's our savior. And he's got great abs. And beautiful flowing straight light brown hair, which is so wonderfully surprising since he was a middle eastern Jew. Go Figure.
But hey, that's the magic.
FLOL
The Preeminence of Jesus Christ:
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Hahahahha this is such a preposterous comment. It’s basically a transcription of my inner monologue while watching a video like this
from a recording point of view the choice of mic has to be right to serve the voice of the singer not Jesus.The singer may serve Jesus if they like.Thats why the singer cant sing into a megaphone because it would sound bad and scare off listeners.
I like the U87 the best. Cant complain about lyrics that are not negative,that don't put down anyone, and are not sappy. I have no problem hearing someone singing about Jesus. Cant imagine why it would even bother anyone.
Shure 57 for $99.00 dollars sounded best in my opinion!!!
Oh, no... just no... lol
Yes she does sound the best with the cheapest mic!!!
Lane Briggs
if I do not hear any difference.
then for whom all this .. so expensive.
Because the companies that sell the expensive mics using marketing to make you think their mics are better............ They are not better people, it is just marketing they use!!!!
I Recommend the AKG 120 perception for $89 dollars or the - Blue Spark mic for $199
That SM57, as cheap as it is, is quite amazing.
You absolutely CANNOT hear all of the different nuances and sonic characteristics that each of these mics impart while listening with the entire track. There is a complete hurricane of noise battling the vocal part. This shootout is truly a waste of time when presenting sonic differences in microphones. End of story. Um...unless this was just a sneaky way to get people to hear about Jesus. HAHA! :)
I hear many differences. Thing is, you actually wanna hear these things working in a context, unless you want a mic to record only a capela.
Awesome... never be Ashamed! How can we be ashamed of our creator?
Let his will be done
Victory and peace in the Almighty name of Jesus Christ
I just stick with my blue berry..i don't hear a 2000$ difference to buy another one.
Great comparison. Kudos to your singer for her consistency.
I can hear why the Neumann mic are $$$. But for her voice I think the Rode K2 is best. The good old SM57 helps her cut thru, but does sound rough at times. Not every mic is suited to every voice. Use what works.
Thanks for posting this.