Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Howard, you do not need to be excused. Recording is a hard thing to get right & the difference between a master or a demo can hinge on mere subtleties....but vital.

A general purpose mic...wow. AKG do a large diaphragm mic called the C3000? It is not a particularly smooth vocal mic, but will be suitable for a whole range of items, from gtr cabs, brass, vocals etc & is a very good all round good mic. Joe Meek also do a large diaphragm mic (JM47) which is a little smoother than the AKG & also very nice. The Akg is probably better for gtrs & percussive sounds, whilst the JM is probably better for vox & acoustic gtrs....pays your money etc. These budget large diaphragm mic's are a good compromise between the harder sounding dynamics & the ultra smooth top quality mics & will give you a nice quality throughout your recording requirements. Both will require phantom power. If you can run too two mics, then an SM58 will be useful in all sorts of places.

Don't know much about the Sen. range Aitch, so can't be much help in that department. A quality manufacturer though & they do a range of top quality condensors (seen on MANY studio & live drum overheads), as well as a budget range, so you should be able to find something similar to those I have mentioned.

There are many more mics than those mentioned, but I think a good budget large diaphragm mic will yield an instant quality upgrade that you WILL notice & is an asset to anyone trying to achieve better recording results...not all things to all men, but better than a dynamic, if you only have one recording mic.

I will come back to the difference & suitability of the different types of mic's later.....

Since were on the subject Tony, can you share with the class some of the benefits of a good mic preamp? I'm currently working with the pres in my (cheap)console and acheiving decent results, my Hammond and acoustic guitar tracks sound really good but vocals leave something to be desired in terms of warmth and presence. I find myself using alot of plug-ins on the majority of my vocal tracks.

Is this something a quality preamp could alleviate or should I think about a mic I'd dedicate just to voice?

Bob, I've talked about pre amps on a new thread. A quality pre amp will help, but a good dedicated vocal large diaphragm mic will reap major reward in that area.

I have to say that most plug ins are not that great...easy & cheap, but not always great in the sound department & you may find that one of the channel strip type pre amps that I talk about, would allow you to use less & so get a better sound. Either, or preferably both & you're well on your way....

Thanks Tony! Heading off to the other thread now....