Ted Spencer
Veteran
No I haven't. Have you?
Good Studio Microphone? Condenser VS Dynamic VS Phantom
- Thread starter Clint Nitkiewiz Hernandez
- Start date
No I haven't. Have you?
Derrick_SA
Veteran
ullanta, have you recorded with the Sputnik?
trust me, You'll be hooked after trying it, hie hie.
- Derrick
trust me, You'll be hooked after trying it, hie hie.
- Derrick
ullanta
Veteran
No, I haven't. (Neither the Sputnik nor the Solaris).
90% of my work is on location where the extra connections, power needs, and bulk of a tube mic power supply makes the tubes imractical for me. And, I tend to do very little close vocal miking (classical, y'know - flat, transparent, not too close). I've heard good things about the Sputnik on piano, but not necessarily using classical techniques. I'm not really in the market for more multipattern LD condensers right now, but just curious if the Sputnik is the only shining star of the M-Audio mics, or if the other ones are decent as well...
90% of my work is on location where the extra connections, power needs, and bulk of a tube mic power supply makes the tubes imractical for me. And, I tend to do very little close vocal miking (classical, y'know - flat, transparent, not too close). I've heard good things about the Sputnik on piano, but not necessarily using classical techniques. I'm not really in the market for more multipattern LD condensers right now, but just curious if the Sputnik is the only shining star of the M-Audio mics, or if the other ones are decent as well...
Ted Spencer
Veteran
Dunno, really.
I just started hearing about Sputnik through musician friends talking it up in glowing terms, looked into it, found more glowing praise from some very highly reputable reviewers, bought one, loved it, bought another, and started issuing glowing praise myself.
Kinda went like that...
The industry has been awash in low-priced studio condenser mics for a few years now, most of which are nothing special, so I have to admit I completely missed the Sputnik when it came out. I'm very happy that I did get word of it eventually.
Based on the unusually knowledgeably written brochure that came with the mics, the Sputnik was evidently sort of a pet project with M-Audio, so it might be that the others didn't get quite the same attention (that's just a guess though). The story, IIRC, is that a bunch of top L.A. designers and recording engineers got together under M-Audio's auspices to see if they could do a world class Chinese-made tube condenser (3 micron, just like my SP U87) for an unprecedented low price. Apparently, they asked the right questions to the right guys because they got it right. Really right.
It's so good for the price it's literally spooky.
I just started hearing about Sputnik through musician friends talking it up in glowing terms, looked into it, found more glowing praise from some very highly reputable reviewers, bought one, loved it, bought another, and started issuing glowing praise myself.
Kinda went like that...
The industry has been awash in low-priced studio condenser mics for a few years now, most of which are nothing special, so I have to admit I completely missed the Sputnik when it came out. I'm very happy that I did get word of it eventually.
Based on the unusually knowledgeably written brochure that came with the mics, the Sputnik was evidently sort of a pet project with M-Audio, so it might be that the others didn't get quite the same attention (that's just a guess though). The story, IIRC, is that a bunch of top L.A. designers and recording engineers got together under M-Audio's auspices to see if they could do a world class Chinese-made tube condenser (3 micron, just like my SP U87) for an unprecedented low price. Apparently, they asked the right questions to the right guys because they got it right. Really right.
It's so good for the price it's literally spooky.
Clint Nitkiewiz Hernandez
Well-known member
Wow thanks Ted and everyone for the detailed responses. Though Ted, I don't understand this part.
" If there's one other mic that's a no-brainer to fill out a starter mic locker, it would be the Shure SM57 or 58 for around $100. It will neatly cover much of what a large cap condenser doesn't, for very cheap."
You mean buy an additional cheap mic, mic locker? I am new to recording just never heard of that before, can you expand on that? I would assume record vocals with 2 mics, place the 2nd mic a few inches away to get a stereo recording?
Thanks.
" If there's one other mic that's a no-brainer to fill out a starter mic locker, it would be the Shure SM57 or 58 for around $100. It will neatly cover much of what a large cap condenser doesn't, for very cheap."
You mean buy an additional cheap mic, mic locker? I am new to recording just never heard of that before, can you expand on that? I would assume record vocals with 2 mics, place the 2nd mic a few inches away to get a stereo recording?
Thanks.
ullanta
Veteran
Ah, Clint - 2 mics do not make a stereo recording!
But anyway, what Ted is saying is that no mic is good for everything. But some mics, while not "the best" in any one category, have proven themselves incredibly versatile, and widely applicable - "go to" mics that you know you can always do a decent job with. The humble (and ubiquitous) SM57 and SM58 are such mics, and nicely complement a large diaphragm condenser - that is, it will sound good on a lot of things that a LD condenser won't be optimal for. These are the "desert island" mics - the Sm57 and 58 (and SM81 for orchestras), the C414, a stereo pair of Oktava MK-012's, Schoeps CMC6 pairs, DPA 4006, certainly many others - that have proven themselves over time to be the staples of many people's mic collections. Mics that NOONE would say no to - that will never be replaced by "something better".
A mic locker - is just your collection of mics. A well-stocked mic-locker will have both general-purpose and specialized mics, to give ou a lot of choices in crafting a sound. A mic with a stong individual character is good to get when you already have a decent mic locker, for instance, but is not the best choice if you don't have all your bases covered.
Depending on the type of work you do, your mic locker will grow in different ways. Mainly VO? You'll want LD dynamics and condensers, some with strong proximity effect and some with less/none, maybe eventually a ribbon. Lead vocals? Various clean and colored mics, airy and dark mics, of all technologies. SFX/foley? Low-noise mics; mics with different pickup patterns; mics for indoors and outdoors, some stereo mics, etc. Non-classical music? Well, everything for that - but the basics would be something(s) for vocals as above; something(s) for micing amps; a stereo pair or two and lots of others for drums. Classical? Low-noise, flat response (transparent) stereo pairs or trios, and from there a plethora of accent mics, etc...
But anyway, what Ted is saying is that no mic is good for everything. But some mics, while not "the best" in any one category, have proven themselves incredibly versatile, and widely applicable - "go to" mics that you know you can always do a decent job with. The humble (and ubiquitous) SM57 and SM58 are such mics, and nicely complement a large diaphragm condenser - that is, it will sound good on a lot of things that a LD condenser won't be optimal for. These are the "desert island" mics - the Sm57 and 58 (and SM81 for orchestras), the C414, a stereo pair of Oktava MK-012's, Schoeps CMC6 pairs, DPA 4006, certainly many others - that have proven themselves over time to be the staples of many people's mic collections. Mics that NOONE would say no to - that will never be replaced by "something better".
A mic locker - is just your collection of mics. A well-stocked mic-locker will have both general-purpose and specialized mics, to give ou a lot of choices in crafting a sound. A mic with a stong individual character is good to get when you already have a decent mic locker, for instance, but is not the best choice if you don't have all your bases covered.
Depending on the type of work you do, your mic locker will grow in different ways. Mainly VO? You'll want LD dynamics and condensers, some with strong proximity effect and some with less/none, maybe eventually a ribbon. Lead vocals? Various clean and colored mics, airy and dark mics, of all technologies. SFX/foley? Low-noise mics; mics with different pickup patterns; mics for indoors and outdoors, some stereo mics, etc. Non-classical music? Well, everything for that - but the basics would be something(s) for vocals as above; something(s) for micing amps; a stereo pair or two and lots of others for drums. Classical? Low-noise, flat response (transparent) stereo pairs or trios, and from there a plethora of accent mics, etc...
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Ted Spencer
Veteran
An EV 664 is even better.
SMuir
Well-known member
Nothing quite like an EV 664 for spiking drum-kits to stage floors. Gotta love the ol' Buchannen Hammer.
gco
Veteran
I figured I would eventually get an EV RE20 for voice over being that it is pretty much an industry standard. Now I find this little gem of a thread and learn about the m-audio Sputnik (and some less than glowing comments about the RE20). If Alto Music NY still sells it for $418 then its the same amount of money for either mic----- I wonder if Sputnik is much more bang for the buck. If anyone has any more thoughts on Sputnik vs. RE20 for voiceover purposes, would love to hear it.
If there are any sound clips of the Sputnik out there, would love to know about that also.
If there are any sound clips of the Sputnik out there, would love to know about that also.
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gco
Veteran
Ok, cant speak for the RE20 but so far this new M-Audio thing seems to be pretty amazing; clean and highly sensitive. I had no idea I was ever making some of the sounds I was hearing. The -10dB switch really helps. I can see how this would be good for instrumentals---picks up every little detail. So far, seems like a great deal for $439 delivered--Alto Music NY.