Tell me about ribbon mics

[lppier]

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

The MD441 is a superb mic, by any standards.

Tell me more.. how does it compare against a sm7b?

[DupleMeter]

Originally Posted by lppier

Tell me more.. how does it compare against a sm7b?

If we're going to talk about those 2, we have to include the RE20 as well.

These 3 mics all serve the same purpose, a high-end dynamic mic with great rejection & a large coil. They are all made to be predominantly neutral, and able to handle just about anything you throw at them. In each case these are considered the flagship studio dynamic of their respective company.

Because they have larger coils & are dynamics they all tend to be rather low output. The side-effect of which is that they are really good at rejecting room noise and just capturing what's right in front of them. They can also handle high SPLs, so you can use one for singing one moment and then stick it in front of a kick drum & not have to worry about it overloading.

They all have roll-off switches of some sort. With the MD441 having the iconic rotating collar with 5 roll-off setting from flat to drastic low-end roll-off. Both the SM7b & the MD441 also have a treble boost setting.

The main differences is in their definition of neutral. The SM7b is ever so slightly more forward sounding than the MD441 with it's treble boost engaged, while the RE20 is the smoothest (but at the cost of some clarity on some sources & at the risk of sounding a little dark on others). You could say that the MD441 falls right in between the SM7b & the RE20.

All 3 can be used pretty much interchangeably. They are great on many sources. The MD441 & RE20 have not changed since their introduction & are both made the same way they always were. The SM7b is a update to the original SM7. The main difference being a better internal shockmount for the capsule. Electronically it is the exact same as the original SM7...despite rumours that they sound "completely different" floating around the interwebs ;-)

[kellyb]

Originally Posted by lppier

can I think of it as an upgrade to the sm7b?

I love ribbon mics like crazy, but the SM7b is hardly a slouch regardless of its price. Michael Jackson recorded "Thriller" with one. One of favorite room mics, too.

Sounds like you're evaluating for your voice, which is the first and last order of business. The "sexiest" and/or most appropriately featured mic may just not respond to your voice as well as another mic you didn't expect. I love what M7 capsules sound like in certain tube mics...but my voice actually benefits from the slightly brighter K47 style capsule. :-/

I'm interested to hear if you get your hands on a 441 and how that handles the noise!

[lppier]

Originally Posted by kellyb

I love ribbon mics like crazy, but the SM7b is hardly a slouch regardless of its price. Michael Jackson recorded "Thriller" with one. One of favorite room mics, too.



Sounds like you're evaluating for your voice, which is the first and last order of business. The "sexiest" and/or most appropriately featured mic may just not respond to your voice as well as another mic you didn't expect. I love what M7 capsules sound like in certain tube mics...but my voice actually benefits from the slightly brighter K47 style capsule. :-/



I'm interested to hear if you get your hands on a 441 and how that handles the noise!

I actually have grabbed a secondhand re20 and sm7b recently already
Does it makes sense to get another 441? I see one in the classifieds XD

[dnf777]

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

If we're going to talk about those 2, we have to include the RE20 as well.

These 3 mics all serve the same purpose, a high-end dynamic mic with great rejection & a large coil. They are all made to be predominantly neutral, and able to handle just about anything you throw at them. In each case these are considered the flagship studio dynamic of their respective company.

Because they have larger coils & are dynamics they all tend to be rather low output. The side-effect of which is that they are really good at rejecting room noise and just capturing what's right in front of them. They can also handle high SPLs, so you can use one for singing one moment and then stick it in front of a kick drum & not have to worry about it overloading.

They all have roll-off switches of some sort. With the MD441 having the iconic rotating collar with 5 roll-off setting from flat to drastic low-end roll-off. Both the SM7b & the MD441 also have a treble boost setting.

The main differences is in their definition of neutral. The SM7b is ever so slightly more forward sounding than the MD441 with it's treble boost engaged, while the RE20 is the smoothest (but at the cost of some clarity on some sources & at the risk of sounding a little dark on others). You could say that the MD441 falls right in between the SM7b & the RE20.

All 3 can be used pretty much interchangeably. They are great on many sources. The MD441 & RE20 have not changed since their introduction & are both made the same way they always were. The SM7b is a update to the original SM7. The main difference being a better internal shockmount for the capsule. Electronically it is the exact same as the original SM7...despite rumours that they sound "completely different" floating around the interwebs ;-)

Thanks for that thorough explanation, particularly the RE20. ive had one for 15 years, and have failed to understand its vast popularity, not just in broadcast settings. Now I get it, and also why (in my setting) I failed to appreciate its strongpoints. Ive asked several artists and producers WHY they chose the RE20, and usually go some variation on “cuz it works!” but not a solid explanation. On a totally aesthetic note, they certainly have an enduring, iconic appearance!

[lppier]

Just whipped out the sm7b and re20 for another comparison. For my particular voice it’s still the sm7b that wins out. I hear it as being more forward, my wife hears it as being “nearer”. To me, the re20 has a high frequency boost that makes my voice sound slightly thinner. (It’s already thin)
For some reason, activiating the presence switch on the sm7b doesn’t have this effect.

That said, both are plenty capable mics. The source absolutely decides the mic imo.