Best stand alone Mic for recording acoustic

[ryanverbena]

Hey guys,

I just got myself a Presonus Inspire 1394 to do some home recording on my laptop. I already own an sm57 to record my electric stuff, now I have $250 to spend on a 'stand alone' mic (for now) to record my acoustic guitar playing.

I have done a fair bit of research on the net, and as you can imagine it has led me in circles, tangents, and all over the place. I've come across this forum a few times and noticed that there are a lot of very knowledgeable people here who give some really good opinions/recommendations. Just wondering what your thoughts on this situation might be?

FWIW, at this point in time if i were to choose based on my internet reading/listening it would be a toss up between buying a Rode NT5 on its own or maybe a combo of an AKG perception 150/ MXL V67G and running them in stereo.

Keep in mind that i'll have some funds clearing up in the future, so if you recommend getting just the one mic for now, then i'd be looking to pair that up with something maybe around the $150 mark at some point down the track.

Oh, and just one more thing. I know that some people criticize the NT5 for being overly bright (just in what i've read). My guitar is a Martin HD-28v and is a very dark sounding acoustic. I'm not sure how recording works and whether that will balance things out or not...

Anyways, look forward to your opinions

[Foss38]

Heil PR 35

[makikogi]

I like my pair of NT5's. They do have quite a bit of presence, and they can sound a bit harsh when strumming, but it sounds so articulate and clear while picking. Nothing wrong with a little eq to soften up the edges if you are strumming, and/or try backing off the gain to ease some of the bite.

[Cue Zephyr]

+1 for the Oktava MK-012. Soon getting a CAD M179 expecting it to pair well with the Oktava.

[alohachris]

Aloha Cue,

You might want to check out these "Listening Sessions." Could be useful to you because it features some of the mics you mentioned you want to try.

http://www.thelisteningsessions.com/sessions.htm

Session #1 features mostly picked & strummed acoustic guitar played through mic and preamp combos, with emphasis on hearing preamp differences. Most of the mics are affordable S/D's.

Session #5 features a Larrivee acoustic with very bright trebles played through many affordable LD mics.

Other sessions feature mic & pre combo's on voices and other instruments.


With good EQ, you can almost make any condenser mic work for the acoustic guitar. The trick is to choose mics that require the least amount of EQ for a style, instrument, voice, pre combo, etc. That's what I'm learning to do now. It's fun working all the combos, styles, etc. I could do it all day!

But keep the EQ levels down for solo acoustic tracks. It'll really help if you add plug-ins and/or for sitting the guitar firmly where you want it in a mix that includes other instruments.

As I've mentioned here before, I've auditioned over 100 "rented" mics at home on my rig by now. Not as deeply into them as sdelsolray, but my ears made the calls. You should try that, Cue. Saves you a bundle in the long run and is the best place to audition anything - on your rig at home. If you have good music stores nearby, you have no problems. Hawaii has ZERO!

For S/D's, I currently use Schoeps CMC641's (matched & very expensive) and for some songs, a pair of modded AKG 460's (unmatchable, $300 used + the JW mod). They work great with my Duet interface/pre and in combo with the other pre's I own. (FWIW, for recording, ya gotta think mic-preamp match when choosing either).

I own and could easily record with the Michael Joly-modded Oktava MK-012's that you have. If you haven't modded it yet, I can highly recommend that you do that. Your MK-012 could turn out to be YOUR definitive recording mic with a Michael Joly mod. Can be done under $100. Check his site. Two S/D's (pref. matched) work better than one for recording in untreated rooms.

Rode NT5? Not for me. Way too bright. EQ city. Would work best on a tubby dreadnaught or jumbo. Would work well for LIVE to cut through the noise in some venues. But I returned that one in a heartbeat. Not for recording MY guitars, IMO. AGM's Teja Gerken uses a pair for his recordings though. Check his site out for samples. Nice music! Many like the NT5.

The LD(s) that I currently like for recording are the cheap but truly great value ADK A6 ($200), for guitars, and the Mojave MA-200 ($995) tube condenser, for vox & guitar.

The MA-200 is simply a great mic for my vox and guitars. My ears are learning to love it and I have another used one coming in a week or so. I resisted Sweetwater's hype on it, until I actually heard an MA-200 at a friend's studio. Changed my thinking on that one. I think it sounds as good as a U87 which costs 4-5X more. To me, it does.

alohachris

[Cue Zephyr]

Ah, yes, the ADK A6. Supposedly good microphone, but I went for the CAD M179 because:
1: It has no character (I take someone's word for this)
2: It is multi-pattern (fig-8, cardioid & omni)
3. It's pattern switch is continuously variable, so also a hypercardioid or loose cardioid are possible in this case.

I believe the MC-012 is the older model, the MK-012 is the newer one. Yes, I have seriously considered modding it, but I will wait until I have some extra cash lying around, so I can get the MK-319 modded as well (will be just over $300 together).

I've also considered Rode mics more than once (NTK, K2, NT1000, NT2-A, NT3, NT5, NT55), but I NEVER pulled the trigger on one. The one I might eventually get could be the NT1-A. I would then get that also modded by Mr. Joly, to have an U87-like character (the 319 has an U47/U67-like character)

[alohachris]

Aloha Cue,

Just killing time here before I go to another humbling Logic Pro "One-to-One' training class at the Apple store. "Hey, come back when you got no class. I love teachers. When you do something wrong, they always make ya do it over (You may not even know of the late American comedian Rodney Dangerfield)." Apologies.

The CAD M179 sure looks like it is a great value for you. I can see why you went for it, especially with your recent experiments in various patterns. It's cheap, has lots of flexibility including the constantly-variable patterns. And according to many (like sdelsolray) it is a very good sounding microphone for the price. Great Choice!

What preamps does it like to be matched with? There is an example of it in Session #5 of the Listening Sessions.

It will be interesting to read your reports on your experiments with the MK-012/M179 combo. I've also just begun to mix S/D's & L/D's - with mixed results due to my lack of understanding about audio electronics. So much fun, this discovery, huh?

I'll bet you looked long and hard at that Joly MJE-K47H "Solo" - $300 LDC capsule for SDC mics? I'm intrigued by that concept.

Yeah, I've put my interest in Rode mics to bed. I liked the idea of getting a K2 but compared to what I've invested in now, all the Rode's sound bright, upper midrangey, compressed and unbalanced. The NT-1A is popular, but apparently because of its price. My ears didn't like it. That's the bottom line for me.

Gonna go lay down a track for the class now - you've inspired me.

Have a Great Sunday er, early Monday, Cue!

A Hui Hou!
alohachris

[Cue Zephyr]

Someone told me the school I want to go to uses Logic. This means, if I get in there I'll need a MacBook Pro of some sort (I'll need FireWire). I've never thought of a Mac because they're just crazy expensive, and I'd much rather get a nice guitar for the same money (lol).

I pulled the trigger on the M179 quite quickly. I normally do weeks of research, but I only researched this one for a couple of days and then went for a once-used one on eBay. Pretty sure I saved a couple of tens by doing that. It comes in a case too, so I don't have to worry too much about it getting screwed during delivery (kinda cut down on shipping costs haha).

I can't be bothered with pre-amp choice right now, since I only have the E-MU 0404 USB and can't really be bothered to get anything better either. It is neutral, and quiet, what else do I want (at least in my position)?

The CAD was recommended to me by another producer, with whom I reguarly have e-mail correspondence (really much fun!). Both MK-012 and M179 are supposed to be neutral so I'm pretty sure it will be a match. I also can't wait to set up my stuff in the living room, as it is a rectangular room with a wood floor and next to no furniture, maybe it sounds great. Primarily going for M-S, but perhaps an X-Y cardioid or omni set-up will work equally well.

I didn't look long and hard at the MJE-K47H but I was thoroughly impressed with a demonstration. I DEFINITELY want one sometiem!
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O0I2pNe64I

What track did you lay down? What class was it for? I'm curious!

Oh and thanks, same to you!

[sdelsolray]

Originally Posted by ryanverbena

Hey guys,

I just got myself a Presonus Inspire 1394 to do some home recording on my laptop. I already own an sm57 to record my electric stuff, now I have $250 to spend on a 'stand alone' mic (for now) to record my acoustic guitar playing.

I have done a fair bit of research on the net, and as you can imagine it has led me in circles, tangents, and all over the place. I've come across this forum a few times and noticed that there are a lot of very knowledgeable people here who give some really good opinions/recommendations. Just wondering what your thoughts on this situation might be?

FWIW, at this point in time if i were to choose based on my internet reading/listening it would be a toss up between buying a Rode NT5 on its own or maybe a combo of an AKG perception 150/ MXL V67G and running them in stereo.

Keep in mind that i'll have some funds clearing up in the future, so if you recommend getting just the one mic for now, then i'd be looking to pair that up with something maybe around the $150 mark at some point down the track.

Oh, and just one more thing. I know that some people criticize the NT5 for being overly bright (just in what i've read). My guitar is a Martin HD-28v and is a very dark sounding acoustic. I'm not sure how recording works and whether that will balance things out or not...

Anyways, look forward to your opinions

In no particular order:

1) ADK A6;
2) Oktava MK-012 (with Michael Joly modification is desirable); or
3) CAD M179.

Of course there are others, but I would chose one of those three given your budget and application.

If you are recording solo guitar, a pair of the same mics would be better than just a single mic. Some will suggest that two different mics work well, and they can, but two of the same mics usually work better.

[alohachris]

Aloha Cue,

Thanks for the fun link. Loved the shootout. That 57 held its own but the 87 was the clear winner.

The class I attended today (and usually 2-3 times per month) was at a local Apple store. When you buy a new Mac, for $99USD you can sign up for a year's worth of free training as part of their "One-To-One" program. It covers any area of Mac products you'd like. I am learning Logic Pro 9 DAW.

There are three trained Logic trainers out here and I work with each of them, covering different aspects of applying Logic Pro to my goals.

You can sign up for as many individual or group classes as you'd like. They're an hour long. I like the individual classes because I can cover so much more ground and ask more questions.

What worked for me, after a few initial intro classes was that I worked on my own for a couple months, then returned with a list of questions for more classes. Then more work on my own, and then back to training. It's a more efficient use of an hour's time, I've found, if you take the initiative.

I also had to keep the trainers focussed on my goals. I don't want to learn the who deep DAW, just as it applies to simple workflows in tracking, editing , mixing and mastering for Live Mic'd source, two-track recording. No MIDI, loops, VI's or sampled stuff for me, though Logic's Library is amazing.

Today's class was fantastic. I got deeper into:
-editing tips and shortcuts, movings sections around, eliminating space, etc.
-how to link up a raw track and share it online,
-how to import tracks or other projects into a project,
-a great mini session about Logic's many compressor's and how to use them, what the settings mean,
-how to turn a track into a CD and how to share it
-& about two dozen general Mac tips to help this old PC guy make his life much easier.

Both Lee and I were energized by it. After a year's worth of training, I should be able to know enough about Logic Pro 9 to really get into my archiving project in earnest. I'm going back for more next week!

What's more, all three trainers will give me advanced classes after the program is finished, for a decent fee - but they are all generous with their time and are kinda into 'the old man's' project here. Great guys. Great program. Best $99 I've ever spent.

Check it out if you go with Macs. Sure, Mac's can be more expensive (check out the Mac Mini though). But this is only the second Mac I've owned. PC guy here for 26 years here. I started DAW home recording last year with PTLE on my PC. It didn't work for me. Errors all day!

However, I haven't had one crash yet with this iMac/Duet/Logic pro/Glyph storage rig, not one! I spend my time now mixing, rather than fixing as I had to in LE, which works a lot better with Macs, IMO.

I think that most home recordists would find Mac/Logic/Apogee systems to be more stable, more fully integrated and more satisfying than ANY PC rig. That's been my experience.

Of course, PTHD - at over $15KUSD for almost everything you'd need with it, is the standard pro studio DAW. But I love Logic, which most pro studios also have. Eh, whatever feels natural and sounds the best to your ears, right? That's why we love these choices, to fit our needs. It's a great time to be a guitar player: bet guitars, live & home recording rigs in history, all coming together at the same time! Now if only I can remember how to play that Ab chord............

Good luck with the CAD M179!

All the best, Cue

alohachris