Topic: 'Warm' mic recommendations?

[StarkRavingCalm]

Good day all,


I am thinking about looking into other microphones to see if I can get a better recording than what I am using now.
Let me first of all state, that I am happy with my recordings now. I have both the mid-range Core Sounds Binaurals and mid-range Core Sounds Cardioids and am pleased with both. I feel that they give me a very good reproduction of 'being there'.

But lately I have been feeling that my recordings are lacking warmth and want to look at other mics since I want to stick with my DR-2D.


I don't see Core Sounds getting any love on these forums, why is that?

What about marcsounds? I recently transferred a DAT of a recording made with them and I really noticed how warm it souded but I cannot seem to find any info on these mics other than a few people listing them in their source details.

What does everyone recommend?

What can give me warmth but be around my original price-range on the CS?

Is anyone offering\working on a 'warm-mod' for the DR-2D?

What about putting a tinybox in-line?








Thanks in advance

[page]

Two ways of doing this (warm mics, and warm preamps).

But first, by warmth, is it butter smooth texture at the expense of transient detail that you mean by "warm" or is it more bass and lower midrange compared to bright/cold tonal balance?

[it-goes-to-eleven]

What type of material do you record, in what settings, and in what configuration?

General budget?

[StarkRavingCalm]

Two ways of doing this (warm mics, and warm preamps).

But first, by warmth, is it butter smooth texture at the expense of transient detail that you mean by "warm" or is it more bass and lower midrange compared to bright/cold tonal balance?

I would go with balance, but I am not sure of definition of texture as opposed to balance.

What type of material do you record, in what settings, and in what configuration?

General budget?

Generally rock, less and less where I am up near the stack at small clubs, now mainly festival-type situations where I am either FOB and SBD or FOB and maybe stealthing.
Occasionally jazz-type shows.

Price would be dependent on benefit. If it is light years above the Core Sounds, then I would pay a little more, if not then I am comfortable in that price range.

[acidjack]

Bluntly, core sounds were adequate 15 years ago, but since, better stuff has come out. Consider AT853s. Bigger, but much better.

With small mics like you are talking about I'm not sure "warmth" is the issue

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

If budget is of no concern, and you want great sound in a tiny package, you need DPAs...

If budget is of concern, I would recommend a set of Church Audio mics, or the AT853s...  The CA mics are about the same size as the DPAs, and offer performance arguably as good as the DPAs for a fraction of the price...  The ATs offer the advantage of interchangable caps for different situations and many accessories...     

All three will out perform the CSBs any day of the week...  As AJ said, the CSBs were acceptable a decade ago, but technology has passed them by...  Time to upgrade!

As to your "warmth" question, if you are planning on micro-mics, you'll want a "warm" preamp...  Talk to the guys using the Naiant TinyBox preamps and see what they say.  Those are really nice and can be custom made to a variety of mics and flavors... 

Terry

[raymonda]

Agreed that a fat pre might be the way to go. However, if you can run full size LDC my modded Oktava 319's would do the job nicely. check out the comp over at archive furthur 3-29-11 Binghampton.... Sameless plug but I've gotta move some stuff, buy some stuff and these seem like the sound he is searching for.

[StarkRavingCalm]

Thank you all for your suggestions.

I think my first step will be to invest in a tinybox. But I will really need to educate myself on them.
That way I can compare mic to mic with preamp and take it from there.

Would my questions on tinybox be best under a separate thread?

[page]

Would my questions on tinybox be best under a separate thread?

yeah, you'll get a better response in either in the Naiant team thread or in Jon's retail thread.

[acidjack]

Why are people recommending the tinybox when what the OP asked for is "warm"?  There are many fine things I can say about the tinybox, but "warm" isn't one of them..

[fmaderjr]

I don't see Core Sounds getting any love on these forums, why is that?

IMHO, Core Sound sucks and customer service is horrible (both from stories I've heard and personal experience when Len implied he thought I was lying to him when I said I didn't receive a cable he said he shipped me). I agree with Terry 100%. There are a number of much better options available now and many of them are much cheaper.

If budget is of concern, I would recommend a set of Church Audio mics, or the AT853s...  The CA mics are about the same size as the DPAs, and offer performance arguably as good as the DPAs for a fraction of the price...  The ATs offer the advantage of interchangable caps for different situations and many accessories...     

All three will out perform the CSBs any day of the week...  As AJ said, the CSBs were acceptable a decade ago, but technology has passed them by...  Time to upgrade!
Terry

[Teen Age Riot]

Why are people recommending the tinybox when what the OP asked for is "warm"?  There are many fine things I can say about the tinybox, but "warm" isn't one of them..

I was thinking the same thing.

Also, as someone who has used CSB's, DPA4060's, AKG C414's and MBHO KA200N's, I have to say that the CSB's were the certainly the warmest of them all. Assuming of course that "warm" means something like lots of lows and somewhat rolled-off high end.

Strangely enough, some of my favorite recordings were made with CSBs. They were also impossible to overload.

[StarkRavingCalm]

Why are people recommending the tinybox when what the OP asked for is "warm"?  There are many fine things I can say about the tinybox, but "warm" isn't one of them..

Is the 'warmth' I am referring to possible with the Tinybox? (Which I may buy irregardless)

I was thinking the same thing.

Also, as someone who has used CSB's, DPA4060's, AKG C414's and MBHO KA200N's, I have to say that the CSB's were the certainly the warmest of them all. Assuming of course that "warm" means something like lots of lows and somewhat rolled-off high end.

Strangely enough, some of my favorite recordings were made with CSBs. They were also impossible to overload.

The main reason I moved off of CSBs right now is I mainly do FOB outdoors these days with my mics connected to the front of the table\stand what have you that the engineers are using.
The CSBs picked up their conversations between songs. Haven't had the same experience with CSCs.
So I do think some of what I miss is the warmth of CSBs (and my old Sony D7 and D8), I'd like to offset that somehow.

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

Why are people recommending the tinybox when what the OP asked for is "warm"?  There are many fine things I can say about the tinybox, but "warm" isn't one of them..

My bad...  I must have been thinking of the Little Boxes, with the Transformer outs... 

Terry

[Teen Age Riot]

The main reason I moved off of CSBs right now is I mainly do FOB outdoors these days with my mics connected to the front of the table\stand what have you that the engineers are using.
The CSBs picked up their conversations between songs. Haven't had the same experience with CSCs.
So I do think some of what I miss is the warmth of CSBs (and my old Sony D7 and D8), I'd like to offset that somehow.

Sounds to me like you need better cardioid mics. Frankly, CSC's just don't sound that great. I assume the Church Audio cards would sound a lot better, but I haven't used them myself.