Topic: Retired taper looking for microphone advice

[pfife]

Hey Guys, it's been a while, hope everyone is doing great.    I need room-recording microphone advice, so there's obviously only one place to go!

I am looking for a pair of mics to do some room recording.   I'm not talking about venues, I'm really talking about recording my rehearsals.   However, the two rehearsal types couldn't be much more antithetical.   I would like mics that perform well in these two environments:

1.  In a physically small room (like, bedroom size) where the SPLs will be ungodly loud.   3 very loud amps, 1 very loud drummer, and a quite small room.   
2.  2 acoustic guitarists, one of whom sings, with no amplification.   Room size & characteristics can very from larger carpeted living room room with high ceilings to a finished basement with pergo floors and low ceilings.

I will eventually get to a decent overall rig, but would like to start at mics b/c I have other pieces of gear that can get me by.

Thanks for any advice you can give me!

~Pfife

[pfife]

I should prolly add that my budget is prolly around $500 or $600. 

[ilduclo]

 a decent used set of dpa 4061's should meet your criteria. 500$ used is about as low as you can get them.  some on Ebay right now

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-DPA-4061-Miniature-Lav-Lapel-Mic-for-Shure-Wireless-TA4F-Omnidirectional-/272040672549

I also have a set of audix 1280's that handle big SPL's and quiet shows in the yard sale right now for 300

[jbell]

This could be a good option!!  They have had great reviews and you should be able to find recordings on LMA

http://www.lineaudio.se/CM3.html

Edit: $118 per mic

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Line-Audio-CM3-Condenser-Electret-Microphone-Made-in-Sweden-for-USA-CA-CH-only-/321863730235?var=&hash=item4af092c43b:m:ms4iIusQU_H4d39VDwOyBBw

[Gutbucket]

I'd suggest looking for a pair of ADK TL (large diaphragm condenser mics with switchable patterns- omni, cardioid, supercardioid, figure-8).  They are very well regarded mics which will work great for this application and give you a lot of flexibility for various ways of mic'ing those kinds of sources in those kinds of rooms.  They can be used in ways which isolate the sound you are recording, or in ways that record the all inclusive sound of everything including the room sound (which you probably don't want in your scenario). They are not currently manufactured, but are right in your price range and pop up frequently used, often in the yard sale here at TS.  I believe there is a pair there for sale currently.

I would not recommend a pair of DPA 4061 for this. They shine brightest in large, very good sounding rooms for recording the all inclusive sound of everything.  They are great mics which I use and recommend frequently, but are omnidirectional and not ideal for this kind of recording in small rooms.  They are miniature lavalier mics which are a bit tricker to mount for this kind of thing than the ADK TLs which can be used immediately on standard microphone stands, well suited to what you are doing. 

[pfife]

thanks guys!  Interesting suggestions.   Coincidentally, I believe I sold a pair of ADK TLs to get a pair of DPA 4061s back in the day!   

[pfife]

I'd suggest looking for a pair of ADK TL (large diaphragm condenser mics with switchable patterns- omni, cardioid, supercardioid, figure-8).  They are very well regarded mics which will work great for this application and give you a lot of flexibility for various ways of mic'ing those kinds of sources in those kinds of rooms.  They can be used in ways which isolate the sound you are recording, or in ways that record the all inclusive sound of everything including the room sound (which you probably don't want in your scenario). They are not currently manufactured, but are right in your price range and pop up frequently used, often in the yard sale here at TS.  I believe there is a pair there for sale currently.

I would not recommend a pair of DPA 4061 for this. They shine brightest in large, very good sounding rooms for recording the all inclusive sound of everything.  They are great mics which I use and recommend frequently, but are omnidirectional and not ideal for this kind of recording in small rooms.  They are miniature lavalier mics which are a bit tricker to mount for this kind of thing than the ADK TLs which can be used immediately on standard microphone stands, well suited to what you are doing.

Back in the day I rigged up a way to put the DPAs on a stand using rubber washers & a square piece of foam that acted as a separator.   I don't think I want to do that anymore, but I did love the mics.  I'm also a sucker for LD mics.

[MakersMarc]

Line audio om1 can take high spls too and sound nice. 310 a pair or so with shockmounts. These and a used Fostex fr2le would work with your budget.

[2manyrocks]

DR-60d is an affordable recorder. 

The wireless Behringer XR12 mixer $299 will record a two track mix onto usb.  It's about the biggest bang for your buck mixer/recorder going right now.  Decent FX built in.  For band use, I'd give it careful consideration because it would give you a mixer, FX, wireless, and recording capability. 

[Gutbucket]

Line audio om1 can take high spls too and sound nice. 310 a pair or so with shockmounts. These and a used Fostex fr2le would work with your budget.

Om1 is omni. It has a balanced output and is considerably larger than the DPA 4061, but as another omni has similar applications.  The Jecklin disk technique of using something like a "square piece of foam as separator" is a way to use them in a near-spaced stereo configuration, and that can work very well in the right situation, but wouldn't be my choice when recording in these kind of small rooms.  On-stage in a bigger, nice sounding hall I'd be far more enthusiastic about that. 

Omnis can work for this, but they need to be very close to the source, basically close-mic'ing each instrument individually so that the direct sound is much louder in level than all the reflected room sound.  Directional mics can do that too, but can also be used a bit further away from the source without getting as quickly swamped by small room reflections and room 'verb.  And that's what is likely to make them more applicable for use as a stereo pair when recording an ensemble in a small room.

Of the Line-Audio mics, the CM1 is a cardioid and more applicable to this application IMO.

[OhioHead]

I will sell you a pair of modded Oktava's 319's, I used 3x's + a pair of Rycote shock mounts.

[John Willett]

Line audio om1 can take high spls too and sound nice. 310 a pair or so with shockmounts. These and a used Fostex fr2le would work with your budget.

Agreed, except that a pair of OM1 and shockmounts will be less than 200.