KSM47 vs AT3035 vs Bluebird

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:06 am

Which one would you recommend as the only LDC in a closet?

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:51 am

Not sure about the KSM47 but I would take a bluebird over a 3035 ANY day. The frequency response of the AT looks very flat, but when you hear it the top end will sound very dull and undefined, not crisp and strong like the bluebird's. That's what my ears tell me anyway and it makes all the difference for me. YMMV.

That said, the 3035 is a nice mic and at used prices is a good deal. In my opinion, it'll never excel as a drum overhead though, or anything where you want to capture a clear high end. I'd use it on bass guitars, certain vocalists (it has a smoothing effect) and possibly electric guitars. I'd use the bluebird on just about anything however.

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:08 am

Hmmm, interesting Thumbs Up

I wanted to go with 3035 personally but think I might change my mind. I've got sm57 x 5, EV ND868, AT2021 x 2, and now looking for the only LDC...

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:39 am

The Shure is a very neutral, smooth microphone. The Bluebird is a brighter mic with a strong proximity effect. The 3035 is a good all-purpose mic - does a lot of things well, does nothing fantastic.

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:03 pm

so... as the only one to have... upto $300, cause I am selling my other mics and will not buy anything for a looong time. Mics I am going to have at the end of this... listed above.

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:05 pm

What are you selling?

I rarely if ever sell a mic to buy a mic. There are exceptions, but I can't think of any reason someone with a small set of mics should ever do this.

None of these mics is a desert island mics - you'd be shooting yourself in your foot.

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:10 pm

I am selling MXL 992/993 kit and audix fusion 6pk, I did not even list them up there. Insted I ordered 2 AT 2021 and 3 mpre SM57.

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:24 pm

I just called GC and they said they have 1 in stock it seems like it is back ordered everywhere else.

It seems like there are a lot of mics for this price..
AT4040 fits in this range, even some tube mics.... Lost again...
EDIT: Listened frontendaudio clips and I could not tell a big difference between AT4040 and BlueBird... I mean you can hear they are different but not better or worse.

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:48 pm

My (very generalized) advice would be to aviod tube mics in this price range. Tubes can be a wonderful thing, but solid state is cheaper and easier to get right in my opinion.

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:03 pm

alright there are less hair on my head left than ever before... 4040 or bluebird? or something else 400 is the most I can spend
4033cl.. rode nt2-a .... 40 computer mics for $10...

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:22 pm

Unfortunately (for you) you probably are limited to shopping at guitarget and therefore you wont have anything other than their lines to discover.

If Jeremy likes the bluebird then you should probably pay that some heed. I have heard one. (I know, I'm getting lazy)...I do like the 4040. I would not call it the ONLY LDC level mic for a collection. Especially if you are recording several different types of voice.

Jeremy's description of the Bluebird having a lot of proximity effect would worry me if I didnt have a really good mic pre available. While the proximity can be your friend for that special sounding vocal take, it can also ruin certain types of voices that need a clear strong signal with nothing added. A great mic pre will give you enough noiseless gain to accomplish this with a mic with a lot of proximity.

I'm not sure ( Wink

) which Shure mic you're thinking of... There are KSM27, and KSM44.....but no KSM47 that I'm aware of.

If it is the 27 you're talking about, its also not what I consider to be the only LDC a locker should have. And not a great vocal mic. Instruments its nice on....

If I were to choose any mic for this use that you are seeking it would be the ADK Hamburg or the Vienna. They simply are voiced for the voice. They dont tend to smear the sound and they have a good soundfield. There arent the hyped highs you hear with this range of mics. The lows are tigh and controlled and they do demonstrate a nice proximity effect that is usable for types of voices.

However. If I was to choose an overall LDC for a mic locker, it would be the Shure KSM44. Multipatterns, neutral mic, very very good on anything.

I dont think you can find one for 4bills...unless you look used. A bargain at that price.

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:34 pm

I don't have a really good preamp if you are saying really good I assume it is something that I didn't even look at because of the price

I honestly thinking of going for AT4040 because of bluebirds proximity effet.

I wish I could listen to AT3035 and decide if it is worse than AT4040

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:06 pm

http://www.studioauditions.com/

I would have linked to this earlier but I was at work and forgot the site. Click on jam room sessions up at the top, then microphones and then you can select from a wide range of mics and compare them. no 3035 for some reason, does anyone know if the 3060 is similar? it looks like the same mic to me, has that 3035 mushy high end (to my ears anyways)...

Anyway, you can compare the 4040 and bluebird. Both sound like nice mics to me. I would still take the bluebird because it just sounds crisp and rich to me. But definitely make up your own mind!

Hope the site helps.

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:49 pm

hmmmm listened.... 4040 definitely sounds better than 3060... And Blue bird sounds crispier on acoustics kinda liked MXL v69 not gonna get it know but was surprised.

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 7:34 pm

Thanks Dave - it's the KSM 44 I was thinking of..
I do that with Neumanns all the time...TLM197/TLM193 - I always create models that they never made...

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