Cucco is the one to ask. He is a dealer.

Oh and I think they mean built in preamp bodies like the modular series of mics from AKG (SE300, 460/451 etc) or Sennheiser or AT etc.

I get it now. These are really cool.

Check out these images, they helped me understand the design and reach better: [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.audix.us…"]Audix MicroBoom Microphones[/]="http://www.audix.us…"]Audix MicroBoom Microphones[/]

Of course I don't think you can hang a U87 from one of these guys.

Ya, they're definitely limited but also spot on for specifics. I'd only use them for the occasion, but the occasion would create more community buzz. If they sound near as slick as they look, I like em.

Agreed. I have considered mounting them upside down in this crappy high school auditorium I need a solution for. This poor stage area has been raped and pillaged instead of rebuilt. There isn't anywhere to drop cable straight down in this god forsaken room.

One of the churches that I'm working with has a set of (4) 1255's. They are the cardioid version, and they are great IF you are doing decent choir without a lot of ambient noise (i.e., drum kit, guitar amps, etc.) to contend with. In some cases, I've had better results with a pair of Rode NT-5's. It really depends on the acoustical environment, the size of the choir, and the working distance that you're dealing with.
On another note, I used a pair of these last month with a Taylor 614 and a violinist (same church). They were very natural sounding and there were no feedback issues or other artifacts to contend with.

Hey moon, good to learn. Were you tracking with them or using them for SR? If so, what console did you have?

Monn,

did you use the 1255's with the booms or ?

audiokid, post: 349625 wrote: Hey moon, good to learn. Were you tracking with them or using them for SR? If so, what console did you have?

Right now, live SR. I've used them with (2) different mixers- a Mackie Onyx 32 SR and a PreSonus Live. Not a big fan of either (in terms of headroom), but they are serviceable, and they both have enough gain for that mic. When I was working with the guitar/violin duo, I had a pair of Grace 101's (older version) and split their outputs to go to an Alesis HR24 recorder. Better detail and slightly lower noise level.

Addendum: These are on the booms, as the sanctuary's ceiling is over 30 feet high. The booms seem to be well made and the mechanisms that permit adjustments are solid, certainly not whimpy. And they seem to disappear into thin air, visually. They are practically invisible!

I've been using the MicroBooms since before they were introduced to the public. They're pretty nice for certain applications. As Moon says, the card pattern is pretty wide and sensitive. For SR, they're not the best choice. I've used mine for opera mainly. They're unobtrusive and sound great. For me, I use the old m1290 in omni.

FWIW - the preamp that they're referring to is the body and electronics. The true "preamp" of the mic, versus a mic "preamp" which is actually a "mic amplifier."

I'm a huge fan of Audix stuff. I don't think I'm a dealer anymore since I haven't done much with them in a long time. However, in most of their upper end lines of mics (everything but their entry-level drum mic kits), I think they're one of the best values in mics on the planet. They sound great, are made well and work as expected.

Cheers-
J.

Yes, I wish that the contractor who spec'd the systen would have chosen the hypercardioid versions, but these are nice mics.

I think the big 'IF' in moonbaby's post is right on the money, and applies to small capsule choir mics in general. If it's a large group that can really sing, hanging mics do a fine job giving them a little reinforcement. But in those cases where the choir has that kind of power, you would almost have to go out of your way to foul things up.

In a small church or school setting sometimes they need all the help they can get. In these cases it's usually small groups with 'varying skill levels', who aren't properly trained in how to sing to begin with - and that's usually a recipe for disaster with a hanging mic. In addition to being much more prone to feedback; when I see hanging choir mics at an install they are usually physically mounted too high to be effective, they put in omni's whether it was the right pattern for the job or not, they're acoustically too mid-rangey, rumble at the slightest air movement, and amplify unwanted hi-mid noises (like page-turns and footfalls on the stage) better than softer voices. And if the group claps while they're singing, you might as well grab a bite to eat, the clapping is all you're going to hear unless they really sing out strong - or unless they've been taught how to clap in that situation.

[personal pet peeve] I wish more people who direct choirs would spend time improving the singing technique of their choir. Quit teaching them dance moves they can't remember, and half of them clearly don't want to do. I would much rather you teach them how to sing from their core, instead of just using their head-voice. Sorry... back on topic....

I find that if it's a small - medium sized group of 'average ability' I get much better results with a Rode. I prefer to put in an NT4 (or two) for an installation with a small ensemble. If you can stand in front of the group and find a place where the sections of the choir start blending together and put the NT4 on that spot you're already off to a pretty good start. All you need is a simple straight stand, if it fits in with the layout of the room. If you've got a special program with a children's choir, lower the stand to 3ft. and you're miles ahead of the game.

Your biggest challenge is finding a diplomatic way to suggest that the screeching soprano or bellowing baritone in the front row might work better in the back row.

Sounds like they are a waste of effort then. yes, no? I know exactly what you mean regarding technique!

In consideration... I like the look of these so its what drew my attention. If they sounded good, and looked this slick, I see them as a hook for work. If they aren't any better , I have the mics you are suggesting already. Its stand that I lack and seeing a slick corbon stand like this, with good sounding mics that have the ability to capture the group... hmmm bonus.

Last thoughts?

I am a big Audix fan too, but I don't come across many of their choir mics. So for the record, I'm comparing the performance of choir mics in general to a decent SDC on a stand.

If it were solely for recording purposes, and something I didn't have to feed in to the FOH mix - I'm sure the micros could be very good, maybe even great. But for my installations that are primarily about user-friendly sound reinforcement, I feel like the NT4 for instance is a lot easier to place and control (both for me and the "Curious button pushing Church sound guy" who will be serving on Sunday).

Micros are very good at some jobs, I use a cardioid micro on the snare in the rock band, a similar micro on the saxophone at church. I'm very happy with the results, or I would do something else.

All I can tell you is, seldom (if ever) have I gone to meet a new client that is happy with their choir mics. Sometimes it's a problem partly caused by the previous installer's idiotic speaker placement. But in any case, if I leave my personal Rode [NT4] for a demo to A/B against their hanging mics, they buy one (or two) the next week. ( and Rode is not a line I carry! )

The fact that they measure up to Jeremy's high standards would make me think twice about this, but I'd feel like I would need to augment them with something bigger. Maybe that's just me. But it also sounds like he's not working with amateur talent either.

Interesting, Hawk, because I've had to use a pair of NT-5's when the rock'n'roll band hits the stage. I use the ORTF positioning to minimize drum leakage. And, no, Jeremy doesn't work with amateurs. That's why he still has all of his hair and mine is all pulled out!

I have a pair of NT5's that usually get left behind in favor of C451s, but my NT4 gets a lot of use. Obviously very similar capsules, but the convenience and predictability of the fixed 90 degree pair is hard to beat. I like to put them in installations because they are so user-friendly. I use mine for studio recording, recording live audio, and stereo recording to videocamera. Face the stage, if it sounds good where you're standing, put the mic right there facing the same way. It's easy and predictable. Maybe that's why I still have most of my hair after working with amateur to semi-pro talent. Hair which I'm retaining nicely, but it's started going gray at an alarming rate.

With great respect (to all 4 contributors),
Dave

Cucco, post: 349628 wrote: I've been using the MicroBooms since before they were introduced to the public. They're pretty nice for certain applications. As Moon says, the card pattern is pretty wide and sensitive. For SR, they're not the best choice. I've used mine for opera mainly. They're unobtrusive and sound great. For me, I use the old m1290 in omni.

FWIW - the preamp that they're referring to is the body and electronics. The true "preamp" of the mic, versus a mic "preamp" which is actually a "mic amplifier."

I'm a huge fan of Audix stuff. I don't think I'm a dealer anymore since I haven't done much with them in a long time. However, in most of their upper end lines of mics (everything but their entry-level drum mic kits), I think they're one of the best values in mics on the planet. They sound great, are made well and work as expected.

Cheers-
J.

Good thread thanks guys!

Cucco, good to have you back on RO. I think we all miss you bud.
Are you using the 50 or the 84 microbooms?