I've read really really awesome reviews on the Studio Projects T3 and am kinda looking to get one myself. I know I can't spring for anything over the same price range you're looking at as well.

Does anybody have direct experience w/ a T3? How do they respond to/with API modules?

Oh, almost forgot. I do already have a Shure KSM44 and it is AWESOME! I've heard it can be super transparent as well w/ better preamps, which I'm lookin to get.

Really great mic, especially in that range. Still interested in the T3 though...

The KSM44 isn't a tube condenser...great mic though.

Here's a few to look at in (or close to) your price range: Rode K2, M-Audio Sputnik and Groove Tubes' GT67 and MD1B. Studio Projects' T3 is certainly worth a look as well. If you're willing to spent about $1,000 I can personally vouch for Mojave Audio's MA-200...wow.

Frank

You're right about the KSM, my bad. I've looked at so much stuff, it all just runs together after a while.
The Mojave was/is certainly a consideration, of course for a little more I could get a Peluso 2247 or the Tele AK47, or for a little more I could get the U87........

...yes, that's the problem.

:(

AT4060 is a winner and is surely worthy enough to be in anybody's mic collection.

Avant CV 12 is worth a look, $500. I rolled a vintage GE 5 Star tube into mine, loving it.

The title of the thread made me laugh. But hey, I'd love a nice tube mic as well. It just means spending a little more to get the same level of quality as a solid state mic.

SE Electronics Z5600A

Mine sounds great.

Good additional suggestions that I've not even heard or considered. Thank you.

I second the SE electronics mic. Can be a little bright for some sources, but I've been loving it on MY voice as well as others (sweeter for tenors / female vocals) and it serves nicely as a room mic for drums. It also comes with a very sturdy shock mount!

I love my vintage U67's & KM 56 tube condenser microphones. But really, I rarely use them. Why? They do have that classic mellow tube sound. But that's not what I am generally looking for. Strangely enough, I have a friend who had a new U87ai converted into a dual triode tube 87 microphone. Doesn't sound anything like my U67's! And although it still sounds good, he prefers my U67 to his tube U87. There is just a huge difference in considering a microphone that uses a pentode instead of a dual triode. Those actually have the tendency to be a little noisier than a dual triode. But hey, it was intended to replace the U47.

So what's this thing you have up your butt about tube microphones?
Ms. Remy Ann David

Man, I wish it was as easy as something up my butt.

Really, I don't know. I'm fully convinced that a 57 and a 58 is about all you need. Thrill of the chase? I like warm, harmonically warm vocals...love The Beatles through and though, Pink Floyd...all the stuff that just reaches out and hugs you.

Maybe a tube mic won't get me closer to that any better than my other/current mics, but I figure that I'll certainly never know unless I try.

Plus, I just like to buy stuff.

"Plus, I just like to buy stuff."

Go buy a burger or something then

Codemonkey wrote: "Plus, I just like to buy stuff."

Go buy a burger or something then

Well, that's not very nice. I like gear, what's wrong with that?

Well, a burger would be cheaper, and for the entire duration of your ownership of it, it would do you a service, and not gather dust :D

Maybe a free range tube mic would be the ticket.

8-)

I think you are on the right track. If you can afford to experiment with gear and the thrill of something new hanging off the big mic stand gets things rolling for you, then you should BY ALL MEANS buy it.

Dont be surprised if one of these mid-priced tube mics doesnt immediately lift your skirt. There isnt a lot of difference at this price range that'll make you really wanna get giddy.

A bit higher up is another story.

I agree 100 and 20 percent with Gaffs take on the AT4060. Thats a real good mic. The Ze5600 looks like a winner but I dont know how it sounds. The Avant is built like a tank (I have caressed one but havent heard it) as are all their mics......

I gotta throw this one out there for consideration...... I have some time on one.....

ADK Area 51 TT. Used, close to the budget you listed. This mic is voiced like those old German thingys.......Tele-something-or-others.......

It is warm and sensitive.....It'll take a crapload of Db's....it has continuosly variable patterns....An NOS tube in it gets you even more warmth.....buy SEVERAL tubes for several different varieties of mic response.

I love this one.

I will have one someday next to my vintage 87, which isnt a tube but still has that....errr.....yeah....that 'thing'...

Thanks everyone, I'm gonna chew on this for a while.

I've heard the Mojave MA-200 and it sounded killer. It's a little out of your price range, but I think it's a large step up from most of the other mics listed here (excluding the ADK, I've never heard it)

How about adding a mic pre with toobs? Better yet, a pre with big transformers! They would make every mic in your collection sound that much better!! 8)

Yeah, it's like sex. You have to have it at least once to know what you're missing. I specialize in a lot of on location work and tube microphones can be relatively inconvenient to use since they have clunky power supplies with cables rarely longer than 15 feet. But in the studio, that's a different deal. Just know that most tube microphones generally function with a dual triode tube (12AX7, 12AU7, 12AT7, etc.), which are quite nice and quite low noise. Whereas some use a pentode (EF86, for example in a Neumann U67), which have a slightly higher noise signature but a vastly different sound. Probably one of the reasons why the M-Audio Sputnik was introduced since it's advertised to have more of that classic sound by utilizing a mil spec pentode instead of a triode.

Still missing it even though I have tubes of different varieties.
Ms. Remy Ann David

Yes, I've been eyeballing the Sputnik. I'd be tempted to grab one of those and just take the chance.

I do have one pre with tubes, the LA610 and recently I've been favoring it's sound over my Great River. Ive heard that tube mic in tube pre isn't a good mix though.

I mean, (if I can use Remy's angle) if it's like two chicks then there's nada thing wrong with that. But two doods.....!??! :shock:

Not meant to offend btw, just having fun.

sshack wrote: Ive heard that tube mic in tube pre isn't a good mix though.

If that were true, records from Sinatra to Beatles and beyond would sound like crap...

And I'm certain they got plenty of sex! :shock: :!: 8-)

Tube microphones into tube preamps are the quintessential early electrical recording chain. Sounded perfectly yummy back in the day. Of course all of that stuff had input and output transformers the size of your fists! And a lot of that sound IS those huge old iron heavy transformers. Not necessarily seen in modern-day equipment. Therein lies a significant difference. But that shouldn't stop you. Just know that tubes, like ourselves, age and change over time. Whereas transistors, are more like bugs. Once hatched, they don't change much, even after they're dead. The first one is like the last one, etc.. No 2 tubes are quite the same. That's why so many have to be specially tested and hand selected, for lowest noise & proper performance ratings. But even that doesn't guarantee consistence in sound. Transistors offer a higher degree of consistency and when dealing with stereo pairs, I'll take a transistor condenser microphone over a tube.

Tubular man!
Ms. Remy Ann David

Well, well, well...I just ran across a Sputnik (locally) for about 5 bills. It seems the argument for this mic is the sound quality at its price point; hard to beat from what I gather.

I may take a gamble and see what the hub-bub is all about.

Yeah, it's the "U67" Rip. I'd really like to hear one of those Sputnik's since I have a pair of the 67's. I don't use them for everyday stuff since they are so valuable and, since I don't have work every day. They stay in the closet more than I do these days. In that way, the price point of the Sputnik sounds just about right without even hearing it. At least it might get more use than my tired old used 67's?

Rickety engineer
Ms. Remy Ann David

Remy,
I'll be happy to track some samples of the mic. Anything in particular that you'd like to hear?

Shack

Hard for me to ship you my U67 to utilize on the same sound source for comparison's sake. But thanks for the offer. I think if I went to my local music/sound equipment dealer that I have been dealing with since 1978, I could borrow one. It really could have THAT SOUND? That would literally send me into space.

Spacey broad
Ms. Remy Ann David

And likewise, "that sound" is so subjective to each of our ears that it's hard to tell. I've personally never even seen a real U47/67 much less heard one in action, so there ya have it.

I will say that for the money I'm really impressed with this mic. I powered it up on Sat morning and just recorded some vocals with acoustic guitar and it sounded really, really good to my ears...especially since I sing about as good as Cookie Monster at 8:30 in the morning.

So my fix is fixed....for now.

:twisted:

RemyRAD wrote: Hard for me to ship you my U67 to utilize on the same sound source for comparison's sake. But thanks for the offer. I think if I went to my local music/sound equipment dealer that I have been dealing with since 1978, I could borrow one. It really could have THAT SOUND? That would literally send me into space.

Spacey broad
Ms. Remy Ann David

I don't think Chuck Levin's (Washington Music) has the M-Audio Sputnik...last time I was there they didn't have any of the m-audio line of mics.... sad.

Can't wait to hear some examples from you.

Tube tide
Ms. Remy Ann David

I don't usually like tube mic into tube pre but, there are exceptions...

DIGIT wrote: I don't usually like tube mic into tube pre but, there are exceptions...

I've heard that position before but so far this mic and my UA pre have worked out quite nicely.
Also, the tonal differences between figure 8, cardoid and omni have impressed the pants off of me. Really, I've been wandering around in my boxer shorts for days now.

I'll put together some basic samples by the end of this week and post them.

Get a Shure SM7 or AT 4047 and 'forgetaboutit'

Hmmm...both are excellent mics, but neither are tubed. Thanks for the suggestion though. I already have the Sputnik so my thirst has been quenched for now.