x
anonymous 23 October 2006

which of these mics do you think is the most convenient for vocals
(or the best one in general) ?

studio projects b1
cad m179
Shure sm 58

Tags

Comments

moonbaby Mon, 10/23/2006 - 06:44

The "most convenient" would be the 58 because it is the one always hangin' around! Still a classic for male rock vox onstage or in the studio. I had a pair of M179s I got cheap on some sort of close-out. Very attractive due to their multi-pattern capabilities. Dumped them to acquire a second AT4047. They were just so-so. The B1 gets a lot of positive comments here, but haven't used one before.
The first poster was right: there are TONS of variables out there, it really does depend on the scenario, and, quite frankly, the mics you listed are totally different from one another. Give us a bit more info...

Davedog Mon, 10/23/2006 - 19:53

Well, that certainly narrows it down a bit.......... :shock:

I jest.... In short there is no short answer. The mics in question seem to be picked for their price rather than for specific qualities they may or may not possess. The final answer will be determined by you and ONLY you when you use them.

Mics are very much like toothbrushes.....they all do the same job, some are nicer feeling than others....some are prettier colors....some simply fit better.....NONE of these things can be determined before you open the wrapper.

As an opinion, here's mine..........

The SM58 is one of the 'swiss-army-knife mics. It will do many things and never fail to do exactly what its engineered to do. They very rarely fail to work even under the most drastic abuse you can imagine. They sound....err...exactly like an SM58. There are lots and lots of pretenders out there that want to sound like an SM58 and dont.

The Studio Projects B1 is kind of the condenser version of the SM58. It will reproduce sounds very well and with its own set of tonal characteristics. Its built like a brick and requires very little care in handling. Its tone is a bit dark with a bit of 'fizz' in the high-end. Its a great drum overhead mic and does great with small open backed guitar amps. As a vocal mic its a toss-up. You'll either like it or hate it. For a couple more twenties, you can get the B3 which IS a very good mic and is much flatter in its response and much more versatile in all aspects.

The CAD is a boring cheap replica of other mics which actually sound good for the same amount of money. Its nothing like its more expensive brothers and sisters, which for the most part, sound good.

There are so many mics in this price range , that its hard to know what to buy and what to avoid.

If you can find one of each or have access to a quality sound dealer, try them all out side by side . This will tell you everything you need to know.

I would also be looking at the new Heil mics. They are dynamics and have great detail and tone. BTW....with a dynamic mic you will not be needing any phantom power.....in case you dont know.....peace

Massive Mastering Mon, 10/23/2006 - 22:44

(Speaking of dynamics) I don't think I'd walk into a studio that didn't have a RE-20 ready to go for vocals. I can put the RE-20 up against a half-dozen other mics worth between two and ten times the price and usually wind up using the RE-20.

Another "swiss army" microphone. I'd feel comfortable using it on almost any "non-Enya" type vocal.

Or kick drums. Or bass cabs. Or guitar cabs. Or brass. Or a pair of Roadhouse 65's straight pipes on a Sabre 1100.

anonymous Tue, 10/24/2006 - 08:42

OK here is a thought. Lets start by setting up all three mics. Working properly? Ok now have your vocalist sing/rap whatever they are going to do into each of the three mics. Which one did you think sounded the best? That is the mic you should use. Try not to get too caught up in the audiophile jargon of the best of the best of the best. Use what you have, but use it wisely. After all not everyone has access to M 49's and such. Trust your ears!

Happy tracking,

EZ

x

User login