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VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!
Established November 10, 2004
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voicejones
Contributor III
Joined: 03 May 2005
Posts: 84
Location: Fly Over State
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 Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 11:44 am Post subject: |
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E and G are my favorites. I especially like the ability of G to pick up the dog barking in the background. It' noise floor is so low I think it was a Cocker Spaniel.
JJ |
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Dan-O
The Gates of Troy
Joined: 17 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
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| Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:27 pm Post subject: |
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OK Maiku,
It has been over a week. Let's see the list! |
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jrodriguez315
A Hundred Dozen
Joined: 26 Sep 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: New Jersey
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| Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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WOW!!! I can't believe my question spawned an entire contest thread. This is incredible I can't tell you how greatful I am that you went to so much trouble though I'm betting that it's more fun than trouble for you.
OK, I'm guessing that A is an SM58 and if E is the U87 I think I is the C1 since they sound pretty close to my very untrained ear and the C1 is reputed to sound very close to the U87.
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Joe Rodriguez, Bilingual Voice Actor | The Voiceover Thespian Blog |
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Mike
Nasty Brit
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 476
Location: Tomorrowland
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| Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry for the delay guys. I've been busy with reality for a few days. I'm actually just heading out the door now for a gig, but I'll post the mic list when I get back this evening.
Mata ne
Maiku
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"If grass could run, cows would look like tigers."
Murray Wiggle |
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jrodriguez315
A Hundred Dozen
Joined: 26 Sep 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: New Jersey
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Mike
Nasty Brit
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 476
Location: Tomorrowland
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| Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 8:05 am Post subject: |
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Ok, here is the mic list.
A - Behringer ECM8000
B - AKG 414
C - Studio Projects C1
D - Vintage Toshiba Velocity ribbon mic
E - Neumann U87
F - Shure SM57
G - Neumann 103
H - Fostex MR88P
I - Studio Projects B1 (original version)
| Quote: | | OK, I'm guessing that A is an SM58 and if E is the U87 I think I is the C1 since they sound pretty close to my very untrained ear and the C1 is reputed to sound very close to the U87. |
Well, your ear may be untrained, but they're a darn sight more accurate then those who made the C1/U87 comparison. It's interesting that the B1 is considered the little brother to the C1 because to my humble ears it's a much nicer, more neutral sounding beast. That said, the C1 does sound great on some voices and can really sit well in a mix. It also takes EQ very well. It's also heavy and sit's well in the hand (see C below)
A. This was the suprise for me. It's the cheapest of the bunch and yet has a fairly decent basic sound. Unfortunately it's small diaphragm means that it's a noisy beast at the best of times. If I stuck it down one end of my Didge I could use it as a blow dart for those times when I didn't have my C1 handy as a means of self defence (see C below)
B. In the days before the cheap Chinese imports the AKG 414 was considered a bright mic. Strangely enough, for me I think it's too bottom heavy. Might be useful for the voice of god (The regular version, not my stumbling old man of a thread long past), but I rarely get to play god - though interestingly I shall be playing him on Friday - Mmmmm.........
C. Top heavy. Looks pretty good though and is a solid beast. It's my go to mic when I'm defending myself from physical attack.
D. An RCA copy, but quite a decent one I'm led to believe. Picked it up dirt cheap from a pro audio shop that I thought should have known better......
.....Now I know that they did.
E. Todays winner. My darling little U87. 21 years old and recently overhauled back to as-new condition. I even bought her a brand new Neumann cherrywood box to celebrate. I am in love? Does it show? And doesn't she looks so smooth in that little Union Jack number?
F. More a randy little bugger than a microphone. Nearly every music studio on the planet has a couple of these. Is it because they sound good? I think it's because they breed. I've only got one. But if I get another, then in a couple of years I'll have a locker full. How do you sex a 57? Not sure, but I think I detect a faint squeal when I plug the cable in.
Moving on.
G. In second place. The other German. Now quite as smooth as it's big sister, but a little more rounded where it counts. A fine performer, though sensitive & super quite, hence the dog bark in the background from that annoying wolf spawn across the way. I now think a rifle would be a handy addition to the studio equipment list....and yes, it is Cocker Spaniel! How the hell did you know Mr. Jones.
H. A rather odd creation from Fostex with their own patented design. All the smoothness of a ribbon with the robustness of a dynamic. It is rather unfortunate that it has "Fostex" written on the front. I want to write "My other mic is a U87" underneath.
It has a fixed figure of eight pattern which gives it a weird tone in my room. It's interesting though that Kevin found it fit perfectly when mixing in some music. That just goes to show that no one mic is inherently better than any other. It's just that a high end mic has more chance of being better.....and much less chance of have Fostex written on the front in big letters.
I. The humble, early version of the B1 (this doesn't have the pad and HPF of the new version). I have a soft spot for this beast. Probably because it has the best price/performance ratio of any mic in this group. Unfortunately a little too small to be used for self defence (see C above)
Well, there you have it. My humble little mic adventure draws to an end and I shall now have to think of something else to keep me amused.......
Many thanks for all the comments and for taking the time to listen.
Mata ne
Maiku.
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"If grass could run, cows would look like tigers."
Murray Wiggle |
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Mike
Nasty Brit
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 476
Location: Tomorrowland
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| Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 8:08 am Post subject: |
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| jrodriguez315 wrote: | | I understand there is a new C1 with updated electronics and such. Is the one in your test the original or the new one? |
Mine is an original. I didn't know there was a new version. I wonder if they used my suggestion to inlcude a Taser gun feature (See C above)
Maiku.
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www.michaelrhys.com
"If grass could run, cows would look like tigers."
Murray Wiggle |
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jrodriguez315
A Hundred Dozen
Joined: 26 Sep 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: New Jersey
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| Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:43 am Post subject: |
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Thanks so much for doing this Mike. I looked for prices on all the mics you tested and here is what I found.
A - Behringer ECM8000 $49.99 - Musicians Friend
B - AKG 414 $999.97 - Sweetwater
C - Studio Projects C1 $239.99 - Sweetwater
D - Vintage Toshiba Velocity ribbon mic Couldn't find a price
E - Neumann U87 $2,849.99 - Musicians Friend
F - Shure SM57 $99.97 - Sweetwater
G - Neumann 103 $999.99 - GuitarCenter.com
H - Fostex MR88P Couldn't find a price
I - Studio Projects B1 (original version) $99.99 - Music123
After clicking back and forth and back and forth and back and forth on the samples (very slick interface by the way!) I can hear that there is definitely a difference between the U87 and the C1.
My question is, is the difference I hear worth $2,610.00 - $3,440 (U87 List Price: $3,799.99 - C1 List Price: $359.99)!
For me, the answer is no, perhaps someday but not today.
When I compare the B1 and the C1, via back and forth clicking, I find that these two mics sound very much alike, again to my untrained ears and through a pair of crappy headphones (I listened through my Bose headphones at home)
I had my heart set on the C1 because of the reviews I'd read comparing it favorably to the U87. My current budget is more along the lines of the B1. Now that I've heard them side-by-side, I don't think the B1 is a bad choice. As you said, "it has the best price/performance ratio of any mic in this group" and it will definitely sound better than my SM58!
Thanks again for this.
Dewa mata atode
P.S., did you do your own Photoshop work on that mic with the Union Jack? It looks amazing! Looks even better on your site with the smoke around it.
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Joe Rodriguez, Bilingual Voice Actor | The Voiceover Thespian Blog |
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jrodriguez315
A Hundred Dozen
Joined: 26 Sep 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: New Jersey
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| Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 6:08 pm Post subject: |
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Mike,
Thanks again for doing this mic shootout. I finally bit the bullet and ordered a a B Stock C1 from PMI Audio. Thank you to Jowillie for sending me the information.
domo arigato
Joe
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Frank F
Fat, Old, and Sassy
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 4421
Location: Park City, Utah
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| Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 7:44 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I misssed two names of the mics... I couldn't figure out what "D" or "H" was, while listening.
My comments still seem to apply: (maybe the manufacturers need to see our reviews...ROFL)
Frank: D: muddy upper mid's, no real presense, flat
Maiku: D. An RCA copy, but quite a decent one I'm led to believe. Picked it up dirt cheap from a pro audio shop that I thought should have known better......
Frank: E: Clean, good presense (personal favorite) ((This is my microphone of choice))
Maiku: E. Todays winner. My darling little U87.
Frank: G: Solid presense, good overall range.. feels good (second favorite)
Maiku: G. In second place. The other German. Now quite as smooth as it's big sister, but a little more rounded where it counts.
Frank: I: feels compressed... no real presense, too much upper mids - feels over-processed even though it isn't.
Maiku: I. The humble, early version of the B1 (this doesn't have the pad and HPF of the new version). I have a soft spot for this beast.
You had me wondering about "H" - for the life of me I could not figure out what microphone that was... Now I know - it had "Fostex" written on it...
What fun, Thanks for letting us play...
Toodles
Frank F
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Be thankful for the bad things in life. They opened your eyes to the good things you weren't paying attention to before. email: thevoice@usa.com |
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BenWils
The Thirteenth Floor
Joined: 08 May 2006
Posts: 1324
Location: In a Flyover State
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| Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 7:56 pm Post subject: |
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| BenWils wrote: | I like E, I and then G.
A sounds like a Shure SM58 to me.
E is the U87
I is one of the Studio Projects mics?
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I knew my ears could smell the gold!! Very surprised at the B1 sound. "I" must have one now.
Awesome exercise Mike. Thanks for your efforts in doing this. Exactly what the gear section was made for.
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Ben
"To be really good at voiceover, you need to improve your footwork and hip snap." |
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Mike
Nasty Brit
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 476
Location: Tomorrowland
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| Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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| jrodriguez315 wrote: |
After clicking back and forth and back and forth and back and forth on the samples (very slick interface by the way!) I can hear that there is definitely a difference between the U87 and the C1. |
You have to remember though that this is a vintage U87 and therefore would sound different even from other contemporary U87s. It's only recently that manufacturing has reached today's standards of consistancy between identical mics. Also, it's the difference in MY voice in MY studio.
I guess what I'm saying is.....Don't blame me if the C1 sucks! 
| Quote: | My question is, is the difference I hear worth $2,610.00 - $3,440 (U87 List Price: $3,799.99 - C1 List Price: $359.99)!
For me, the answer is no, perhaps someday but not today. |
It's almost impossible to put a number/price on this kind of thing. Too many variables involved.
Will the C1 allow you to make decent recordings?
Basically yes, dependant upon some of those variables (pre-amp, room etc.)
Will it sound as good as a U87?
Well, some pre-amps will make both mics sound equally bad. So the answer is, potentially, yes.
I hope I'm not coming across as too negative! That's not my intention. I do want to emphasize that mic comparison games are of limited use in the real world. It's all down to how that mic sounds on YOU through YOUR pre-amp in YOUR room. And even then, that's still only your opinion. You still have the added variable of a producer and/or engineer with his/her own set of 'Aural Gold' standards.
I hope the C1 gives you what you are looking for. Let me know how it all works out and don't forget to post some samples.
| Quote: | | P.S., did you do your own Photoshop work on that mic with the Union Jack? It looks amazing! Looks even better on your site with the smoke around it. |
Thanks. I'm glad you like it. Yes, I did pretty much everything. The photography of the mic and the smoke and all the editing. The basic flag I lifted from the net, so that was the only thing I didn't create.
Cheers.
Maiku
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www.michaelrhys.com
"If grass could run, cows would look like tigers."
Murray Wiggle |
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Don G.
King's Row
Joined: 11 Nov 2004
Posts: 1071
Location: MA
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| Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 4:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Very interesting shoot-out, and we all appreciate it, Mike. No regrets here for having bought my B-1 a few years ago. It's my main...okay, only...workhorse. Hey, if it makes my clients happy, it makes me happy. |
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Deirdre
Czarina Emeritus
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 13020
Location: Camp Cooper
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| Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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The C-1 is my current bludgeon of choice. My people love it.
However, I'm still getting the "103 Blues" from one of my fave clients, so I'll be joining you Short Mike blokes reeeeeal soon.
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DBCooperVO.com
IMDB |
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Mike
Nasty Brit
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 476
Location: Tomorrowland
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| Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Don G. wrote: | | Hey, if it makes my clients happy, it makes me happy. |
The ultimate truth I guess. Clients care about the performance, not about how it got into their ears.
Maiku.
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www.michaelrhys.com
"If grass could run, cows would look like tigers."
Murray Wiggle |
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