VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Living Culture

I have been doing some surfing on info about the SM7B and found something interesting.

For LDD suggestions, VO artists seem to love the RE-20 and MD-421, the SM7B is mentioned occasionally, but nowhere near as often as the other 2.
Whereas sound engineers punt the SM7B almost unanimously for VO work, again with the the RE-20 and MD421 coming up every so often, but not as much.

This observation is just from about 5 or 6 boards that I frequent, but good enough to make me wonder why. Anybody have any thoughts on this?
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Peter Katt · Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2009 3:36 pm Post subject:

I have an RE-20, but it needs a clean preamp with lots of gain -- which can cost as much or more than the mic itself.
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Mike Sommer · Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2009 4:49 pm Post subject:

I like the MD-421-U-5, I have one along with a U-4 also. I think these vintage versions are just wonderful dynamic mics. I also like the MD-441, it is a very smooth mic, some say to smooth. But to my ear the 421 is a much better mic than a RE20 or RE27.

The MD-421 was used regularly for TV animation up until the the mid 90's or so.

Much of the reason why the 421 went by the wayside, is due to the recent re-voicing of the mic element- the vintage 421's are the only ones worth having in my book.

I also like the RE15 and RE10. These two mics have some similar qualities to the RCA 77.

As Peter points out, most dynamic mics need help in the gain department. The one nice thing about working in the digital domain is, so as long as you have a good clean signal going into you DAW, you can boost it to the heavens once it is it is captured.
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Mark Szabo · Joined: 07 Dec 2009 Posts: 20

I found an SM7B works great on female voiceover, or rock vocals - it sounds way better than an LDC.

Like the RE20, though, the SM7b requires a clean pre with lots of gain. Many times, I find myself running the gain up to 95+% with Whitney no more than 2" off the end of the mic. It's just not a loud mic.

RE20s are great, but don't have the silky smoothness I'm looking for out of her vocal. MD421s are just plain muddy - great for guitars, but not so much for intelligibility. Sure, you can EQ some life back into it, but I'd rather just engineer a good sound from the start.

Mike Sommer · Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2009 11:03 pm Post subject:

Bill Campbell · DC Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 621

I used RE-20s and SM7s for years in radio. They are both very good for that purpose. Not detailed and good off axis response - both benefits in a radio studio.

They are also good for masking less than perfect voices. They are good for sibilant voices.

If you have a great voice, you want the detail of a really good condenser mic for VO work.

The KEL HM2d is a nice, inexpensive condenser that has the characteristics of an RE20 or SM7 without the requirement of lots of preamp gain.

(My one cent - recession adjusted.)
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Living Culture · Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:50 am Post subject:

I don't doubt that any of these mic's are great and will do their job sufficiently. I was wondering about the discrepancy between VO and engineer opinions.

I did get an SM7 yesterday, mainly because it is a lot cheaper than the RE-20 and the only 421s floating about are the mkIII's. I haven't had a chance to test it yet. I have a feeling I will need a new pre (of course...I always "NEED" new mics, pres...etc Laugh

). My current pres are a Presonus Studio Channel and a DBX386, both of which are noisy at high gain.
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Mark Szabo · Joined: 07 Dec 2009 Posts: 20

Living Culture · Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:26 pm Post subject:

"Enjoy your SM7. I got mine only after I had a preamp with sufficiently low noise and high gain. I have an API 500-series lunchbox with three preamps in it - an A Designs Red, an A Designs Blue, and a Fivefish Studios SC-1."

That sounds like the better way to do it. I wanted a pre first and use my other mics, but have project coming up that would lend itself well to the SM7. I am thinking about the Neve Portico or UA 610 as next possible purchases. API don't appear to have dealers here.

"only recently got into VO work, primarily for radio work. My wife, Whitney, is the talent."

Where can I trade in for one of those? A wife doing the VO work would save me loads of time and phonecalls! (OK...thats not true, my chinese is bad, so my wife makes most of my calls anyway.)[/quote]
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