VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD! Forum Index VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!
Established November 10, 2004
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

It's time to play everyone's favorite game ... Mic Test!
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD! Forum Index -> Gear !
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Jason Huggins
The Gates of Troy


Joined: 12 Aug 2011
Posts: 1846
Location: In the souls of a million jeans

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 1:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good snag! That mic is stellar on your voice. YMMV indeed. But at $250 one can afford to risk it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Rob Ellis
M&M


Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 2385
Location: Detroit

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey graeme,
So I'm assuming the processing, record levels, distance from the mic etc. was all the same......(?)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Bish
3.5 kHz


Joined: 22 Nov 2009
Posts: 3738
Location: Lost in the cultural wasteland of Long Island

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Late to the party, but I listened before I looked at the answers Smile

I definitely preferred #1 on your voice and was pleasantly surprised to find out it was the CAD E100s. I've been extolling the virtues of this mic since I purchased mine, and it was interesting to hear it head-to-head with the Neumann. Of course, I accept that it's all about matching mic to voice, but a lot of people are very happy with the CAD.

... and we all like having our own purchasing decisions ratified Smile

BTW, what pre-amp?
_________________
Bish a.k.a. Bish
Smoke me a kipper... I'll be back for breakfast.
I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls.


Last edited by Bish on Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:12 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Bruce
Boardmeister


Joined: 06 Jun 2005
Posts: 7978
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not a mic technician, nor have I played one on TV, but I'm thinking the U87 ought to be looked at by Neumann. It sounds blah and a tad crunchy to me for the mic it's supposed to be.

B
_________________
VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
graemespicer
Been Here Awhile


Joined: 25 Feb 2012
Posts: 243
Location: Toronto

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Both takes were recorded within 5 minutes of each other in the same booth with the mics the same distance from my mouth - between 6-8".

Same preamp - a Rupert Neve Designs Portico 5015 with the high pass filter engaged at about 90Hz. A little bit of hardware compression on the way in (about 2:1 at -8dB). The only processing in ProTools was to apply a clean limiter at -5dB to knock the peaks off and then normalized to -3dB (to try and even out the levels for comparison). The output of the mics seems to be about the same, so the gain level on the preamp wasn't touched.

It would have been better if I had been able to record both mics at the same time on the same take, but I don't have two channels on my Neve preamp.

Btw, this is pretty typical of how I record and deliver audition files ...
_________________
Graeme Spicer
Voice Actor

Member of the World-Voices Executive Board

tel • (416) 716-2246
email • graeme@graemespicer.com
graemespicer.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
graemespicer
Been Here Awhile


Joined: 25 Feb 2012
Posts: 243
Location: Toronto

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bruce - it's funny - I was talking to George Whittam earlier today and we spoke about that possibility. I've put my U87 up against other U87s though, and the sound is pretty much on. People either really like the U87 sound, or complain about the "midrange honk" Smile

The consensus on this board seems to lean towards honkiness Smile

I have to say, though, I kinda like the little bit of transformer grain in the U87's midrange, even if the CAD is clearly the cleaner sounding mic.

Being the gear acquisition syndrome sufferer that I am, I'll probably keep both and use the appropriate tool as determined by the type of read I'm doing.
_________________
Graeme Spicer
Voice Actor

Member of the World-Voices Executive Board

tel • (416) 716-2246
email • graeme@graemespicer.com
graemespicer.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
graemespicer
Been Here Awhile


Joined: 25 Feb 2012
Posts: 243
Location: Toronto

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One last comment - I'm not convinced that the pairing of the Rupert Neve Designs preamp and the U87ai is a match made in heaven. There's a lot of transformer iron in that chain - maybe too much.

For vocals, the U87ai seems to be often matched with a tube pre (like the Avalon 737 or UA 610), or a really clean solid state preamp like a Great River or the Avalon M5. These tend to soften up the sound a bit. The RND pre is fantastic - I love it - but it certainly adds a character all on its own.
_________________
Graeme Spicer
Voice Actor

Member of the World-Voices Executive Board

tel • (416) 716-2246
email • graeme@graemespicer.com
graemespicer.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Lance Blair
M&M


Joined: 03 Jun 2007
Posts: 2281
Location: Atlanta

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Love it! The CAD sounds great on your voice.

I used to think I needed a U87 to sound like everyone else...now everyone else is using my mic! Wink
_________________
Skype: globalvoiceover
and now, http://lanceblairvo.com the blog is there now too!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Rob Ellis
M&M


Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 2385
Location: Detroit

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
with the high pass filter engaged at about 90Hz.


Having experience with both mics, I would say that a 90 hz filter is going
to take more away from the 87 than from the CAD. The CAD IME has a much bigger low end and is going to still found fuller after a 90 hz cut. A U87 not so much. The 87 is more mid-focused (honk)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
captain54
Lucky 700


Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 744
Location: chicago

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 3:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was in a pretty high end lab the other day (they had me on a Soundelux elux 251) and the engineer there stated how shocked they were at how the Shure KSM 32 stood up against the U87. FWIW
_________________
Lee Kanne
www.leekanne.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website Yahoo Messenger
Jason Huggins
The Gates of Troy


Joined: 12 Aug 2011
Posts: 1846
Location: In the souls of a million jeans

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 3:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would be curious to hear how the different hipass filters sound. The CAD has an 80hz filter, so there is a potential difference in sound. Although, I don't know that you need anymore low end if you are using that CAD. It had plenty of balls in that regard.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
kgenus
Seriously Devoted


Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 889
Location: Greater NYC Area

PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 6:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I liked the second mic better, it wasn't as harsh.

You really gotta go clean without any adjustments to the audio. The room, breathing, kids playing down the hall, the A/C, whatever, it's all part of the audio you're recording and should be present for this type of comparison. Once you start cutting things back, like a high pass filter, it's no longer a mic comparison, as you're definitely gimping the tools. Limiting, an entirely different ball game.

Can you record two more samples with fixed gain settings and put those wav files up?
_________________
Genus
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Zach Meissner
Contributor IV


Joined: 01 Feb 2013
Posts: 132
Location: Husker Nation aka Nebraska

PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 7:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

For anyone interested in the e100s..

Musicians Friend has it for $499, they do a 150% price match.

Front End Audio has it for $359.

You end up buying it new for $359, then 45 days later, you will get a $70 credit to musicians friend, which in effect the mic costs you $289.

So if you know you need something to feed your G.A.S. from MF in the near future, might be a good route to check out.
_________________
Pax vobiscum

ZachMeissner.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Jason Huggins
The Gates of Troy


Joined: 12 Aug 2011
Posts: 1846
Location: In the souls of a million jeans

PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yer killin' me Smalls....
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
captain54
Lucky 700


Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 744
Location: chicago

PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 9:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Musicians Friend doesn't do any other promotional offers (except shipping) if they honor a Price Match.. I've been thru this before
_________________
Lee Kanne
www.leekanne.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website Yahoo Messenger
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD! Forum Index -> Gear ! All times are GMT - 7 Hours
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Page 2 of 3

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group