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Author Topic: your top 3 - vocal mics that cut through a loud/dense mix  (Read 15987 times)

Jordan Wolf

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Re: your top 3 - vocal mics that cut through a loud/dense mix
« Reply #30 on: March 28, 2010, 01:59:19 AM »

Brian "beeherd" Jones wrote on Thu, 25 March 2010 13:27

...[V]eering off topic slightly...I'm gonna pick up at least one each of the e835 and the OM7

I would look at the e935 instead of the 835 (unless you get a lot of screechy singers).  It will "cut through" the mix a bit more, in my opinion.  The e835 is comparable to the SM58, but I feel it has a more apparent low-mid range (including proximity effect).

Quote:

I also need a drum kit. I'm looking at a couple of D1's for kicks and SM57's for most everything else.

SM57s are nice and versatile and will only really give you problems when they get whacked by an errant drumstick (easy fix after the show).  I personally recommend the Audix i5 as a substitute.

Can't comment on the Audix kits, but they, like most any mic kit, should be very workable.  I'm working on a hodge-podge drum mic kit based on the many opinions and objective posts on this forum.  Maybe you'd be interested in going that route, also?
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Bill Burford

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Re: your top 3 - vocal mics that cut through a loud/dense mix
« Reply #31 on: March 28, 2010, 03:17:09 AM »

hmm.

I used to be a shure beta fan exclusively.
but probably about 5 years ago I started moving to Sennheiser.

I still love shures-- use sm57's all the time for stuff.  especially fender amps. *again, because I do it means zilch.
I didn't exactly seek out these mics.  they were available.  I experiement with them.

for vocals.  for me personally, I like to use a plain old SM58.
thats for my vocal style.  Lots of loud pipes with lots of texture and plenty of shreeking or yelling-- loud singing. whatever you call it.  SM58.

for a beautiful voice-- like a Rhianna or something like that (yeah, not me pal.. I wish I mixed that) but for someone with a beautiful voice-- who sings most of the time. "SINGS" has a specific meaning to me still.. but for that kind.. I'd like to try an e965 by Sennheiser.  if not.. the e935 would do great.
these stars use wireless versions and have in-ears and the best monitor radios with paddle anntennae and multichannels and frequencies so they are sort of living in utopia.

you do know that the microphone matters. but what matters more is the "pipes".. if you don't have the pipes to front a band, then it doesn't matter what you use, you won't be happy.
you can blame the monitors, the soundguy, the mic, the cable.. whatever.. its you.  you can't do it. or you need to take 2 years to practice belting out some notes and build up so you don't faint.

ha ha
I was running sound. small show, small venue. but I had already toured all over at this point.. but I was back in my home town running a small band.
the one singer had almost no voice.  she liked to sing a lot of the songs and you could tell that she had a lot of clout in the political structure of the band.
they took a break and I threw on some cd's and walked off to get some fresh air.
well, while I was gone, she swapped the mic+cable from her stand to another singer's mic+cable.  She thought I was purposefully making her "not" as loud.
in her case, she was as gained up as could be for that venue.  I do not allow feedback.  I have some limits to how many frequencies I'll cut also.
so the louder guy's mic was actually lower-gain and lower fader AND lower monitor send than hers but she still traded the mic AND cord for hers.

So the break is over.  I'm ready to rock.  I'm ready to push her fader up to +10 or +15 -- whatever that board did, I forget.
they are both singing this time.
He is just LOUD AND CLEAR and she is CRAP.  I could barely hear her.
I instantly pull him down about 5 dB and push her up 10 dB.

ha ha you could barely hear her at all now.
his harmonies were like lead solos.
I knew what happened. I fixed it for FOH.. but not for monitors.
She tapped oh her mic (used to be his) and looked right at me..
I looked back at her like " uh YESSS???"
but she realized she couldn't ask me anything because she was afraid I'd figure out what she did.
maam, I knew what you did after 5 words were sung.
she finally traded back after 2 more songs.
she was pissed off at me because she knew I knew some how.
after that, I worked enough magic to make her louder.
but she really didn't have the pipes.  
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Daniel East

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Re: your top 3 - vocal mics that cut through a loud/dense mix
« Reply #32 on: April 15, 2010, 11:15:44 AM »

I am a major fan of the Sennheiser e965. It is, by far, one of the smoothest, most natural sounding condenser vocal mics for live use that I've had. Matching the mic to the voice is a challenge. This thing is really natural on every vocal type I've tried -- male/female, soprano/alto/tenor, etc..

I like it over and above the 865 and KMS-104/105 that were my main lead vocal mics for so long. The larger diaphragm captures the whole voice and sounds phenomenal in almost every venue I've tried. Very low handling noise. Very clear, natural, and the overall house mix wraps around the vocal really well once dialed in. (The mix, mic is nearly flat once settings under screen are switched to the right mode, etc..)

Just my taste and my opinion, but I really love the sound of this mic. You gotta get one of these...sweet.
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Keith Shannon

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Re: your top 3 - vocal mics that cut through a loud/dense mix
« Reply #33 on: April 15, 2010, 02:08:36 PM »

Daniel East wrote on Thu, 15 April 2010 10:15

I am a major fan of the Sennheiser e965. It is, by far, one of the smoothest, most natural sounding condenser vocal mics for live use that I've had. Matching the mic to the voice is a challenge. This thing is really natural on every vocal type I've tried -- male/female, soprano/alto/tenor, etc..

I like it over and above the 865 and KMS-104/105 that were my main lead vocal mics for so long. The larger diaphragm captures the whole voice and sounds phenomenal in almost every venue I've tried. Very low handling noise. Very clear, natural, and the overall house mix wraps around the vocal really well once dialed in. (The mix, mic is nearly flat once settings under screen are switched to the right mode, etc..)

Just my taste and my opinion, but I really love the sound of this mic. You gotta get one of these...sweet.


For $700/mic, the e965 had better be DAMN good. I use e835s which can be had in three-packs for $225 a pack, and they cut just fine with proper levels and a little EQ (on female voice I've noticed they need a little more treble sparkle and some attention to low mids). The 935s are a step up for about $150/mic, and the 865s are the condenser cousin for about $250/mic. The 935s are a little smoother and require less tweaking; plug em in and sound great. Haven't used the 865 but if the 965 is so great I can't imagine the 865 being a slouch.
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Daniel East

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Re: your top 3 - vocal mics that cut through a loud/dense mix
« Reply #34 on: April 15, 2010, 04:51:40 PM »

You are 100% right. It really is an amazing mic. You definitely have to have the need for it to justify the price. Right now, I have e945's on the BGvox and they sound great. The thing was really about A/B'ing the 865 and 965. The 965 is like a studio condenser that is road-worthy.

I've mixed everything from 1,000+ clubs to arenas with this thing. There is no question in my mind that it sounds fantastic. Would I be happier if the thing cost under $500 (or less)? Of course, but I don't see that happening.

That said, I will not use the KMS104 or 105 nearly as much after having the 965. This is my high-end for when the vocals deserve it. I was really stunned by how good it sounded once I set it up. I still LOVE my 865 and KMS mics, but this thing...? Yea, it is really sweet.
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