Connecting Atlanta Musicians

Microphones, which are best for you?

I get no relief, in my endless quest for the "perfect" mouthpiece, reed, ligature, & mics, I also am trying to find the best one for my vocals (& flute). Part of the problem is that sometimes the same mic may sound/feel different on different gigs, and sometimes I may think it sounds bad, and of course, that's usually when people will compliment me on how I sound.

Anyway, I've got Shures (Beta 57, 58, 87), EVs (ND 767, 967), & even a Sennheiser MD 441, and at various times liked/not liked them all. Finally, has anyone ever tried the Shure KMS9 mic?

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Permalink Reply by Michael Bastedo on August 13, 2008 at 4:55am: Hey Steven, The mic I use and have loved for at least a couple (maybe 3) years now is the Sennheiser E865. For less than $280. It's a warm full sounding vocal mic.
I'm still using the Audio-Technica Pro 35 clip-on for my sax until I can afford to try something like the AMT Wi-5.
At home in the studio I have a Studio Projects C1 Condenser that I like a lot but if I could spend the bucks I'd have an AKG 414 or the C12 which runs a bit under 5 grand.
Makes the 414 look downright accessible at a bit over $800.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Richie Mays on December 5, 2008 at 4:33pm: I've used all the shures, sennheisers, and akg's, and the best mic I've used is the EV ND/967 for vocals, and the ND/468 for guitar cab/instruments. I wonder why you have a love/hate relationship with it?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Steven Charles on December 5, 2008 at 5:34pm: Hey Richie, Well, with the ND/967, while warmer, sometimes sounds/feels like it gets "too much breadth", mainly with vocals or flute, like a "woomph" going on (words are difficult describing sounds). Almost like it's "too warm" & broad a sound, so the waves "hit" against the mic... Also, I often can't tell much difference with the two settings, (& even forget which one is which, same w/Sennheiser)..
The 767 seems crisper, less air, more sound, & actually has seemed more feedback-prone on sax.

The Shure Beta 87, again, supposedly the more feedback-tolerant model, seems to be the opposite, lots more feedback than the Beta 57/58...

Stuff like that throws me, when a mic is billed as "more gain before feedback" than lesser-priced models of the same line, yet in use, sure seems like the opposite is true...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Blues Cat on January 12, 2009 at 11:32am: I have used a Beta 87-a for years now, and it great for my vocal needs.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeni Michelson, Vocal/Keys/Band Leader on January 12, 2009 at 5:42pm: Aw Stephen, I caved in. I had my heart set on the KSM9 but then my Sennheiser MD431 crashed and burned (suspension ka-put) and no one could fix it. I found a cool vintage microphone company (out of Germany) on Ebay and got a pristine replacement Senn. for $150.00. Not a bad buy in this crazy economy! Sennheiser Co. offered to replace my mic at 1/2 price for $350.00 (yikes!)

I hope this mic lasts me another 25 years!

Seller: hear2eternity (1186Feedback score is 1000 to 4,999)
Member is a PowerSeller
Feedback: 100 % Positive; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Steven Charles on January 12, 2009 at 5:53pm: Hey Jeni, You Did Good! Such a deal......; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeni Michelson, Vocal/Keys/Band Leader on January 12, 2009 at 8:46pm: Ebay is pretty cool for vintage equipment, I believe that's how I originally met you...of course, not implying anything here (hahahahahaha!); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Steven Charles on January 12, 2009 at 9:07pm: Really, it was eBay, and not Craigslist, are you sure?

Also, I bought my Sennhieser 441, at a very good price too (of course) on eBay, as well as a few nice, and vintage, saxes...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeni Michelson, Vocal/Keys/Band Leader on January 12, 2009 at 9:36pm: It was Ebay! You were saxnflute or something like that :-) I was tickled cause the EV speakers were located in ATL.; ▶ Reply to This