Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

[guitarSQUIRELL]

For starters, I have never used a pedal board into an amp, I've mainly used a processor since I started. Well, here lately I'm delving off into pedals and whatnot. My question is this.......

When I mic my AC15, do I want it on the edge of breaking up or clean?

I'm going to be running a JOYO Ultimate Drive, and another distortion pedal along with the usual delays and reverbs and a phase 90 in there as well. Any help on this would be nice and greatly appreciated.

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

Just set the amp up for what tone you want, then put the mic in front of it. I doesn't matter if it's clean or breaking up as long as you like the tone. Once you have the tone from the amp, you can experiment with mic placement to hear what the differences for various distances from the amp or how far from the center of the cone. All of those will change how the amp sounds coming out of the PA/recording

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

If you want to record clean tones, then set the amp for clean sounds. Mic proximity and mic preamp input level will influence the mic's perception of the sound coming from the speaker, so running the mic close and the mic preamp hot to make it clip from clean tones may or may not stack well with the OD once you kick it in.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

If you want to get your distortion from the pedals and hear all the detail of what the pedals are doing, set the amp for clean and just use it like a P.A. for the pedal board.

If you are just trying to use the pedals the drive the amp harder and get a mix of mostly amp distortion and aren't too worried about hearing all the detail of the phase and delays, then run the amp at the edge of breakup and let the distortion pedals push the amp over the cliff.

Though the question actually doesn't seem to have anything to do with mic'ing the amp.

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

Just set the amp up for what tone you want, then put the mic in front of it. I doesn't matter if it's clean or breaking up as long as you like the tone. Once you have the tone from the amp, you can experiment with mic placement to hear what the differences for various distances from the amp or how far from the center of the cone. All of those will change how the amp sounds coming out of the PA/recording

This. When I switched (at church) from just using my processor into the board (my amp was basically just a monitor for me) to mic'ing the amp, it was because I liked the sound colored by the amp better than the direct sound that was coming through the mains. Got myself a Sennheiser e609, dropped it dead-center on the speaker, and it worked like a champ for improving my tone out front.

[emoji450]Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk [emoji441]

 

[guitarSQUIRELL]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

If you want to get your distortion from the pedals and hear all the detail of what the pedals are doing, set the amp for clean and just use it like a P.A. for the pedal board.

If you are just trying to use the pedals the drive the amp harder and get a mix of mostly amp distortion and aren't too worried about hearing all the detail of the phase and delays, then run the amp at the edge of breakup and let the distortion pedals push the amp over the cliff.

Though the question actually doesn't seem to have anything to do with mic'ing the amp.

I was going for both areas of the question hoping to get some insight on both.....However, this VOX has a NORMAL and a TOP BOOST....I have never had an amp that had this type....What is the difference between the 2....The TOP BOOST has its own separate EQ while the NORMAL dont have anything but Volume, Tone Cut, and MASTER....

This. When I switched (at church) from just using my processor into the board (my amp was basically just a monitor for me) to mic'ing the amp, it was because I liked the sound colored by the amp better than the direct sound that was coming through the mains. Got myself a Sennheiser e609, dropped it dead-center on the speaker, and it worked like a champ for improving my tone out front.

[emoji450]Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk [emoji441]

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

Top Boost is brighter with more preamp gain. Normal is all midrange, a very simple preamp with no tone controls, and gets a real creamy overdrive when you crank the volume. The tone cut is the only tone control for the normal channel, being after the power amp stage (so it also affects the top boost channel), and it cuts highs as you turn the knob up.

The he top boost EQ is also highly adjustable. The treble and bass controls actually interact with each other. If you turn up the treble knob, this will not only result in more highs, but it will also change how the low end sounds without touching the bass knob. Generally, you have to play with them a lot to see what works for you. Turning down the bass control will soften the low end, but let a lot more midrange through into the sound, then you can get a bit of clarity by raising the treble control, but it'll quickly become very bright sounding. Instead of touching the EQ controls again, that's when the tone cut control comes in handy, where you can tame and tailor the high end real easily without changing the whole EQ all over again (because the tone cut control is separate from the other EQ controls).

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

Once your tone is set, capturing a great recorded sound is mostly about experimenting with mic positions.

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

Set it for clean if you want to get your dirt from pedals, the cut knobby will become your best friend but once you get that worked out its all just a matter of mic placement...

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

I would place the microphone a little farther away from the amp in order to capture the "whole" sound of the amplifier. Who listens to amps with their ear up to the speaker anyway?

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

I would place the microphone a little farther away from the amp in order to capture the "whole" sound of the amplifier. Who listens to amps with their ear up to the speaker anyway?

I was always taught that if you're going to do a layover with the mic that you should hang it off to the side of the speaker (assuming you only have one like a typical AC-15) for that same reason. Basically the mic then picks up whatever you & the virtual audience that your playing for would hear & not what's coming right out of the front of the speaker, but if possible off to the side and a few inches away would probably be ideal...

 

[jeremy]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

micing technique has everything to do with application and situation. live mic'ing and studio mic'ing can be two very different things

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

There are no absolute do's and don'ts with mic'ing. I've seen some engineers that say close mic'ing in the center is a no-no, and others that swear by it. It really is a matter of exprimenting with mic placement and determine what works best to capture the sound you're looking for

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

For starters, I have never used a pedal board into an amp, I've mainly used a processor since I started. Well, here lately I'm delving off into pedals and whatnot. My question is this.......

When I mic my AC15, do I want it on the edge of breaking up or clean?

I'm going to be running a JOYO Ultimate Drive, and another distortion pedal along with the usual delays and reverbs and a phase 90 in there as well. Any help on this would be nice and greatly appreciated.

Is this for performing live at Church?

 

[guitarSQUIRELL]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

Is this for performing live at Church?

Yes, this is to be a live setup at the church if or when they are able to order the pedals...

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

Yes, this is to be a live setup at the church if or when they are able to order the pedals...

Where is the amp going to be located? (did that back room work?)

When do you all practice?

I would recommend spending sometime up there by yourself for some trial and error...especially helpful to have a knowledgeable person with a good ear to help.

As mentioned before, there are no wrong ways (well...I'm sure someone somewhere could come up with a wrong way lol) to mic it, just gotta try different positions and see what suits you best.

 

[guitarSQUIRELL]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

Where is the amp going to be located? (did that back room work?)

When do you all practice?

I would recommend spending sometime up there by yourself for some trial and error...especially helpful to have a knowledgeable person with a good ear to help.

As mentioned before, there are no wrong ways (well...I'm sure someone somewhere could come up with a wrong way lol) to mic it, just gotta try different positions and see what suits you best.

We havent started on the construction/expansion yet....It will be located behind me probably facing me if not facing the banister rail wall....TIME? What is this TIME you speak of sir.....Havent see that in a while lol......

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Looking for some knowledge on mic'ing a VOX AC15.

We havent started on the construction/expansion yet....It will be located behind me probably facing me if not facing the banister rail wall....TIME? What is this TIME you speak of sir.....Havent see that in a while lol......

Ha! So no time? Well then trial and error will be before the congregation! lol

I like having the amp close to me, no need for in ears with an AVIOM system/acts like a monitor.

Best of luck man!