The Great Guitar Microphone Shoot Out, Part II -- The Singles

[TwilightOdyssey]

What a "fun" and educational afternoon! Here ya go, all 16 single clips. Have a listen and pick your favorites; I think different things might appeal to different people depending on what they are listening for ... and some of the tonal results really surprised me. Some mics sounded great in all 3 positions; most sounded best in one and not so great in the others.

2 things were definitely proven from this experiment, though:
1. Multi-mic'ing, while nice, is certainly not necessary
2. The EAST Studio 2 is a KILLER, killer amplifier

A bit about the setup:

DI tracks were recorded using Lava Clear Connect cables through a Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone
DI level was averaging around -15dBU
DI track was sent out at the same level to the Radial ProRMP
The RMP fed into the Studio 2 directly via a Mogami (interface:RMP) and Whirlwind cable (RMP: Studio 2)
Every mic was tracked at the same amplifier level and the same amp EQ
Speaker was an Eminence Swamp Thang
Mic cable was a Blue Cranberry straight back into the 18i20
Input levels were tweaked so that all of the clips were approximately the same level going back into the DAW (-15dBU)

After all the reamping was done, I applied the following effects:
LPX Channel EQ
Kramer Master Tape
Kramer PiE

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: The Great Guitar Microphone Shoot Out, Part II -- The Singles

Third thing shown from this. Even being broke and able to afford only a single mic, you can still get killer recordings.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: The Great Guitar Microphone Shoot Out, Part II -- The Singles

Ha, thanks! Far from finished -- even started, actually -- but you are right. Decent microphone and careful setup and planning will get you much further than hi end equipment.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: The Great Guitar Microphone Shoot Out, Part II -- The Singles

Great job! I'll have to have a more thorough listen to it when I'm around some better speakers or headphones.

 

[AmirH]

Re: The Great Guitar Microphone Shoot Out, Part II -- The Singles

I liked the body and smoothness of clips 8,9,10,11,12, and 13. The first few clips have more presence but are more honky in the mids -- sm57? All of them sound good but have a slightly different flavor.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: The Great Guitar Microphone Shoot Out, Part II -- The Singles

Will PM your picks to you .

 

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: The Great Guitar Microphone Shoot Out, Part II -- The Singles

What mic is what clip? Drums are a bit too loud.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: The Great Guitar Microphone Shoot Out, Part II -- The Singles

What mic is what clip?

The point of the blind test is to unbias you and allow you to form your own opinions first.

[

Drums are a bit too loud.

Except that one; that opinion is wrong.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: The Great Guitar Microphone Shoot Out, Part II -- The Singles

Nice work...I liked 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13 the best, but none of them sound bad at all..

Reminds me I need to get something better to mic my stuff with. Big fan of a lot of chinese knock-off pedals but the SM57 clone I have pretty much sucks Harsh mids, does'nt really pick up the deep lows & is noisy/ hisses like hell.. :lmao:

I might get an SM57 eventually...but meanwhile I'm looking at a couple of others (around the $50-75 mark) ...any (really budget..lol) suggestions? I was looking at an Audio Technica MB-2K, a Shure PG57 or an AKG D40...maybe even a Samson Q6.

 

[playas]

Re: The Great Guitar Microphone Shoot Out, Part II -- The Singles

I reckon a mix of 1/2 and 7/10/11 could be cool, preferably 1 and 11.
To my ears the biggest contrast between any two (consecutive) clips is clearly from 6 to 7.

Would be very interested to know which is which for all of the clips though.

(I don´t have any bias anyway as I don´t know enough about mics to even start forming a bias. I have a single 57 which I bought because general consensus seems to agree that it´s a v. good value for money mic for recording guitar. As I only have that I have no basis for comparison with any other.)

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: The Great Guitar Microphone Shoot Out, Part II -- The Singles

Will PM the list to you guys.

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: The Great Guitar Microphone Shoot Out, Part II -- The Singles

Can you send it my way as well?

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: The Great Guitar Microphone Shoot Out, Part II -- The Singles

Yep. What are your faves?