Help me make a choice.

[dogbone]

OK, I'm looking to record voice and flute on an emac. I'm looking to not spend big bucks. I think the sound of the inbuilt mic is pretty good so that gives you some idea of my low standards. I'd like something a better and more flexible though. This is what I've come up with so far.

I can get a Samson C01U for $AUD 145 which is a pretty good price for Australia or...

I am thinking of a Shure SM-57 with this Behringer UCA 202 usb interface for $AUD 59, and this Behringer pre for $AUD 82

I can get the Shure for the same price as the Samson, but the Shure means an extra AUD $140, for the pre and usb interface, which is within my budget.

I know that there are lots of preamp solutions and the one I've chosen is not very expensive and is probably fairly bottom of the heap.

The Shure is obviously a good mic and at $145 it's a pretty good price but if I use the above components would they be limiting it to such an extent that I'd be better off just getting the Samson?

I hope all that was clear.

 

[e-clipse]

This is a hard decision. The Samson USB is a great budget mic built for simplicity
with small home projects with portability to boot. It is basically a usb version of the studio CO1, a mic that we use for backing vocals in the studio. It is not our first choice mic, but it does it's job well. It is just like the usb mic except it is powered by phantom power instead of usb. The Shure 57 is a great mic that is commony used as a snare mic. It picks up the snare great and it is cheap enough to get whacked to it's demise. I would get both mics. But I would try out the Samson C01 usb mic first. You don't have to buy the mic pre or pres yet. Other mics to look at for vocals and flutes if and when you are willing to spend more ... AKG 451 AKG 414 (high priced est. $ 1000)


This is my opinion. You will be happier with the mic that appeals to you the most.

 

[beatsme]

if it's any help whatsoever, I've got a Shure SM57 I use to mic my guitar amp for home recording. It's EXCEPTIONALLY well made and does a good job on all-around recordings. It's a good buy IMHO

 

[GianniCalvert]

To be honest I did not like the sound of the Shure SM57 at all...I still have one but that is because I can't sell it. I tried the Samson C01U at a store here and its nice but the cord is short..So you can always get a usb cord extender but what is that crap falls off? At the big U we use this!

http://www.zzounds.com/item--SHUBETA58A

It sounds great. http://www.utmosis.net and click matt alber.

Check it out at Guitar Center. I always like to test things before I buy unlike the other commander at Utmosis. =P

 

[e-clipse]

The 57 is commonly used in studios to record guitar amps.

 

[dogbone]

Looks like I'll be getting a Shure and use this elcheapo DVforge connector as a temporary solution until I can afford a mobile pre.

Does anyone have any experience of the DVForge mic plug. Is it going to be really crap and not worth the bother?

Also regarding the 58 or 57, I'm still not sure. It will be used for voice and also for flute. The 57 is recommended for woodwind but they don't really mention flutes the Shure site mainly mentions reed woodwinds.

Anyway a lot of people have recommended the 57 for it's versatility but I was wondering whether the 58 might be better for flute as it's a very breathy instrument and the wind shield might help. I suppose either would be fine.

The 57 has a lower frequency response but that's not really needed for flute I suppose. Any way I'm mainly interested to know if anyone has tested the DVforge mic plug.

 

[zimv20]

imo, what you get out of the 57 depends on both the source and the pre. through a crap pre, i wouldn't expect much from the 57.

check out the vocals on this rough mix, it's a 57 with a phoenix drs-1 pre and through an 1176.

 

[dogbone]

imo, what you get out of the 57 depends on both the source and the pre. through a crap pre, i wouldn't expect much from the 57.

check out the vocals on this rough mix, it's a 57 with a phoenix drs-1 pre and through an 1176.

Yeah well that's a very sweet voice. But that pre is out of my price bracket. I can accept the 57 is good for voice. But what does the freqency response for voice mean? it starts out as a smooth slope then abruptly levels off whereas the 58 is more rounded as it levels off. Would the 58 handle a flute better than the 57, especially if it was close to the mouth?.

So do you reckon a 57 or 58 with the DVforge would be worse than a Samson C01U?

 

[zimv20]

for a flute, i'd first reach for a (nice) condenser.

regarding the dvforge question, it's really impossible to say ahead of time which mic is going to work in which situation. there are just too many variables. but i'd rather have a 57 than a cheap condenser. but maybe that's just me.

 

[dogbone]

for a flute, i'd first reach for a (nice) condenser...

OK after some more research that is in my budget I'm looking at a Behringer C1 and a Tascam SU-122

can anyone here recommend this combo?

 

[zimv20]

i can never recommend any bearinger (sic) product. try the at 2020 instead.

 

[dogbone]

i can never recommend any bearinger (sic) product. try the at 2020 instead.

That's looks like a good budget mic but it's twice the price of the bear ringer. Is the C1 really going to be that bad? I'll almost certainly get the tascam US-122 and I can always get a better mic later. Unless you really think the behringer will be bad.

I put in a bid for an almost new US-122, and I would have won it had I added another 1 cent.

 

[dogbone]

What about a firewire mic interface? would that have any advantages over a usb?

I'm looking at the Presonus INSPIRE1394 against the Tascam US-122,

 

[zimv20]

That's looks like a good budget mic but it's twice the price of the bear ringer.

if it matters to you, bearinger steals its r&d from other companies. that kind of stuff matters to me.

AT, otoh, is a good company that makes good products. we're talking about a $50 mic vs a $100 mic, right? i say support the good guys.

 

[dogbone]

if it matters to you, bearinger steals its r&d from other companies. that kind of stuff matters to me.

In this instance it doesn't really matter to me, I'm afraid, but I hope that doesn't preclude me from any more advice . So are you reluctantly saying that the bearinger is not that bad a mic?. I'm still leaning towards the AT though.

What about a firewire pre? any advantage in that at all.

 

[zimv20]

So are you reluctantly saying that the bearinger is not that bad a mic?

i'm not saying that at all. i haven't used the mic, so i can't comment on it. i have, however, used a number of $100-ish condensers, and the AT 2020 is the only one i'd use again.

What about a firewire pre? any advantage in that at all.

yes, for higher channel counts. as an mbox owner, i can attest that it's possible for USB to do two channels just fine.

 

[dogbone]

OK, I'm definitely going to get the AT 2020,

Now it's just a matter of the Tascam US-122 or the Presonus 1394 I suppose there's no difference in the latency between firewire and usb?

Can you tell from the specs of these two units which one looks better on paper? Sorry to go on about this, but I'm sure you know how nervewracking these decisions get.

 

[zimv20]

Now it's just a matter of the Tascam US-122 or the Presonus 1394 I suppose there's no difference in the latency between firewire and usb?

before we get into any performance considerations, first realize that there are two major feature differences between the two: midi and sampling rate. that alone may influence your decision.

after that, i'd be looking at the quality of the pre's and converters. i can't help you with these boxes as i've not used them. i think your best bet is to try out both and see which you like better, including how the latency works with your monitoring.

which software did you say you're using?

 

[chasemac]

zimv20, have you recorded on an emac? i'm only joking. if I may, the 2020 is an excellent choice. really though, what is your budget dogbone? tell us what you would spend on the whole package? gb is a great app.

 

[zimv20]

zimv20, have you recorded on an emac?

currently, i use a g5 powermac and a g4 ibook. why?

 

[dogbone]

before we get into any performance considerations, first realize that there are two major feature differences between the two: midi and sampling rate. that alone may influence your decision.

after that, i'd be looking at the quality of the pre's and converters. i can't help you with these boxes as i've not used them. i think your best bet is to try out both and see which you like better, including how the latency works with your monitoring.

which software did you say you're using?

Damn, I answered this earlier but forgot to send it. Anyhoo...
They both come with cubase LE so I'll probably give that a go. Plus GB and Audacity. I'll be wanting a midi keyboard for inputting software instruments into GB as well, I'm not sure if that is relevant to which one of those pres would be better.

While I'm here I suppose I'll be needing some OKish monitors, can you recommend a brand that is cheap but good enough to be worthwhile. Do studio monitors need a preamp as well? as opposed to cheap amplified speakers. How do studio monitors fit into (read 'plug into') a home system?

 

[zimv20]

They both come with cubase LE so I'll probably give that a go.

cool. i don't own cubase but have used it (well, the non-LE version) a bit. it'll do the job.

I'll be wanting a midi keyboard for inputting software instruments into GB as well, I'm not sure if that is relevant to which one of those pres would be better.

shouldn't matter. just about any midi keyboard you get these days has a USB interface.

I'll be needing some OKish monitors, can you recommend a brand that is cheap but good enough to be worthwhile.

have a look at this recent osxaudio thread. your monitoring chain (including d/a converter, monitors, room, control device and cables) are where you want to skimp the least. i'm getting by on mackie hr624's and they're easily the weakest part of my setup. (i need some damn money

Do studio monitors need a preamp as well?

preamp, no, but they'll need an amplifier. active monitors have them built-in and passive monitors need a dedicated amplifier.

 

[CanadaRAM]

Yeah well that's a very sweet voice. But that pre is out of my price bracket. I can accept the 57 is good for voice. But what does the freqency response for voice mean? it starts out as a smooth slope then abruptly levels off whereas the 58 is more rounded as it levels off. Would the 58 handle a flute better than the 57, especially if it was close to the mouth?.

So do you reckon a 57 or 58 with the DVforge would be worse than a Samson C01U?

Well, no, the 57 isn't particularly good for voice, it is used as a handheld stage mic but primarily because it is rugged. Especially through a cheap pre it will not sound great.

Yes, the Shure through the DVforge will sound worse than the Samson.