Mic for an amp

[mojobone]

For those among you who don't obsess over gear, the capsules in the SM57 and SM58 are identical; the difference is the grill. If you have an inkling how much gain is involved in amplifying a mic-level signal, this may not surprise you.

[wen]

Electro-Voice RE20 is nice on kick drum and will fatten up just about anything, but because the diaphragm is large and heavy (and because it's a dynamic mic) it's output is kinda low (newer designs can have much lighter magnets, so they're more sensitive, as well as having higher output, but I digress; I meant to say that a Cloudlifter is a mighty fine thing to have when using dynamic or ribbon mics on quiet acoustic instruments, and yeah the EV is terrific on bass amps, 'announcer voice' and the low rotor on a Leslie cabinet as well as amps in general, even without a boost from the Cloudlifter.

The RE20 is what I thought I was buying, but it turned out to be the EV for bass amps.

Yes I was thinking it would fatten things up but like you said the output on the bass amp mic, at least for the pedal harp, was too low...

I do have a Fetthead in-line boost thingie which is like a cloudlifter. I had tried a cloudlifter with my Golden Age ribbon mic, which I gave up because of the noise. Nice warm sound but always too much noise. Compromised with the Cad figure 8 -- not nearly as warm but certainly a ton quieter.

Anyway I'm still curious about the RE20 for the amp so if I see a good deal on one I might have to try it too...

oh and good to know about the 57/58.

thanks moj

[wen]

I mostly use a SM58 as I like what the capsule does to the tone of my amp (Fender). I've also found that the Rode M3 is a cheap condenser mic that sounds great on gtr amps, so I use that in combination sometimes. It's all about what kind of tone you're after.

Thank you! I've heard about the Rode M3 too so I'll look out for a deal on one of those as well as the 57 or 58.

[cardell]

Hey, so nice to hear from my old Taxi pals!!

Hey Wen!

Stuart

[wen]

Hey, so nice to hear from my old Taxi pals!!

Hey Wen!

Stuart

i miss you so much stuart!

[karlhourigan]

I rely on a Shure SM-57 for miking a guitar amp, generally placed close to the speaker grille cloth, and I experiment on the placement depending on what kind of sound I'm looking for. Placing the mic near the edge of the speaker produces a brighter sound generally. I've also been trying the mic just in from the edge of the speaker and pointed about 30 degrees into the centre, but wherever I place it, it's always close to the amp cabinet. Sometimes I add an room mic, either a large condenser (Rode NT-2) or a small condenser (MXL CR21) just to have that option of adding in some room "trash" to the sound.

[robroper]

Hi Wen,

I just joined Taxi this month, so I guess I'm a little late for this discussion. But if it helps, I'll suggest the Sennheiser e906. Like most people, I used the Shure SM57 for many years. But I bought the Senn e906 a couple years ago, and like it better. I find that it has more high end, and gives chords more clarity and definition.

And if you don't want more high end, there is a 3-way switch on it to cut highs. It's a dynamic mic, so it doesn't need phantom power, and not expensive. You can buy one for $190 new. Best of luck to you with your music.

Rob Roper

[wen]

Hi Wen,

I just joined Taxi this month, so I guess I'm a little late for this discussion. But if it helps, I'll suggest the Sennheiser e906. Like most people, I used the Shure SM57 for many years. But I bought the Senn e906 a couple years ago, and like it better. I find that it has more high end, and gives chords more clarity and definition.

And if you don't want more high end, there is a 3-way switch on it to cut highs. It's a dynamic mic, so it doesn't need phantom power, and not expensive. You can buy one for $190 new. Best of luck to you with your music.

Rob Roper

Thank you Rob! I was just about to say, "I don't need any more high end!" and then read about the 3-way switch. Cool! I still haven't bought a mike, as I haven't seen any good deals and I've been working with the pedal harp but I'll consider this one. Welcome to Taxi! This is an incredible place.

[robroper]

Wen,

You may already know this, but if not, the placement of the mic makes a big difference. Aiming it right in the center of the speaker you will get most highs, but I find the tone to be thin. The further from the center, the less highs. I like to place it a little off center, angled slightly inward. I've also found that moving it 4-6" away from the grill, I get more a richer and more complex tone, than right on the speaker.

So I'd rather have a mic with good highs, like the Senn, and just move it away from the center of the speaker, to get the best sound.

Of course, that's all for close mic'ing. Another option is to place a condenser mic several feet away from the amp. Now you get reflections off the walls as well as the direct signal. This will sound more like what you hear when you play. If you have a good room with nice natural reverb, this might be the way to go.

Or you do both. Close mic and room mic, and blend. But now you can have phase issues, so this can be tricky.

There are a lot of different ways to mic a guitar amp, other guys will have their methods and may want to chime in. It's good to experiment.

Rob Roper

[mojobone]

Yeah, I was about to mention that as good a workhorse as the SM57 is, defaulting to the tried and true seems a bit...lazy, unless time is of the essence. There are lots of other mics that can give you a richer and more rewarding sonic experience, with a little experimentation.

Audix I5, Sennheiser E609 and E906, either of Telefunken's new dynamic mics, some funky old crystal harmonica mic or just about any ribbon mic could be the key to unlocking some fresh sounds and if you have an extra channel and cable, you could use any of these or a condenser in combination with an SM57, and blend to taste. Happy spicing!