It has an ultra-fine diaphragm to catch those fast transients, and the pronounced presence bump after 5KHz goes a long way to explain that characteristic shimmer. There are several good reasons why few mics can lift dark-sounding mahogany guitars or mellow cedar-topped instruments better than the C451. Instead, there’s a glorious shimmer that quickly proves seductive. There’s clarity aplenty, and while nobody can deny that this is a bright sounding mic, it’s never brash, tinny or fizzy. The AKG C451 excels at capturing transients and high-end detail, which makes it perfect for recording acoustic guitar. So, if you’re on a budget and just want the one mic that can be called on for instrument and vocal duties (not at the same time mind, unless you’re a singer/songwriter/contortionist) then the SM57 fits the bill perfectly. That said, because it’s built to cope with high sound pressure levels and exhibits a slight presence lift – which helps the top end – it is a good choice in the studio for thunderous strummers.ĭespite being developed and marketed by Shure as an instrument mic, the SM57 has found favour with many vocalists over the years, due to that presence lift and its smooth unmuddied relationship with the proximity effect. Oh, and its bombproof build means it’ll never let you down.Īs a dynamic mic it’s not well-suited to nuanced playing, stage work is much more its forte. Why? Because it offers the perfect balance between price vs performance. The SM57 is one of the best-selling microphones period. If you’re looking for a tough, no-nonsense performance mic that doesn’t cost a fortune then lucky you, your prayers have been answered. Not detailed enough for delicate players or styles If the Voodoo’s price tag doesn’t scare you off, take a look at its big sister the RNRI, which was designed in collaboration with recording tech legend Rupert Neve. It’s not cheap but it offers the kind of transparent authenticity that we’d happily pay good money for. Its active circuitry means there’s no need for a high-spec preamp either. The result is a ribbon mic that has the highly detailed, extended range of a condenser but sounds totally open and natural. Its frequency response is broad, from 20Hz up to 20kHz, and its response curve is flatter than Florida. Some ribbons can sound a little dark because the top-end is rolled off, but not the Voodoo VR2. What Siwei came up with was the Voodoo VR2, an active ribbon mic with an extended high-end response. He loved the tones he could achieve recording with a ribbon microphone but accepted they had some shortcomings, including lack of top-end response and the requirement for a high-gain, high-impedance preamp. This microphone was originally a pet project for Siwei Zou, sE’s founder, well-respected classical musician, conductor and composer. What a great introduction to multi-mic recording. The SM81 won’t break the bank either, which means that you may be fortunate enough to be able to afford a pair. It’s just as at home on the stage as it is in the studio. This means it’s rugged with a robust vinyl-coated steel casing and fitted with components that have been developed to handle sudden changes in temperature and humidity. In line with all SM series mics, but unusually for a small diaphragm condenser, it’s also ‘field usable’. There’s a 10dB lockable pad and a three-switch high pass filter. Transient response is high, output is high, self-noise is low and it has negligible RF susceptibility. The cardioid pattern readily rejects off-axis noise, it boasts a wide 20Hz to 20kHz frequency response and a flat-as-a-pancake response curve for full, colourless, detailed recordings. Its slim body makes it easy to both position and aim, plus it’s a joy to stack with others in a multi-microphone setup. It’s hard to fault the SM81 as an acoustic guitar mic.
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