Hey, Steve...Originally Posted by Steve
Those subs are my partners - Gary Wood of Aural Artists. They are the BagEnd "Quartz R".
The subs absolutely filled that amphitheater, and brought the music to the people. I have not worked with them before, but was very impressed. The mains on each stack were two of the "Crystal R Time-Align" model.
Overall, it was really good, even coverage.
bo
"Indeed, not!!"
Who makes that umbrella? I need one, instead of the EZ Up.
Good eyes, soundguy!!
That, Mike is almost a thread in itself... Stumbled into it at Sears. Was damned tired of my four-men required collapsable awning. I fell into immediate lust!
It's generic name is an offset umbrella. This one is a Sun Mart, Int'l. 9-ft cantilever.
So the salesguy is scrambling to find me one - turns out they are discontinued (maybe only through Sears...) and the floor model is the ONLY one they have. You cannot order another (through Sears). Customer Service Manager refuses to sell it to me:
CSM: Sorry, can't sell it - it's the last one we have.
Me: Right.
CSM: We can't even order it anymore.
Me: OK, I understand that, but if it is the last one, why can't you sell it?
CSM: We would have none to show on the floor.
Me: But you can't order them anymore.
CSM: That is correct.
Me: Is this some sort of umbrella museum you're running here? If not, maybe you could sell me that one, the very last of the species...
CSM: (blink, blink)
Me: (blink, blink)
So, We got it. This one is very cool. Flexible fiberglass stays - the whole thing floats in the wind. Twice got completely inverted by the wind and righted itself - my fingers never lerft the faders. One man up, one man down, in 3 seconds. No kidding.
bo
"Indeed, not!!"
"Is this some sort of umbrella museum you're running here?"
I know the pain of the EZ up I think I might have to go buy one of those
When you say "57" do you mean a Shure SM57? Then what is a 57B? The newer mics from Shure are the "A" series offering a 57A, 58A, etc.
Both 57 and 57ß's. But, with the GBF issues, I was hot-swapping the 57ß's into vocals forcing me to the straight 57's on the amps. If the singer has good mic etiquette (eat that thing, dammit!!), the 57ß's provide a +2dB signal boost, and give a little more in the 3kHz range, cleaning things up, nicely. Came in pretty handy yesterday, boy-howdy...
Please fill me in.
BTW, This is a nice post with plenty of interesting photos. I, too, have put together a small PA (all JBL drivers) and have a couple of gigs coming up!
Thanks,
Tom
Ah, the venerable 555...my first mic....then on to 58's for what seems an eternity...to EV 727's ...to Beta 87A currently.
I don't think I could ever go back to dynamic mics for vocals...although those 58's came in handy pounding nails during stage construction
OPUS POCUS
Yea, I've worked with those, but don't cotton to their response curve. Adds more coloration than I want (or is at least different than what I am used to...). I've had persistingly good luck with the 58 and 57's - they are great and as you said, virtually indestructible.
It's interesting to me, reading Mix, how many touring acts specify these on their riders, and how many FOH engineers prefer them. It's actually quite astonishing considering the plethora of really great mics that are out there.
Hey, Tom - the Shure ß-series arrived about 5 (?) years ago, and is a legitimate improvement on their venerable line. Having said that, I still opt for the "straight" 57 in some applications, and versa visa. Re: my comment about the increased gain provided in using the 57ß, I just noted this on the Shure website: "The compact grille design gets the mic cartridge close to the sound source...". I first noticed that C&W acts were using these on vocals, and it has swept into Folk, and Americana, too. They are brighter and just a hair more responsive than the 58ß, and have a great supercardiod pattern.
http://www.shure.com/microphones/per...ta/default.asp
bo
"Indeed, not!!"
Hello
Those are some great gig pictures!
Since this sorta turned into a guitar mic topic I have been having very good results with a couple of old EV mics the RE11 and a PL6. They are a mid 70's and early 80's mic design the EV called "variable D" they have almost no proximty effect. I will put one of them and a Sennheiser 409 on a guitar cabinet or amp. Each one on a different speaker and pan them about 75% left and right. On an open back amp sometimes one in front and one in the back usually the EV work well, in that set up you need to flip the polarity on the channel of the mic on the back of the speaker. I found both the EV mics at a local shop for $20 each!
Now to only find more Sennheiser 409's for that same deal!!!!!!
I you have not already tried them give the Audix OM6 and OM7 a try on vocals.
Mike Caldwell
bo the beta series has been around since i believe like 1989. I have an old style beta 57, it has a very odd look to it but sound great. I am not a fan of the beta 58 though i thinks annoying sounding.
belaire there are times where i would rather use a dynamic on vocals, take the beyer m69 or m88 both are great sounding mics. In the studio I do a lot of vocal work with large diaphragm dynamic stuff like the RE-20 or 555. On stage I have grown found of the shure sm86 especially on wireless instead of the Beta 87A capsule. If you've got some extra cash kicking around pick up a Sennheiser e 945 its become a very popular with a lot of nationals that i have worked with. I love the Neumann KMS 105 too. Ok enough rambing about microphone for me
Hey, old friend...
Cool idea on the guitar cabinet. Great thinking.
Messina has three of the 609's faced onto three separate Fender Bassman cab's on their current tour. The wing cabinets are wet; center, dry. Phenomenal sound. I'd love to, but we were busy funding the Midas Verona 24-frame for me, and a Siena 32-frame for the NM system. Plumb outa cash...
I work with a guy that has a great compliiment of Audix, and I agree - they are great mics.
Maybe I should change my tag line to: So many wonderful mics, too little time...
Great to be sharing these experiences though - our job as engineers is simply to get cleanest sound out there, best way possible. There are a multitude of ways to skin the cat...
--------------------------------------------------------
But, I have an admission to make: I have gone a COMPLETELY different direction. Unless forced to, I don't mic cabinets anymore. I've gone bonkers over the Radial JDI (http://www.radialeng.com/di-jdi-features.htm).
... a second -30dB pad may be engaged that, when used in tandem with the -15dB input pad, allows the JDI to be connected in parallel with a speaker. This, for instance, allows the engineer to ‘tap’ the sound coming from a guitar amplifier speaker ‘post distortion’ thus adding another creative dimension. This unique function incorporates a speaker emulation filter circuit that rolls off highs and lows to more closely approximate the sound of a 12” driver.
Plug it into the "External Speaker" out on the guitar cab - that's right, the one driven by the amp. Pop in the -15dB and the -30dB pads, and let 'er rip. The JDI has cleared the stage of a bunch of feedback sources, and given me much better control at FOH with BETTER sound quality and overall gain structure. All my acts are now really working on reducing on-stage gain(s), to improve sound quality and lengthen their ear lives. I'd strongly urge you give it a try before going further into the speaker mic universe. I did so hesitantly, and was astounded.
Only trouble I have is convincing the artists...
bo
"Indeed, not!!"
Hello
Hello
The Radial DI's are great I have two of the J48 actives and one of the JDI passives along with a collection of BSS, ARX and Whirlwind. I've done the direct amp out a few times with good results but it sometimes will get you a strange look from the guitar player when you mention it. Normally I will take the bass direct by looping it through the DI first and then on to their bas rig. I get a range of bands from no amps and all direct to the SVT bass rigs and double 4 x12 cabinets. I must say that most do have their stage volume under control. Here's a trick that helped me tame the out of control guitar play one time.....like most he had his amp behind him so it looked cool blasting into the back of his legs, too bad that guitar players ears are not on the back of their butt because that's were most of there amps are aimed! Anyway what I did was take one of my monitors and plug it into his extra speaker jack and have the monitor pointing up at him beside his vocal monitor, since my monitors are all bi-amped I just used a break out cable and connected only the 12" speaker to the guitar amp. He liked it and it resulted in a lower stage volume. By having a separte monitor only for his guitar and not just feeding a lot of guitar into his monitor mix it kept everything else cleaner in his monitor mix.
Next week I go from a four piece "folkabilly group" to a international music festival to about a 40 plus piece philharmonic orchestra all in three days. Speaking of stage volume, have you every stood in the middle of a large orchestra when there really playing!!!!!
Mike Caldwell
Bo, This is fine, but you do miss the sound the speaker contributes to the over-all guitar sound.
Pelly, This is "Off Topic", so please, let's share these thoughts on stage micing! I'm about to add some mics to my SM 57s and do want input. I'm leaning toward some Beta57As at the moment.
BTW, I have a Shure KSM 32 in my basemewnt studio and I must say it sounds cleaner and more neutral then any other mic I've heard!
Tom
Hi
I do have to agree that a speaker does add it's own "color" to a guitars sound that may not be duplicated in a direct box or other speaker emulator. If it helps to clean up the overall live sound/mix from reducing bleed from drums, loud stage monitors ect. it would be worth it overall provided it does not just completely hack up the guitar tone. For what it's worth Def Leppard a couple of years ago were not using any guitar cabinets they were using some custom made DI's and going straight into the PA. Any cabinets that where on stage where just for show. I have seen another alternative many times and that is to have the speaker cabinet or amp in a road case has a littel extra room for the mic or mics and it stays sealed up in the case with just jacks on the case to connect the mic lines and speaker or guitar cables. That still gives you full sound of the amp/speaker but isolates the sound from everything else. These are normally just set off back stage. I have done a low tech version of that by setting the amp/speaker off stage micing it up and them putting a padded moving blanket over the rig, keeping some room open for amp cooling.
As for the Beta58 I'm with Pelly on not liking the peaks they add to the upper midrange/high end. I have never used a Beta 57 for vocals but many think they sound better than a Beta 58. Alot would depend on the voice and how it's sound mates up to the response of the any microphone used for vocals.
What purpose will the mics be used for, vocals, amps, drums, acustic insturments ect.
Talk to you later
Mike Caldwell
Mike,
Thanks for your reply.
I put the foam windscreens on the 57s and call them vocal mics. I use them for nearly everything. When I get a few new mics I could get Beta 58As and make them vocal-only, or it sounds like the Beta 57As could go both ways, vocals and instruments. Of course I could get the regular SM58s...?
I hate to scrip on quality at the source, but one the other hand, these will be kicked around, so the Shures seem to be the right combination.
Tom
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