$1.99 microphone experiment

[PseudoComplexity]

Would love to hear your comments on the quality here. These three pieces were recorded w/o a preamp with just a little touch of mastering added afterwards. My question is... is that something you would expect from a $1.99 mic? Thanks.

P.S. Sure I work with better gear normally =)

[PseudoComplexity]

Thanks for your feedback! Well, you may be surprised, but the one I used on all of the above records is, in fact, a simple headset/computer directional microphone... it says "Chateau CM-001" on it, and I doubt you could find the exact same model anywhere for it is something clearly non-brand, all the way from China. Instead, for your purpose, go for any similar dollar store mic, it would do just as well. When editing, first normalize the signal and apply noise cancelling. Then follow one of the two mastering methods described here and you should be just fine.

P.S. By no means this can compete with a Rode NT-1A thru some Great River preamp, but it's all about gaining recording experience and testing different gear/techniques.

[brandondrury]

is that something you would expect from a $1.99 mic?

Well, I would probably expect this sound from a $30 mic. The upper midrange chracter is a dead giveaway that it is a cheap mic. Then again, it does have character and that may be worth something. I wonder what it sounds like on a snare.

Brandon

[PseudoComplexity]

I wonder what it sounds like on a snare.

Sorry, ain't got any drums here. Maybe I will end up sending the little sucker to you for such tests =) This last piece went through the tons of software compression and equalization plus some phase tricks, IMHO came out best of all. Again, no preamping. What would you say? I'm done with it now.

[thesilentdrummer]

I think that your playing/pre mic setup is excellent. If it weren't, you'd be 2 feet deep in shit with this mic. This is kinda like analogies that of Michael Wagner could make a kick ass album using just an SM57, a toothbrush, and a small stick of celery, or any insert X badass person could even sound awesome using Y suckass gear. But as Brandon said, the upper mid (I perceived it overbrightness) gives away the el cheapo ness of the mic. Its usable, but I wouldn't reach for this mic unless it was the last one left on earth and there were no more sheep.

[PseudoComplexity]

This is kinda like analogies that of Michael Wagner could make a kick ass album using just an SM57, a toothbrush, and a small stick of celery, or any insert X badass person could even sound awesome using Y suckass gear.

Well said =)
Thanks for all your constructive comments, guys. I really appreciate your insight on this.

[brandondrury]

Guitars sound pretty damn good to me. They've got some bite, but in the right song this mic could be great. I'm not hearing too much fizz on my stereo so this mic could work well.

Hell, today I tracked some distorted guitars in a very dense mix for a band that has piano, a very midrange heavy bass, and vocals that need to be way out in front. Basically everyone wants to sound big. YUCK! I intentionally made the guitars much thinner than I normally would by pulling my Royer R121 almost 12" off the speaker and dead center. I wouldn't say my tracks sounded drastically different than the tracks you've posted. These were the thinnest tracks I've ever recorded with my Royer R121 and maybe at all. I think they'll work well in this mix though. So it appears your robo cheap mic may have its place. I love the idea of putting robo cheaper gear to the test, really listening without bias (easier said than done), and maybe learning something along the way.

Brandon

[toryst]

ap---very muffled. How did the bare recording sound with no enhancements?
This is a very interesting experiment, particularly how pseudo's recording
came out not bad at all! Makes me want dig out my RS cheapie and see
what I can do with it.

[thesilentdrummer]

Interesting. Inspired by this, I pulled out my version of the 1.99 microphone. since you can't do drums, I mic'ed my snare. First is a microphone (probably $10) called the "Deluxe Stereo Microphone" (ironically, its not a stereo mic). The seconded is the wireless body mic from a $50 radio shack package that included the mic and body pack and a receiver for the mic. The third mic in the clip is the trusty, standard SM57. They were all placed roughly in the same place, 3-6 inches from the snare pointed more or less towards center.

Only A limiter was applied to equalize the levels.

[ferguson66]

Wow, what a difference. #2 sounds like total hell, #3 was my favorite.

[toryst]

LOL Thanks AP Hope it wasn't too much trouble.
I think that sounded a lot better without the layering, in my humble opinion. Excellent song choice and I like how you adapted it.
This continues to be an interesting experiment.

[toryst]

Interesting. Inspired by this, I pulled out my version of the 1.99 microphone. since you can't do drums, I mic'ed my snare. First is a microphone (probably $10) called the "Deluxe Stereo Microphone" (ironically, its not a stereo mic). The seconded is the wireless body mic from a $50 radio shack package that included the mic and body pack and a receiver for the mic. The third mic in the clip is the trusty, standard SM57. They were all placed roughly in the same place, 3-6 inches from the snare pointed more or less towards center.

Only A limiter was applied to equalize the levels.

That is an excellent comparison. Weird how the cheapie mic sounded better
than the $50 RS mic. Of course there was no comparison w/ the SM57!!

[PseudoComplexity]

2 thesilentdrummer: Holy... well done on the drums! Aside from the obviously awesome #3, #2 indeed sounds harsh as hell. Meantime, #1 seems quite equalizable/enhanceable to me, but let the supreme commander speak here.

2 ap1325: The vocals in the above post still sound a bit dull. IMHO you could try some software exciter (mostly included in different tracking software as a "mastering" tool) - that could clear things up.

2 Brandon: Thanks for your comments on the last try. I gotta tell you, that took me quite a bit of time to find at least two sweet spots on that amp to record both a.) the "hair" b.) the "bottom" of it separately. Here goes the technique I used...
First, the "bottom" take was compressed with the Adobe Audition modulation of a tube compressor which was set to medium, then it was left centered as a mono signal. The "hair" take was also compressed, dublicated and hard-panned left and right, where the phase of the left one was intentionally inverted. Finally, the whole mix was widened and excited a little with the "mastering" tool. Yet again, THIS mix was doubled and panned left and right. The right track was set delayed by exactly one period of a wavelength (so no phase cancelling occurs). This is it... but is the game worth the candle?

[thesilentdrummer]

Wow, what a difference. #2 sounds like total hell, #3 was my favorite.

Yah, #2... I had no clue what was going on with it. Its very trebley/high end excessive on voice (it's main purpose as a clip on mic), but it seemed like it just isn't capable of handling high dB level of drums. I think I hear it distorting on the hits.

are you really hitting the same snare on the three takes?
Doesn't seem like it.

Yes, its the same yamaha 14"x6" birch/mahogany stage custom snare. I obviously didn't play the same thing for each, but I captured the essence of the snare sounds (with rolls and a couple hits... except for 2, but it crapped out when I recorded rolls with it).

That is an excellent comparison. Weird how the cheapie mic sounded better
than the $50 RS mic. Of course there was no comparison w/ the SM57!!

Agreed. However, I think 40/50 dollars in that mic went towards the wireless system. I still love the 57 on snare, but one day, I'll throw all the mics I own on it to see what really sounds best.

2 thesilentdrummer: Holy... well done on the drums! Aside from the obviously awesome #3, #2 indeed sounds harsh as hell. Meantime, #1 seems quite equalizable/enhanceable to me, but let the supreme commander speak here.

Interesting. I really liked the attack and punch I got out of the 1st mic. However, the bass was way too pronounced and the upper mids /high end snap just not there for a really honestly usable sound. I feel the mic #1 would get buried in a mix. Maybe there would be some application for it, but the style of music I do, I want more crack out of my snare and not so much thud.

[adorian]

Not bad, there's definitely a place in the sonic spectrum for something like that if you mix it in, of course.
Your tests here remind me that I got 2 mid 70s NOS Telefunken mics, cheap plasticky ones that they sold back then with the reel to reel recorders and I need to put these through the motions, I might get some interesting lo-fi results.

[brandondrury]

Man it's weird hearing an incredible sounding room on the drums and then hearing that piece of shit mic on vocals. That's pretty much useless except for really dumb effects! Oh well, you got some interesting sounds out of the $1.99 mic.

Brandon