Any Quick Opinions on Mic Choice?

[soundchaser59]

Primary use: blues and rock guitar cab, rhythm and lead


Secondary use: rock vocals, male and female




Choices:

SM7 - fair to good condition for $280 (not SM7b)

or

MD421 - very good to excellent condition for $280.



Which would you buy? How come?

Thanks!

 

[Dan88]

Those mics are often paired on a 4x12 cab. They seem to work really well together for guitar. Get both if you can afford it. My guess is that the Sennheiser will be a little more versatile if you can't get both. They work really well on drum toms, guitar cabs and are decent for vocals, too, although no one seems to use them for that purpose (do they?). I'm not crazy about a 57 on studio vocals -- there are just much better vocal mics -- but there are people who use them live (I think that's what Lemmy uses in Motorhead). Good luck.

 

[camsna]

421 is one of my favorites - especially for miking cabs.

I get GREAT results with a 421 and an Audix i5 together. 421 is dark and adds some girth to the overall sound.

SM7 is another all-around great mic, too. Can't go wrong with either. If it was absolutely between the 421 and SM7, I'd go with the SM7. But, like was recommended before, they're both great to have in your mic arsenal.

 

[soundchaser59]

I'm not crazy about a 57 on studio vocals

Better read the post again...... I would never use a 57 for vocals, never used one on guitar cab, I dont own one and dont want one.

I had a couple of other Sennheiser mics in the past, and it seemed like it was a little more work to get the sound I wanted from them (on guitar). I was wondering if the 421 might be easier to work with. Sounds like you like yours?

I see the 421 in a lot of the music videos I watch (not national acts, but regional working acts), and I was spurred to think about it when I saw several of them being used live in a Kenny Loggins concert. But not for vocals. I'm having trouble identifying the mics I see singers using on tv and in vids. I'm starting to think that most of them are maybe Audio Technicas, since I see a lot of AT listed in the program credits for a lot of shows. People say the AE5400 is supposed to be quite popular with singers.

But then I've been reading that a lot of the classic rock acts of the 60's and 70's used the SM7 for recording vocals quite often, in particular was something that said Chicago did almost all of the vocals on their first two albums with SM7 mics. And when Chicago sings, I listen....... 8)

 

[soundchaser59]

I get GREAT results with a 421 and an Audix i5 together. 421 is dark and adds some girth to the overall sound.

Yeah, both would be nice but cant afford to do that right now! Just got a new roof and a huge vet bill for saving my dawggie! My wife will still be friends with me if I stop at just one more mic! LOL!! :lol:

Others have said the 421 is very "tight" and almost "hard sounding" whatever that means. It did not strike me as a bad thing or as a criticism, just took it to mean it's a characteristic of the mic. I hadn't thought about it being dark. And I suppose vocals really will not be much of it's use for me, since I have AKG and AT LDC's and an RE20 already. Most of the handful of singers who visit my place sound pretty good with an LDC and the RE20 together. I think I like the RE20 better on voice than on guitar cab.

I was also surprised to see sooo many 421's for sale, while the SM7's are very hard to find used, nobody is selling them hardly at all. I supposed that should tell me something.

There is also a guy selling new Beyer M260 ribbons for $300 bucks. But I am not sure I have the preamp power for a ribbon.

 

[Dan88]

I'm not crazy about a 57 on studio vocals

I would never use a 57 for vocals, never used one on guitar cab, I dont own one and dont want one.

Why? You're missing one of the best guitar cab mics around. 57s and 58s are among the most useful, toughest and most affordable mics around.

 

[soundchaser59]

You are probably right that I should at least try one again. It's been many many years since I used one, and I have much better gear now.

I used an SM57 first time right when EV first came out with the N/Dym mics, and the ND's blew the 57 away..... on the cheap A$$$$ gear I had at the time.

But witht he quality of stuff going around now, maybe the SM57 would be a good sound.

But now I have an RE20 and an ND468, looking to compliment around those, so not sure if the 57 can stand up in that crowd......cheap to try one though, probably should!

 

[burnstudios]

This is what I would get if I were you.
http://www.cascademicrophones.com/cascade_FAT%20HEAD.html

 

[Strategy500]

I've used the 57 for vocals, and I was suprised how good it actually sounded. It's been challenging to (for me) always get the right sound out of it on guitar cabs, but with a decent micpreamp, it can really shine. It definitly would be worth a try at least.

 

[soundchaser59]

Got a mint condition SM7 for $280. Not bad..... I can live with that. I have an RE20, so the MD421 will have to wait, but someday.....


I had a Fathead, never did get the sound I wanted out of it, but mine was not modded. They say the modded ones are much much better.

 

[Dewy]

I'd have gone for the 421, but thats just me

 

[Elpelotero]

Take a look at the Heil PR30. And if you can afford it, the Royer 121.

 

[soundchaser59]

I just sold a PR30, that's how I got the rest of the money for the SM7.

I'd be interested in romancing a PR40 though........someday......

I'm just really enamored with the large diaphragm dynamics! Love the sound...