Microphone Survey

The_Guest

Senior Team Emeritus
Premium Member
What is your favorite mic for the following applacations? Sure neumann is your favorite, but be realistic. Try to pick what you actually use or what you grab first when it's needed. If you have not ran into some of these applactions, it's okay to skip them.

Vocal Handheld:
Lav:
Small Vocal Ensembles:
Large Vocal Ensembles:
Ambient/Hang Microphone:
Floor/Boundry:

Kick:
Snare:
Toms:
Hi-Hat:
Overheads:
Ride:
Auxilary/Misc Percussion:

Acoustic Guitar:
Acoustic/Upright Bass:
Cello:
Violin/Viola:
Harp:

Trumpet:
Trombone:
Saxaphone:
Woodwinds:
Bag Pipe:
Harmonica/Bluesharp/Marine Band:

Piano:
Organ/Leslie (Rotating Speaker):
Guitar Amp:
Bass Amp:
 
While most of my choices will depend on the instrument or vocal and the actual sound of it, and what music style, here are my first couple of choices... I added a few other instruments for fun...


Vocal Handheld: Beta 87, Beta 58, OM5, M-88
Lav: Countryman B3, Audio Technica 831, Shure WL51
Small Vocal Ensembles: Shotgun Sennheiser K6, short or long tube
Large Vocal Ensembles: same as above
Ambient/Hang Microphone: AT857 choir mics
Floor/Boundry: Sennheiser K6 shotguns, PCC160

Kick: Beyer M-88, Audix D6, EV RE 20, Senn 421
Snare: SM57, Audix D1
Toms: Sennheiser 421, ATM 25's, Audix D2-4 series
Hi-Hat: AT 4041, SM57
Overheads: AT 4041, AKG 414, SM81
Ride: same as overheads
Auxilary/Misc Percussion: same as overheads
Tabla & Conga's, BETA 57, D2 AUdix

Acoustic Guitar: Countryman B3, or AT831B lavs on sticky puddy
Acoustic/Upright Bass: RE 20, Senn 421
Cello: Senn 421, RE 20, D-112(I finally found a good use for that POS mic)
Violin/Viola: Neuman KM180's
Harp: Beyer M-88 & Neuman KM 180, or a Barcus pickup
ZITAR: SM57, 4041

Trumpet: Senn 441 (not 421), SM 57
Trombone: Senn 421, SM57
Saxaphone: Senn 421, Beyer M88
Woodwinds: AKG 414, Senn 421
Bag Pipe: M-88 and AKG 414, or one of those and a B3 wireless lav.
Harmonica/Bluesharp/Marine Band: Beta 58 if they don't have a bullet mic.
FLUTE: AT 4041, KM180, Beta 57

Piano: M88 Lo, 4041 or 414 Hi.
Organ/Leslie (Rotating Speaker): SM57 or RE20
Guitar Amp: SM57
Bass Amp: RE 20 or DI preferred

Vibraphone: AKG 414's paired with a PCC 160 under pipes.
TUBA: D112, Senn 421

-w
 
Vocal Handheld: Beta58
Lav: Sony Ecm 77
Small Vocal Ensembles: EV condersers
Large Vocal Ensembles: Shotguns
Ambient/Hang Microphone: Sony ECM 77
Floor/Boundry:

Kick: RE20
Snare: SM57
Toms: EV condenser
Hi-Hat:
Overheads: EV condenser
Ride:
Auxilary/Misc Percussion:

Acoustic Guitar: SM40
Acoustic/Upright Bass:
Cello:
Violin/Viola: sm58
Harp:

Trumpet:
Trombone:
Saxaphone: sm58
Woodwinds:
Bag Pipe:
Harmonica/Bluesharp/Marine Band:

Piano: 4 sm58's placed strategically, and submixed (very clean, natural sound)
Organ/Leslie (Rotating Speaker): 58 on bottom, 57 on top
Guitar Amp: 57
Bass Amp: 58 or 57
 
First I'll say what I have used, then what I would if I had a decent selection.

Vocal Handheld: SM58 / Beta58
Lav: Countryman Isomax-B3 / Isomax-E6
Small Vocal Ensembles: EV 635A / Shure KSM 27 condenser
Large Vocal Ensembles: some Shure PZM I can't remember / Shure KSM 27 condensers
Ambient/Hang Microphone: ... EV omni / a real hang mic
Floor/Boundry: Shure PZM / Shure PZM

Kick: Samson CO1 condenser / AT kick mic
Snare: EV 365A /AT snare mic or SM57
Toms: EV Omni / AT tom mics
Hi-Hat: EV 365A / AT mic
Overheads: EV mic / AT mic
Ride: EV mic / AT mic
Auxilary/Misc Percussion: that one I've never done

Acoustic Guitar: SM58 / dunno
Acoustic/Upright Bass: SM58 / dunno
Violin/Viola: use an electric violin PLZ

Trumpet: n/a / Beta 98H/C
Trombone: n/a / Beta 98H/C
Saxaphone: n/a / Beta 98H/C
Woodwinds: n/a / Beta 98H/C
Bag Pipe: come on, really?
Harmonica/Bluesharp/Marine Band: n/a / shure bullet

Piano: sm58 / dunno

Guitar Amp: sm58 / sm57
Bass Amp: sm58 / sm57

Thats a long list!
 
Vocal Handheld: SM 58
Lav:
Small Vocal Ensembles:
Large Vocal Ensembles:
Ambient/Hang Microphone:
Floor/Boundry:

Kick:
Snare:
Toms:
Hi-Hat:
Overheads:
Ride:
Auxilary/Misc Percussion:

Acoustic Guitar:
Acoustic/Upright Bass:
Cello:
Violin/Viola:
Harp:

Trumpet:
Trombone:
Saxaphone:
Woodwinds:
Bag Pipe:
Harmonica/Bluesharp/Marine Band:

Piano: SM 58
Organ/Leslie (Rotating Speaker):
Guitar Amp: SM 58
Bass Amp: SM 58
 
lol to bway. Been there, done that.

Vocal Handheld: Sm58
Small Vocal Ensembles: sm81

Kick: Akg d112
Snare: sm57
Toms: CAD 10
Hi-Hat: Sm81
Overheads:Sm81
Ride: none
Auxilary/Misc Percussion: sm57

Acoustic Guitar: sm57, or occasionally wl93

Trumpet: 55SH (good stuff)
Trombone: 55SH
Saxaphone: sm57

Bag Pipe: ?! How often does THAT come up? Those things are loud enough.

Piano: 2 Sm81, high and low

Guitar Amp: Sm57
Bass Amp: Countryman type 85 DI
 
Vocal Handheld: ULX2/58/Beta 58
Standmount vocal: 55SH Series II
Lav: Shure WL93
Small Vocal Ensembles: C1000S
Large Vocal Ensembles: AT7857QMA/QMLA
Ambient/Hang Microphone: " "
Kick: PG52
Acoustic Guitar: SM 57
Harmonica/Bluesharp/Marine Band: SM 58
Piano: SM 57(in stereo)
Guitar Amp: ProCo CB-1 direct box
Bass Amp:proCo CB-1 direct box
 
Vocal Handheld: SM-58, Beta 58, Beta 87
Lav: Shure ULX
Small Vocal Ensembles: Tube Solid
Large Vocal Ensembles: SM-81 or Earthworks
Ambient/Hang Microphone: Audio Technica
Floor/Boundry: Crown PZM

Kick: Beta 52 or 91
Snare: SM-57
Toms: Audio Technica 8835
Hi-Hat: Shure 81
Overheads: Earthworks
Ride: see overheads
Auxilary/Misc Percussion: Senheiser 421

Acoustic Guitar: Shure Beta Green 4.0
Acoustic/Upright Bass: SM-57 wrapped in foam, jamed in the bridge
Cello: Tube Solid
Violin/Viola: SM 81
Harp: Pair of 81s

Trumpet: Audio Technica 8835x or 57
Trombone: ditto
Saxaphone: ditto
Woodwinds: depends
Bag Pipe: Why would you?
Harmonica/Bluesharp/Marine Band: Shure Bullet, 55S

Piano: Pair of SM-81
Organ/Leslie (Rotating Speaker):
Guitar Amp: SM-57 or E609(Silver)
Bass Amp: Countryman DI or Beta 52 + SM-57
 
Vocal Handheld: Audio Technica AE5400
Lav: DPA 4060
Small Vocal Ensembles: DPA 4011
Large Vocal Ensembles: DPA 4011
Ambient/Hang Microphone: DPA 4011
Floor/Boundry: Crown PCC160

Kick: Audix D6 and Shure Beta91 combo
Snare: Audix D1
Toms: Audix D2 (rack toms) and Audix D4 (floor tom)
Hi-Hat: Shure SM57
Overheads: DPA 4011


Acoustic Guitar: DPA 4011
Acoustic/Upright Bass: Shertler DYN-GP
Violin: DPA 4066


Trumpet: Audix D2 or D4
Trombone: Audix D2 or D4
Saxaphone: Audix D2 or D4


Piano: Shertler DYN-GP

Guitar Amp: Shure SM57 w/Radial Engineering JDI MK3 DI
Bass Amp: Shure SM57 w/Radial Engineering Bassbone DI
 
My answers to this depends on a variety of factors including budget and available equipment. I'll just go with options that I personally own since that is what I am working with 90% of the time.

Vocal Handheld: Heil PR22 or Audix OM5
Lav: Contryman B6/B3 or DPA 4065 (not a lav but still...)
Small Vocal Ensembles: Shure KSM141 or Heil PR22
Large Vocal Ensembles: Shure KSM141
Ambient/Hang Microphone: Ambient: Sennheiser e614 or Sennheiser ME64, Hanging:Audio-Technica ES933C
Floor/Boundry: Crown PCC160

Kick: Audix D6
Snare: Shure SM57 Beta57A
Toms: Sennheiser e604
Hi-Hat: Shure Beta57A
Overheads: Shure SM81
Ride: Shure SM81
Auxilary/Misc Percussion: Sorta vague, probably SM57, Beta57A, or an SDC

Acoustic Guitar: Shure KSM141, Shure SM57 or DPA 4099
Acoustic/Upright Bass: DPA 4099 or Shure Beta57A
Cello: DPA 4099 or Shure Beta57A
Violin/Viola: DPA 4099
Harp: Shure Beta57A or KSM141

Trumpet: DPA 4099
Trombone: DPA 4099
Saxaphone: DPA 4099
Woodwinds: DPA 4099

Piano: DPA 4099
Guitar Amp: Sennheiser e609/Countryman Type 85
Bass Amp: Sennheiser e609/Countryman Type 85
 
Last edited:
Vocal Handheld:Shure Beta 87a
Small Vocal Ensembles: MXL 990's
Large Vocal Ensembles:Audio Technica AT897
Ambient/Hang Microphone: stuck with audio technica somethings....
Floor/Boundry: can't remember the names....

Kick: wire an 8" subwoofer as an input.
Snare: 2x sm57 (top and bottom)
Toms: modified sm57's
Overheads: mxl 603

Acoustic Guitar: Mxl r144

Brass and woodwinds: large diaphragms or ribbon mics where possible

Piano: 3x SM58's
Guitar Amp: depends on tone i am looking for. i like to run a sm57 from behind the cab sometimes and the mxl 990 infront, off center of cone and 1-3 feet away. harp mics are pretty cool on cabs too
Bass Amp: DI that thing.... but a modified sm57 or a shure pg52 running through a gate if i must. or take a 1/4" TRS out from the amp...

~Allan
 

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