So, is there a debate or not? Will the microphone at 1000€ or more always be more efficient than an entry-level microphone?
The idea is not to provide you with a comparison of all possible microphones, there are already plenty of them on the internet. The idea with this article is to qualify things. It is obvious that a good microphone will necessarily contribute to a better grip. But objectively, the best studio microphone does not really exist! It will depend on what you want to use it for.
Microphone at 100€ or microphone at 1000€, the secret to the success of a successful recording
What are the criteria that will differentiate low budget microphones from microphone stars? We can consider several of them: - directivity (this is the sensitivity of the microphone in relation to the direction of the sound wave, in other words the way in which they pick up the sound (in front, behind, omnidirectional...)). - robustness.
- width of the bandwidth (corresponds to the range of frequencies that it can capture, that is to say, from very low to very high). - SPL (this is the maximum pressure allowed which indicates how much the microphone can pick up the loudest sound). - sensitivity (this is the performance of the microphone: a high sensitivity eliminates background noise and other parasitic sound, for a clearer rendering).
- hiss (this is the background noise produced by the microphone itself. Generally, the better the microphone, the less background noise it will generate). - response curve or "fingerprint" (this is the graphic representation that each microphone has to restore the recorded frequencies). - notoriety of the brand (a microphone with a good reputation will always appeal more to future customers of a recording studio).
All these characteristics are precisely studied by the sound engineers in order to be able to select the microphones with which they will want to equip their studio. As the musician carefully chooses his instrument, the effects he will use, the amps, the cymbals etc., the role of a sound engineer is to choose the equipment that will be most likely to make the musicians sound he records, as musicians dream of hearing themselves. In other words, a sound engineer is also a musician, but a sound musician this time.
Obviously, "cheap" microphones exist and can work very well on certain sockets. This is for example the case of the AUDIX D6, a microphone not overpriced (about 250€) but which will be very good for picking up a bass drum or a bass amp.
The crucial point when recording, the "holy grail", is to capture the best moments
It is THE CHOICE OF MICRO at the time of recording that will be essential.
We cannot deny that certain brands (NEUMANN, AKG, CHOPES), and certain models (C12 AKG, MD 421 Sennheiser 1st generation, Neumann TLM49) bring warmth and depth, a recognizable sound design; and thus enhance the sound that is captured. The important thing is to be able to transcribe the dynamics, the interpretation, the SOUND of a musician... All of this will require choosing microphones capable of capturing these subtleties and transcribing them with the greatest fidelity. Every instrument, every voice, every style of music requires choosing the best mic that will work.
This is why the SUNRISE STUDIO pays a lot of attention to building a HIGH QUALITY MICRO PARK
Experience and expertise of the sound engineer will come into play particularly at this time because he will have you record with the microphone or microphones that suit you best for a perfect sound recording!
At Sunrise Studio, we have chosen different models in order to have a wide spectrum of possibilities in sound recording:
AKG C12VR ( couple )
AEA R84
Neumann KM84 ( paired couple )
JZ Vintage 2011
Gefell ex RDA ( paired couple)
EV RE20
3x Sennheiser MD421 ( 1st generation )
Strasser M71N
Audix VX5, D6
Shure Beta 91
Sennheiser e609, Shure SM58, Lewitt LCT040 Matched
etc..
Obviously, the microphones are not the only actors that constitute the sound chain.
What will also make the difference are all the other elements: - pre-amps - converters - acoustics of the studio - quality of listening...
Of course, they will be the subject of other articles in order to be able to explain to you more precisely why the recordings at Sunrise Studio have been designed for 100% success.
You want to know more about the recording studio hardware, click here.
You want to discuss your musical project with us, do not hesitate to contact us :-)
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