Showing posts with label multipurpose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label multipurpose. Show all posts

6/23/2012

Blue Microphones Bluebird Cardioid Condenser Mic Review

Blue Microphones Bluebird Cardioid Condenser Mic
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This microphone sounds very good on everything I've tried it on. Running the mic through a DBX 376 mic pre, I was able to get some great vocals. Though to get a good amount of clarity on the consonants I did have to ask the singer to back up about six inches from the mic. Being close in, the mic just didn't pick up the T and S sounds. With that adjustment, the mic did a good job on vocals ending up with takes the singer and I were both happy with. It didn't blow me away, but it sounded good. I've used it on a combo amp with good results as well as acoustic guitar and mandolin with better results. Not blown away, but overall happy with the way it sounds being a two to three hundred dollar mic.
What I really don't like about this mic is how the look of the design and aesthetics of the mic are clearly more important to blue than the functionality. Getting this thing in and out of the shock mount is a bit of a pain as it threads into it. I just know I'm going to mis-thread the thing once and have to spend another 80 bucks to get a replacement. Also, every time you adjust the angle of the shock mount you really have to crank the small thumb screw to get it to stay into place. I find the thing very difficult to lock into place all for the sake of looking attractive. I find nothing less attractive than poor functionality. Which brings me to the pop screen. I've read plenty of reviews claiming the pop screen was useless. I wouldn't know because the screen that came with my mic doesn't fit the mic. I sent an email off to Blue and didn't hear anything for two weeks, in the mean time Amazon shipped a free replacement, but it had the exact same issue. Blue responded to a second email and they said the last batch of screens was bad. Blue is supposed to be shipping me a pop screen "when they become available", so I hope I'll be getting one.
All in all, it's a good sounding mic for the money. I find it to be on par with my ADK A51. It's not the "crown jewel" of my modest mic collection but a different flavor to use. But I find the functionality of the accessories to be cumbersome at best, and unusable at worst.

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Designed to offer superb sound and maximum versatility, Blue Microphones' Bluebird is a large-diaphragm cardioid condenser that can handle everything--including vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, drums, strings, and woodwinds. It utilizes Blue's renowned microphone technology and a Class-A discrete circuit to achieve superior detail and clarity, while its unique, retro appearance is sure to be a hit in the studio. The complete Bluebird package includes a shockmount, pop filter, cable, and wooden case.
All-Purpose Design Gives You Professional Quality
The Bluebird is Blue Microphones' response to popular opinion--most people ask for a mic with a warm tone and silky smooth highs, and the Bluebird delivers. Engineered to be as versatile as possible, the Bluebird maintains the high-quality, no-compromise audio that you expect from Blue Microphones. This makes it ideal for male and female vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, close-miking of drums, drum overheads, percussion, piano, horns, and strings--in short, whatever you need it for most.
Proprietary Capsule and Discrete Electronic Components
Each professional-grade Blue Microphone utilizes a unique, proprietary capsule design to capture a specific sonic signature, and the Bluebird is no exception. As a large-diaphragm condenser with a cardioid polar pattern, the Bluebird is built to capture rich, full-bodied sound from sources that are directly in front of the mic.

The capsule and cardioid pattern combine with high-quality electronic components, including a Class-A discrete amplifier circuit, to ensure that each Bluebird mic offers consistent, reliable performance with extended top- and bottom-end sound detail. The electronic components in all of Blue's microphones have been carefully selected, based on 20 years of engineering and experimentation, in order to increase microphone speed, decrease distortion, reduce product variance, and ensure long-term dependability.
Unique Vintage Look and Complete Setup
Satin nickel plating and a baby-blue grip give the Bluebird Mic an original look that matches its well-rounded audio performance. A specially designed shockmount and metal mesh pop filter for laying down clean vocals are included with the mic. It also comes with a wooden storage case that matches the mics retro good looks.

The Bluebird is backed by a three-year limited warranty.
What's in the Box
Bluebird cardioid condenser microphone, shockmount, pop filter, cable, and wooden case.


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3/10/2012

Rode NT2000 Vocal Condenser Microphone Review

Rode NT2000 Vocal Condenser Microphone
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Everyone should have a multi-pattern mic around for utility purposes and this is the one I chose after demoing a half-dozen of interest (I had particularly high hopes for the Blue Mics). Aside from one super-expensive, and unnamed mic, the Rode NT2000 was actually my favorite by quite a margin. As I regard this type of mic as a utility piece, I was looking for a mic that was fairly neutral on voice/cardioid and without too heavy a proximity effect, airy and crisp on omni, and had to have an attentuation switch.
The NT2000 has all that, plus a rugged build. I've been very pleased since purchase, having used it for voice, acoustic guitar (could probably use a warmer mic here), cab miking on electric, bagpipes, recording ambience, and percussion. I'm especially pleased with the mic's ability to capture detail in high sound pressure conditions.
The NT2000 has continuously variable patterns, not a fixed selection of patterns. It has a variable pad, not a simple cut type attentuation switch, which really helps in nailing the sound without having to compromise the mic's position. Finally, the high-pass filter is also continuously variable. All go a long way in making this a HIGHLY adaptable mic.
After my demos, I went in to buy one mic, got an offer I couldn't refuse on two, and walked away poorer but happier! You won't be able to equal that price, as it was something of a favor, but the price here is good.
Although I love NT2000's sound and capabilities, I'm not wild about the controls (pattern, etc.). These aren't knobs you grab and turn - they're thin and flat. They have an edge pattern, but I can't turn them reliably by trying to grab the edges. I have to put my thumb on the knob surface and rotate it that way. It works and the knobs won't get accidently moved, but it's not exactly the height of convenience.
Great multipurpose mics.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Rode NT2000 Vocal Condenser Microphone

The World's First Fully Variable Control Microphone! The RØDE NT2000 is the latest brainchild from Australian master microphone designer Peter Freedman. Never before has this much control and versatility been available in a superlative class large capsule recording microphone. You have totally variable polar pattern, filter and pad all located on the body of the microphone! The NT2000's state of the art surface-mount electronics combined with the new Australian designed and manufactured HF1 Capsule, provide extremely low self-noise (7 dBA) and a maximum SPL of 147 dB (157 dB with pad fully engaged) ensuring exceptional results and the ultimate in recording creativity. The NT2000 includes a hard case and a shockmount. Rode NT2000 Features Large 1 inch HF1 gold sputtered capsule Continuously variable polar pattern, from omnidirectional to cardioid to figure 8 controlled on the microphone Continuously variable pad and high-pass filter Ultra low noise, transformerless surface mount circuitry Wide dynamic range High strength welded and heat treated steel mesh head Internal capsule shock mounting 'I could go on to share the thousands of hours that went in to the research and development of this microphone, instead I am prepared to put my reputation on the line. I am saying without fear of contradiction, the NT2000 is the best sounding and most versatile 1' FET studio microphoneon the world market today, regardless of cost.' Peter Freedman, President RØDE Microphones AmericanMusical.com is an authorized dealer of Rode products.

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