Vocal mics with little or no proximity effect?

M

Matthew Miller

Freshman
Sep 10, 2012
2
0
0
Hi crew,
Been reading here awhile but never actually posted anything.
Btw I've tried a search but nothing really answered my quest.

So simply I'm looking for vocal mics options with the least proximity effect.
HPF only gets part way, I'm HPF high.

Now my favourite live mic is an Audix OM7 but my current client plays harmonica, sings very dynamically and also has quite a low middy and 600hz heavy voice.
Oh I should say the standard B58a which we've used as the 'old reliable' gets spitted out some nights.
Not really a loud monitor stage but loud drummer and guitar amp.

I've tried the following:
B58a - takes the spl but gets muddy and enhances the quaky qualities.
B57a - a little better but still too muddy and quaky
OM6 - smooth, articulate but goes a little low and too tight for a harmonica.
OM7 - no or little proximity, articulate but way too tight
AE5400 - Articulate, great for the harmonica but a little too wooly and lots of bleed (although nice bleed).
AE4100 - Nice but still a lot of proximity effect when induced by a low-mid voice.

I like the character of the AT mics and was thinking of trying the ae6100 but it's probably still not great for this voice.
I've tried Sennheiser in the past with other singers and loved them with thinner voices. Obviously this isn't the case.

I'm curious of a Heil PR35 or Telefunken M81.
I should mention the venues range from 300 to 1500 capacity so GBF and can be an issue.


What do you all think??

Cheers, Matthew.
 
Re: Vocal mics with little or no proximity effect?

Matthew Miller said:
Hi crew,
Been reading here awhile but never actually posted anything.
Btw I've tried a search but nothing really answered my quest.

So simply I'm looking for vocal mics options with the least proximity effect.
HPF only gets part way, I'm HPF high.

Now my favourite live mic is an Audix OM7 but my current client plays harmonica, sings very dynamically and also has quite a low middy and 600hz heavy voice.
Oh I should say the standard B58a which we've used as the 'old reliable' gets spitted out some nights.
Not really a loud monitor stage but loud drummer and guitar amp.

I've tried the following:
B58a - takes the spl but gets muddy and enhances the quaky qualities.
B57a - a little better but still too muddy and quaky
OM6 - smooth, articulate but goes a little low and too tight for a harmonica.
OM7 - no or little proximity, articulate but way too tight
AE5400 - Articulate, great for the harmonica but a little too wooly and lots of bleed (although nice bleed).
AE4100 - Nice but still a lot of proximity effect when induced by a low-mid voice.

I like the character of the AT mics and was thinking of trying the ae6100 but it's probably still not great for this voice.
I've tried Sennheiser in the past with other singers and loved them with thinner voices. Obviously this isn't the case.

I'm curious of a Heil PR35 or Telefunken M81.
I should mention the venues range from 300 to 1500 capacity so GBF and can be an issue.


What do you all think??

Cheers, Matthew.
Click to expand...

The first thing to try is ask the talent to back off the mics a bit-proximity effect is also distance based.

Next, what mixer are you using? Sounds like you only have a hp filter switch on each channel, and no sweepable strip equalizers. What graphic equalizers and processing do you have in your system?

Best regards,

JOhn
 
Re: Vocal mics with little or no proximity effect?

The Heil PR 35 doesn't seem to suffer proximity effect as much as most mics, and they happen to sound great.
 
Re: Vocal mics with little or no proximity effect?

Tim Weaver said:
when I want something with no proximity effect I go for the EV re mics with the "variable D" feature. I don't know what it does, but it certainly works. That is, IF you can live with the looks....

Electro-Voice RE16 Dynamic Supercardioid Handheld w/ Variable-D
Click to expand...

RE-20 or one of the equivalents in their lesser lines. I believe there is one in the PL line.

It takes a big body to re-route the sound behind the element in a variable D mic, so most of them are going to be larger than your typical industry mic.
 
Re: Vocal mics with little or no proximity effect?

Hi all,
desks aren't an issue, but it is a mixed bag.
Varies from profiles to GL2400.
Mostly it's the analog domain.

EV RE series are just big and we are talking about a rock band here.

Really I guess I'm looking for something like a more forgiving OM7.

Cheers for the answers though.
 
Re: Vocal mics with little or no proximity effect?

Matthew Miller said:
Hi all,
desks aren't an issue, but it is a mixed bag.
Varies from profiles to GL2400.
Mostly it's the analog domain.

EV RE series are just big and we are talking about a rock band here.

Really I guess I'm looking for something like a more forgiving OM7.

Cheers for the answers though.
Click to expand...

Not sure I'd call the RE16 "big", although you shouldn't handhold it due to the ports in the handle.
 
Re: Vocal mics with little or no proximity effect?

Gain before feedback will not be as high with the EV RE series as the mics listed in the original post, but they have virtually no proximic effect.
The Shure SM 53 and SM 54 also have nearly no proximic effect, and sound a bit more like an SM 58 than the EVs.

The Beyer M-500 ribbon mics have less proximic effect than most cardioid microphones, but I would not want to put one in front of a spitter.
 
I have a singer using a RE320 as a vocal mic. I place the wedge to the side at a 45 degree angle pointing back at his playing position. That also helps control monitor bleed at the bass players position.

I have never had trouble getting enough gain. Actually feedback has been extremely rare in the vocal mic.
 
Re: Vocal mics with little or no proximity effect?

Just got my hands on a Heil PR 35 and look forward to using it at a gig this Saturday. I've been using the Audix OM6 ever since they first came out and they're getting a little long in the tooth. I'm gonna look into sending them back to have them refurbished. Overall I've enjoyed my OM6's but after hearing a friend's Heil PR 35 I had to try one. Getting used to a mic takes time so it may be a month or two before I can say more about it.
 
Re: Vocal mics with little or no proximity effect?

Gene Hardage said:
Just got my hands on a Heil PR 35 and look forward to using it at a gig this Saturday. I've been using the Audix OM6 ever since they first came out and they're getting a little long in the tooth. I'm gonna look into sending them back to have them refurbished. Overall I've enjoyed my OM6's but after hearing a friend's Heil PR 35 I had to try one. Getting used to a mic takes time so it may be a month or two before I can say more about it.
Click to expand...


OK - I'll tell ya now instead of waiting for a month - this new Heil PR 35 is the coolest thing ever! We did a gig last night with my new skinny columns on subs and I don't know what made me happier - the mic or the new speakers.
 
Re: Vocal mics with little or no proximity effect?

OM5 is "Less tight" than the OM7 and has less proximity effect than anything else I've used. I used the OM5 until recently when I switched to an OM7.
 
Top Bottom