IR/Mic Question?

[Jeries]

I've been thinking about cabs/IR's/Mics and all that stuff

and it's got me thinking...

Is a high end mic or particular mic more desirable because of its behavior/frequency response than its actual build/quality/parts etc

Aside from the quality of mic preamps and outboard gear and stuff...

Obviously condenser/dynamic/ribbon mics have a different warmth/sound/feel-
But overall is the reason a mic is good just due to the natural frequency response of it?- basically the eq shape it ads to whatever it is that is being mic'd?


With something like Tone Match and IRs is a high end mic even needed if all it does is ad a certain set of EQ to the guitar?

hopefully this make sense...
any thoughts?

 

[nikki-k]

IMO...
A reference mic, such as the Earthworks TC30, plus a *pristine* signal chain for recording, will provide the most *accurate* capture of the speaker in question (plus the cab, if done correctly). With the lack of coloration/distortion, this can lend itself to provide something *as close to identical* as you would hear if compared. Also, this provides the opportunity to *color* the signal afterward, if so desired. If one were to utilize, say, an SM57 + (insert colorful preamp) + (insert tube power amp, head, etc) + cab, they would end up with a particular "tone," and altering that tone later (different mic, power section, etc) would be difficult->improbable->impossible.

HOWEVER...

If you setup your rig, mic the cab, record some passes and find the tone is quite pleasing, then the *colored sound* might be all you require. Keep in mind: the time variant + non-linear aspects of this (power amp interactivity, etc) will NOT be captured in an IR. In this case.. let's say you have a JCM800 + 4x12 with an R121 on it, sounding sweet... leave the mic where it is, reroute it (plus the preamp; the preamp must remain the same!) to the cleanest power amp you can find, and capture that IR. If you were to then do a DI via a speaker out on the 800 (with proper load of course!), and apply the IR, you should find the result (previous recording vs DI +IR) to be very close.

What I just outlined can be significantly simplified by using the Axe-Fx II (all you would need is the clean power amp, Axe-Fx II, any mic + preamp that sounds good on your cab, and some patience)

 

[ML SOUND LAB]

It's more about certain mics working better with different sources. For guitars the dynamic SM57 has become an industry standard. For recording vocals a condenser mic is hard to beat. There are no rules really but not every mic can hold up the pressure of a 100W tube amp running. In the IR world that's not a problem though. But generally speaking I would advice to use the SM57 or SM58 if you want more low end. It's usual to blend another mic with the SM57 like f.ex. the Royer 121 but usually a well placed SM57 will be best in my experience.