Neumann U67 and Shannon Rhoades modded CV4

ok, just plain old "@ admin" without the space does it lol

Lots of good points made in this thread but Sal hit on the best one for me. A big mic is not an end all. They just don't work on every voice or instrument. Even the register of a song can be a deal breaker. But when they're matched up with the right amp on the right source, that's when they're worth it. Nothing else comes close to the ease in my experience. But still, I wouldn't be satisfied with just that one mic because to me, there is no "just one mic". I'm a proud owner of the modded CV-4 and use it as much or more than the 67. It's better on some sources than the 67.

I think all gear is like that. MJB asked me to listen to a couple of sound samples of a pre amp using 2 different op amps. Both where recording the same Taylor acoustic. One, of coarse sounded better to me with that particular guitar because it was a bright guitar, but I know from experience that the other op amp would have sounded better with his other guitar because it is a loud, bassy guitar. Not saying that anyone should go to the trouble of swapping op amps every time you change voices to record but the point is, we all do this with mics because that's the easiest way to get to where we want.

After listening again to the files that John posted, I agree with him that the eq'd version of the CV-4 track sounds as good if not better on his voice. And probably would in a mix as well. Even that would change when tracks are competing for space so those files would both change as well.

In the end, it's all good if the equipment is good. But more importantly, if the user is good

Martina used a Telefunken 251 on her new album Everlasting, and we pressed 1,000 units on vinyl - thank you God!!! This is the first time we have pressed vinyl on her, but not the last. We have already decided to press 1,000 units of her album Timeless from 2005 some time in the future. Anyway, here is the approach we took to the vinyl project. I contacted Doug Sax and he told me to have Bob Ludwig/Adam Ayan from Gateway (who mastered the cd audio) send him the cd mastering. From there, Doug did some additional mastering and a slight amount of de-easing and made the lacquers and we sent them to Mastercraft in New Jersey, where Desmond made the metal mother and the stampers. United Record Pressing here in Nashville did the pressing and did an absolute incredible job. Dave from URP gave me an incredible tour of their facility (which is currently getting ready to expand in a new location) and explained the entire process - and only 20% or so went over my head. Dave is a true gem of a guy, and his passion for vinyl and quality is right down my alley. I felt like I had met a true brother in arms when it comes to keeping the bar high, and raising it every chance we get. URP did the packaging and everything went just great. I also was able to do something I have wanted to do for years - I went down to URP when they were getting ready to shrink-wrap the album and I put 15 letters in 15 different albums, which were also going to different parts of the country. I congratulated the future buyers on receiving this "certificate" and told them to email me or contact me through the mail, and I also enclosed a SASE for them. So far I have received 2 responses from buyers, with 13 still out there somewhere. I am putting together a nice gift package for these "winners" and if anyone has a suggestion on what would be a good prize please post it here. I am looking for ideas. They will definitely receive a few of these things: probably a refund for the cost of the vinyl, t-shirt, other swag, 2 tix to any Martina show, something signed, etc. etc. etc. I really want to make it special and dig this - the first response I got was from a woman in Huntsville, AL and she had just enrolled her son in The Blackbird Academy!!!!!! TBA is an audio engineering school we started last year (both studio and live engineering programs) and it is one helluva small world!!! If anyone has any questions about the recording of Everlasting I am an open book - it was produced by Martina and Don Was and was a thoroughly wonderful experience. It was Don's first time recording at Blackbird and we put his dick in the dirt, I am proud to say! He loved the sounds, particularly the horns. Don is a great guy and a great producer, and he probably tells all the girls that (about the sounds), but it sure felt good to know that we made him happy. 25% of my motivation in building Blackbird was to have a studio as good or better than NY and LA, and I believe we have succeeded. Nashville has such great players, songwriters, engineers, producers, arrangers, etc. that I feel we should not be treated like a red-headed stepchild by LA and NY, and that seems to happen pretty regularly. Anyway, onward and upward!

Great post rockorsuck, and welcome. Hopefully, we rock and don't suck, so you'll stick around !

Welcome rockorsuck Glad your here...this is a cool place!

How bout a MP3 player loaded with Martina's music?.... I keed, I keed 8) 
Welcome rockorsuck great to have you here! Your facility is second to none IMO

Great thread, thanks for all the information. This place is a candy store for thought and knowledge - the real deal.
I am hoping to take rockorsuck (Mr McBride)'s offer to shed a little more information on the Everlasting record. Thanks for the 251 info too! I feel a vintage Tele 251 is the most honest vocal mic I've heard followed by an M49.
If I may:
1. Could you please shed some light on the rest of the vocal chain used? (vocals sound stellar!)
2. Any information on the mixing aspects of the vocal?
3. You mentioned Vinyl..!! super exciting!! Considering vinyl has jumped up 400% in sales in the past year, are you anticipating more pressing and possibly sales of vinyl versions of the record?

BTW, congratulations on your vision. In LA, we have the gear but most only know how to plug in the MacBook into a stereo channel of a console and work on that and a Manley Ref C...lol Then I saw a couple of mixing engineers with a gorgeous SSL, with the room door fully open and facing the beach that's about 200 feet away. Nashville is where it's at. My dear friend, the late Mike Shipley got me hooked on Nashville. I eventually ended up purchasing my RCA console from Nashville as well!

On the original demo files, I think the U67 is just (un)"believable". When the singer says "all the things, that we've been through, you should understand me".... I actually believe and understand his plight. I really do. Yes with the Eq'd version, the clone comes 'technically' close, but to my ears, I am struggling to "believe" the honesty in the singer's message and emotion as much as I do with the u67. I don't know how to describe it but the honesty in the mid-range/speaking-singing voice, seems to get lost. My 0.02.

Thanks again everyone!!

Yeah Mike was amazing!! We had embarked on a project together and he was about to connect some dots ... He liked what I did, songs I wrote/produced, which bummed me that he left us..! Such a great soul and he had a great perspective of things. He was out in Nashville mixing Keith Urban and texted me to hook up when he got back into LA. Unfortunately this didn't happen...lives move whilst souls linger.. I still have his pair of shoes outside my studio that the family gave me as a reminder. Legacy lives on.!!

Unfortunately yes, a heart thing ..
Did you meet him or work with him? He really loved Nashville btw..