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Post by yotonic on Apr 26, 2015 14:04:03 GMT -6
Hi Mark, thanks for your time and expertise.
In this day and age of the loudness wars and crushed vocals it seems the LDCs fit the formula for what listeners want to hear, a detailed above the mix vocal. I can't help but notice that ribbons have almost the feeling of a "noise gate" on them when it comes to Vox. It seems like the tails of a vocal just stop dead with almost a spongey feel. Is this the nature of all ribbon mics? Does that softer feel allow for more compression on a vocal without the Vox getting too brittle? I've also noticed some natural distortion coaxed out of the ribbon mic when that's what a producer is looking for on a vocal, is that a characteristic that pertains to certain ribbon designs more than others?
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Post by markfouxman on Apr 26, 2015 16:00:30 GMT -6
My take on it, the condensers because of construction of their capsules and non linear nature of capacitance to voltage transfer to some degree do compress the sound. Also, they have a different mechanism of diaphragm resonances. In general, ribbons are free from this mechanism of distortions and have more natural response to the quieter passages. Perhaps that's what you are hearing? But of course, every specific ribbon mic would behave differently.
I would love to invite to this interesting discussion anybody who had experience with using ribbons for vocals.
Best, M
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Post by Johnkenn on Apr 26, 2015 20:24:59 GMT -6
cowboycoalminer - I know you've recorded some vocals on ribbons...what's your take on how they deal with the top end?
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Post by kidvybes on Apr 26, 2015 20:42:54 GMT -6
I had Mark rebuild a ribbon mic for me, specifically for use on female vocals...my specific request was that the mic handle a very dynamic female voice, one that can at times becomes strident in a way that many good condenser mics cannot hold it...I also requested extended top-end, "air" as it's referred to, so that the intimacy of softer passages had a transparent quality (a tall order for a ribbon?)...well, needless to say he delivered a ribbon-mic that seems to combine the best of both ribbon and condenser qualities...the top-end detail and air is beyond anything I've heard on a ribbon prior to using this mic...and at the same time, it maintains the velvety low-mid texture I love so much in ribbon-mics...
I currently have a tune in which lead vocals were recorded with this mic that is charting nicely in the reggae realm...reached #2 on a well-respected Florida TOP 10 chart just a week or so ago...the sound of the track is a mixup of retro and modern, and the mic fit the bill perfectly!...as a matter of fact, the artist was invited to perform this same song in NY this weekend at a major cultural event highlighting the "International Women Of Reggae" ...my gratitude to Mark for a job well done!
*a proper video is in the works for this tune and should be ready for viewing shortly, at which time I will attach a link to this post...
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Post by cowboycoalminer on Apr 27, 2015 5:05:46 GMT -6
cowboycoalminer - I know you've recorded some vocals on ribbons...what's your take on how they deal with the top end? I think ribbons can be just the ticket for vocals sometimes. I usually end up rolling some top off anyway and the ribbons negate the need for that. Very smooth bottom to top. HPF up to around 200 on male usualy for me then eq to taste. Never used a ribbon that didn't eq well. Even cheap ribbons. |
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Post by EmRR on Apr 27, 2015 6:25:48 GMT -6
The MF65 gets used for vocals all the time. I frequently put up several mics for client audition, a mix of ribbons and condensers, the MF65 is almost universally picked as favored. Almost every condenser exhibits an obvious distortion edge, which can go so far in some cases as to flatten the sound out into a 2D experience. An appropriate ribbon sounds distortion free, with more dimensional qualities in the dynamic spread of a performance. The limits of high frequency boost generally appear to be preamp noise floor, never any sonic stop sign from the mic signature.
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