Tube Mic For Vocals?

Cass Broadview · Post by **Cass Broadview** » 2 Oct 2009 10:09 am

I always wanted to try a tube microphone for vocals and acoustic guitar in our home studio. I've been looking at the Behringer T-47 and T-1 Vacuum Tube Condenser Microphones mainly because of price. Without the usual "i hate behringer products scenario" please, do you have an opinon on recording with tube mics? Do ribbion mics work well for recording vocals? Just want to warm up our vocals a bit. Cass

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 2 Oct 2009 11:15 am

It's worth a try. Ribbon mics are very nice on vocals.

Justin Douglas · Post by **Justin Douglas** » 2 Oct 2009 1:54 pm

I actually just had a tube vocal mic custom built for my studio.

Tubes are only one factor in the sound of a microphone, and arguably not the largest. For the most part our ears like what tubes and transformers do to the human voice - essentially adding distortion - but cheap tubes, cheap electronics, cheap transfos and especially cheap capsules can really negate any notion of a 'tube mic' sound.

Chinese tube mics (like Behringer, Apex, Nady, etc) have a a scooped, hollow midrange and a really forced, brittle top end (treble) to them that's almost impossible to tame and very harsh on sibilance.

I'd highly recommend looking at KEL Audio microphones (I'm in no way affiliate with them, just own some). They're hand built in Canada by one fellow who's philosophy is building really natural sounding microphones for cheap. There's plenty of sound samples on the web site there.

The little Kel HM-1 can sound incredible on vocals (I'd be happy to email you some examples) plus it's a great mic for just about anything else.

Cheers!

Cass Broadview · Post by **Cass Broadview** » 29 Dec 2009 5:51 pm

Justin, i took your advice and purchased a KEL HM-3C, it's just fantastic. They suggested this microphone for acoustic instrument recording such as my violin, cello, viola etc. It came with this neat aluminum case, shock spider mount, and they even gave me a 21 day money back guarantee. Thank you for your help.
Cass Broadview

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 30 Dec 2009 2:14 pm

For other folks checking in on this thread. another truly great relatively inexpensive tube mic is the Rode (Australian) NTK. Unbelievable for the price, they often go cheap on ebay. Very nice on female vox, drum overheads, acoustic instruments.

Ulric Utsi-Åhlin · Post by **Ulric Utsi-Åhlin** » 3 Jan 2010 1:23 am

The "sheen" of a HI QUALITY Tube mike can´t be
topped by anything ; just watch it,lots of "tube"
units are just about fake,a tube thrown into the
design for sales promotion...McUtsi

Justin Douglas · Post by **Justin Douglas** » 3 Jan 2010 9:57 am

hey cass,

congrats on the new mic! i'm glad it's working out so well for you. i really can't say enough for the mics or for Kelley who builds them.

cheers,
justin

Terry Edwards · Post by **Terry Edwards** » 12 Jan 2010 10:19 am

I use a Rode K2 at home and it sounds great.