Hi all,
 
Hypthetical question, yet it would help me to narrow down the range of mics to try:
 
If you got to record a male vocalist with a harsh, crispy voice, sounding a bit like Tom Waits and a little bit like the devil when he's drunk ... what mic would you put him up against?
 
Pls don't come back saying the U47 because neither you nor I do have access to it ... but any (sort of) affordable mic recommendation is welcome ... also, tube or no tube ??
 
Cheers
 
Rob
 
 

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Hi Mike
 
These are indeed interesting suggestions. I think I might have to try to get a hold of one these UM17R ... might have to try their 14 day refund offer as I doubt that anyone nearby my place will have that available for a trial ...
 
Thanks
 
Rob

I'd guess I'm right about half the time, and when I'm wrong it is almost always a very happy accident, so I never record vocals without trying several microphones. I tend to narrow the field to start, but I've been know to try everything in my locker on occasion.
 
That said... if I were recording Mr. Waits I'd start with an older AKG C-414, a Blue Baby Bottle, a Shure KSM-32, and a Neuman TLM-193, and I'd put my money on the TLM-193. But I've been surprised often enough that I would still try all four!!

wait.....
 
"high end gear"
 
"no u47"
 
"affordable"
 
none of that makes any sense to me.
 
 
 
 
i would suggest a Shure ksm44a as a mid-range mic
 
 
and a ADK Hamburg on the cheap

"affordable" as in not having to sell one of my kidneys or my car ...
"high end" being the nicer wording for excluding chinese junk ...
 
suggestions so far are pretty interesting, will make a nice comparison (hoping to get some of those for a trial period)

Any "decent" U47 type would probably be ok, depending on your budget. If I personally were recording Tom Waits, I'd try my Peluso 22 47 LE. It really grabs that smoky raspiness like the sound of a fresh coca-cola being poured over ice. The AT 4047 S/V is certainly a step in that direction as well.

You'd have to at least try an SM7b, with presence boost on/off depending how you want to capture the devil's harshness.

I would go with a Royer 121 ribbon mic to tame the raspiness of the vocal. Maybe an Oktava MK-319. Maybe an AT4060.