Re: [Harp-L] Beyer mics/WAS Low Impedance Volume Control



George Brooks wrote:
> I'm interested opinions of this mic for acoustic harp, cupped (not 
> on a stand).  Have you or anyone else on the List ever used it 
> cupped straight into the PA?  If so, how does it compare to the mics
> we most commonly encounter (Shure 57s and 58s and their variants and
> equivalents)?

I use a Sennheiser e604 (mine's actually the older M504, but it's the
same mic), cupped.  I don't run straight into the PA, but instead
through a bunch of floor effects and rack units, including a Boss OC-2
octave pedal, a Digitech Synth Wah envelope filter, a PAiA TubeHead
tube/solid state hybrid preamp, and an Alesis MidiVerb 4 digital
effects processor.  I recently added a Morely ABY switch to allow me
to switch my input signal into the separate channels of the preamp,
one dialed for tube overdrive, one dialed for clean sound.  

At the point that the signal is fully processed, I split off a
line-out that runs to the PA (for larger venues that have one), the
other side feeding a Rolls RA-235 solid state power amplifier that
drives a pair of Weber VST P10Qs.  That way I can adjust my stage
sound without affecting my level in the mix, unlike just micing the
amp cabinet.  

This sounds complicated, but it's mostly off-the-shelf components, and
gives me the maximum flexibility and configurability on stage, without
having to predetermine my sound.  As a journeyman sideman harmonica
player, I never know whether my gig will be country or blues, jazz or
rock, acoustic harmonica or overdriven blues harp.  

On the issue of the mic, there are a couple of things I like about the
Sennheiser.  It's ostensibly a drum mic, so it's designed for very
high sound pressures (in excess of 160db), which means the mic itself
isn't going to break up.  It's also VERY small (about 1 1/3 inches in
diameter and 2 1/3 inches long), and light (about 2 oz *before* I cut
off the swivel adaptor).  And it's extremely rugged.  

One thing to remember about using a full-spectrum mic cupped is that a
lot of low end response translates into a lot of potential handling
noise.  I use a piece of foam pipe insulation around my mic to reduce
this problem.  I am also planning to put an equalizer in my effects
chain to be able to notch out the problematic low and high (feedback)
frequencies.  

I have a Heumann inline low impedance volume control on the way that
I'm going to test out between the mic and the AKG snap-on wireless
transmitter.  I'll let everyone know how this works.  

-tim









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