[Harp-L] Fireball/Fireball V

["John F. Potts" <hvyj@xxxxxxx>]

i read Brendan Powers' post about Greg Heuman (of Blows Me away  
Productions) with interest.  Not just because I share Brendan's high  
regard for Greg and Greg's superior quality of workmanship and  
customer service, BUT because  Brendan said he uses one of Greg's  
volume controls on his Fireball (instead of using a Fireball V, which  
has a volume control built in).

I have both mics. Although primary mic for performance is an EV RE  
15,  I will use an Audix when the thick tone of the RE 15 is not  
suitable for the style of music being played. I have a strong  
preference for using the Fireball when playing through a PA board,  
but I prefer the Fireball V if I am playing through a guitar amp.   
Although I  have to roll off the highs a little, I get much better  
tone and responsiveness from the Fireball through a PA for my style  
of play and the breath and mic handling techniques i use.  However,  
the  brighter high end does not give me good tone through a guitar  
amp, and I find the Fireball V to be superior if i am using an amp.   
In fact, I ordinarily  use the Fireball V as my primary mic when  
playing through an amp.  But I don't like the tone and response of  
the Fireball V if I am going into a PA board.

Apparently, Brendan has a preference for the original Fireball, too.   
Everyone seems to describe the Fireball V as being the more suitable  
microphone of the two, but  if a player as accomplished and expert as  
Brendan buys a volume control for his Fireball instead of just using  
a Fireball V, there must be a good reason for it. IMHO, it is because  
the characteristics of each mic are different. Some will say the  
Fireball V is just a Fireball with a frequency bump in the low end,  
but  the frequency response graph for each mic is different in other  
places along the frequency range, not just at the low end of the  
range. Both are excellent microphones, but  the one i carry most is  
the Fireball, unless i am also lugging an amp around.

BTW, if effects are being used, the signal from either of these mics  
will process extremely  well.

JP